Although having a wobble is a bit frowned on, I am definitely having one. However have rewritten cv, and posted 10 copies and application off to a place near Sarah - they have received around 40 so far…
lovely day with girls and my Mum today
Ok, no one knows them, and they don’t (!) have a blog (AFAIK), but some exciting news this week from my cousin Catherine and her husband Tim (SB was a bridesmaid at their wedding
last year).
Found out the other day that they are having a baby (due Jan 2007) - wooo!! I am really pleased for them as Catherine is 2 years younger than me and so at the age were you don’t take such things for granted anymore (not that soem of us have anyway) Her Mujm and Dad will be excited I think as there was no sign of children from their son either so they amust ahve been giving up hope of grandchildren.
Pondering something than the other usual presents for them - what about paying for Flickr account 
Well, I am at work, and there is a hiatus until I am actually required.
So, CHEF sprts day on Tuesday was good. The children really enjoyed it, and we met Amanda in the flesh, who has already blogged the sports day, and also Katy and children [do you like links or not Katy/Bob?]. I was feeling rough as had been on call, got migraine and obviously not at my best mood-wise anyway. however, the children had such a blast, the sports day was really good with egg and spoon, sack race, and lots of team races. SB was convinced she had won every race [OK, she said winned!]. BB carried on on escapologist front, and raided everyone’s fruit. We cooled off afterwards in the pools. SB ran around with her friends, and BB took the oportunity to float and investigate getting about in the water. I chatted with Katy in the shade with our toes in the water - bliss. Probably the best place to be on such a warm day. More photos on the flickr set
actually realised I had saved this not posted, and noticed chris has done it too!Still at work, so will continue! Actually have done a lot of playing with SB and BB in the evenings, and read lots of books. I love BB’s surprised face!
BB is saying lots of words now, and trying really hard to copy lots of words. particular skill at words like biscuit and flapjack are noted! She loves manipulating lego - and also the wacky wigglers - getting things to fit together and pull apart, and can work out how to make it join. Lots of dancing and singing too. Dheloves playing with SB, and always tries to get a lookin. still adamantly breastfed!
SB and I have also read lots of books - about egyptians, space, why is series, greek myths and legends and general reading books. Our caterpillar life cycle experiment is doing well, with the cabbage white caterpillars hatching out - hopefully chris today has found a better container, and less pongy brassica leaves! We made a mean gears wacky wiggler, with SB designing it, and me helping when required [and BB deconstructing too!], chatted in the thunderstorm outside [sorry Merry] about thunder and lightening, how it works, where not to be when it strikes, electrical conductance etc etc. We have also done a lot of dressing up play - pricesses, pirates and doctors and generally had fun. She has also been very proud of the match and sort she has done this week and the jump ahead year 1. When we chat, she does have a good memory of many snippets of info - all I could ask for really.
Sadly I have beena t work since 5am, but hoping to go home soon! [though still on call]
On Wednesday we had a sports day with a local Home Ed group. nothing to dramatic, so little team races -run back and forth, doing stuff like squats and sit ups, sacks race, egg and spoon, tug of war, daft dressing up race etc. didn’t have to run too far, so although it was very hot (supposed to be around 35- 36 a bit later) we had lots of shade from big trees and there was a nice little breeze to cool us down a bit. Races were followed by a picnic. it was great fun anjoyed by kids and grownups a like. I recommend it to any local groups. afterwards we cooled off by the paddling pools.
Really, Flickr tells the story better than words.
Worst part of the day was driving 40 mins home in the hot humid late afternoon in car in which the aircon isn’t working -esp. if you are a Mum with persistent migraine 
Much flaking out once we got home
rofl!!
As if by magic, Butterbean appeared in our bedroom at about 7 this morning. I guess that means she can open her bedroom door now. (I sometimes leave her on the bed, rather than put her in her cot).
On Monday w had a rainforest theme day at a local Home Ed group.
We had a few of the usual crafty activities, making tissue paper flowers,
a paper ‘palm’ tree, and most of us had painted large ‘Rainforest‘
pictures to decorate one end of the hall. But the main focus of the day
was a Rainforest ‘puppet’ show. Basically a women talking about
different aspects of the rainforest aided and abetted by various
puppets/a soft toys. It was very good, SB was regaling the ‘library
ladies’ and Nanna and Grandad yesterday, with tales of the Sloth which
only comes down once a week for poo, and of the moths that live on
the sloth and lay eggs in the poo, and the larva that then eat the poo
:)
BB had a bit of a paddy, she found the ‘Rainforest lady’s’ orange behind the stand and started to try and eat it. I took it off her, at which point she had a great screaming fit about it (all my food was in their main hall and I was up the front with BB the day was saved by another parent (thanks M) passing another orange forward for BB to eat. BB caused general amusement with her scavenging techniques, wandering around with something else she had managed to find to eat.
