Author Archives: HHaricot

If DH was blogging, he would perhaps say the girls had a stay at home day on Mon, and did some bookwork for a change having slept in for most of the morning recovering from the party weekend.
Tuesday was an out and about day, with pottery in the morning with a local potter who also home educates. both girls really enhoy this. I am hoping to see some end results or some pictures at some point! then in the afternoon SB had animation. she has really enjoyed this on the whole. unfortunately tho this time there wasn’t enough time for each child to do the computer work needed so her’s is left to do and it wasn’t so interesting, hopefully they will finish at arts award. swimming for both girls and then when I came home, some present opening – woohoo!! Happy real birthday BB BB was ecstatic about everything but particularly skateboard and remote control helicopter. opening the presents with one of her friends watching on skype was a bit weird! guess that is how the modern world is going!
we watched her present of alvin and the ‘chickmunks’ with jax and co, who arrived to stay the night before history.

I hmmed and hawed a bit, but knew she would love it. Her initial guest list was v sparse – boys only! so we suggested that she thought a bit and added people she would like to see, and the list padded out such that we had the magical 16 . Friday DH spent making the cake – lego style – and tidying up for all the people staying over. BB then spent sat morning decorating it

saturday dawned, i had hair and nails done by sb

cupcakes made, sausage rolls made, food in order ready to go and people arriving for once we were ‘on top’ of the party so could chat and offer tea etc kids then went off to nerf battle – which i think wasn’t quite as exciting as laser quest fromthe sound ofit, but exactly what bb had wanted . siblings stayed here with the adults, most played, afish decorated cakes beautifully . we became a p[izza factory for a while whilst chatting and all was ready .
Party tea was readilly scoffed, we just fitted 20 kids around the table with some squeezing up pizza, crisps, choc fingers, cupcakes, icecream and jelly were the mainstay. tho bb did have some oranges, i think she was the only one! Party cake well received too . BB love ALL her presents, they were all brilliantly chosen with her in mind thankyou.

we adults then got on with chatting and gossiping and giggling etc until we realised kids should have been in bed AGES ago, and rushed them all into sleeping bags etc and they giggled for a few hours more :).
Next day dawned, but i slept through. got up and got set in making pancakes – a tradition, and yes, it was brekkie 2 and at lunchtime, but i had cunningly laid out brekkie 1 before going to bed apart from milk – so hostess point please . The deependers were pleased to drop in on their way back from church and share breakfast too .
some went home, and some for a walk round the lake to feed ducks and enjoy sunshine before setting off.

A great weekend with friends, thankyou
oh, and as a little epilogue, her friend S had been too shy to go to the party, and instead came round sun eve – so happiness all around

as we approach BB’s birthday, anniversary of blog, joining the home ed community etc I have been thinking of how differently i approached mothering second time round. relaxed, more confident, willing to take the path of least resistance and loving it rather than worrying it. BB for her birthday has a photo book, which she hopes that she will use to be able to control her emotions and calm down. She got it early, and it seems possible that it might help on early use. SB thought the book a fab idea, and although hers cant be all baby photos as she was predigital for 2 years she is looking forward to it. Both books start with a newborn

here i am, exhausted, proud, hppy, slightly nervous! a really crap pregnancy and not the most ideal birth, but we did it! She is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. I am a bit overwhelmed. only able to have photo with me when tidied up and back on the postnatal ward.

here i am, nearly 4 years on for number 2. I am more confident, more ‘in control’ happy to birth in a pool, mostly naked and welcome my second confident that i haven’t as yet managed to destroy number 1! tho not always been the best. better pregnancy, far better birth. here we are, a few seconds after birth

I wonder how birth order and my different starts and approaches have affected the girls. I am very blessed by my gorgeous, and different daughters and so glad to have had the joy of motherhood.

before I blog the day, I just want to reiterate how lucky I am to have the friends I do. We are a very disparate bunch, brought together by home education and an inability to just follow the crowd. We have shared history, hopefully shared tomorrows, but also a shared understanding of each other. And today, when out of the blue discussing future xmases i remembered my last with little nanny, i was comforted by the friends around me. thankyou. and apart from that blue moment we have laughing, giggling, gossiping. We are different, unique, strongwilled and make a good group.

