holidays

It's the holidays in our part of the world…

Hooray and yippee and yahoo!

I've had people say to me, "Oh, well you're homeschoolers, 

you don't have holidays, do you?" 

Say whaaaaaat? 

We do, in fact, have holidays. 

Not from all the learning that happens naturally (that would be like taking a holiday from Life), but from all the Scheduled Busy that happens during term time. It's so lovely not to have to be anywhere at any certain time. 

Because I'm married to a teacher, and because we take (and run!) so many classes, the holidays are a very distinct time for us. The kids are very aware of when it's term time and when it's break time. But I'm not sure they have ANY idea just how much they're learning, in this glorious down time, as the days drift by…

I'm not going to tell them.  :)

So what have we been up to? 

Well, there have been games, games and more games

Monopoly—Here and Now
set in Australia, so my girl was sending
a little koala 'round the board…so cute

Upwords
which my boy was insanely good at

Forbidden Island
which is awesome
(thanks so much for the recommendation, Karen!)

In fact, we've played so many games, 

some days we've had no place to eat!

There's been movie watching,

in 3D, no less!

Gosh, what'll they think of next?!

first time to a 3D movie—SO excited

Then there's been all the reading 

and all the drawing, 

sometimes first thing in the morning, for hours, before breakfast.

We've hiked to a glorious waterfall with friends,

and toys…

and taken silly photos…

Look, Ma! My head's as big as that there waterfall!

And we've been to an Aboriginal Culture day 

where we learned about the different weapons the indigenous people

traditionally used to hunt and trap and kill their food.

(We vegetarians even patted the skin of a not-so-alive kangaroo!)

We learned how in Aboriginal culture there's men's business

and women's business.

After the men spoke of their business

and played didgeredoo

(which is strictly a men-only activity),

Auntie Dierdre came and told us about women's business

and bush tucker

and taught us how to weave rope from swamp grass

The kids loved this day.

Plus we've been to a Book Town

and hiked to see

glowing glowworm bottoms…

Ah. That was a good day too.

And my son has played in concerts 

inside

and outside,

while a mum and a girl watched, drank juice and 

grinned

It's been such a busy, happy holidays.

You'd think we were full and done and ready to rest.

But now,

we're going camping!

Yes, we are, and I can't wait, and I have to go pack, 

right this minute

so I can take my family to a place we used to spend our holidays when I was a kid.

I have so many special memories.

I wonder if things will have changed? 

Will the lake still be there?

The dunes?

That particular curve of the sea?

I can't wait to find out…

Warmth and smiles to you all, 

wherever you are, having holidays or not, 

inside or out, in sun or rain!