After that we had a rather fruity lunch, we obviously couldn’t think of many vegetables that come from the rainforest
Came home via a car shop for oil etc. for the car SB saw some Hotwheels cars at the checkout and bemoaned her lack of toy cars, realised that without trying that is one area where we have ended up sticking to stereotypes lots of dollies, not really any cars, which does seem a bit remiss. Went looking for a replacement paddling pool for the old one, of course shops are mostly empty of them with all the sunny weather lately. By the time we had got back home driving in the heat, dad and kids were flagging somewhat so cold drinks and flopping in the cool were in order. Then SB did some of a Physics kit we got passed onto us today (thanks R) by another family. It’s aged 10+ and has quite a few fiddly bits, so definitely something to do together. But SB loves anything like that ISTR that Helen and her did some things about air pressure/water and some balancing stuff
Tuesday was last library story time last one until the Autumn, so that is those regular things out of the way. Not many there, us and another family, but by 1030 it was already pretty hot so maybe they we all staying indoors. Quite amusing really, as SB is by far the oldest in the group , obviously most of her age are in school, and the 3 groups seem to be mostly in playgroup I think. But she seems to enjoy going, and we’d go to the library once a week anyway and BB will probably get to enjoy it more, at the moment she mostly potters around looking at the other books. She absolutely loves the ‘That’s not my…’ series and shouted endlessly when she saw the ‘That’s not my Monster’ one so we took than one out. BB loves her books now, she is often pulling one off the shelf to bring you to read, or just to look at herself.
Prised SB away from gluing and sticking and came home to await the arrival of my mum and Dad. SB did loads of a sticker maths books she found both before and after their arrival. The stickering bit was easy, but the additional math questions in it were a bit more of a challenge some of them. She did well on working out different missing number number sequences, a bit more multiplication and some measuring that I remember. Some general playing with N&G, reading of books etc.
Me and SB watched a bit of an Asterix cartoon on the TV, I quite enjoyed that, used to like Asterix when I was a kid. quite a lot of scope for talk about Romans and Gauls and gladiators and stuff. Then while cooked some flapjack, SB got the Physics kit out again to try and do bit with Nanna, but it’s not quite her thing and of course SB wanted to do the fiddliest things like making an electric motor, they did settle down to do a little bit with magnets though until mummy came home earlier than expected. some what hot and bothered having had to drive 1 1/2 each way to give a talk so much administerings of cold drinks.
Nanna and Grandad were treating us to a takeaway it was decided on a Chinese, orders were listed, including SB’s request for more noddles and crispy seaweed, only to then notice that they were closed on Tuesdays. At which point hot/tired/hungry SB had a total meltdown about this. Eventually she calmed down again and an Indian was ordered from across the road which she enjoyed. Another evening though when both SB and BB, but mostly BB took while to get to sleep maybe it’s the heat?
Ahh, a proper blog, and some HE that’s better.
Will Flickr and add maybe some piccies later, right now need to get organised to go out
to the same groups ‘Sports Day’ lost of daft things like Egg ans spoon, sack races etc. But being in the park from 11 to 1 on what could be the hottest day of the year is maybe not the best plan. We have coolbox full of chillded water and will go equipped with gazebos.
we have been singing this a lot, as SB has been enjoying the audio CD from the times [well, we didn’t get the times, but got this from ebay]
anyway, I should be writing a talk - and am on slide 30 [don’t you pity them!] so am doing some diversionary activities and blogging.
hideously hot today and massive migraine.
Chris and little beans went to CHEF rainforest day today - and I am sure he will blog. they did pick up a rather lovely physics kit, which I did with SB in the early evening. SO this evening we learnt how to show air was there, rather than there being nothing. Of course, i am not suggesting SB has proved this to herself, but shew a grasp of the idea and did a bit of preding. The measuring the air bit didn’t work - I didn’t really imagine it would!
SOme playing in the garden together, and little toe radio while eating tea. both have taken ages to fall asleep, but have finally.