SO having said that! SB didn’t start with us, bless her she had her traintracks fitted and joined nearer lunchtime

we started with the kids doing zentangle hands, I missed taking the group shot – tho zoe did on her blog but i did get BB’s, which i thought she had done well. they then did sketch tuesday, something beginning with n – so maddy did nothing – grin BB did a nut, having had a strop that acorn didn’t begin with a n. ah well

then merry did remembrance poetry comparing 2 different styles of war poem – sb was quite thoughtful about this on our dirve home so clearly very valued by her. BB was also v happy to have done it though not as thoughtful as asleep! and i did microscopes. i have one more microscoping to do. because they ahve to wait to use it etc, even though groups of 4 and 5, i can see it isn’t holding the attention quite as much, and i do have to help focus and show so can’t do too much talking at the same time. so perhaps not ideal, but maddy and r are clearly v taken by microscopes, and looked at all the preprepared slides i brought of human organs as well. BB is keener than sb too. today we scraped off a bit of cheek cells, stained only with haemotoxylin, as i couldn’t find the eosin! and then looked under the fab microscope. we could clearly see the different cells, shapes and increased nucleus to cytoplasm ration, we discussed the comparison with our onion cells from before. i really love microscopes! by the end of this session, as long as i had mostly focused, quite a few of the kids were having there own go at fine tuning the focus, and we only broke a few coverslips! I love the microscope, and love seeing the nuclei appear – it is a bit of magic

we had lunch in between the swapping over of groups – scrumptious delumptious soup that zoe had made – carrot and courgette. really delicious . then, as we are gearing up for xmas camp we practiced singing some carols an xmas songs we me hamming up the piano part! fun! and then lots of crazy outdoor playing. SB had to have some medicine for her teeth, and BB for her wrist, which is still hurting . Then merry did the last fimo and jar craft in her series, which this time had a black covering over the whole jar and cutting out shapes and replacing with translucent fimo – v beautiful, I hadn’t thought of using the translucent like that.

finished with some bells practice and then since BB too sore to do judo we stayed for tea – a yummy curry, thanks em

the weather was fantastic, and really we should have done an out and about day, but it is remembramce sunday and SB was the guides flag/colour bearer. the village ceremony is alwyas well attended with a brass band service in the church. DH went with her this time, as BB prefered to remain at home.

WHilst they were out, we decided that we would craft she had wanted to play her new cello, but her wrist is far to hurting still and indeed it is bruised and tender the suspicious me wonders whether after all she has chipped or something a bone after all [tho i did look at xrays too. Choices were gardening, baking, crafting, lego, reading or k’nex. [she couldn't think of anything to do, the the roblox hours rules do seem to be having a postive outcome on her ability to think of something else to do] . where was i? oh yes, we crafted, and made fimo snakes to turninto charm necklaces as party favours for her birthday. she struggled with hurt hand to roll the fimo, so we had a production line, i softened it, rolled it, and she twisted the snake shape

SB and DH returned, and she finished off part B of her secret santa and then started a craft kit that she has had for a bit! Those that read the blog a lot know we heart djeco and this is a glittery kit and she happily did one. WHilst she did this, BB gave Alfie a bath, fed him lunch and he happily wandered about the conservatory in the warm.

SB and i then made dinner, she mostly made it with me facilitating and she made a lovely cheese and onion pie with roast potatoes and parsnips, and DH added some red cabbage . i have given up with pre cooking the pastry cases, and determined i don’t mind soggy bottoms [tho sb was chuntering about this ] and it was utterly delicious tho she did have to pop over to the onestop for double cream wearing her pj’s a pinny and a coat! [she got changed out of her guides smarts into pj's!]. both girls made some jam tarts with the spare pastry. SB also did some piano prac, and BB did crazy stunt dives onto cushions – at one point i thought we were in imminent danger of a broken neck so calmed the stunts down!

