Author Archives: HHaricot

computer disaster!

at some point, the lap top must have got some water or condensation on keyboard – not sure how or when, so about 6 letters no longer work. Having been thrown into doom and gloom, chris has bought a usb wireless keyboard for ?15, so I can still ‘pute/feed BB/watch TV all at the same time. [though finally BB seems full]

moving house blog, with a bit of home ed??

today dominated with moving house. have engaged services of an estate agent. A friend of mine suggested that we asked them to do a deal on commission – we are not good at haggling, but in a half hearted doomed to failure way chris tried. it worked! well, some anyway, from 1.5 to 1.35, but if we sell at 215 asking, that saves us about 300 – SO WELL DONE THAT MAN!!!

Also trying to arrange viewings at the other end. you would have thought that people whos house has been on the market would be desperate for viewings, but no! 1 off market, one having a 10 day break to tidy house [ we said as travelling over 100 miles, and staying for 2 days to view, we really don't care if it is untidy, as can see through that, but to no avail], so prob wont be buying that one.

also, which house to buy?? one is on v limit of affordability, but nice amount of land. 2 are also on limit, but on market so long, will try to haggle down to more acceptable place! 3 nicely within budget. All have some real positive feature, and some negatives. All of them are nice, and can see us happy in all of them. ho hum. I leave all my decisiveness at work.

box room gradually being tamed. loads of chris stuff in boxes for him to sort. he’s painting kitchen ceiling at moment, as photos of house being taken on wed.

nursery day for SB. BB fed, slept and smiled!

Educating Elinor

Very good day today.v Makes up from too many pajama days!!

We did some maths worksheets [SB loves these, although Singapore maths is our usual]. She impressed me with adding and subtracting [staying within 10, using counters for larger numbers, but most addition in her head], and number bonds for 3 and 4, so get used to concept. Some shape work using our orchard toys snap game. Mostly flats, but some 3D.

We then read an usborne book about dinosaurs, and made a nifty dinosaur model with playdough and spent matches. Also then made a few other shapes, and particularly good birthday cake [for BB apparently]

We went through our jolly phonics cards. I have taken the easier/more logical ones out and SB went through them deciding whether they were easy or hard, and then the ones she didn’t get to. These 3 piles where then divided into 4 envelopes to chose at random over the days until more seem easy, and I will slip the next few in. I’m doing it this way as SB has v v low boredom threshold, but also, if she thinks it is ‘difficult’ she will stop doing it. So we tend to do a coming back technique rather than consilidate at the time.

Had classic FM lunch, with SB doing her dance moves, then watched first german Muzzy video, and went through the first cartoon book to end of first episode.

Then free play with dolls, singing songs to them and making up stories, while I spent a bit more time with BB, who has been fairly angelic today! I got some cheap ‘baby einstein’ vids from ebay – though prob a con, and we didn’t use for SB, as didn’t want her to be a TV watcher – I think they may allow me to give undivided attention to SB for parts of the day better.

Finally after tea, SB fancied doing some ‘jump ahead starting maths’. Some of the games too easy, but she resists making it more ‘difficult’ when given the option. I am trying to say exciting to persuade her!!

chris now settling her in bed. BB asleep too, so having ’5 minutes peace and quiet’. Another easy set game. getting the hang of Quiddler, but def not a top scorer!!

Socialisation

Well, no probs there. A friend and her 2 children – one SB’s age, and one 2 years younger – came over for lunch. We haven’t seen them for v long time, and SB had forgotten who they were. However, on arrival, she got out toys for both to play with, and then they disappeared up to her bedroom to play with a few more toys and jump on bed. No arguments or wails between them for whole time they were hear [about 4 hours!!].
I could hear her tell them they couldn’t go in our bedroom or box room, as we must keep house tidy to sell! obviously the other 2 also v well behaved, and 2 eldest children v good at putting away the toys scattered about. What a lovely day.

I officially renounce tidying!

After getting rid of bits and pieces in box room, I gave chris a plastic bag with about 300 [luckilly anonymous] questionnaires from some research I did in ’99 about seatbelt use in pregnancy. This bag went into the recycling bin. Unfortunately due to the horrendous wind blowing open bin lid, the contents are scattered over our patio.

