New Year

I am a disorganised person.
I am a person who wants to do many more things than I actually have the motivation/time/resources for.
I am a person who plans out many a good conversation in her head, only to stick to the superficial 'How are you?'
'Good, how are you?'
'Good' kind of conversations in real life.
I am a person who fails to engage her brain in conversations/when reading/when listening.  This is to my detriment.
I am a homeschooling Mama, seeking to educate her children in a Christian Classical way (when I have trained my brain to engage, learnt to have deeper conversations, and found the motivation to do the activities etc I lack the motivation to carry out). 

The many plans of my head do little to serve my family, and they certainly do not help in the education of my children.  I have been given many opportunities to think and to plan and to dream.  Now I must do.  And what I have been learning from others is that I must start. 

Starting is the precursor to many things. 

I could keep reading, and making that the excuse for why I don't do....I am still planning
I could keep thinking of plans, and making that the excuse for why we have not done ......insert any number of things - I am still planning
I could keep dreaming of the perfect home interior/curriculum/craft project and making that the excuse for why I don't have my transition strips down, my knitting project done, Shakespeare started - I am still dreaming.

And so I wanted to record what I have started, in writing as a way of seeing where I am, and then making some small plans for what to add next.

I am not a writer, but I do think that writing out things helps make dreams and plans into concrete thoughts and plans.  And this is a long neglected blog which I think will focus a little more on our homeschooling journey than just family news.  Family news will still exist because we homeschool in our family and the two do not really exist outside of one another.  And lets face it, I have not been at the blog for a long long time. 

I have thought about adding some records of what we are doing on here for a ages.   Mostly as a record for me to remember what books we have read, what hymns we have learned and other daily musings of our life.  The family read a loud list is on the side bar and the Morning Time schedule at the bottom of the blog.  It is not intended as a bragging list, or look at what we are doing.  This is a messy business, living together as family.  We are failing more times than I care to admit.  There is a lot of sin involved with seven people living together and loving together.  This road is one that I pray will lead me to a deeper walk with my Lord, homeschooling from a posture of prayer and dependence on the one who has called us to this crazy life. 

 

 



7 years ago today

Six years ago on a cold and snowy day a little girl was born at home.  We named her Hope Ruby and pray that she will learn to treasure the Hope of the world sent at Christmas time to be her Saviour. 

 

 

She grew fast! Which is unusual for these Hindle babies and was soon one. We had a sledging and hot chocolate party that year and green and pink cupcakes. 

Then we blinked or so it seemed and you were two  Lots happened that year and we took you to IKEA, shopped your pressies on the day and had cupcakes 2 weeks late.  I'm ashamed to admit I don't know where the pics are, or even if we have any.  As Mummy explained a lot happened that year!

 

The year you turned 3 you were so poorly that we had to cancel your party and put the cake into the freezer. But later in the week we celebrated the with the princess cake, a gaggle of friends and lots of fun.

 

 

Then you turned 4.  That year was colder than any other, and everyone got stuck in hideous traffic trying to get to the swimming pool.  But, we all had fun, swimming and playing and eating chilli at 9pm because we stayed at the pool long enough for everyone to  have a good time.

 

 

And then you turned 5.  That was the year we had the Princess and the pea cake and Mummy forgot to put the pea on!

 

And then you turned six.  We had an ice-cream social for your birthday that year, and it was so fun to play and eat all things ice-cream. 

 



 

 

And today you turn seven.  A birthday that has sort of crept up on us this year because we have been working so hard at school.  You love animals and drawing, and your family and a wide circle of friends.   And tomorrow is swimming, again, so I guess we could add swimming to your list of things you love to do.  We loved watching you grow and mature this year Hopie, even when it meant chaos and really loud volume levels as you lead your faithful followers on adventure after adventure.  

Enjoy being seven our sweet girl.  We'll be praying that you learn not to be scared of anything, because Jesus has conquered everything that is scary by rising from the dead. 

We love you xxxxxxx

 

Twins birthday fun

It was a day of treasure hunting.  Scavenger hunts leading to treasure chests, digging for gold (yucon gold potatoes to be exact), and exploding treasure chests with real money (discontinues pennies to be precise).  We were blessed with a warm sunny September day with which to celebrate the blessing of these two amazing little boys.