Activities:

Homeschooling.

There was no school this month, which gave me time to catch my breath and do things I never normally get time to do. This meant tidying up and planning for the next school year. The children had a few responsibilities this month, as they needed to continue to practice their music and to read at least two books.

As school is out I hardly see the children during the day…and I enjoy knowing that my children are just being children. They are always busy creating things to do around the farm, like swimming in the canal, riding their bikes, playing cricket, painting, fishing, or touring around the farm with their father. I revel in the freedom my children have to enjoy life and live largely outdoors.

Christmas.

Christmas was on the farm this year, with a trip into Harare to celebrate Christmas Day with friends and family… At this annual family Christmas dinner, Uncle Tim dressed up as Willy Wonker and had loads of fun tormenting the children! What a laugh we had!

Since a young age, my children have learnt that Christmas is about Jesus and not about loads of gifts. Every year they go through their cupboards and give away good clothes and toys that they no longer need, have grown out of, or have lost interest in. There are many children living on the farm, who really appreciate these gifts from my children. For us Christmas is more about giving than receiving and we get great joy from this…

Homeschooling Art.

Putting up the Christmas decorations in early December is always a highlight! Murray John and Paula Joy had a huge amount of fun decorating the trees in the house and making Christmas trees from old magazines, for the houseboat trip!

Their granny, Pam, gave them her Christmas decorations, so we now have two trees in our farm lounge, giving our house such a lovely Christmas feel.

Paula Joy likes to make Christmas gifts for other family members. This year she painted rocks and placed them next to potted African violet plants. The result was truly lovely.

Horses.

December is the month for long outrides on the farm. We love to go out early in the mornings, for a good two hour ride, visiting all corners of the farm. It’s a fun time with the horses, without the pressure of training for events.

On Boxing Day we transported horses to a friend’s farm, an hour’s drive away, -for a wonderful ride through their farm and into the hills. It was such a beautiful ride, with lots of logs to jump along the way. Once the 3 hour ride had ended, we headed into the hills for lunch. -What a lovely way to end off our Christmas festivities!

Homeschooling Sport.

Christmas means 18 holes of golf with Uncle Mick… Paula Joy and Murray John love playing with Uncle Mick and are yet to beat him, however they are determined to succeed at some point!

During this period of the year, the children take a month’s break from all their other sports, to rest and just have fun. Downtime is most important for their growing minds and bodies.

Adventures:

Farm life.

December is farm fun time for the children. They enjoy driving the tractors and the big digger, as well as riding their bicycles around the yard, which keeps them thoroughly entertained.

Right now the farm is extremely busy reaping tobacco and chillies. There is also ongoing management required for the soya bean and maize crops, which were recently planted.

Fortunately we received some good rains on the farm, which was a huge relief, as the dams were almost empty and the crops were really struggling.

Zimbabwe Economics and Electricity Shortages.

We pray that the economic situation improves next year in Zimbabwe, as inflation continues to rise alarmingly. Zimbabwe is also facing a drought which adds to the extreme poverty we already have within the country. There is also a severe lack of electrical supply throughout Zimbabwe.

This has impacted all our farming activities, resulting in the farm having to purchase a number of large generators, which have been placed around the farm. My children have no idea of what life was like before generators and cannot comprehend that we used to have electricity 24/7!

Environmental Awareness.

Due to the increased poverty within the country, the poaching of animals and fish on the farm has increased.

The large security team employed on the farm are now constantly apprehending poachers. It is very distressing to see and I use this situation to make the children more environmentally aware, as I teach them how economics always play a huge part in a country’s environmental well being.

Travels.

Kariba Houseboat Trip.

The trip to Kariba on a houseboat was definitely the highlight of the month! Kariba is just such a special place, which allows us to relax and recharge our batteries. I have written another post about this awesome trip, Houseboat Trip to Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.

Macheke Farm.

We also made a trip across the country, to Macheke which is east of Harare. My husband, Douglas, grew up in this area, where his parents used to own several farms. Our good friends are still farming in the area, so it was a treat to visit them and catch up on their news.

Whilst there, Paula Joy and Murray John got to ride small motorbikes around the farm, which has now fuelled their dreams of having their own motorbikes one day. All in all December 2019 was a month of continued blessing from the Lord -and we have created more lasting memories.

I trust that you had a very blessed Christmas and may your 2020 be filled with God’s love.

Jesus said, “Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.” John:17 vs 17.

• Developing Life Skills through a Houseboat Adventure.
• Our Homeschooling Adventures and Activities for Jan-Feb 2024.
• How Horse-shows Grow and Develop Our Children’s Characters.
• Our Fun and Fantastic Cape Town Experience.
• Our Homeschooling Adventures and Activities for Nov-Dec 2023.

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