Category Archives: General

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.

2 Comments

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

If we want to do some music at melrose…

Posted on January 19, 2008 by | 2 comments

I thought something really short and simple, so minimal practice at the time and then in the concert would work.

So I thought maybe the tambour from p17 a new tune a day for the violin. Has a variety of skills OK

so for confident – or those that have practiced [sill scan in!]
all on D string 4 crotchets then 2 minims : DEF#F#: G G : F#EF#D: E E : DEF#F#: G G : F#DEE: D D played twice

for those just starting opens stings only minim then 2 crotchets: A AA:D DD:A AA:A AA:A AA:D DD:A AA:A AA. played twice. for beginner recorders, playing a G instead of D may be easier

and for total starters, just play load of A’s OR D’S at random any rhythm!

lots of scope for tambourines and other percussion for littlies.

There is more of it we can do, but I was thinking short and sweet prob best.

A BA:G G :F#EF#G:A A :A BA:G G :F#DEE:D D : [REPEATED, THEN FIRST TUNE AGAIN X2]

D DD:A AA:D DD:A AA:AAAA:D DD:AAAA:D DD: [REPEATED, THEN FIRST TUNE AGAIN X2]

What do you think? Should suit any instrument ? if anyone really wants to do this, pop it on the camps list or in comments box. thanks

edited to add – written out [for Sarah], but you may want to write it out again yourself! [I appear to have no control with the mouse!!]. I think for those on strings, if we do the middle bit, might as well make it loud and play D and A strings together. Adds some fun for not tune.

melrosemusic

for me, it will always be mattachins from the capriol suite – I can’t remember how often I played it in diff guises growing up!

2 Comments

Posted in General, music

notes

Posted on January 17, 2008 by | Leave a comment

not-v-local tots group with crafts and latin for girls

Panis romanae

Some Stirring
SB been good at piano practice this week, also done some maths and handwriting. both girls watching muzzy german.
fun playsession with rainbowsR

all done by chris as i have had dreadful week of slog! SB been up late, and have played games together

Leave a comment

Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean's HE, Cooking, daubing and making, General, history, music, numeracy, socialisation, Stringbean's HE, writing

walk the walk against breast cancer

Posted on January 17, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Joyce is doing her bit for breast cancer resarch. to sponsor her, click here, please

Leave a comment

Posted in General

don’t do it!

Posted on January 16, 2008 by | Leave a comment

cut off my scrabulous!

Facebook has been asked to remove the Scrabulous game from its website by the makers of Scrabble.

Leave a comment

Posted in General

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.

5 Comments

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

Blogging from the new laptop

Posted on January 13, 2008 by | 3 comments

how very exciting. needing to get used to a whole new keyboard. well, the last laptop was on a plugin keyboard [as 2 integral ones had malfunctioned] which didn’t always work, oh and had no working battery. so, i have spent more money than i should have [but still far less than most!] on a ow end laptop. widescreen unusual, and glad i wear glasses! vista and turnpike incompatible, so my sys admin has rigged up a virtual xp popup with turnpike inside it – weird!

Anyway, we had a very busy day today, with lots of playing and doing. SB did both piano and violin practice, and we are going to try and do 4 15 min practices of each a week. doesn’t sound much, but to us will be a challenge! BB painted her money box pig that she got yesterday, and very happy she was with it too. We three sat together and read lucie a la plage, me french, SB english and SB and BB both did the pronunciation at the back, and then we read a ladybird book about dinosaurs for a bit. the girls did some general playing with this and that whilst i flickred yesterday. SB made her fairy house and BB stickered.

After lunch :wink: BB did some plasticine and then watched muzzy whilst SB and I had a fab time with her science kit - this enviro battery is fab [note they mixed up the description of the enviro battery and the dynamo torch!]. we chatted about electricity and currents again, made a working bioclock with oranges and with vinegar got a sound cell to play [just!]

More playing and we all snuggled to red the katie in various paintings books before watching dancing on ice with pizza, then a dinosaur prog and to bed.

3 Comments

Posted in Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, General, language, literacy, music, noises and sounds, science, Stringbean's HE

Family Gatherings

Posted on January 13, 2008 by | Leave a comment

yesterday was spent with Chris’s family on his mothers side. SB and BB enjoyed playing with baby A [their second cousin who has now had 1st birthday]. Uncle Robert looked the best we had sen him – he has bowel cancer, which has spread to the liver, and last year had quite a punishing course of chemo. He is due a repeat scan later this month and will decided whether he can have surgery or whether to choose between further chemo or letting nature take its course. I don’t think he would opt for chemo again.

So there was much eating and merriment, and christmas presents! The children were most impressed by this second batch of christmas presents. we must get our thankyou cards out! We had a great time.

Leave a comment

Posted in General

for chris to do!!

Posted on January 12, 2008 by | 5 comments

Home ed group on myths and legends.

I got my form into work, and came home early, forgetting I was doing the night as well – oops. they did ring me!

5 Comments

Posted in General

should be writing a form for work

Posted on January 11, 2008 by | 4 comments

well, actually I have been doing it most of the evening, along with watching the tudors and criminal minds on downloads, and providing lots of [hopeful] advice to B-I-L. Thanks for all well wishes for sister. I am hoping for the best.

We had another productive day here today, whilst I was at work, SB did some calligraphy reading and coloured in a beautiful letter. BB also did a beautiful colouring of a letter. SB did maths and handwriting practice and some sudoko. She was still sudoko obsesed when I got home, so we did some together and then violin practice. We are trying to encourage the shoulder rest – her body posture isn’t as good with it, but hoping it will get better as it gets more comfortable.

We all read a few stories, and a chip supper [word just for p2] to robin hood downloads. SB gets v concerned why people are bad. she just doesn’t ‘get’ being nasty. BB is rather enjoying watching vicar of dibley, and so are we actually!

4 Comments

Posted in General