Category Archives: Books

Oh for some sleep!

Posted on March 12, 2007 by | 11 comments

v difficult to get up and go to work, but did so. [though had a mad phoner on my mobile while I was there - i think it might have been Josie! I put it on silent - rofl] The beans did a bit of maths, not sure what else and then went to the playbarn to meet with a friend. they had a lovely time

When I came home, Chris was reading the tree of life [about evolution] well, SB read half of it and he finished when she got tired. Its a really nice book actually – the evolutionists answer to a creation story. I would recommend it. They then all looked at places on google earth – my parents are off to Syria, which started the search.

We did some violin practice – both of them. SB has a stiff bow arm, so am doing various weird waving excercises as well, being a swan, wrist sighing etc etc.

We read some more of the science encyclopaedia all about atoms [woosh over her head I think, but she liked looking at the pictures - especially the rutherford model]. We looked at the worm world again, they seem to be fine, and pulling the leaves down their burrows. Other than that mostly played dolls and loved me! [the ed is all bitesized if you were wondering how it all got fitted in!]

They also helped Chris make a pineapple upside down cake [BB only ate the pineapple!] All very noisy and wild. Early bed for all of us.

oh, a late update! we have played around the world board game [draw] and connect 4 – and SB truly beat me [rather than a tactical lose] for 1 game out of 3! Hooray. More britannia and ORT reading for bedtime stories, and she is now listening to Horrible Histories CD [so I might tick history!]

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Posted in Books, General, geography, history, literacy, music, numeracy, Out and About, socialisation

Back to Earth

Posted on March 10, 2007 by | 11 comments

we have done a fair bit of earth oriented thinking today! Unfortunately the beans conspired to make it a very very early start. Though SB did read me 2 books in bed, as I was refusing to be awake [chris just pretended to be asleep]. eventually I told him via SB that he needed to make me a cup of tea, so then had a catch up nap!

Urmmm, well I think we started with looking at the worm world thing that was picked up from the charity shop whilst looking for gists on thursday [rofl!] We duly all went out, filled with alternate sand and soil and liberated some juicy worms from the fruit bed to put in. BB was devastated that she didn’t get to play more with the snakes, but since at least 2 were put back on the garden as we were unsure whether they were really not working [her phrase] or playing dead, we felt the sooner out of her grasp the better. Later a ladybird also stopped working – she is a menace to our beneficials!!

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We had a look at our previous sowings, and a few broad beans have germinated, and we have a very thick row of radish seedlings – hopefully marking some carrot ones to follow! We also harvested loads of early sprouting brocolli – yum.

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it was a lovely day, so we did general playing in the garden, swings, playhouse etc etc until lunchtime, and I also pottered about with some weeding and feeding.

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After lunch we did simultaneous crafts [always slightly hair-raising! SB did a mosaic kit that Merry gave her for her birthday, BB did painting and stamping, and I lacquered the only bit of made fimo I could find from Melrose – the pendants and dragon appear to be awol.

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Hmm! then came a bit of awkwardness – SB and BB did colouring and then head over heelsing, and I asked that the felttips should be lidded and tidied – time to gloss! BB and SB did some violin practice [must get a shoulder rest!] , SB did some more area stuff with cuisinaire rods [from here to there] and BB and I read books and did pattern blocks and then had another gloss moment about being mean to SB!

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Daddy returned, so I took 5, they helped him find seed trays, and we reconvened to sow peppers, tomatoes and sunflowers. Watered in very well!! More playing outside and the SB did some piano practice, and BB fell asleep mid wail on my lap. have wound down with dinner and robin hood since then.

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Chris nearly managed to set fire to the house [sigh], luckilly I know if I think I smell something hot, I should immediately investigate [frying pan with oil]. Can’t get laptop keyboard to work either. Oh well. Early night tonight. Feeling much more whole – though frayed at the edges!

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, gardening, General, language, music, numeracy, science

totality

Posted on March 4, 2007 by | 4 comments

remembered to look at the moon. it certainly does look weird when it is the wrong colour! When I got home from work, SB and I read some of our new books – marie curie and the search for radium and eric the red and leif the lucky. She had lots of questions after the marie curie one about science and elements and atoms, but decided we would look at another book ‘tomorrow’

she has done a fair bit of webland today while I was out, and chris has done a grand job on sorting out this years propagatory – time to sow some seeds! bit late with peppers already – oops.

