Category Archives: pre reading

Burnt offerings

Posted on January 19, 2008 by | 2 comments

Well, late back yesterday from work, and work has been so stressful this last week, that it seemed the week would never end. however, at least got back in time to see both girls before they went to bed -BB has been consistently asleep. So we did some playing [tummy ache], read more lucie chat books – these from the book people have been a total hit! Read another usborne dragon story, SB and I read some more saxon stuff when BB asleep.

today I had a late start. BB and SB up with the larks watching kids terrestrial tv. I dragged myself out somewhat later… however, SB and I did a violin practice, leading to the post below! all 3 of us read lucie chat, this time all having a go at saying the french and the english all the way through. we also enjoyed a same kind of idea i can read french book. SB and I read about ALfred the great, BB and i did some stickerbooking. We all played various games on the floor, made block castles and towers [with BB rather keen to knock down] hide and seek, tummy ache etc. I did some piano practice [shock horror!]. Girls rampaged about a bit, SB settling on cbeebies website [she doesn't ever seem to grow out of it] and BB and I made a chocolate cake. SB then did some CIMT maths and BB bathed [necessary after making cake!] Dinner and BB to bed – sigh of release. SB and I made peanut butter cookies to share next week. unfortunately, i left them for CHris to take out when took SB up to bed… [yep, burnt offerings] she is going to be VERY unhappy. we read some knight stories, and she read to me a DK reader children through time.

having felt suitably educational, i am prepared to slump infront of the opium of the masses.

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, Cooking, General, history, language, literacy, music, noises and sounds, numeracy, pre reading, Stringbean's HE

Return of the absent blogger?

Posted on January 16, 2008 by | 1 comment

Problem I have is that it just seems rather boring – but I did bold things :-)
Morning started with Sb doing some of the music theory book she started the other day with Helen . BB got me to help her with the Ikea wooden construction toy thing making a helicopter. Then they both moved on to the polyhedrons for a – BB wanted a house for lizard and then some general playing about with things. We sorted out books for returning to the library and then had breakfast, SB catching up on a few of the library books, chased them up trying to speed up the getting dressed and sorted procedure which can take forever left to their own devices.

Off to the library in the rain and wind, BB pleased to be using her umbrella to keep her dry. Storytime, selecting new books, home again in the rain via the shops for lunch supplies.

Home, SB settled down with a Rainbow Fairies book, which she knocked of in the hour or so before lunch. I drank coffee and read books with BB and did boring household tasks. After lunch they both did a bit of stuff on various websites, SB piano practised and then entered some kind of educational limbo where she spent 2 – 21/2 hours doing maths and handwriting that should have taken a lot lot less, so we didn’t really get onto anything else much before it was time to cook dinner.

After dinner, I rapidly chased BB up to bed. In one of her Jekyll and Hyde moments, one minute she was sitting happily eating dinner, next minute she was being some sort of annoying mad dervish, out to annoy SB in as many ways as possible. When she chased after SB waving a pair of scissors a swift intervention and imposition of bedtime was deemed appropriate.

SB watched a Roar episode, and then we did the Roman city jigsaw whilst awaiting Helen’s too late return from work.

Roman City Jigsaw

So she had late bedtime. Tonights excuse for coming down when she should really have been asleep was that she wasn’t warm enough (gloss over that it’s been much colder than tonight before) – told her to wear her fleecy bunny suit.

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, IT, literacy, music, numeracy, Out and About, photos, pre reading, Stringbean, writing

Miserable monday

Posted on January 15, 2008 by | 5 comments

was somewhat hit by emotional and crap viral unwellness, feeling v sick and dizzy, stuffed up, and bleurgy. SO I didn’t go into work, and for once didn’t feel guilty [i am good at guilt] because i feel i have nothing left to give in botheredness, its already attributed. I read another lucie chat book to both girls, SB read to me about dinosaurs. they all then cycled off on a playdate and i collapsed in heap on sofa with duvet and tablets.

Much playing went on, and when they returned we had a violin practice. BB played katanimo and then then the ikea building things with screwdrivers etc- think it was bjgga or somesuch nonsense. SB made some shapes with polyhedrons – she was seeing how many she could do and we talked about their names. She found the theory made easy book one very easy, and enjoyed racing through until I said enough!
SB then has her ballet and swimming run. Very proud of her for doing all the swimming today, as she has been very worried. BB and i watched bob the builder, did bob the builder jigsaws and played mother and baby games. on SB’s return we read radius and the king of angleland all together, with BB doing actions with papo people- cute! SB then had a thought about angles.

lots of bedtime stories, but she is still frightened of aliens.