Better go back to my talk
So guess whose blog I have been reading? But true here as well. I was given some advice by a very wise woman that even if redundancy looming feels it is taking over my whole life, I must still seize the life and grab some back. I am finding this hard to do, and consequently feel the children’s childhood is slipping away from me.
today, we went swimming - SB made me proud by swimming a width backstroke, and then deciding to learn to dive in, and after a few belly flops did a couple right. In the diving end of course. Also more painful as she refused to learn by first sitting or squatting at the edge, but wanted to do a ‘proper’ dive. BB also enjoyed the water, and mostly kicked and floated herself about in a swimming ring. She was exhausted by the end, and fell asleep on the journey home.
So at home, SB wanted to do some electronics, so we got out the fabulous brainbox primary plus kit, and made a variety of siren noises. She follows the instructions and diagrams very easily, and we discussed electrocution, and how it kills you!
Moving on, we went out into the garden after lunch to paint a rainforest picture for tomorrow CHEF. SB decided she wanted to do it with handprints and footprints, so I facilitated by insisting we do it outside! I painted BB’s hand and foot cast, and SB then did her hand [even better than mine].
We looked for caterpillar eggs on the brassicas, having seen a number of cabbage whites, so since our brassica crop is about to be decimated, have put some in a jamjar, for a lifecycle thing. we have some yellow eggs, and a leaf with 2mm long teeny weeny caterpillars on. We also pointed out various birds in the garden, as SB getting quite good at naming them. We have a near tame robin and blackbird, lots of sparrows and a variety of finches seen every day, and today we had a thrush.
BB woke up, and whilst we had a play, SB did a fair amount of explode the code 3 , which we are nearly half way through. It has been very useful for us - though very workbooky! finally after lots of storybook reading, singing songs, play cooking etc all together, we watched the end of Mary Poppins as I had totally run out of steam. Oh, and somewhere in the day, we got a bit more piano lesson in too.
we have pottered about a bit. SB went to CHEF sports [I think] Monday, and stayed and played in the park after that. Chris’s parents came round after the library story and craft and read loads of books. We went to Merry’s on Wed and had a lovely day there. The new hama kits look very tempting - I particularly liked the maxi bead fish, and when we get low on hama - the midi great jars look absolutely fab! Anyway, I bought a mobile for little Nanny’s neighbour as a present, and hope she enjoys making it. Chris’s parents came round on thursday, and lots of Home-ed type stuff was done - explode the code 3, miquon maths, she read to Nanny red nose reader, as well as lots of games playing. Yesterday also another good home ed day on the ‘normals’ and has started singapore 1B, going at multiplication. She is also quite confident with the jump ahead year 1. I have made time to read or play a game when I’ve come home in the evenings, but it has been minimal.
today BB and I have played a lot and cuddled and sang. When asleep, SB and I did some marble runs, making them different steepness and curvaceousness, and guessing before whether the marble would be faster or slower. She quickly got the hang of this, and we moved on to discuss inertia, momentum, gravity whilst having fun.
Then we did more of her roman villa making,and played a roman chariot game. i am afraid merry, that she wants to invite you and family to a roman party, and toga’s are NOT optional! We did a fair bit of discussing romans, roman room names, how they lived etc whilst making the villa, and practised saying I love you in latin. [must get out the latin’s not so tough!]
Moving on, we had a piano lesson, which she enjoys. It is quite funny, as if she starts to be silly/whingey about nothing, I remind her i am being her teacher for this, and she either does it, or we end the lesson - causing her to behave impeccably!! [ROFL] A short lesson only, but she is enjoying and remembering.
BB awoke, so whilst i fed her [yet again] I suggested SB did some maths. She whipped through 14 pages of singapore maths - though it was revision of shapes and ordinal numbers from the 1A we hadn’t done before. some general mayhem playing - catch, run around, reading books [girls not taking turns thrusting books under my nose to be getting on with!! ] And then watched Mary Poppins for the first time. SB spellbound, and BB jigging to the music. Actually, what i forgot to say with the piano bit, the SB was singing the note names along with playing, and mostly hitting the right pitch, so I am happy and proud! [if you are wondering why, ask chris to sing one day!]. finally after tea, SB spontaneously got out a key stage one maths workbook, and worked through the money section with minimal assistance - excellent!
We plan some swimming tomorrow.
finished last seiries of west wing, and uncertain what else will keep me sane? might try to find the early series.