finished the day with merlin on the iplayer and then bedtime stories. lovely weekend

we are going on holiday with a group of friends in december, something we have done now for a number of years. it is always fun, and always worth doing and one of the traditions is secret santa, we all have one person to get an under £3, second hand, repurposed or home made gift for. Each year I have loved making the gifts, trying to think what might suit that person, their character, their hobbies etc. I must admit to always enjoying the giving most due to all the fun with the thinking and the making and the hoping! However, I have always received secret santas with great joy, knowing that they were all fashioned, refashioned etc with love and friendship. I wear my winter scarf every year the kids also secret santa, and this can sometimes be a mixed bag! so when i think we have been more ‘adventuresome’ than our talents, we have added chocolate coins! As the girls have got older, their talents are greater, and this year I am v impressed.

BB came up with her idea first, and we other 2 may have sorted ours out as well- DH is always an individual and last minute! SO we all sat together crafting in a not defined on here way happily. I am impressed with the girls thoughts, efforts and desired looks. Feeling i should get on with mine to, but missing an ‘ingredient’ so will start later in the week when have had a chance But of course, i can’t show anything on here, it would give the whole game away

having got so much crafty stuff out of the not quite so doomy room [thanks dh] we then also did assorted other crafting and ideas, but I can show you BB’s cat and owl

SB has nearly finished hers, BB has done half of it, I have started… However, SB and I also did a piano prac. all this music theory and then an out and about week means she has forgotten everything! never mind! hopefylly next week will be a bit more practisy and booky

i have had about 5 bites today [still hard to tell with so many covering me] and have a flea lamp thing as recommended plugged in. Being hopeful really

we finished off the day with watching snow white and the huntsman which we all enjoyed. the ending – the v v v end bit – was a bit odd and an anticlimax to finish the film on.

it has definately been an out and about home ed week for the girls tho! Monday was the talking to trees group, this time about the willow. SB has v much loved it, BB has fallen out of love for it so I don’t think they will sign up for the next term, but it has been really well thought out. maybe we will try and keep it on a bt for sb. Tues was busy with pottery in the morning which both girls are really loveing. i am hoping that i get to see ither some pictures or the real thing soon as too inquisitive for my own good! BB then went shopping for dinosaurs with DH [money from grandparents burning hole in pocket] and SB went to animation group. She had storyboarded a 4 scene party with getting pizza for our sylvanians and thought it had gone well. so a happy day out and about, and swimming to finish…

Meanwhile i went to waht was a rather fabulous course in london. as promised to the girls i did commute back on mon night so we could ooh and ah over fireworks together. i did get back rather late tho [tho there were really booming fireworks near regents park, and i saw the towns lighting up as i went past in the train home] and we were all disappointed that dh had got so far to putting the fireworks to store in the garage as leaving them outside, and it had rained… i was determined to be fun tho, and luckilly had taken bb’s and put in dining room [where i would have much more safely put sb's!] and and sb’s rockets had been in an additional plastic wrap, so we did these outside. the air was crisp, no wind, and we star watched and oohed and aahed and thought them fantastic worth the commute tho i was cream crackered commuting back the next day.

Coming back home the next day was not trouble free either. Actually the coming home was fine, but BB and i spent our time from about 10pm-1am in the local casualty as she fell in the bathroom and landed badly on her hand i could not convince was not broken. she was certaily in a lot of pain, it was bruised and she wouldn’t move it. the hospital were great with really friendly and helfpul staff so she was happy, and liked having her xrays . not broken

due to the late bedtime we had a late start to weds, and a change of venue with the deependers coming here rather than the other way round, and we made some astrolabes and worked out how to work them as well the sun even popped out for a few moments so that we could work out correctly how to use the astrolabe to measure the position of the sun. we are hoping to remember to do this throughout the year [perhaps]! SB and the fishes learnt some musical terms as she had her grade 4 theory later that day, and played some french games. we grown ups had a chance to chat and catch up [something i don't get to do as much as i would like !] overally lovely even if BB was a bit on the grizzley side due to hrting wrist and late night.

unfortunately BB needed much more snuggling – not that unfortunately as i do love snuggling – so we watched lots of walking with dinosaurs together and SB went off doing her grade 4 music theory exam, which she think went ok, so fingers crossed!!

i have no idea what happened yesterday as i was so late back from work. but i don’t think this has been a good week for book based home ed! will have to try better next week. and yesterday was the not-forest-school where they were coppicing. and then shopping – sb has shoes and pjs and bb pj’s and tops. both v happy.