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Posted in Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, cute, Dance/drama, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, language, literacy, music, numeracy, pre reading, SB-PE, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

quick catch up blog

Posted on January 7, 2008 by | 4 comments

well, this weekend I have mostly been eating potatoes. no, this isn’t some new years faddy diet [though heaven knows that I need to shift a fair bit of weight and get fitter this year – I may have said something similar last year. in fact, o the subject of new years resolutions, I made 3 last year, and I’ll try with them again this year], instead this is the try to chase migraine away diet. my job goes through cycles of stressful and majorly and exorbitantly stressful. We are in the latter phase… This tends to increase frequency of migraines, and also seems to reduce the success of any medication. Everything taken thus far has been totally pointless. A bullet in the left temporal region would be far more effective. Anyway, I am blogging, thus the potatoes would seem to have finally won [and plenty of fluids]

However, it being typical that my migraine occurs when off work, I have tried to great levels to still have some interaction with my lovely offspring. ooh, btw, there seems to have been a great reduction in baggy poo poos since normal service has resumed. A low level of them is tolerable!

Yesterday we all went to the panto [may I state for the record that pantos are not ideal with a migraine, but the one hour journey each way was the major stupidity!] I actually enjoyed the panto [yep, even with a migraine, s must have been good]. The cast were enthusiastic, the audience keen and participatory, the story near negligible, just enough to run the gags and music. SB and BB loved it. Their faces shone with excitement, SB in particular loved all the shouting and clapping, BB also got into it. It was so worth it. Arranged by the rainbows – thankyou! I have to say that the look on SB’s face of sheer thrills and enjoyment was worth the hideous journey for me each way. She really loved it.
on return home, to be honest, I just died and went to bed. No idea what chris and the girls did , he thinks they played a game. I got up just before they were going to bed, and delayed things a it. but it felt better to play a game with them and read a story before chris took them up.

Today, still feeling in need of trepaning, i thought I would do better, so got up, read some history to SB, and we did french and latin conversation, times tables and read some barefoot stories all snuggled on the sofa. She then did some violin practice – now we have lost the other blasted book! Anyway, it was lovely to have such a snuggly time with SB. I get to have less snuggles with her now as she gets older they are only on her terms! She is such a lovely girl to snuggle and cuddle.
ermm, oh yes, SB did some webland. BB and I did jigsaws, read books, snuggled and did counting practice. BB amazed me by spelling today. she was spelling zoo lane and said zz oh is zoo!!! She also did some plasticining.

The final decs came down today, and the girls had a joint final present of a jousting papo set to go with the castle stuff. they were ecstatic and had great fun playing. we decided that we all loved christmas, but that the house needs lots of people in it to actually be christmas [BB's wisdom!] . Actually, BB has gone round being ‘wise’ on all sorts of topics recently. She is mostly seriously adorable.

we watched various natury things on tv, SB practiced various dance steps, we all played a few games all together, and generally had an enjoyable day.

my migraine has decreased somewhat this eve, but I have the usual worky nerves. Bah. i hope this is just a phase! Will look forward instead to centreparcs hols – not far away now!

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean's HE, Dance/drama, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, geography, history, language, literacy, music, numeracy, pre reading, socialisation, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

feels like last day of freedom

Posted on January 2, 2008 by | 6 comments

back properly at work tomorrow.

SO I got up relatively early, so I could go to # clinic with mum, to find that they had gone exceptionally early and were through and didn’t ring. I guess because it all seems OK. They are happy with the position and everything. Mum and Little Nanny have laryngitis though, and not too well, and their NYE spent worrying over my sisters breast lump – clinic for her on Mon, fingers firmly in crossed position.

So the girls and I carried on with a great wodge of crafts. BBhas now finished all the spoons, SB has painted all the fairies, and has now done the plaster of paris moulds that may get painted tomorrow [dependent on amounts of snow to play in]

We were prepared enough to put some tomato soup in a flask and whisk out for our monthly walk with Michelle and Chloe, which we had when we arrived. It was COLD. Michelle told me off for whinging!! SB and chloe are supposed to take pictures of whatever they were interested in. They did both take piccies, but SB gradually lost heart due to the coldness of her fingers. We did a dif walk this time to the formal gardens, and will flickr. Again BB was totally adorable – and has remained so at home. At present she is cooking for me [having slept in the car home she is beanying about!] A lovely time was had, and I am looking forward to these monthly walks. next time the quarry again.