It can’t be scary/ minimal dying - particularly of children. CSI OK as they are already dead/ a step away from my life?
any ideas??
colleagues around yesterday. nice bunch of people. shame one topic conversation.
today elinor read yellow nose reader with few hitches, did loads of webland, we read together about things underground and watched some shuttle mission video clips.
we all went to meet my mum for a cup of tea.
end of term dance
not to be shouty and grumpy with the girls, and to actually engage - easier with BB who just loves and cuddles. Not so easy with SB who has picked up on my stressiness, and is whiney, whingey and just on edge too. ‘mummy, I just feel angry and sad’
so I am not pushing home ed in anyhting but a lets read lots together - her choice. Chris can do the ‘normals’.
so today she did jump ahead year 1 for ages [got 2 reading caps and a time cap], we read about apollo 13, some general space stuff, and a book about the tudors. We also did some egg decorating - worked out how to blow out the middles, and then she painted. we might even do it one easter! She picked up a scrabble card game from the library without instructions, so we worked out a satisfactory game with that and had fun. SB’s sunflowers are flowering.
BB had lots of cuddles and ran around. also did some painting. Mum and dad made a flying morale visit. I hemmed SB’s ballet skirt. this eve I have watched 2 west wing - leo died . however west wing is whats keeping permanent jitters at bay at the mo.
Anyone who fancies a visit here before we move…
from Jan
5 things in my fridge [could have been 105!] [chose those i have consumed most recently!]
beansprouts, diet coke, jarlsberg cheese, morrocan chickpea pate, olives
5 things in my wardrobe
thin clothes I can’t get in to, fat clothes i don’t like, nothing I want to wear [does that count?] bag of theatre blues, crochet blanket made by my gran [so something precious]
5 things in my handbag
bleep, purse, dictaphone, mobile, hand sanitiser
5 things in my car
sandwich packet, carparking permit [x2], 2 child seats, tape of the string orchestra i was in aged 12
5 people I am tagging
with a colleague and wife, who kindly catered also! and met there by another colleague and her family.
lovely sunny day out - we tried not to talk tooo much shop [but in the circs, it is quite difficult]
there was a plastic duck race down the river [we didn’t win] SB played on climbing frames, painted a mug [with the eengerland flag!!! to remind her of the world cup], and also filled a pendant with coloured sand in layers - very pretty.
lots of icecream eaten as a scorcher. evening feels very close, and think it will prob thunder.
the bees appear to have swarmed again, and a couple of hundred are resting on our parasol. presumably they will move off again, as not an ideal bee home.
thanks to a great friend for a helpful letter.
we have mostly played today. A lot of the time it was all three of us together rough and tumeble play and running about.
SB also did a hama cat to give as a present tomorrow while BB played with playdough. [cue small hama stuck in playdough!]
while BB asleep, SB wanted me to make her a dot to dot and a maze, so i did a number of these, and she was good at them. I also did some number puzzles [kakuro] and simple crosswords, and she thought this was great, so we did some more. I enjoy kakuro, and was pleased how quickly she got on with it.
We read a couple of books together and also listened to little toe - SB keen to learn the words of puff the magic dragon.
BB was awake, and SB went to get her, and some more hideous shrieking game that the 2 enjoy together but is an anathema to their parents!
I did a piano lesson for SB, as have promised her i will do this for too long. She concentrated hard for the short time we did it.
A CHEF home-ed family dropped by on their way home from a very succesful HESFES to store their tent - SB gave them the ground tour, and we got 0 out of 1000 for tidiness [oh the shame!!!!!]
Some weeding and hoeing and watering in the garden. SB picked some wok brok, and BB picked and ate green strawbs [sigh] and we all picked the broad beans. It was still a scorcher at 5pm!
Snuck in a bit of history discussing american independance day and canada day, and how europe sent navigators and explorers to seek new countries and goods, basically annexe them until eventually there was either civil war or the countries were ‘handed back’. and although the land itself wasn’t really having a birthday, the nation had survived an extra year etc.
I must now hem her ballet skirt.
Yesterday we went to a meeting of one of the local home Ed groups, organised by Tammy, the theme was American Independence Day. A a good day it was too, so thanks to Tammy.. Glittery fireworks pictures (BB enjoyed this):
Alka Seltzer rockets:
making flags,
eating a themed cake:
a relay race:
a short game of softball
and picnic in the sun. We even got homework from Enchanted Learning and Papertoys - The White House amd the Statue of Liberty
Butterbean munched her way through about half a pound of strawberries (plus the cake). They didn’t have quite the idea of a relay race at first, as everyone ran off at once The softball was similary amusing - as various kids looked bemused, hit the ball then ran after it, or just ran in a random direction - but all got the hang of it eventually, and had fun.
The picnic would ahve been relaxing if BB hadn’t spent all the time making beeline for the lake and the ducks……. I had to strap her in her buggy so i could sit down long enough to eat
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