SB and BB both did some violin practice, and SB some piano. otherwise mostly chilled and did pattern blocks altogether. tonight before going to bed, I read SB some britannia and she read me clumsy crocodile from usborne young readers. Her flow at reading is really coming along, and she reads things all the time now during the day – fantastic.

I must make sure worries of work don’t eclipse the joys of home.

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Posted in Books, gardening, General, geography, history, literacy, music, numeracy, science, Stringbean's HE

sonlight arrived!

Posted on March 2, 2007 by | 3 comments

actually ordered only in Jan, so nice and quick – was v careful to delete 2/3 of the order [having also taken notice of Jan's critiques of some!] before I actually paid for it though. I got the pattern block set, so SB has spent ages going through the cards and enjoying it. Also got some of the core 1 readers and books. I LIKE the science stories! will have to look out for the marconi and electricity ones elsewhre.

SB decided that the level 3 I can read books and the level 4 step into reading books I had got where just right for her. SO what with the usborne first readers we are well supplied for books at the mo for her to read.

I do think that if we ever did do a bought curriculum, sonlight would be the one for us, cos I like how the books are all interesting and around the timeframe. However, SB is def a follower of eclectic learning and the strewn book technique, and it does work for us. Just must make sure lots of strewn books!

it is about time actually to look at our books again, and remind ourselves and SB what we have, so that we can be more interesting.

BB has done loads of jigsaws today since I came home. She adores jigsaws. And both had fun blowing up balloons with the foot pump and letting them fuzzle away [though BB says 'I'm not doing that again' but does!] SB experimented ‘blowing’ it up with water from the tap, and of course realised the pressure thing that then makes the water spurt out and drench, rather than fuzzle like air – rofl!!

Sb also done some playing with birthday presents – thankyou all. in partic geomags, ocean mega puzzle, and a fight over ownership of the wooden maze [demonstrated by me in show of mode - rofl!] The pencils really are beautiful to use and the bionic putty is truly weird!

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Thanks again everyone for coming. SB really loved it, and was really happy to have her friends there and wasn’t at the end particularly phased by the lack of playbarn. Hope you all got home safely.

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Posted in Books, General

not quite there quick enough

Posted on February 17, 2007 by | 2 comments

well, we are NEARLY at a china chapter in SOTW, and it Chinese new year tomorrow, but not quite managed to co-ordinate them, having been a bit slow with SOTW recently. Chris had done some India in the week, and SB wanted me to read the Buddha enlightenment story again today, so I did, and then we read some stories from the Barefoot book of Buddhist tales. however, it being chinese new year [it lasts 15 days], i went ahaead and downloaded some of the little books from enchanted learning to do – and SB enjoyed that, and both girls made firework pictures. BB’s rather liberal use of glitter pens [as if a firework store had blown up tbh] has meant she pretty much used up a whole pack!

In the middle of all this, we had an outside play – in and out of the playhouse! And also football. Chris and I did a bit of garden tidying up to do, but it seems a bit like the forth bridge at the moment. Need to get an industrial quantity of the permeable garden weed mesh stuff.

SB has read to me and BB – apple tree farm books and books from the library. We have done a lot of building with the marble run, some internetting – nick jr and cbeeies.

BB has been absolutely in love with a galt alphabet thing, where it makes a long line, but the pictures are in little blocks cut in half. She was so excited doing it, clapping as she matched things up – very cute. Also she was having fun counting things – she is very keen to count, but just using 1,2 and 6 makes it tricky. Back in nappies though today as a weeing spree – sigh!

we finished with a rousing second half of the sing along sound of music [watched the first half last night]. and SB chose a book about seasons and time etc for her bedtime book, so we did that too.

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, gardening, General, geography, history, literacy, music, online resources, science, Stringbean's HE, writing

snow-free saturday

Posted on February 10, 2007 by | 3 comments

It didn’t last long did it? luckilly that meant that chris has done a lot more organising of the base for SB’s wendy house – coming on wed.

Hmm, I got up late, SB and BB were arguing over cbeebies. mostly charlie and lola. A laid back beginning, and I read some books then to BB, AB got dressed [and played with dolls house] and then lunch – see v laid back!

