A Milestone & A New Venture

Hello Again My Wonderful Followers,

And my apologies for another extended absence. Over the past few months I've been a nanny, worked on a poultry farm and in a warehouse, and shot a friend's wedding, among other things. It's been pretty busy and I've had to let a few things slide, but I've missed my little blog. Things are still busy enough with another wedding this weekend, but I'd like to be around here a bit more often.

Image Credit: Alex Paterson
@nzradioguy || @arrowheadcreative

Last night as I was reviewing my stats, I clocked over 40,000 views! THANK YOU to everyone who has been a part of this journey; irregular and rambling though it may be, it has been fun. 

In other news, my latest venture is launching Bianca Ruby Photography as a separate entity and beginning to build its brand. It's exciting to see this dream of several years become a reality. I'd love if you'd follow along on Facebook and Instagram @biancarubyphotog!

Thanks again guys,

Bianca

Remember That Time

That time we wanted to do something fun but I had to work so we didn't have much time. And then the weather wasn't great. So we bought chips and chocolate and lollies and went for a drive up One Tree Hill. We looked in the old cottage and you found a "war room". Trying to pat the sheep that turned out not to be as tame as they first looked ;P Hanging and playing games with my little sibs. Bringing your friend Allison along to see us all. Forgetting to take photos. And then getting up at some crazy hour to get you on your flight back to Aus. Thinking we should make the most of our last few minutes together but being too tired to think lol. Deciding to get photos together and wishing we had remembered when we didn't look so tired . . . :P Thanks for your friendship, Bethany <3

Work, and All That Jazz

Don't you all just love how I've suddenly posted so many photos?! LOL. But they will come . . . someday.

In regards to the job I mentioned in my last update, that was to teach a music/recorder class at a local school. They agreed to try me and I'm several weeks into that now; it's a different experience than private instrumental teaching but I'm getting the hang of it and it's going well. Using the book I learnt from ~12 years ago brings back memories! The difference is that the accompaniment tracks are on a CD now instead of a cassette tape ;P

Soon after I started the above-mentioned teaching, I was offered another job driving a few kids to and from preschool every day. I did a first-aid course for that (I'm never going into the medical field) and my police vet cleared early this week so I've just started that as well. Truth be told I'm looking forward to this long weekend because I'm really tired from being up at 6 every day lol. 

So that's my work update for now; in other news, we got to catch up with a couple of our Welly cousins last week when they were visiting Auckland last week. No pics since I'm really slack but it was cool to see them again. 

Bought gifts last-minute for my little sisters' birthday last Friday, gave them and had cake in the evening. Finished dinner and birthday celebrations, then about 10pm started working on the 100 biscuits I needed for a friend's engagement party the next day!

I'm working on this for a few minutes having afternoon tea and some downtime after teaching (school), and waiting for mum to get back from shopping so I can cook. My flute teacher had a baby a couple weeks back (oops, that's how far behind I am!) and I've been meaning to take her a meal since then. I made some pies last night and I have the gift now, so I'll do some work on the meal soon and hopefully take everything over tomorrow. Won't be time tonight since I'm babysitting from six onwards!

Responding to Readers' Questions || Life as a Homeschooler

I received another comment in response to the one I responded to here. I'm going to address three of the questions from it here: 1) Do I like homeschooling? 2) Do I ever wish I went to school? and 3) What kind of things do I do in each day? 

1) No, I don't like homeschooling. I LOVE it. Haha. My years of formal homeschooling (academics) are nearly over, but I am, and likely always will be, a homeschooler at heart.

2) Are you kidding me?! I'm nearly eighteen and more interested in job opportunities actually! :) But in the past . . . Well, for a short time before entering high school (level, that is) I did. But otherwise, no. I loved life as a homeschooler too much! :)

3) My average day would involve school work, music practice (flute especially, maybe guitar as well), folding washing (we all have assigned chores and that's my daily one), teaching (recorder) and some free time. One day a week I work with my dad in our family-owned import/wholesale business dispatching orders and doing some data entry, invoicing, taking/editing images, and updating catalogues and various other documents. Currently I'm designing a new catalogue as well. 

So there are my thoughts on those three questions. And if anything isn't clear, well then there's a comment section. ;) haha

This Week...Part 2

Hey!

