Term Two: Week One ~ Extended Holidays

Public School students in NSW started Term Two on Wednesday as Monday was Pupil Free Day (teacher inservice) and Tuesday was a public holiday for ANZAC Day. Originally I was going to start our term officially on Wednesday as well, but then a good friend arranged to come over Wednesday afternoon to bring belated birthday gifts for both Monster and Munchkin and it was at that point that I decided to just give us all an additional week of holidays and start fresh and ready on Monday of week two.

Monday was Pupil Free Day and Munchkin attended an all day Lego day at an Anglican church a few suburbs away. Friends drove him there and brought him home, leaving me free to plan a fun day with the two older boys. We walked to a neighbouring suburb to do some much needed shopping for necessary clothing. But first off, to feed these boys...

Rather than give our money to the large chain fast food joints, we chose an independently owned burger restaurant that we have liked in the past. The ownership has changed so the menu is slightly different, but we were well pleased with our choice. The staff were helpful and friendly, the price was equal to or slightly less expensive than the major chains represented in the shopping centre, and the food was TASTY. Also, the quantity of food was amazing. As you can see from the above photos, Monster can barely get his mouth around the burger, and neither boy finished their meal. They also really liked the special seasoning that was on the chips. We gave them an amazing Google review and intend to recommend them to all our friends. From now on, whenever we go to the shopping centre, we intend to give them our business.

The many faces of teenage boys...

Tuesday was ANZAC day so in the morning Munchkin and I got busy baking some biscuits...

We used a recipe we haven't used in the past and hoped for the best.

Our ANZAC Day selection of biscuits and books for 2023. I always buy a packet of biscuits from the shops as well because part of the proceeds go towards the RSL clubs. We enjoyed biscuits, hot chocolate, and an afternoon read aloud.

As the boys are getting older I limit our selection of books to any new books we haven't read before (like the above book entitled "ANZAC Biscuits") and our absolute favourites. We were saddened this year to discover that one of our all-time favourites ("Do Not Forget Australia" by Sally Murphy) is no longer available for borrowing. No one could really tell me why - could have been stolen, damaged, or lost - and the boys are old enough that it isn't worth my while to purchase the book new for our home library. 

Biscuits, books and hot chocolate... a perfect combination.

I spent time on ANZAC Day working on my puzzle and made some progress...

Monkey read these two book independently this week... he is working his way through the How to Train Your Dragon books and then he will read the Wizards of Once series.

More progress on my puzzle...

Pancake and bacon brunch on Wednesday. We didn't get to have pancakes and bacon on Munchkin's birthday because we were camping and had to be packed up and out of the site by 10am, and since our friend was coming in the afternoon for the belated birthday celebration it seemed fitting to do the belated birthday breakfast on Wednesday as well.

Monster opening his card, gift certificate, and pens from our friend...

Munchkin enjoying opening his gifts...

Munchkin's foot is healing and thus peeling...

I got bitten by the organising bug and decided to reorganise all my books. It was actually good to do this because they all needed a wipe down, and I downsized my collection ever so slightly as I determined I was not ever going to read three of the books I own. Sadly, I forgot to take photos after I completed the process...

Thursday it was back to the library for the After School Activities - Lego this week!

More puzzle progress as I spent a good portion of Friday working on it.

The beautiful sunrise that greeted me Saturday morning.

Two walks this week - the one on the left represents all the walking the boys and I did Monday when we walked to the shopping centre, did all our shopping, and then walked home.

Munchkin's independent reading for the week.

 

Books I'm Currently Reading

I thought I would give my readers a glimpse into the books I'm currently reading (or have recently finished)... 

My very fist Colleen McCullough book and it did NOT disappoint. It took me nearly a year to read this book as I admit I got a bit bogged down with all the Roman names and took a break. But I picked it back up and quickly found it hard to put down. Upon finishing the book I've discovered that it is actually book four in a series of seven books. I own book seven, but sadly the library only has book four and book seven, so I will have to start scouring the op shops and second hand bookstores. I don't think I want to back track and read books 1-3 necessarily, but I DEFINITELY want to read the next two books in the series before I read the last book.

Despite the length of this book (Bryce Courtenay doesn't believe in writing short books) I read this book quickly. The storyline was confronting at the best of times, but also completely absorbing and thought provoking. I always come away from Bryce's books in a pensive mode and have to contemplate the book for quite awhile before I read another one.

Julie Andrews second autobiography all about he time working in Hollywood, up to just before the Broadway release of Victor/Victoria. It was so interesting to learn more about her marriage and parenting years, as well as secrets and behind the scene news of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. She is an amazing woman and I enjoyed both of the books. I do wish she would write a third book, but I think maybe her writing days are over (at least of adult books).

Book three of the Miss Lily series... I am enjoying this book, and the series, but I don't find it nearly as captivating or as engrossing as the Matilda Saga books - they will forever be my favourites.

This was a lovely, Australian based, modern retelling of The Prodigal Son story from the Bible. It would be a great book for a new Christian or a struggling Christian and it gave me a great way to balance the heavier information and content of the Bryce Courtenay book and the Colleen McCullough book.

Finally, I'm still steadily working my way through the Anne of Green Gables series for the first time in my life. This is book six of the eight in the series and I am enjoying it.