So in the afternoon we were going to do some baking. However, BB went and had a nap, so SB and did a violin lesson and a piano lesson – as part of my i really must do this. SB no longer wants a purple and flowered violin, but a clear on that lights up – i wonder where she got that idea from? Anyway, we mostly did holding and bowing open strings. i bought this book from amazon to start us off with, as well as the theory book recommended by sarah [oops and a few more things]

we then heard BB wailing – so a short nap only, and rescued her. SO we went to bake, but the decorating plates were out as well, so she and BB decided to decorate their plates instead. BB finished first, so to keep her enthusiastic whilst SB finished, I got her bug pots kit out from Xmas present. We did the bee one, and SB was desperate to do one too. BB kindly gave her the ladybird one. Unfortunately the glue in the kits wasn’t really up to the job. BB lost half the eyes, and peeled all the sticker backs off the spider one [which we weren't doing!] I kept counting to 10, and we sorted it out so that we all did enjoy making our 2 pots!

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Onwards and upwards we finally did our baking – banana loaf. SB helped BB do all the stages and it was quite lovely.the smell of the banana loaf baking has also been quite lovely. We did some jigsaws – BB has just crossed into the knowing how to do them bit, so is getting lots of fun from our starter jigsaws. SB did a little of the english education city. They are going to add german as well as spanish – so sounding better and better really. SB and BB then went for a runaround in the garden

I did a bit of tidying up and fiddling, but BB soon in and covered in mud – so an emergency bath! we then played games together until SB also came in having had an accident with the wheelbarrow. Hot choc and snuggles on sofa watching little house in the prairie were in order. SB was hungry, so she has had an early tea. The girls are cbeebing again at the moment. However, we are going to read a book about the native americans and prairie life when BB goes to bed. Actually, we started with that, and have now made some more of her lego hospital set.

Every night so far, SB has read me part of a level 8 ORT book, and carried on reading it when I go down. She is really happy with her reading at the moment.

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, Cooking, gardening, General, geography, history, literacy, SB-PE, Stringbean's HE

crosspatch

Posted on January 17, 2007 by | 7 comments

i knew i was being one all day, and though very contrite, had the tolerance level of kamikaze on acid. Mainly I think with worry that this is not going to be a weird one of joint thing, but…

Anyway, SB did lots more education city – she does really enjoy it, and getting there to the french without so much help [i nearly bought rosetta stone though Deb!]. She has also done some singapore maths MPH 1B – and as we are 2/3 through, have bought 2 series from half moon books – well, nearly, I have sent them an email! – so they are across in resources bit. I had bought the original 2a and b textbooks half price from sonlight when they went to the us ed, so though i had better have matching workbooks – so we will be doing a not MPH year – shouldn’t matter!

My mum and dad popped in on the way back from Little Nanny’s, and were a bit shocked at my cronkiness. Anyway, they played with the girls a bit and had a bite to eat before carrying on.

BB had a look at toddler cd – though prefers still just to irritate SB! we read some apple tree farm, she played ‘yego’, and had great fun with a magnetic break apart ball that SB also loved at that age from ikea. we all stopped for a ‘yup-a-tea’

SB and I finished the marco polo jigsaw in our explorers book and discussed that a little bit, before moving on to story of the world, where we got a bit stuck with the punic wars – cos unlike my usual ask very little questions, and minimal narration back, i got fixated on her remembering carthage! [why i don't know, as i hardly expect that telling her today will give her instant recall in 30 years time!!]. however, we made up over the Hannibal and the elephants story. She read me 1/3 of a level 8 ORT book – the magic carpet – and she is def getting more fluid. Apparently, whilst at Jax’s, she had a go at one of Big’s fairy books, but they are too difficult.

I got grumpy so left her and BB to play, and looked at sonlight core 1, rosetta stone and worried that we dip around a lot and aren’t organised, and maybe should be sonlighters etc etc [usual panic there]

BB wanted to play a game, so we got out the marble run, and SB made her runs and it all went predictably pear shaped, but they kept trying. eventually giving up to play bouncy ball games.

