School

Slade and Kai have settled in so well to their new school, which has been a great relief to us. It's always hard to do something new, and being such a big decision it's a little nerve-wracking as a parent!
We chose to send them to a private school called Sheldon College. It's in Thornlands, which is closer to Moreton Bay from where we've been living in Calamvale.
They are both enjoying making new friends and the range of new activities to which they're being exposed. There is quite a big emphasis on drama, sport and music during school hours. Slade has a string instruments music class this term and has chosen to try the violin, while Kai is enjoying singing and has chosen to be part of a choir that does a number of performances during the year.

They're also getting involved in extra-mural activities. Both kids are doing swimming and Kai is also doing dancing. Slade got thrown in the deep end (literally) with swimming when he went to do an assessment and was lumped together with the squad swimmers practicing their butterfly! He coped very well and has continued in squad swimming.
I was so proud of Slade, who, having got lost on the second day at school, quite confidently asked a teacher (that he didn't know) to help him find his classroom.
We have really being struck by how friendly everyone at the school is. Parents, teachers and pupils alike. As new students to the school, they've had other children looking after them and making them feel welcome. And we've already got a few play-dates in the pipeline.
So together with the change in schools, we'll be moving house at the end of the month. It'll mean that we won't have a 30min plus commute, which includes a stretch along the motorway leading to the city. We are all looking forward to that!
We are also very excited about the house that we've found to rent. It's in an estate/complex in Redland Bay, which is on Moreton Bay. The estate has a communal pool, tennis court, gym, BBQ/braai area and picnic area. The house itself is a wonderful double storey with four bedrooms upstairs and a big living area downstairs. We are really excited to have the extra space. The property prices in the area are pretty reasonable so if we're happy living in the area at least we know it's affordable to buy too!

Kai's First Day at Big School

The kids started school today and it was Kai's first day at big school! She looked really grown up in her uniform. She had a great day though and really enjoyed herself. There are a few kids in her class who were in kindi with her, and she's in the class that Slade was in last year so she's also familiar with the teachers.



Slade also had a good day. He's gone into Year 2, but has some of his classmates with him again this year.

Such a nice idea that I wanted to share: Kai's teacher gave out a wonderful little ziploc bag containing a tea bag, cottonwool ball and tissue and this note: Here is a little gift for you as you leave your precious one with us on the first day of school. As you hold this cotton ball in your hand, the softness will help you to remember the gentle spirit of your child. After you've gone home and dried your tears, make yourself a hot cup of tea. Put up your feet and relax. Remember that together we will work for your child to be the best they can be.

What We've Been Up To: In Pictures

The River Fire -- we sat at South Bank near to the river to watch this amazing annual firework display.



The Ipswich Rail Workshops Museum -- We're definitely making the most of our annual passes here!






The Coolum Beach Kite Festival




My beautiful daughter at Wellington Point



The Ipswich Rail Workshops Museum held a model train display recently. On display was the biggest Lego train display in Queensland.




Visited by Edna the Echidna: Slade recently brought an echidna (not real!) home from school for the evening. He took pictures of what he did with the echidna while she stayed with us. He put these in Edna's book of travels and wrote a story about what she did at our house.

Slade's Sports Day

Slade had his sports day at school yesterday. It was a really fun day. For the prep and year one children it is mostly just about having fun. They weren't involved in the more serious athletics activities that the older junior school children were doing.

The event started with a parade. The preps and year ones walked with their group of classes -- Slade is in the gecko group and as he is the class rep he walked in the front carrying the banner. Each group had a war cry that they had made up themselves. The older children were split up into their houses and each house had a war cry.





The preps and year ones then did 80m running races in groups of about eight. Slade came second in his run. He was really happy about that, and I was so proud to see him participating and having such fun.



After having a break, the children did fun activities in small groups. They did long jump, relay type games, kicked balls into a soccer net and did a small obstacle course. Slade thoroughly enjoyed it all and participated in everything. I am so proud of the way he tried his best, was confident in all that he did, and interacted well with the other children. A real feel-good morning!

First day of school

The school term started yesterday and Slade and Kai both had really good first days. Kai was really excited -- she's been saying that she doesn't have any friends here in Australia, and she's really missed her friends from SA. She was very happy to get to school, said goodbye to us without any concern and sat down with one of the little girls in her class. She was quite disappointed when I arrived to collect her in the afternoon!

Slade was a little more hesitant going to school, but he had a really good day. Had quite a lot to say about his new school and had spent quite a lot of time with one little boy, in particular. There is lots for him to get used to. He's in a big classroom (almost like two classes combined in a H-shaped room) with two teachers and one teacher's aide. They had music in a different classroom. There are two breaks and the school day is from 9am to 3pm. The school is from prep to grade 12 so it is really big! Nevertheless, he came home feeling really good about the day, and was happy to go back again this morning.

Slade was not keen on having a photo taken until persuaded to sit with Phillip on the stairs inside our house. Slade has a button up shirt with the school logo, blue shorts, white socks and black shoes, as well as a wide brimmed hat that they have to put on every time they go out of the classroom. One day a week he wears sports clothes which consist of a golf shirt and slightly less formal pants.



Kai was quite happy to pose!



The school is within walking distance of our house (probably about 0.5km). We went in the car on the first day (mainly as Slade had lots of stationery to take with him), but the queue to get parking was long and slow. This morning I walked with the children. From tomorrow they're hoping to ride their bicycles which they can park at the bike rack at Slade's school.