Rugby World Cup

Part of Joshua's homework this evening was to write up some facts about the impending RWC. Together he and I 'googled' the subject and Joshua then chose the points that he found important and wrote them up as follows (beautiful writing Josh - even if you did ask if you could simply copy and paste them and print them out on the computer!!).

Georgie-girl

Mummy Sarah came down to Wellington to run the Wellington half-marathon this weekend (in the most awful weather conditions!) and brought with her an envelope from Georgia for Josh. Well Josh had a smile from ear to ear when he opened it up ... you may live up in Auckland Georgie-girl but we do think of you often.

Sunday Church

Today the Years 1-3 boys and teachers all met at the local Church, together with their parents, for a church service. The Year 3 boys performed a play up on the altar. They were all given a number which they had personally illustrated in keeping with the words which they read out. Joshua was No. 5 which was all about "honouring your father and your mother" and went on to talk about how important family is.

Throughout the service the boys sang various hymns and songs. Josh particularly enjoyed the song "If I were a butterfly" - in fact, all the boys seemed to enjoy it as when they sang this song they really came alive with energy, a few actions and seemed to be having fun.

If I were a butterfly
I'd thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I'd thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me ... ME

CHORUS:
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me ... ME

If I were an Elephant
I'd thank you Lord for raising my trunk
If I were a kangaroo
You know I'd hop right up to you
If I were an octopus
I'd thank you Lord for my fine looks
But I just thank you Father for making me ... ME

CHORUS

If I were a wiggly worm
I'd thank you Lord that I could squirm
If I were a fuzzy wuzzy bear
I'd thank you Lord for my fuzzy, wuzzy hair
If I were a crocodile
I'd thank you Lord for my great smile
But I just thank you Father for making me ... ME

Classroom Board

Mrs Bell has been putting photographs of all the boys up on the board and writing something 'encouraging and nice' about them all. Today I saw Joshua's photo ...

Games Night

Most Wednesdays nights in our house is now GAMES NIGHT. If Joshua had it his way, we would play the board game, Monopoly, all the time! However we try and vary it. So after dinner and once Joshua has had his shower and is in his pyjamas, we set up a few games and simply have fun. Tonight we played Monopoly first and then played with the brain-kit and learnt all about simple battery-powered circuits to light up a small light-bulb - I am not sure if the 'big' boy or the 'little' boy enjoyed it the most!

Daddy comes home!!

Daddy came home today after seeing Grandma and Grandad in England. Mrs Bell let me collect Joshua early so that we could be there at the airport when Daddy walked off the plane. Joshua was very quick to run up to Daddy and so, so happy to have him home. We even had Huddy in the back of the car and so all of us went straight to the beach for a long walk along the sand, chatting and catching up and then a hot chocolate at our favourite Maranui cafe.

It feels good to have you home Daddy ...

C'mon Daddy, throw me a stick ... Huddy has missed you too Daddy!

Boys' Sewing Class

Last week the Art teacher shoulder-tapped 3 mothers, including myself, to help with a sewing class. All the boys had been given a square of hesian which they had to stitch around the edge so as to stop it fraying and then crayon a picture in the centre which they then sewed using a large needle and wool. Phew, 3 mothers plus the art teacher plus 14 boys all with LARGE needles and wool was an 'interesting' exercise!

Mummy happened to tell the Art Teacher that Joshua's grandmother used to teach sewing at school, albeit a long time ago, and, in fact, she still has men today in their 40's and 50's coming up and thanking her for teaching them how to take up a hem and how to sew on a button as it is surprising how many times they have had to exercise that talent! Based on that story, the art teacher phoned and asked me if I could put together 14 "boy-friendly" button-sewing kits !

Well, we all know how 'seriously' Mummy takes on tasks so she set to and found some felt fabric in the 4 House colours and then proceeded to cut out 15 individual rockets. We then put together 14 individual packs each with a felt rocket, a needle and cotton and an assortment of about 10 buttons each (a 'pirate' button; a 'friend' button and assorted others).

The boys loved creating their own 'pattern' on the felt rockets with all sorts of buttons. I also had cut out 15 cardboard rocket so the boys then glued their completed felt rockets onto the card rockets and then 'flew' them around the classroom !!

It was a lot of fun - and again, a precious opportunity to participate in the classroom and see the boys work and of course see the wonderful patience of the teachers.

Joshua's hesian picture - a rocket flying up to the moon and a star, with his initials 'JT'
And of course the boy-friendly rocket packs ... some of the finished work