Author Archives: HHaricot

Vegan cakes and alum crystals

luckilly not in the same mixing bowls. oh, and by the way, I have popped the Tate Modern photos on the blog and on flickr

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SB and BB did the library crafts thing with Chris in the morning, and made hearts, the theme was valentines’s day. Unfortunately, they left the bookbag and new books there – cue much wailing, and only realised after library shut. So must go fetch tomorrow. luckilly the mudpud book bag is somewhat distinctive! Anyway, before lunch she whipped through 4 pages of explode the code without any difficulties [though I had to explain what a mutt was], and we went on a read a red nose reader, and the first of the letts active readers ‘ratman and the big cat’.

Whilst there, she ‘buyed’ a my little ponies video, we had a chat as she noticed I ‘bought’ so we might not hear buyed much longer. We then watched it. It was a little bit frightening TBH, and a very odd storyline [even if I was only half watching, with the guardian in the other hand!] about stolen shadows.

We were both relieved when it finished – though possibly different reasons! And decided to make carrot cake. No carrots – so chris sent out, and instead we started a crystal from tescos testtube crystals kit. Nice simple kit, and for just under ?3. Aluminium, so we had a good discussion about safety, washing hands etc etc before starting, and mixed it all well. the ‘stones’ appear to be plastic, and you have to sandpaper them to key them. The main problem though, si that they don’t sink!!! Not sure how this experiment is going to work with floating stones! Especially since we have one on string – which is also floating on the surface. If I bought the kit again, I think I would use garden stones instead. Interestingly, they suggest you put in food colouring to make the crytals cool colours. Obviously haven’t done that this time, but will def go for it another time. Anyway, thats 2 different tescos testtubes that are fun. Have 1 more to try.

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Carrot man returned [oh, BB is asleep during this btw!] and we made an adapted recipe vegan carrot cake - hopefully it will be fine. one for Melrose, and one for saturday. [ps, they are being frozen, so won't be stale] Do any of the children other than mine like carrot cake? Otherwise can make a sponge too for sat. Then cakes for children and adults.

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We also did lots of mental subtraction and addition. though the sums SB gives me are sometimes quite unusual – in the dame slap style! Started the origami kit she got at the tate modern, neede Chris’s assistance with the instructions though!

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SB then did some starfall while I played with BB. Mostly peekaboo and pop-up animals. BB most put out though when got left behind and SB and Chris went to her swimming lesson. i made a curry [incredible mild] for tea. BB and I did more messing about together. It is nice to be able to give her undiluted attention. SB is getting better at letting me do this without taking over, but I suffer from parent-not-at-home-enough-guilt when we do it. Silly really, as SB gets all that time when BB asleep to herself.

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This evening we have read a couple of just so stories, and about henry the 8th, Mary and edward in the tudors -history of britain. SB dissappointed that didn’t get to elizabeth, so will read that when she has finished her bath.

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Wow

I love this site. Its our default page for firefox, and we all love the piccies. Me and SB thought this partic fab.

yesterday

we went to grandpa f to say happy birthday [early] and had a lovely relaxed day there.

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BB trolled around and practised waving and sayng bye bye every time someone left a room.

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SB did some painitng, and helped nanna f decorate the birthday cake. in the afternoon she got to watch a lot of cbeebies as a treat, as we no longer have cable. We also played some games – cat in the hat and dancing!

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they both slept at the wrong time, so evening and bedtime was not according to plan! SB slept with us eventually, but BB slept through.

other beans are at the library, and I’m about to have a shower to feel refreshed. Need to do lots of baking this week!!

i like this

You Are a Visionary Soul
You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness. Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connected to your soul. You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable. Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings. You have great vision and can be very insightful. In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself. Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend. You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer. Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul

01/02/06

HE: muffins, fingerprints, explode the code, sticker time book, fuzzy felt, dance mat, action songs, assorted library books, seeds grown and snowdrops, hama starfall first 3 books, cbeebies, bbc jam St David in britannia book and Thors hammer and the ivory Wand from Usborne Stories from around the world.

guess it was very educational, but was fun too. Hama flower and hama patterns started the day with breakfast [in the middle I went out to get antibiotics for raging sinusitis - and feel much better for them]

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IMG 2969?IMG 2976 edited-3??Did some sticker story books and time books – not much though, as I was playing with BB, and SB not feeling entirely autonomous! Read 3 library books and then played skittles and catch, and then when BB fell asleep made some muffins – choc chip of course. While lunch finishing, SB whipped through 4 pages explode the code – I think she rather enjoys this now.

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After lunch we did one of those tescos science test-tube kits on fingerprinting. Cheap and chearful, and yes, could be replicated for near as dammit free, but we enjoyed getting it out of its testtube!! So we made and lifted fingerprints and talked about them non-stop for quite a time, BB woke up and ate muffins.

IMG 2991?We made muffins

in the afternoon, we decided to try and play all together mostly – so with the dancemat, doing action songs and with the baby dolls – BB really getting into hugging and loving the baby now. We checked on our germinated aubergines and broad beans, and looked at the snowdrops and cyclamen in the garden.

yeah, they should have been in roottrainers!?