We played with the RSPB welcome packs when we got home. lots of reading and discussion. we watched ballet shoes, which we all enjoyed.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, General, history, literacy, pre reading, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

hmm, second manic crafts day

Posted on December 30, 2007 by | 6 comments

with less bagginess – well for a bit, though at one point I thought chris had put BB in the cellar, and in another bit, when I said that if she continued to sprinkle playdough all over floor and not put it away, she carried a wodge of it directly to the bin and said I could throw it all away :roll: . On the whole I have tried fr a non confrontational approach in the hopes that if she doesn’t see an opening to be dogmatic, obnoxious and stubborn, then the day may pass more easily. Hmmm

Anyway, today SB did some more of her fairy stamping kit, she has got more and more careful with painting, and is taking great care. BB did 2 of her ELC make puppet spoons kit, which she and I really enjoyed together . We all spent a while playing various games. BB and I were dinosaur and monster whilst SB on ‘puter doing DK first science explorer. BB did some playdoughing whilst SB did piano practice with me. [me giving SB attention was not well received]

They both watched some magic school house when I needed a few minutes of decreased interaction. the water cycle and bee ones. SB played with her lego. Erm, i flickred. You know, the day seemed much busier than that. funny hey?

Sb has read all the amelia earhart book, lost the first 4 magic tree house books and is reading holly the christmas fairy. we also practiced the odd bit of spelling – she needed to write the words, and I got her to guess before helping her out.

Back at work tomorrow. Sigh, I have been putting off a whole heap of worries there.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, daubing and making, General, history, literacy, music, pre reading, science, Stringbean's HE, writing

where to start

Posted on December 29, 2007 by | 5 comments

I think I will go backwards, but fiddle with the time stamp thing to appear in order – very important!

I think, crucially, I need to say that BB is driving me round the bend. i think its partly because she didn’t get enough attention over Xmas, with Chris and I so busy, and now we are both knackered. But, if she tells me anything else is baggy poo poo I think I will just scream. today she has had playdough thrown away, and the didicar put in the cellar, after hours of provocation. She throws things, screams, hits us and SB and just shouts what are for her obscenities. I have tried so hard today to do wall to wall attention. Am imagining it will take a while of hard parental work to get back on track. She has always been ‘challenging’ to parent – primarily due to her desire to bully SB – but recently – aarrrgh. Of course, when she is good she is totally adorable. Mum think she prob just needs a higher level of stimulation. Deep breath.

So, today. BB and I started off with making her father christmas present reindeer fridge magnet. We then went on to painting the plaster of paris people we made yesterday [yep. will do yesterday!] Sb did some lego building with dad, and then some painting with one of her kits with me whilst BB did playdough. I then did a fair amount of legoing with SB, playing farm animals with BB. SB aso painted her suncatcher and read the whole of her childs bible. BB also did som katamino [a real hit] chalk pictures, apple tre farm reading.

We had a major tantrum from BB about some castle characters that arrived from ebay. I was goin to give them as a 12th night present, but she was wailing and wobbling over the unopened parcel she had seen, so I relented, and pointed it was to share with SB. After all the following wailing and screaming over the knights horses she did, it is lucky that all the castle stuff isn’t also in the cellar. I regained some equanimity by flickring and scrabulous, parking BB in front of NEMO. Chris and BB did more lego – it is now finished. BB and I made up, had the girls bathed and an early bedtime. Sb and I read about amelia earhart, inventing flying machines, and a bit about piston engines. We also practiced our Latin.
Chris and I should get an early night too so that we can be better parents tomorrow.

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, General, history, language, literacy, pre reading, science, Stringbean's HE

finally hosanna in excelsis

Posted on December 20, 2007 by | 3 comments

SB seems to have given up on the salmon cheese and chelsea version :roll: and that reminds me, she can now roll her eyes perfectly – a key life skill in this family, and one that HE particularly is suitable for imparting!!

So today has been crazy and noisy. we needed a bit of a rest day after yesterdays multi-jauntings, and BB was ‘wired’ throughout – always restful! SB – bless her – has been an angel [well nearly].

We started with making boxes for the sweeties we made last night – papier mache with tissue paper and PVA around margarine tubs. They are looking fab. Both girls had great fun doing them, and I drank lots of fluids to try and chase away a migraine. We then did a bit of a tidy up – just in time as Sainsbury’s delivered a huge order [all bar veg, bread and milk]. We were also massively organised to put all away, and our pantry looks like a dream come true. I love a pantry that can see us through a month in case of avian flu, snow drifts etc etc!! SB played shops for a bitm, and both girls helped.

