Category Archives: Butterbean

Romp through the week.

Posted on July 23, 2006 by | 1 comment

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]

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Posted in Butterbean, General, geography, history, literacy, numeracy, Out and About, SB-PE, science, socialisation, writing

Sports Day

Posted on July 23, 2006 by | 9 comments

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


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Posted in Butterbean, Out and About, photos, SB-PE, socialisation, Stringbean

As if by magic

Posted on July 19, 2006 by | 1 comment

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).

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Posted in Butterbean

Childhood days don’t last forever…

Posted on July 16, 2006 by | 5 comments

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!

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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].

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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.

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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.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, literacy, music, SB-PE, science, writing

Life does go on

Posted on July 15, 2006 by | 2 comments

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.

IMG 6345 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!]

IMG 6385 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.

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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.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, history, music, numeracy, science

just call me mistress of puzzles!

Posted on July 1, 2006 by | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General, history, literacy, music, numeracy, Stringbean's HE

mum and dad

Posted on June 28, 2006 by | Leave a comment

mostly a day talking tactics for the future and gardening. its nice to have some help in the garden. Dad gave the topiary a good trim, mum and i weeded, SB watered and BB pulled up to veg – sigh!

SB did do some obvious home ed stuff – she did some explode the code, read some raiders and rioters book, and then some history with mum – mostly mediaeval bits and pieces. She is starting to read words out and a bout – which is nice, even if it was predominantly shed [garden centre] and getting more and more proficient with mental maths of adding and subtracting over a ten. She did some nice singing for my mum, and lots of maze books.
Most of the day was playing though. I think my uncertainty is not helping the girls, as SB more waily at the moment, and mimicking BB for the attention.

BB also had fun today. pottred around, started undressing upstairs as poopoo – so we might start potty training in the good weather. she enjoyed the sandpit and the brio track the most.

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Posted in Butterbean, gardening, General, literacy, music, numeracy, Stringbean, writing

Arggh – the cupboard again….

Posted on June 26, 2006 by | 6 comments

We have? a built in cupboard in the playroom, which is being used to store jigsaws, games etc. It’s at a nice toddler friendly height…
Earlier I tidied variius things away that had been out and played with, and been ‘Butterbeaned’ – aka spread around as only toddlers know how.

While i’ve been in the kitchen she has emptied out varioius things, emptied the boxes out and now carried some bits into the kitchen just for extra effect – arggh!!

The room needs sorting and reorganising a bit anyway , looks like now might be the time….

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Posted in Butterbean

Catching up

Posted on June 24, 2006 by | Leave a comment

kind of day. did some trrying to sort the veg garden – weeding, a bit of watering where desperate. the peas in their entirety didn’t survive us being at kessingland – very sad!

SB read to me the 9th ladybird phonics book, and did some explode the code. We also did some singapore maths thinking skills, and read a book all about how the body works. Mostly we played out in the garden though. SB definitely turning into a trapeze artiste.

i feel the need to be expanding on her home ed with resources we have, but not quite doing it. Luckilly she is very good at finding things to read/do, but I’m not keeping up with the piano, and would like to do the getty and dubay, latin and story of the world more regularly.

BB and I did lots of shape sorting and jigsaws before mostly playing in the garden. lots of running under water! [no hosepipe ban here, though this is the first use of hosepipe as most water butts now run out – unfortunately noticed one was full after i had watered! [we are metered]

chris made flapjacks, but neither girl really helped!

i am finding it difficult to keep my head in one place at the moment. Need a haven of tranquility – rofl! No news yet.

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Posted in Butterbean, Cooking, gardening, General, literacy, numeracy, SB-PE, science, writing

Muddlepuddle Camp Snippets

Posted on June 22, 2006 by | 8 comments

Helen has already blogged on Kessie, but I was reminded of things looking at the piccies.

So here are few of my personal snippets, in no particular order.

Ducks – One of her words of the week. Butterbean was endlessly running off to the bridge to look for ducks (which was rather tiresome at times…), and would look over both sides either commenting on the ducks she could see, or hopefully calling out ducks if their weren’t any. When they came into the campsite she was ecstatic :-) I do think my plan for tethering her down in the middle of the camopsite had merit though
Dik-dik – BB’s word for biscuit which she used endlessly.

Small boys - Small boy ‘holding up’ another boy with his water pistol. ‘Show me your willy or I won’t be your friend’ – ‘victim’ was happy to oblige :-)

Playing – the endlessly playing was lovely to watch, the big space opposite us was well used once the other tents had departed. Having friends and space and time to just play and play like that in the sun must be some sort of kiddie heaven.

Water pistols – well it was perfect water pistol weather/territory

Small Girls - one minute sitting playing with dollies, playing babies etc. then arming themselves up with water pistols for a battle :-)

Layla’s rants – I particulary liked the ‘come near this cake and I’ll chop off your arm’ one to assorted children desperate for chocolate cake.

Biggest embarrasment? – Knobbling Emma’s BMW. BB got her keys and dangled them into a mug of juice – which wasn’t very good for the remote keyfob/immobiliser thingy. Only discovered it wouldn’t work of course once they were all packed and the kids hidden by lots of gear….. Arrghhh! – Luckily the RAC man was able to dry it out with much blowing inside with his airjet.

Teapot – tea is designed to be made in a pot, not dangling a tea bag in a mug. So how can you not take a teapot camping. It also makes it much easier to keep your neighbours supplied ;-)

Chillin’ – so which tent shall we go and sit outside (and drink aforesaid tea) now….?

Gazebo’s? - you can never have two many gazebo’s at a Muddlepuddle camp. What is intriguing about them is the magnetic effect they havee on people – they even collect under them in the dark when there is no shade benefit to be gained.

Small children and shops – Well it probably was a bad idea? to let Big, Small and SB go to the shops by themselves – Big to get bread, Small and SB to get sweets.? Poor Small didn’t get his sweets, Buig did get bread, and her and SB each got? lolly, though apparently Big took the one SB wanted – she is still complainign about this. Just what confusion they sowed in the shop can only be inagined :-)

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Posted in Butterbean, Daft Stuff, Out and About, Stringbean