We had my mum and dad and nephew and niece staying with us this half term, and they were very excited that it would include halloween . they arrived early on saturday and we got going pretty straight away with some crafting as niece v v excited . so the weekend was a lot of crafting, kids playing happily, some baking and board games. we adults also played board games in the eve .

Monday they went to play golf with my dad [all of them, and now we really must arrange the golf lessons for sb and bb as dad has got them all clubs. BB partic enthusiastic, and I am keen to help BB and dad bond, so therefore encourage this . Then they went to the golf club bowling lane and had a great time [well, there were a few 'parts' but mostly anyway a great time ] and I joined them for the very end.

Tues they went into town by bus and spent some time at the zoology museum and the archaeology , wandering about town, having lunch and generally having what sounded like a very nice day . DH may have taken pics, but I haven’t seen them

Weds was halloween, so a lot of prep for this, including making biscuits to hand to trick or treaters – dad was left at home to do this and said these were all excitedly snapped up as mostly dinosaur patterns – with BB and E. SB did music theory as did M. He also was doing a craft homework for school that I helped a bit with, but looked really good . oh, and plumpkin carving [as bb insisted we all called it] this time with enough flesh for soup. BIL arrived before we went out, so joined us all dressed up was v much fun as this is a friendly village and also it didn’t rain. kids got a HUGE haul of chocolate.

the next day M and E left with BIL, but we loved having them and had a great time altogether and mum and dad stayed on. SB continued with her music theory – she did 8 p[ractice papers in total in half term – and BB continued with daily cello prac with mum. at the weekend although we thought of going out to a firework display, bb was worried about noisiness of bangs, so did a last minute buy of some fireworks and did our own, with toasted marshmellows and roasted chestnuts lovely.

I have loved having my fanmily here. do wish we all lived closer, we have had such a tough last few years and it has felt like we are battling against the prevailing wind. Lovely to hug and be hugged.

just have had family staying over the half term, so no blogging time. then a course, so away, and now catching up. Before I get to half term, I am going to show some of the great stuff the girls are doing at arts award. DH is the home educator and takes them to these things, but he ‘invisiblogs’ [his word for it] and mostly invisiflickrs too! so it is hard to show some of the great stuff. Luckilly as SB has an arts award blog he is at least placing those photos up because she is nagging. I would like him to put the pottery up to as she could blog that as well. [must set her onto it ]
so, to the the gallery music from Take Hart [you know you know it ]

not all the arts award pics are there. there were some gouache pics, oil painting , some acrylic on acrylic and some craftier things too. I might have to take the phone around the house to find them and get pics

We need help! we have had 2 cats for nearly 14 years now [rescue kittens, so done well ] and v periodically they have had fleas, noticed by me because i get 4 or 5 bites, and we realise we are a bit late with the frontline and get it done. HOwever, we have a plague of fleas. at the start of the half term weekend i was getting upwards of 30bites a day. we put advantage on the cats and have currently confined them to the ‘room of doom’ [utility room] have moved tortoise and fish and have flea bombed and sprayed all the rooms must be at least 2ce if not 3 times. i am still getting bitten. i am using max piriton and eurax for my itching, and wearing mosquito repellant hopefully. i think there are less, but not enough less. This eve I have caught another flea [in sellotape so hoping to look at under microscope ]
I am reluctant to continue flea bombing and spraying so frequently as can’t be good for the rest of us! candles in water didn’t help. SO, any good plans, or if i need to bomb and spray, any tried and tested regimes. should i let the cats back in so fleas bite them and die, or will that worsen the flea problem.

or shall i just move out.