Category Archives: Stringbean

Time and Motion.

Posted on September 26, 2007 by Daddybean | 1 comment

Where does it go? the time that is. OK i know I’m an expert at frittering it away, but I find it somewhat annoying when I’m not and it still goes and disappears on me. I think I need to do a time and motion study to see where it has all gone during the day.

BTW, H pinched most of the piccies for her post below, So I’ll refer you there for illustration
Monday

As soon as H was off to work, girls watched a couple of Numberjacks episodes – BB is a real addict for these at the moment. Then it was into the bath to clean up from the camping weekend – They’d been out for the count when we got back Sunday night. Then it was off to the shop for bread and milk and home for breakfast.

After breakie the girls made cards for their cousin E’s birthday (a day late – ooops…). We couldn’t find any colored card, so made a another trip out to the (relatively recently opened and quite useful) stationery shop for supplies. BB insisted we needed glitter, so we bought some probably expensive glitter from there as well.

Home for productive card making. SB had plan to make a Dorothy from the Wiggles from instructions in one of the kiddie magazines around here. She did really well, I showed her how to trace using some greaseproof paper and give her a bit of help with that and some cutting out. Other than that she sat and did it all herself – spending ages working on it – basically the rest of the morning. Did some lovely and careful small writing in it and addressed the envelope nicely as well. BB had fun with the glitter :-). and then spent ages organising things out of the camping food box. She is very much into organising and sorting things out at the moment.

BB couldn’t quite wait for lunch though :

After lunch and a bit of running around and playing nosily SB did some maths while BB spent ages making patterns with the Cuisenaire rods. And then Helen came home, then after bit it was time for Ballet. While SB out at Ballet, H and BB made some biscuits.

After ballet, SB did violin lesson with H whilst I got dinner. After dinner, with BB off to bed H and SB played some maths card games

Tuesday was basically a reading day. After breakfast, rereading the library books before we took them back. Off (early for once) to the library for storytime – SB did a fruity wordsearch and made a fruity picture. Eventually prised them out of the library, home to finish off some of the camping Bourbon biscuits and read the new books before we had lunch. After lunch I chased them out of the kitchen whilst I tidied up a bit. SB was going to come back and do maths, but she settled down with books again on the sofa – spent about another 1 /1/2 hours solidly working her way through the books.

BB played happily for ages with the dolls house and the ‘people’ – she is very much into playing these sorts of games as well at the moment. Somehow the rest of the afternoon disappeared in maths, cooking tea etc. before going out to swimming lessons.

After lesson and dinner, whilst I was putting BB to bed (H still marooned at work) SB (unasked) emptied the dishwasher and put it all away, and washed up the plated and cutlery from dinner. So I let her stay up a bit longer and watch some TV. By the time she was settled in bed H was on her way home and it was time ti flop into our various heaps.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Cooking, cute, literacy, music, numeracy, photos, SB-PE, Stringbean, writing

Finding things

Posted on September 21, 2007 by HHaricot | 14 comments

Had my hospital appt about knee =bursitis . good.

Had a chat with SB about what to do today, so the plan was to do maths and writing quickly , some piano, baking, and experiment and paint her dinosaur. Not much then! We found the 2A workbook, and SB rampaged through the weights bit of that – nearly finished. Then did ‘S’ in getty and dubay B, and some extra writing while I got stuff ready for making banana loaf. She decided to do the writing inside a box – picture below – and had a wail as Daddy took a picture, and I collected beans with BB.

BB meanwhile had done her match and sort but us playing a rocket game, we counted down from ten, and then she had to go off and find the right numberjack. She also did some very careful painting, and put on a french song CD about animals for them both to listen to. we did a lot of jigsaws.
So we made up over banana and white choc drop loaf – an extra banana and it is truly squidgy and gorgeous. must make for Melrose. yummy. SB and BB mostly were able to share the task – today they have not been receptive to the aternate sibling receiving any attention – makes for fun. SB found the magimixer we have had for ages from brightminds and was having fun sorting it out.

Following that SB did piano practice, and BB did some afterwards – more randomly! both felt tired, so watched some Muzzy german cd 1 while I made cheese on toast for their lunch to refresh the parts…

Following lunch I put out some options for SB – facepainting, science experiment, dinosaur to paint or ‘something else’. We did the bio clock – and no, we still haven’t made it work. I think SB thinks all experiments are doomed – its just like my Nuffield Physics course all over again.

SB chose to do some quick violin practice – she wants to finish the book, get a certificate and then learn some Christmas songs.

BB stayed asleep in my arms. SB also did a dancing show, the asked or face painting. I am not particularly skilled, but think this wasn’t bad.

SB painted her dinosaur – but for some reason, although I was sitting next to her trimming green beans, I didn’t take any photos. We did test the yummy cake – very difficult to resist eating it all. BB woke up, and we all did some of SB’s mosaic picture.

BB-isms. She does like to say ‘fantastic’ a lot. Also, when I want a kiss, she always says I ‘have to say something’ whether or not I have said please. Oh, and I love her ‘how about that then?’
We finished the day with bath, tea and a general chasing fun around the upstairs, ending in fits of giggles. our usual bed routine of taking it in turn to read, but with BB snuggled up to without being a scamp. A good end, because at several times, I was looking at BB and SB who had wound each other up into a shrieking and wailing frenzy thinking I could perhaps be at work. But only a couple of times. Mostly, I would rather be at home.

Oh, and we found BB’s lost croc. But we seem to have lost my camp socks!

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Cooking, cute, General, language, literacy, music, numeracy, photos, science, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE, writing

Our New Classroom

Posted on September 21, 2007 by Daddybean | 4 comments

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Posted in Daft Stuff, photos, Stringbean, writing

Protectiveness and loving

Posted on September 15, 2007 by HHaricot | 6 comments

I think I am probably over protective wrt SB. I love her dearly,and she has such a gentle soul and personality. She is so caring and generous. It means that I struggle with the her being upset thing. I was always so totally useless at the making friends and social thing at school. I still am really, but try hard. I just don’t seem to have the cues that do social things well, and still stumble.So how do I help SB? I think she is prob better than me, I hope so anyway. I don’t have the same worry for BB. She is a rascal, and no doubt I will one day be worrying more about her forcefulness.

Anyway, SB came back from Nana and Grandad’s with a present of earings and a necklace that she bought for me [with grandad's money!] She wanted to give me it because she loves me so much and I work hard. aaah. i was very emotional! Getting an unexpected present from your daughter when you are at a low ebb is a massive mood booster.

OK, so moving on. today I got home at about 10, and although sorely tempted to throw myself into bed I managed until about 2 to read books, snuggle watching the magic school bus, aid playdough and singapore maths, and read some then and now style books on homes and food, and a bit about cavemen. We listened to a french music CD about days and months I did want to do violin and piano with SB, but couldn’t keep eyes open so had a nap while Chris cycled with the girls to the fruit farm, and then they ran about wildly for a bit.

When I groggily came too again,it was tea time and the girls were in the bath – how did that happen?? I sorted out our Melrose forms. We had tea and both girls made some cards, for the christening tomorrow and for Chloe. Read some Magic Tree House. Hopefully will feel more wakeful tomorrow.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, history, language, literacy, numeracy, science, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE, writing

Don’t Forget The Bacon !

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Daddybean | 1 comment

No, we haven’t suddenly turned carnivorous, this has been Butterbean’s saying of the week, they got it from the eponymously named book that we had from the library recently. So she has been running around shouting this a lot

Last couple of days they have been staying at my Mum and Dads, while I attacked a bit more of the arched window. Thursday they went to Mount Fitchet Castle, which was rather drier than when we were there last year.

Friday I think they just pottered about at their house. SB never had the chance for this at BB’s age, as they were all to far away. They do both enjoy going to stay there.
Rest of week, Tuesday is library day, so much reading of old books before we go. Made masks at Storytime:

Then home to read the new stash of books:

followed by a bit of tandem Starfalling:

After lunch, and bit of playing in the garden, Maths and Getty Dubay and then time to get going for swimming lesson, with a short play at the park in between.

Wednesday, umm…. There was some Maths and Getty Dubay, and Education city and maybe some other computery things in the morning, we did something else as well, which eludes me right now – I read something to SB. Afternoon seems to have disappeared. More reading though:

- Helen was back home from work by then. Until I took SB out for her Rainbows boat trip. She had a good time, hooked up with another girl there, R and they were getting on like a house on fire according to her mum who had gone on the boat as well. They had a bit more of a run around while we chatted until SB hit her head on a wall and we left wailing…. We will hopefully arrange a playdate soon. While we were out BB and Helen made another Chocolate Spread Cake:

A couple of snippets from Monday:

BB helped make scrambled egg:

They made this construction from chairs in the kitchen. It is apparently some sort of cot/bed/desk/sofa thing, with built in drinks thing for the baby:

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, Daft Stuff, IT, literacy, numeracy, Out and About, photos, socialisation, Stringbean, writing

I’ll get told off again…….

Posted on September 8, 2007 by Daddybean | 6 comments

…if i don’t blog But I do have photos as well in mitigation.

So today, SB has read loads. Usborne Book of Ledgends before breakfast (Hercules I think), as well as a bit of Little hippo DVD (in German) which is one BB’s favourites -she can get it playing now, and select an episode sometimes. And if the folder of downloaded kiddy programs is open she can pick one of those and start that, though she hasn’t worked out how to make it full screen yet (“bigger! bigger!”). She is scarily competent at working the mouse for a not yet 3 yo. Thats’ what having an elder sister does I think.

We had a good sort out of the playroom, clearing up all sorts of detritus from the floor, under and behind sofas etc. SB did a great job at vacuuming it. I rather like the room when not carpeted with crap, just wish we could keep the table even sort of clearish for more than 3 seconds.

Put away more clothes in the girls room. I think that all their clothes that are washed and dried are now put away, a rare event indeed. SB tidied the floor again and made beds as she is on tidy room hit at the moment, then I vacuumed it for her. Did the bathroom as well while I was at it. 3 rooms, that’s plenty for one day .

More reading, she is very keen on the My little Treasury of Stories and Rhymes that she got from the library the other day. She spent an hour or so, before and over lunch reading it. By this point BB had decided to have napped, so it was all rather peaceful.

After lunch is was bit of maths – measuring from Singapore 2A, so pretty simple stuff really. A bit of Getty and Dubay, then they both went off into the garden to play for a bit whilst I started on dinner. Playing seemed to involve most jumping in the paddling pool, getting wet, and then running around like loons shouting ‘I’m bare , I’m bare” Had to make an impromptu run up to the potato farm for potatoes for dinner, where they managed to get a free apple each, by dint of being cute really I think..

Dinner made and in oven, SB had a go at some secret/magic writing, as H had brought home some Tincture of iodine which we had needed. Basically, write/paint of the paper with lemon juice, dip it in water with a bit of TOI in. Paper goes a darkish blue colour due to the starch. THE bit where the juice was stays lighter so you can read it, as there is a different chemical reaction between the acid in the juice and the TOI solution.

BB had been playing and pottering, but noticed she’d put on more Little Hippo This took us pretty much up to dinner time really.

After bath, (H was home by now) there was playing with the wooden train track, with the customary wailing from both children , a bit more Little Hippo. A bit of Education City (apparently i hadn’t let her earlier….???) and then bed. EVen BB who had napped for an hour was asleep by 9.

Started watching Regenesis last night, watched another tonight, quite enjoying them. Makes a change from the normal ‘policy’ type things. Though it is a bit like a microbiological Numb3rs when they launch of into an explanation of some aspect. Been also flipping between Eureka, which is enjoyable and lighthearted – reminds me a bit of Northern Exposure with it’s collection of slightly kooky characters, and Space Above and Beyond, which is mildly diverting, but a bit rubbish overall really. It’s getting bit repetitive now. It has an excellent collection of corny lines though, which is fun

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, IT, language, literacy, numeracy, online resources, photos, science, Stringbean, writing

Blogging for Chris – updated by Chris :-)

Posted on September 4, 2007 by HHaricot | 5 comments

Edited to add:

Pah! Gone back to Opera, forgot it doesn’t play ball with the editor in WordPress , does weired things to the formatting of the text. Don’t like it that much anyway, might go back to Livewriter. Though WP editor is better for adding photos with Joe Tan’s Flickr Photo Album Plugin

He can pad this out perhaps?

He can try…. Can’t much get into blogging lately – always seems a bit insubstantial, haven’t really read any or Twitter much either, I did add some bolding though. And capitalised – which bugs me.

Library – finished Wild Read. No certificates, medals, presentations or anything! nic, do you have any spare certificates??

It’s all pretty low key at ours, then again it isn’t proper library and is run by volunteers, i’m not sure exactly how the whole thing is arranged anyway. Some of the local town libraries are having a presentation of some sorts. Anyway SB was excited with her magic bookmark Girls sat down on the floor whilst having the ’1st of the month bikkies’ and sat reading books, so a good little advert for HE there

SB done some maths and getty and dubay.Her writing is getting very neat know, when she wants to make is so. I was encouraging her to write smaller to fir the writing in the boxes in the maths book, which seemed to make it neater for some reason. Maths was measuring things and estimating measurements. One bit was about picking the right scale of units for things – so she got highly amused by the idea of very big and very small things for a while.
SHe is v proud bedroom now spotless.Yup, she has organised the wardrobe – he clothes (arranged of course) at one end, BB’s at the other, all the empty hangers in the middle – who does that remind you of… ;-). She was going on about tidying things away a few times a day, and I did hear myself saying one of those ‘OMG I said a parenty thing’ things ‘yes, if you put things away when you’ve finished it odoesn’t get so much of a mess’. Now if only this parent could apply that…..

random playing – some naked playing in the paddling pool, a bit too much screaming and shouting indoors. Some drawing/colouring etc. BB is very much into ‘cooking’ with the play cooker. Have to do something about storing all the food bits though. We’ve got more than we had with SB, and it all now seems to end up all over the floor, and then take ages to tidy up. BB is also very much into playing with various people/animals etc. characters and can sit for ages playing little games.

Swimming – has level 3 and nearly level 4 sign off.Shame dad didn’t have enough change (£2.50) to get the certificate and badge though (shame she didn’t get it to this term, they are included in the cost now). In some ways it’s good to get back to having some things to hang our week on and structure it around, but I do find trisping off to things later afternoon a bit of a pain.

lots of DS-ing, and has finally got her dog trained to some commands!she waited up until 9 for me to get home, and put her to bed, chatting all the while, proud of her swimming, tidying and DSing. we also chatted about rods and cones in eyes.

BTW, last week they stayed over with my parents, went to Hunstanton, for a summer seaside trip. SB likes the seafront fairground there, as was excitedly telling BB about what things she might like to go on BB stayed awake until about midnight it seems…. (sleeping on the way home)

re-edited by Helen – what on earth did you do to the length of the text lines Chris – a right old mess!!

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, General, literacy, numeracy, Out and About, photos, SB-PE, Stringbean, writing

a no photo day

Posted on August 27, 2007 by HHaricot | 3 comments

as the girls chose to spend it entirely in the birthday suit! this is not unusual for BB – whose photo’s I regularly crop, but is more unusual for SB. SO no photos – well chris took one of a hidden window!

BB came to me this morning saying she wanted me to “fill the sky with water” , ermm why? ” the sky with the rainbow, fill it with water”. SB earnestly explained how to make rainbows with a hosepipe as an alternative to doing a raindance and hoping for the best [she got the technical words mostly too]. ANyway, I had a lightbulb moment, and got out the sky patterned pool! SO i did and she was most happy. While doing this, SB ran a shoe shop for us – very proficiently.

SO most of the day was messing around outside. Did hang out he washingg chris did [including the disp in shorts pocket!] . 3 loads went through. SB and BB argued over who could help me hang it out, so they both did and it took 2ce as long – rofl. we all watered the greenhouse, splashed in the pool and generally chilled. All of us except chris of course, as he was up a ladder.
We did do some more painting – lots of leaves for our tree made from hand prints. Then green papers so we can cut camouflaged things from it.
Then the girls washed off in the sky pool and did lots of loon like playing agian – rofl.

I made for tea… yes, you guessed it BEAN with chick peas etc stew to fill tortillas. oh yes, earlier I blanched loads of beans with SB’s help to freeze. Maybe we will eat something different tomorrow!

BB and SB helped me make maize flour tortillas – except they didn’t really bend or wrap, so more like flat breads! A wind down with first fun with spanish.
BB fell asleep, so SB and I finished our fab rainforest challenge book/game and unlocked the box to find the game and bits inside. SB was ecstatic. She also read another magic tree house chapter, and I read the rest of from lava to life.

And tomorrow, to work.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Cooking, gardening, General, geography, language, literacy, science, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

SUN!!!!

Posted on August 25, 2007 by HHaricot | Leave a comment

Well, it was lovely to feel that there might be a bit of summer left, and chris has worked hard outdoors [not that i can tell, because it is dark - but there is greenery on the floor!]. Anyway its the start of painting of our personal the firth of forth bridge – AKA the windows!

i left as early as poss [10 - rofl] to drive to little nanny’s. the drive was uneventful, though I did have to stop numerous times in laybys to get various bits and pieces for girls as BB didn’t fall asleep.

Got there and had lunch – apart from BB, being in awkward mode. After that we set out for Gressenhall Rural life museum. i’ve been there before as a child, a couple of times. Last when I was 13. i still remember it quite clearly, and a lot has changed. I liked the mishmash agricultural huge ground hall as was better – and my enduring memory of harvesting mangels is from this! Also, very coolly, my Nan’s Dad made the wheels of one of the carts there.

Also, for more family history my nan’s gran was born there, as were her first 2 children, so we have real family connection to the poorhouse there. ALso her gran’s first child [of 10] went back to help run the place, before going onto a v successful business career.

Anyway, although I prefered the older version, this was still good value, and had children’s things laid on. the girls made wagons and gypsy wagons. then we went to the re-enactment of a working day of managing the poorhouse. i had to cry into BB’s head, and my dad was dressed up [yes audience participation] as a grandad fallen on hard times and made destitute with wife and 2 grandchildren, whose parents have died. And SB was the girl child. My dad turned out to be a brilliant actor, so was far too realistic for me. I guess i have never doubted my dad’s love for his family, and that he would put us above all else, so this did sound far too credible.

BB started to play up [understatement], so i went back to car to pop her in the buggy, and then met up with family for some more looking around all the displays. my nan was disappointed not to see her mum’s butter churn, as it was there lat time we went, though we didn’t go in all the bits as walking with stops was still a bit strenuous for her. Dad took SB to the playground, and me, mum, little nanny and BB went to the cafe. From there back to Nanny’s home, and then finally back home here, with the sun in eyes for whole drive – aargh.

Can’t seem to get photo’s into blog, so will ask my system administrator when he brings me coffee!!

Humm, he was fiddling! so they are now in.

Oh yes, back at home we had tea, and the girls watched an arthur and the knights of the round table narrated by the BT advert chap, and then a programme about wild elephants. SB then collapsed into bed, but BB took forever, having had all that sleep.

Quick blog

Posted on August 6, 2007 by HHaricot | Leave a comment

as I’m doing something else!! [writing talk]

SB did maths, BB did happy maize [no longer supplied by bead merrily!] then SB wailed as we hadn’t signed her up for any of the clubs at the sports centre – because she said she wanted to make her own mind up and hadn’t! she decided that after all she wanted to go to the one I had suggested – hip hop and street dance [i was guessing sparky party dances!] . it started today. luckilly there was spaces, so a quick drive out. SB has really enjoyed it. 2 hours x 3 days. maybe she’ll also do the cheerleading one in a couple of weeks time?

When she got back and I got back from work i had a short demo, we did jigsaws, SB had a complex game with her paper dolls [another benefit of the start of room of doom 2] and BB was keen on the ABC book and cards, and the ABC animal puppets. she is desperate to read.

We made heaps more mess with trying to sort out the books though – oops. DId read some more rainforest stuff, and played a rainforest addition game with SB.

BB did some poisson rouge and starfall. she knows how to start up the computer, wiat until the personal setting screen comes up, ‘press snowflake’ and then the ‘firefox’ – rofl at a 2 year old knowing the browser we use. SB? expanded – its the mosaic firefox [close!!]

Both had a short violin lesson. SB picking up london’s burning. Happy to have had a break after stress of thinking she was going to play at kessie. SB then wrote me a letter on the etchasketch about how? ‘ I lic plaing with you mummy. love from elinor ++++++++’
BB fell asleep at the dinner table – bless, and we had such a nice snuggle then on the sofa that I fell asleep too – oops. woke up to find SB happily playing with zoombinis.

both girls filling me with lots of rewards and blessings as they are so loving and affectionate – well, when BB isn’t being awful to SB, and SB isn’t wailing in repsonse, or winding BB up!!

Category Archives: Stringbean

Time and Motion.

Finding things

Our New Classroom

Protectiveness and loving

Don’t Forget The Bacon !

I’ll get told off again…….

Blogging for Chris – updated by Chris :-)

a no photo day

SUN!!!!

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