As the late afternoon arose, and the wail quotient increased, SB sat down and did the first 3 starfall books back to back without a hitch. The plugged away at cbeebies – with Chris in attendence. Noticing a link to BBC jam in UKHE early years [or whatever its proper title is] we had a scout around, but not played with it much yet.

After bath a bit of a book marathon! BB asleep, and Chris putting SB to bed. I plan to turn in early too.

Protected: I don’t want to… talk about it, how you broke my heart.

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Quick today

felt rough going to work still from migraine, but gradually settled. BB went off to docs as raging conjunctivitis – so eye ointment and antibiotics – fingers crossed no passing to little raindrops.

SB did lots of painting today, and then CP’s came on a drop by, so played games together.

When I got home, SB did some explode the code – very nicely, def getting quick at it! Whilst going to be we did pattern singing -i sang a short tune and she mirors it. She’s getting very good at this now. Her pitch is improving, and her rhythm is spot on.

BB permafed. I was supposed to be going out for a meal with work friends – which is at a great indian – but with a permafeeding poorly BB, i felt I was better staying at home and made my apologies.

oh, and I liked this photo from the weekend, of them listening to stories
listening

Ed over the weekend

i know, but it is a home ed blog, and I like to see what we have done!

B4 the randrops we did some explode the code, and also looked at the DK a street through time [fabulous book!]. SB read a red nose reader.

Whilst the raindrops were here, we read a book about the human body, and had a quiz on it, and used the steth to listen to heart and lungs. Did a bit on healthy eating as well.

my ed ok then!

You Passed 8th Grade Science
Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!
You Passed the US Citizenship Test
Congratulations – you got 7 out of 10 correct!
hey, science and american history!!

breast feeding in public – a reply!

Thank you for your email of 24 December to Caroline Flint about breastfeeding in public places. As you will appreciate, Ms Flint receives a large amount of correspondence and cannot respond to all this mail personally. Your email has been passed to me for reply. The Government is fully committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is accepted as the best form of nutrition for infants. Under the NHS Plan, we have a commitment for ‘increased support for breastfeeding’ and a target in the Priorities and Planning Framework to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by two per cent a year. Local Delivery Plans require the NHS to return local data on breastfeeding initiation rates for the planning period 2005-08. The Department is keen to support women in their decision to breastfeed and to continue to breastfeed. Since 1999, the Department has undertaken several activities to promote and support breastfeeding. The commitment to the promotion of breastfeeding was demonstrated with the successful completion of the three-year Infant Feeding Initiative supported by the Public Health Development Fund. This included seventy nine best practice projects on breastfeeding, which have now been evaluated and published. This report provides an important contribution to understanding ways in which women in communities least likely to breastfeed may be supported. An Infant Feeding and Child Nutrition resource pack has been produced and distributed to all practising members of the Royal College of Midwives and Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association. This pack contains, amongst other things, the publication Good practice and innovation in breastfeeding, which is supported and endorsed by professional and voluntary organisations and by the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative. This publication aims to provide a practical evidence-based resource for health professionals to support good practice and innovation in supporting breastfeeding. It is also recommended as a minimum standard of practice for NHS Trusts by the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services launched in September 2004. The Commission for Health Improvement has now set an indicator that will look at progress towards meeting the target. In addition, the Department also supports the annual National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, a public health campaign to promote the benefits of breastfeeding. The last campaign was held from 8-14 May 2005, focusing on increasing support for breastfeeding. The Department is keen to provide mothers with information and to support health professionals. A pictorial leaflet has been made available to mothers and health professionals through the NHS, aimed at communicating the practical aspects of ‘how to breastfeed’. A range of promotional materials is also available to use throughout the year that support and promote breastfeeding. The Department also works in collaboration with voluntary organisations and professional bodies to promote and support breastfeeding. A representative of each of the voluntary organisations sits on the National Network of Breastfeeding Co-ordinators (NNBC) group. Other initiatives also demonstrate our interest in, and commitment to, breastfeeding. As announced in the recent White Paper the new Healthy Start Scheme will provide vouchers to low income breastfeeding mothers to exchange for fruit, vegetables and milk. Healthy Start will provide greater opportunities for pregnant women and young children in low-income families to receive advice on diet and nutrition, including breastfeeding as well as other health issues. Health professionals will have a more visible role in the Healthy Start Scheme. A communications and training programme for health professionals will be introduced in parallel to the new scheme. As set out in the NHS Improvement Plan, prevention of disease and tackling inequalities in health will need to assume a much greater priority in the NHS. The White Paper on improving health sets the framework for action to improve diet and nutrition. We have also made a commitment to review the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (1995) with a view to further restricting the advertisement of infant formula and will continue to press for amendments to the EU Directive on infant formula and follow-on formula. I hope you find this reply helpful. Yours sincerely, Kalpana Chauhan Customer Service Directorate Department of Health

has absolutely nothing to do withe breast feeding in public laws at all does it!!