Thursday we did our friends the Rakete's paper run, as they were also at the tramp, then the others went to Drury Christian School for Monique's violin lesson, and Danielle's recorder lesson (both for the first time), then to Dad's work, while I (once again!) did school work.


Friday we went to my orthodontist appointment at 11:45, which is why my teeth are so sore now, I had thicker wires put on, power chain, and rubber bands going from top to bottom on both sides of my mouth ouch! =)

Then to the Warehouse, where we sat in the car, well I did anyway, Jarrod took the street surfer/s-board/ripstick onto the footpath, terrorised the others, and...well suffice it to say that by the time Mum came back, their were a few screaming children, and most of them jumped out of the car to go see her (when they know they must stay IN the car!)

After a llllloooooonnnnnnnggggggg lunch, Mum took the others to do the Rakete's paper run again, so I some un-interrupted time to concentrate on school work.

And today..we had GKGW (Growing Kids God's Way) course, along with another very exhausting childrens program, which was organised by John Sonneveld - cousin to my friends. This week they learnt about the Good Shepherd, the memory verse being "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Psalm 23 v 1.
The first craft - glueing a fabric cloak to a piece of paper, and drawing details like the head, arms, legs, clouds, sky, grass, etc...and sheep. They had three cotton wool balls they split in half and stuck on to the sheep.
And the colouring picture was of a shepherd with a sheep.

And tonight..my teeth were too sore to eat the Lamb cassorole that Mum made, so I had scrambled eggs, and will have a cup o' soup soon.

And Dad and Uncle Pete have been to work for a few hours, and just got home.

I've also been reading a book caled "How To Stop Your Kids From Going Broke" by Sylvia Bowden. Although I didn't hear her, she spoke at the Brain Conference I went to early last year.
It's a really good book!

Bee

Last week...Part 1

Monday last week (24th Jan) was a quiet day at home. (I think we probably played uno, etc!)

On Tuesday we went to the Auckland Museum, uggh (no I don't like museums lol!). It was kinda cool to see the native New Zealand bats though! (for those of you who don't know, I did a lot of study on bats a few years ago, and won 1st = in the Auckland Home Educator's Science and Technology Fair - in the observation category).
And they have four (live) rats in the children's section, which are so cute! One of the volunteers opened their cage while we were there too!!! lol

And that night we had athletics!!! - first night for the second half of the season. My age group (Girls 12+) did 100m, 200m, Discuss and High Jump.
We also found out that one of the coach's - a solo Dad of one son my age - had died earlier that day by electrocuting himself...so that kinda put a damper on things.

After athletics Dad took Bethany, another one of my friends - Rebekah, and I to a Cafe in Devonport for supper/dessert, after which we went for a walk along the waterfront.
Lol the cafe served hot chocolate in either a bowl or a glass, I decided to be adventurous and get the bowl! Which, of course, everyone else thought was a great joke. They kept teasing me about a straw not being big enough, and needing a garden hose ...etc...etc...etc...!

Wednesday was another quiet day at home, and that night Dad, Jarrod, Monique, Danielle, Diana and I went to athletics training while Mum took Bethany, Bryce and Maria to church.

Thursday morning we went to church at 11, and 7, and Anne Roos came over in between, while Mum went grocery shopping, and we watched a movie - Letters to Juliet, when the others got home we played uno before a quick dinner.

On Friday we went to the Sonnevelds' (homeschool friends) for afternoon tea. While there we tried target shooting (in the rain!) and yes, talked a lot.
Then it was dinner, and to church with Bethany and Uncle Pete at 7.
On the way back, we picked up the keys for work from Uncle Paul, but he wasn't sure if he had all the right ones, so we came home and got Dad's work keys, dropped me off, then Uncle Pete and Bethany went to work.
I then had to organise ironing..blah blah blah..and eventually got to bed just after midnight.

Bee

School Again

Hey everyone,

Welcome back to school!!!

The school holidays certainly went fast!

I can't get up at 11am anymore. :-( !!

I have an orthadontist appointment at 11am tomorrow morning. I will have the bands changed, so I can choose a new colour. Leave a comment if you have any ideas.

Well I am at work and Dad wants me to go and pick some more orders, so i better go do that,

CYA,
Bee
Bzzzzz