IMG_2096

Sb has also done some more piano practice, and is concert ready for good king wenceslas – even BB and I singing didn’t put her off! And she has done some maths, and BB some ‘match and sort‘ – some wipe clean books we got ages and ages ago from the book people, she was practicing writing – v cute. i have read 3 different versions of the nativity story - while the bear sleeps, usborne first nativity and a ladybird version. Obviously with added carols. The girls have spent ages playing with the farm and Bob the Builder duplo – the farm is obviously now part of the set! Shame I haven’t managed to get a duplo muck. Never mind – something to get at a later date. Both girls were also playing with a cheap not quite spirograph set. i have played scrabulous – Tim is pretty much unbeatable i think!!

We also did some fimo-ing, to make coasters as Christmas presents. SB’s got more and more elaborate. BB’s is much simpler. I am sure they will be well received. Both girls now having bath, and Chris doing it as I had reached my BB tolerance limit. Baggy poo poo being her favourite saying for anything she doesn’t like or want to do – charming!

As mentioned below, am at a bit of a loss as no room to put more baking or food in the freezer, and still have some to do. A wack of it will have come out by sun, so will prob do some baking then. Def getting excited, but can’t imagine where the time has gone?

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, Cooking, daubing and making, General, literacy, music, numeracy, pre reading, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

Wreathed in smiles

Posted on December 18, 2007 by | 10 comments

Today also a busy day! We did some ‘home ed’ – Piano practice [she is getting confident at good king wenceslas], maths and writing. BB did some painting. We read books together – a bit on the Saxons and Sutton Hoo with SB, and BB and I read a book where she pretended to sound out words [panic not, she was entirely making it up!]. Both girls have done a lot of singing.

We spent A LOT of time making some festive wreaths to go on various doors. SB really was pleased to do it, and didn’t make any fuss about holly – I did say it wasn’t compulsory! We also had ivy, pine and bay branches. BB decided not to make it, she did some stamping and also playing with various toys.

IMG_1991 IMG_1987

We then made some banana and chocolate muffins [to freeze for christmas breakfast – the list is gradually getting ticked off! Just in time for Nana and Grandad to arrive and give BB the wonderful farm for her birthday. [actually it isn’t quite that one, Merry ordered the other one for us [thankyou xx]. BB overjoyed and has played with it non stop since – as has SB.

IMG_2055
Oh, I did manage to take some passable piccies of the girls with tree – see below! And, if you go to the pages on the sidebar, I am gradually doing a craft and bake post!

After BB into bed, SB and I have made cheese scones for tomorrow – we have a VERY busy day ahead! I am making the last curry – phew! Chris is making sausage rolls for tomorrow, all go here.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Cooking, daubing and making, General, geography, history, literacy, music, numeracy, photos, pre reading, Stringbean's HE, writing

cough cough splutter splutter

Posted on December 12, 2007 by | 2 comments

which has been my scintillating conversational skills!

Me and the girls have been very busy today. First off we read the St Lucia bit from while the bear sleeps [barefoot books]. I know the day is tomorrow, but we are out, so we did it today. After reading, we went on to make some St Lucia crowns

St Lucia crowns IMG_1755

And then the girls went on to do some christmas stamping – allegedly to laminate and turn into table mats, but BB’s were just playing a game with each other, and SB’s is ‘minimal’ so we shall see!

Whilst they were doing this I was making the lasagne filling. I am v happy being a vegetarian, and no desire to eat meat, but sometimes chopping veg just takes TOO long, especially when you are making 4 lasagne [for 14]. because my attention was distracted, the children became distracting, so I bailed out of the last few veg, and we went and labelled the christmas cards. Muddlepuddlers be of good cheer, your cards are on the way – and open over the sink! Since with family cards we were talking of 50-ish, this took quite some time! BB also played with playdough. Chris took the difficult things into the post office and managed to cause a nice jam!
IMG_1753

We had a late lunch [3-ish] and SB hurried off to rainbows. BB and I did some playing with her duplo, and then made her gingerbread man kit she got for her birthday – with lots of run run… Whilst it was cooking she did some starfall, starting with the gingerbread man one but then dotting about.
IMG_1766  IMG_1783

When Sb returned they both decorated them, had a bath and then a light supper. SB has done some more of ‘the surprise’ with me, and read to me magic tree house and thomas the tank books.

i must look up tomorrows route and get an early night.

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, Cooking, daubing and making, General, literacy, online resources, pre reading, socialisation, Stringbean's HE, writing