Hmm, box room doesn’t look any better, and garden significantly worse. I think this may be a sign!!

ps 1 min 26 secs for set = personal best

stamping

Final estate agent quote today, so looks like 215. Really pleased that all the hard renovation and decorating work paid off. Particular thanks to my Dad for giving up loads of time to help Chris. They all seem to think house should sell easily, so fingers crossed. Operation keep house tidy in full swing – sigh!! Next week plan to look at properties in Huntingdonshire.
Today SB did a lot of webland, with less interaction from me – is this good or bad?? Anyway, made a change from jump ahead. She then spent a merry afternoon painting. Chris brought back some paint stamps – mostly sea things – and she really used her imagination. Not sure why one picture then had shapes stuck over it though?? One was a more seabed type, and we sprinkled spare sand from our sand pictures over it.
Inspired by this, I did a Lakeland limited order, as the christmas craft bits are less than half price, including some glass paints. Also bought a squeegee and stuff to clean windows with – to great hilarity from Chris, as I am a semi-feral creature. However, other resolution this year is to go one step further up wifely ladder, and become semi-domesticated!! On this front, made a foray into the box room with intent to sort, but was beaten back. Perhaps I need to build up to this??
We finished SB’s day nicely with a treat of home-made icecream sundaes.

ps, set game is rather addictive! not so good at quiddler, as usually takes 2-3 goes to get suggested score

pajama day

Must do better tomorrow, but lots of cuddles with my 2 girls, and used cbeebies to discuss cerebral palsy, what we grow up into, interesting gardens. Used house details to discuss budget [over her head] what we think makes a good family house [leaf covered and own garden] and the fact that our furniture is old, doesn’t mean we get that already in new house, or that we can buy more. she was relieved that we would be taking her things with us! BTW, she liked the most expensive house that we had decided not to view best!!
I took a lovely photo of BB smiling yesterday, so hope Chris adds some photo’s to these post soon.

Long time no blog!!!

in our defence, i have had another migraine. [and the online british national formulary suggests not to take imigran while bf]
The main thing we have been doing is getting house ready for the estate agents. [in fact one here now] Elinor intrigued by their measuring with the red dot. Most of house OK. Kitchen needs painting, and a ceiling fix. A few DIY small jobs. The box room a disaster, filled with homeless stuff. Anyway, first 2 estate agents didn’t faint on entering, so a good sign! This lad managing well with Elinor ‘helping’ him! fingers crossed that they suggest good price, and that we get it!
we will catch up in retrospect.
[see below in correct date order if interested for some catch up including christmastide, visiting and new year home ed resolutions!!]

and so…..

today we have used the jump ahead maths cd, SB very good at manipulating computer, and did for ages. i found the games v repetitive, though i guess they are aimed at practising various maths skills. Does anyone use jump ahead or similar??
Also had fun with the spirograph she got for Xmas, and used the sand picture kit and the pompom picture kit really nicely.
BB mainly smiled, fed and slept. Has a terrible cold so more windy/colicky. definitely in 3-6 month clothes at 6 weeks – must get weighed!
Also on HE theme, what are the baby einstein series like, as some going cheap on ebay??

New Year Home-Ed Resolutions

FIRSTLY: start getting a gentle routine going with our current resources:
1. working through the singapore maths series
2. this is the year to make the breakthrough into reading!
3. regularly use the Muzzy German, and speaking it.
4. weekly outing to interesting places
5. using our DK books to start topics of art etc
6. make good musical uses of our piano and violins
7. use CD learning games and Webland more regularly

SECONDLY: consider our ed phil, I do like the idea of the well trained mind/trivium so will have to read up more about it. Will certainly use the history series. Don’t think I can be quite so time strict as the writer herself though. I think due to Elinor’s v strong will, she will be semi-autonomous at some point, so would like to think of patterns of learning well in advance, partly to hope what I like, she likes, and partly to give a good enquiring mind start, so she can develop skills for lifelong learning.

THIRDLY: expand horizons [rather than stomach!] re exercise!
1. I would like to learn yoga alongside Elinor to be part of daily routine.
2. Elinor to formally learn to swim
3, give her a ballet choice when we move
4. build up a family cycle outing as a regular event.

FOURTHLY: to remember that free play should be major part of the day, and not get carried away by resolutions 1-3!!!!