My sister rang to commiserate – well I think that was what for, but in a jovial way she said i have got it too, and it is worse than yours and yours will get far worse, so I pretty near hung up. tea really was ready, but I was rude, and feel bad as I just took it the wrong way rather than her meaning to make me even more grumpy. [she is a much lovelier person all round than me] I will ring tomorrow if I am less grumpy.

Ah well. the girls had a bath whilst I grumped. SB came down and saw big’s castle. she def wants a castle for her birthday, but no longer tower of doom, but perhaps the pintoys mediaeval one – which I also like. SO I guess that is on. She then got stuff ready for tomorrow, as BB goes to a toddler gym session first one, and SB will have to sit at edge as quiet as a mouse – fingers crossed for chris there, as it will be difficult for SB who will be desperate to join in.
I have now eaten loads of chocolate – which I had banned from my diet – sigh.

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, General, geography, history, language, literacy, numeracy, online resources, science

monday

Posted on January 15, 2007 by | 2 comments

The beans went to local group this morning all about favourite things. SB took heaps of jacket potatoes – and we had some of them for tea!
in the afternoon, when we had all got home, she did some education city – enjoying it, and I have stared with the easiest bits doing a my city. She wanted to do the spanish, but that doesn’t seem an option at her level. i might email and ask if we can have access to it. she did like the french though. i helped identify the sounds the first time and thenn left her to carry on so I could read apple tree farm to BB.
BB did some oogly googly gears and playdoughing, and SB looked at a DK history book with me – rather lovely – and we did early people in it, picking up the theme at bedtime by reading about otzi the ice mummy. She also did some letter formation with getty and dubay – they’re big letters, but I guess she needs to start in the right place, as she otherwise chooses bottom up. we all playdoughed for a bit.
tea of jacket pots, and then watched some more trials of life before bed.

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, Cooking, General, geography, history, language, literacy, numeracy

A reading milestone :-)

Posted on January 9, 2007 by | 6 comments

 

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This was taken at 9.30 last night, she was still at it at 10.30 :-) And yes she was actually reading it, not just looking at the piccies ;-)

She is so pleased with herself

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Posted in Books, literacy, photos, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

Getting back to normal.

Posted on January 3, 2007 by | Leave a comment

With Helen being off all the week before xmas, and only having two days at work last week and then the Bank Holiday it seems like we’ve al been at home for a long time we’ve had together, which has been good. So yesterday we started getting back to normal, in a fairly gentle way. Starting off with SB having a much needed bit of sleep catch up and not getting up until past 10.30 am. -Not sure exactly as she’d come down stairs before 11 and the TV had been left on, so she’d sidled into there and was watching Toms Midnight Garden on the TV :-)

It did mean that I had a nice time playing with BB, with the animals, lego, books, playdoh and stuff. as well as exciting things like sorting out washing. Got SB moving when i mentioned the Library and she realised it was ‘Bic-bic day’ – they have a fund raising stall on the first Tues of the month – with drinks, biscuits etc. So we went round to the library, had biccies, coffee, chatted about xmas, the girls did their usual we are cute and lovely thing, and even got some books just before it closed :-)

Home to lunch with Littletoe show, and then enforce nap tiem for BB – she just isn’t making it through. So I basically give her an enforced cuddle on the bed until she gives up making? big fuss about it and falls asleep. Seemed to work ok though. She was asleep by 1.30, we got her up before 3 and she went to sleep ok at about 8.30, which was rather better.

SB sat and spent ages looking at her library books, then me and SB did a fair bit of reading of them. She did a bit My Pals are Here, felt ages since we had done any so did it in gentle-ish sort of way. There was bit of something happening when BB got up, but I forget what exactly. Made a pasta bake for tea and then we sat down with tea/hot choc and toasted teacakes (BB – ‘I need choc-choc cup’) to watch the rest of Toms Midnight Garden. Then? a bit of tidying up before dinner. One of the targets for this year is to be tidier in general through the day, worked ok yesterday, kitchen ended the day pretty tidy, playroom was tidy (the main chaos areas).

Need to have a bit of think about where we are going with/approaching HE though. SB mentioned Education City again, so time to sign up to that I think.
Visitors due any minute now (M and family, a girl from a local HE group, almost the same age as Sb, and they hit it off from the first meeting) so time to be organized – at least the lunch soup is cooking

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, literacy, numeracy, Out and About, socialisation, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE