literacy

I haven’t really had enough of them in the last year or 2 due to one thing or another, and so today, a day off, i just chilled with the girls it was truly lovely. I had a lie in and woke up when their bath turned raucous we then did home ed in the conservatory – did i tell you i love our conservatory – with BB starting with painting her fruit pot, and SB with galore park science  [she has finished junior 2, tho we have the orrery to make] and singapore maths 4b and then a quick fill in the missing bits of her colins fun french and a science workbook [neither had much to do]. BB by now read to me a songbirds book level 2, did a bit of getty and dubay handwriting 2 and explode the code1. Sb finished with a great clarinet prac whilst BB bounced on the trampoline.

And then we had lunch

In the afternoon [ok lunch was quite late, so we are talking 2-ish] SB made some vegan choc buns [using the recipe on le ciel rouge] and iced them yellow to take to brownies on weds for her last ever brownies. [she is growing up so fast - sob!] and then pricked out some of her seedlings, and has realised she has sown way too many! depending on how many survive the pricking out process , i might suggest growing them on in modules/pots and selling some on the drive for charity – perhaps the village library which is staffed by volunteers. Both girls did loads of bouncing on the trampoline and rabbit chasing.

Today I spent most of my time with SB, which was lovely. When I am at home, BB often clamours loudest for my attention, and SB is a daddys girl, so i have been known to feel sad that i can have a wobbly connection with my elder girl who i love v v dearly. Days like this remind me that actually we do have a great time together, and the worries are just me being silly wobbly . I also went to her open ballet session, which i loved watching. She concentrates now v well, and has great poise and attention. We went to the park briefly afterwards before coming home. I gave each girl a short piano lesson, but SB has a really nasty cut on her thumb joint which was putting her off, so dressed with germolene and a plaster and hope will improve.

Tomorrow they have a busy day, which may or may not get blogged

I have loved this day at home, and really am at that point where i need to be working part time. my job is v fulfilling, but it is also incredibly demanding, and i just don’t have the emotional reserves at the moment. The girls are growing up fast and i want to enjoy this time as much as i can. but even if part time was approved, we would struggle to afford it. it is that old conundrum about whether it is better for family for me to work hard and bring in the money to make us worry free [tho goodness only knows how pay is going to be squeezed in the public sector, so may not be worry free] or for me to have this time with them, and instead we are money worried all the time. They already have one parent at home, so it is just greediness on my part. ho hum!!

I miss you viv.

monday, hmm, think that must have been getting braces day for SB – bless her. these are removable, and top and bottom teeth, and she really isn’t that keen, but perservering. Did i say that BB now has glasses too? for long sightedness. I had a genetics counselling appt about risks of breast cancer etc etc. so when we all reconvened at home we were quorate for feeling self indulgent! Home ed stuff got done, fairly happily and i think BB might be about to ‘get’ reading once she does it is going to be v fast i think. ballet in the eve.

tues i was at work. various home ed bits in the morning, and then in the afternoon to the absolutely excellent home ed djembe drumming session. Nanna went along too, as it was an undersubscribed session, and they all loved it. swimming in the eve, and i was v late back from work as a long hard day [cue violins ]

wed already blogged

thurs was mostly drama about whether f-i-l would be sprung from hospital [and in the end wasn't] and whether i could make it through work feeling so v v bad from migraine [i did] oh, and SB had a music theory exam she can really easily do grade 2 theory, but veers between concetrating and doing v well, and not using brain at all!! and then not doing so well. i think she is a happy dreamer but she says she checked 5 times and was happy with it, so we will see. grade 2 music theory doesn’t ‘matter’ , it is exam practice and confidence, and stretching herself a bit. Just happy that she is happy BB had a fab time with the deependers and really enjoyed herself. In fact, I think she has inveigled herself into a home ed trip with them tomorrow, whilst DH finally springs his dad from hospital thankyou k

and adding friday, the girls had a fab home ed trip with deependers today to the cathedral and learnt about middle ages and cromwell. SB said she knew all the middle ages things, but the cromwell was new and v interesting. they both loved the trip, so thankyou k

as SB says all the time . today was a day spent at home with girls, doing presents, home ed, chatting, playing cuddling etc etc. I was feeling a bit blue today. miss my sis, needed really to have a more going somewhere holiday to focus my gaze externally etc, etc. But threw myself into doing stuff with girls. We did some fab home ed in my lovely conservatory and BB successfully read ‘the’ a few more times – we are classing this as a MAJOR achievement .

SB getting happier at doing her junior galore park [on book 2] which also bodes well [yes, i know for her school year she should be book 3, but orig she hated writing, so have been gently gently introducing ] she did some music theory also, but her fav bit of home ed today was her choice of fact book.

which she got for xmas but only just explored [she has been reading back to back canadian girl stories i think!] and surprised me with just how much she knows about this already. we do lots of talking, lots of reading but negligible testing, so it is always a relief when you see how knowledgeable she is. BB peering over her shoulder at one point selected a spiral galaxy to be the milky way because it was the ‘right shape’. SHe also did some of her dk project book, which she still loves, currently minerals, cleaned the rabbit hutch and did a great piano prac with me. Also finished [more or less as we need the printer to work proplerly to actually finish] P amd M’s birthday presents and also M-I-L’s.

BB started with piano prac, having heard me do some [yes, we must tune piano] and i must make sure to encourage this regularly as she remembered all what we had done and was ready to move onto a new note. She had the great reading breakthrough as above and we read why do spiders… She also did a lot of drawing with her watercolour pencils in her sketch book, and played a complicated weighing game with cuisinaire rods and a balance as well as making a birthday presnet for M-I-L.

DH excavated the room of doom, M-I-L the hallway, and as well as home edding and reading to girls [oh, we did 2 chapters of story of the world after swimming lessons] I sowed some more seeds, as blogged, caught a v disgruntled snowy rabbit [lol] and ‘found’ things . F-I-L seems to be better pain wise but a long way off mobilisation, predicting at least a week more in hospital.

tomorrow hoping for a going out day

some other books semi factual semi historical that SB enjoying that others of similar might

i don’t often work from home, but had a vast amount of paperworky/journally/knowledge stuff to do, and as long as i am avail to go back in, it is a possibility to do [v occasionally!] today was one of those occasions, partly cos have had severe heartburn all day, and easier at home where can drink milk and gaviscon , and partly cos had bb whilst sb taken to orthodontist. i was v v productive. far more, actually, than would have been at work as i would have been distracted into doing other stuff.

The girls also pretty productive with their HE. BB doing some maths about shapes – easy peasy! and then explode the code 1 – not quite so easy, but getting easier. SB did some music theory, recorder and galore park english 2 [the latter def not at all so easy!] . we did a secret craft [ ] in that it is going to be partly a present for daddy, and partly a present for her friends. SHe and BB both did it, and are v happy with their results That took a while, and we had to keep daddy occupied elsewhere, so sent him out for rabbit supplies, but he forgot the food!!

I went back to working, BB watched some sinbad and SB finished her english with one of those acrostic poems, which she quite liked. SB went to ballet, BB played in the garden, and then came in a mooched. SHe was bored, she needed me to think of something – piano, music theory, fimo, hama beads, wet felting, dry felting, sewing a felt heart, beaded bracelet, painting, bean experiments, electronics set, card game. nope all boring, and i was grumpy at this point that thought of LOTS of things to no avail. however, found a golden crown from the castle party years ago, so BB v happily decorated with stick on jewels!!

When SB returned from ballet we tidied up, and then looked at real science for kids chemistry chapter 5 with both girls, and then story of the world 1 with the Medes and Persians. We had a jolly good chat about how Cyrus’ grandad would have been better keeping him at home, and raising him with love! had an early chippery tea watching ray mears in the northern territories of canada in the path of Dr Rae, v interesting that!!

SB and the orthodontist – well, she needs removeable braces now, and will prob need fixed then. She has a grade 5 [worst] problem so def on the nhs. I think we are going to find braces traumatic!!! BB has her filling tomorrow, think that will be traumatic too.

Poor BB has had a gulpy sobby bedtime, as the little silvered resin piggybank i bought on sat is already desilvering, and she loves him v much, but is v unhappy the silver going. cuddles, songs and chatting haven’t entirely resolved this, but we have agreed you can carry on loving something even if not as silvery as it was – bless.

oh, and we caught 1 mouse in the trap, and released quite a long long way away

cos she keeps phasing in and out – rofl. went in today to sort out various personnel nightmares. one done, the other spiralling further and further… but managed to do what i needed to do and return home at lunchtime [and do more in eve as 'working from home' ] and then for daddybean and i to go and ‘choose a carpet’ . The carpet in the home ed room has progressed from manky to unhygienically awful. SO a replacement required. aarghh it is a big room to carpet, and doesn’t precisely have a carpet budget… we have, after 90 mins, come home with 2 diff samples to ponder until wed. think we should go with the more hardwearing but less aesthetically pleasing option [both are suitable for heavy domestic use]

i forgot to say that all this gadding to carpet shops [the excitement] was only possible due to my dad having driven up this morning to do some painting in said home ed room – coving and gloss, daddybean in charge of ceiling. the girls have been v good whilst this going on. SB doing lots and lots of the easier home ed options both in morning and then in aft whilst we were at carpet emporium. [11 ticks today!] she was somewhat disgruntled that i yelled c# up the stairs to where she was practicing recorder as my hello, rather than something a bit more, well, motherly! BB did some more of her lego house, and started the chicken mosaic and played with her new doll. A very happy girl there

On return from the carpet not-quite-decision-making trip, SB and i whisked off to ballet for the end of show open lesson, which i really enjoy. SHe is definitely improving at ballet, just needs to have stiffer arms i think, but the rhythm and concentration is there. We then did a good piano practice before she settled down to do some colouring whilst i read story of the world and BB having found all her old bricks made various buildings. BB also doing manic inline skating [with SB's old inline skates - there will be an accident there!!] and I tried to sort out the photoshop database a bit more – daddybean stayed up until 3am last night doing something or other to fix most of it.

unfortunately, we haven’t been able to locate skittles in our garden – it has lots of hiding places, but also a 6 foot wall enclosing it. So he isn’t safely in his hutch. grr, it is usually snowy we have to chase more, but skittles being black and now snuggled somewhere for the night is impossible to find. worried…

Kids have got too used to lying in a fair bit lately (even BB, for whom it was unsual to sleep in past 8am), so they were soemwhat bleary-eyed and difficult to raise when I woke them up at 8 this morning

Tots and Nots in the morning, which means a 9.30 am depature, which is early enough to be getting us all out in the morning thankyou very much. After prising them out of bed  1/2 hour later a bit of chivvying saw us leaving just about in time. (though SB thought she had found her missing music theory book, becuase she had found an orange book, if she had read the cover she might ahve noticed it was a science book ….)

SB did piano practice with Gina (G1 exam  in a few weeks). BB not feeling interactive and lay on my lap for the first  1/2 hour. After a brief play with the Tots and younger Nots who had spent ages with  a block of ice and some knive and forks (really, they spent ages just palying with this,) she then did soem recorder as well. BB warmed up by now, so she was having a play as well. After snack and a play, SB ffinsihed up with a Grammar book. Little ‘uns with stories and then songs, BB still loves to join in with the songs

Bit oF  a run around out side , whilst I watched out for traffic wardens, as the car was round the corner on an expired ticket (they are pretty hot on the parking, so you need to watch out).

Into the car, drive home, listening to more French Songs on CD.  Home, lunch,  a bit of DS-ing and tea drinking. Then SB did something else, which for the life of me I can’t now remember Whilst I got dinner prepared. managed to be fairly efficient in the kitchen and got veggie shepherds pie made and Brussel Sprouts prepared in about 45 minutes. A quick pop into the garden to see and feed the bunnies.

Then it was into chivvying the girsl (well moslty BB) into getting ready for Gym. Having told her to put anything she wanted to take whilst watching SB into a bag, 5 minutes before we went she had one thing in her  hand and didn’t have leotard I’d told her to get in the morning as she said I’d had it, which I’m pretty sure I hadn’t. But, chivvy, chivvy, chivvy and we out the door again.

With H at work, it means an almost 3 hr session at the gym whilst they both have their sessions. Supplied with Gruaniad, flask of coffee and snacks the first half is bearable, but it begins to pall after that. SB did some singapore maths whilst we watched BB.

After the swap, luckily H picked BB up on the way home, so I didn’t have a tired and grumbly BB as well. Anyway, they both got slips to say they had got BGA badges and certificates, so paid for those and then headed home. Shepherds pie was nicely cooked (I always worry I didn’t set the oven timer to come on properly), so just had to cook sprouts. BB declared she doesn’t like sprouts, but seeing as she’s eaten them a number of times, and she likes to seemingly  randomly pick things she isn’t going to like, this sort of thing gets resisted – she likes to complain about potatoes as ‘they don’t tatse of anything’   (SB tends to the pragmatic approach to such things, saying  that ‘she might as well eat it as you will tell me to eat it anyway’ ) So I  poo-pooed this. In a spirit of believable parenting I told her that there was a law that said you aren’t allowed to not like sprouts, but I don’t think she believed me

Dinner and next episode of Edwardian Farm to finish off the day

Still following Story of the World, we did the Anansi Spider stories, African ‘tribal art’ [re-imagined] and shaker instruments and from the early china we thought about the discovery of silk and chopsticks, ate a rice dish, drank jasmine tea and made a ‘silk’ bag to store our ‘jade’ pictograms in

It was a rather fabulous day! obviously, having had such a killer migraine yesterday, i did far less planning than i had thought i might, and after all, i was at work [as blogged, woohoo, by daddybean] . I think we were 2 crafts short of an ideal number, tho we did have 1 of them, but at the point ppl were mooching around, i had forgotten about it. An Jax has come up with the fab idea of doing a costume pegdoll at each historyetc, so we should end up with hundreds of them to have a clothes timeline washingline!

We started with the early african crafts, doing tribal designs to make a variety of shakers. All the children seemed to enjoy this, and less mess was made than anticipated the children were also excited by the fact that this also necessitated buying some more pringles which were on a buy one get one free across the road Whilst they did this, i read some stories from these books

We also made little spiders to be Anansi and hung them from the vine – which did look rather fab Lots of giggling and laughing and chatting amonsgst the children. Too many adults had headaches, so we smiled and chatted and drank tea as well as educating, found the oboe to lend out, hopefully still in working order more or less

We had lunch and in the afternoon I explained about this time of the chinese dynasty the story of the empress ‘finding’ silk and then we mde ‘silk’ bags to put jade pictograms in to tell each other’s fortunes. the children pretty much chose loads and loads of hideous fortunes so in the end we adults were not so keen to have our fortunes told any more. We made some papaya fried rice and drank the jasmine tea and ate lots of cake. J and M read us further stories, and that seemed good too.

Jax is staying overnight, so we have a yummy curry and are trying not to hear the kids screeching upstairs whilst we serially blog [or are we in parallel??]

SB has also done some piano prac, been to brownies [and is going to be walking with the flag bearer on remembrance day] and judo. BB and Big have also had great fun on the wii.

Ok, so i just did some emails and admin type stuff, as due to phased return, the actual ‘first day’ is tomorrow. but i did open a number of the emails without that cartoon palpitation business going on, and managed to sort out a bit a long term reduction in my job plan. This is a 2 edged sword, in that although it gives me what i need – more time to do the things at work i need to do, so less bringing it home, less stress – it also gives me a far bigger pay decrease than the proportion of time change, and when there is all this public sector/pension stuff going on, it might turn out to be far too big to afford. However, if it keeps me sane…

The girls played dollies all morning [while the cat's away...] and all the giggling and laughter is a tonic in itself dreadful weather tho. In fact i am actually now too hot, as i have overdone the layers thing. [3 jumper layers, thick socks and slippers and the sofa 'comfort duvet' ]. I have to admit that a whip was cracked and SB did some of her gruesome grammar book – sighing when we got to nouns, she has never really recovered from our abortive try at first language lessons for the well trained mind. we never got beyond the 6 billion chapters about nouns She did some music theory with me – on harmonic minors, that actually did take far longer than i thought :blush: and consolidated the last chapter of minimus . I meant to do Story of the world to get us up to date for the next historyetc, but completely forgot.

BB wanted to read yesterdays 2 books again, so we did that and played the bean game, and then she did a bit of subtraction in MPH 1a and did some more of her dolphin window mosaic. SB also did a piano prac. BB and i baked a chocolate cake, and I made the mixture for some fruit scones. BB then wanted a reprise of Settlers of Catan, so we played that together.

When SB came back from ballet she cut out and baked the scones, and then played Puerto Rico with me. Neither of these games work so well for 2 adult players, as 3 + players, but settlers with bb is a ‘friendly’ consultative approach, and actually with SB also at puerto rico, i am much more about the game being fun and encouraging some thought about strategy rather than proving I can beat a 9 year old so again friendly and me not going for the jugular, and having 2 goes per ’round’ tends to make this work well as well, partic if you only get the bonus with the first thing you choose to do in the round… We do love playing boardgames in this house.

BB, meanwhile, was being an excellent street musician with a cardboard tube wiggling and singing. She is a great little performer at home, just has no intention of letting anyone outside home see but she has a great ear for rhythm and perfect pitching, so we shall see.

Now, having blogged, I plan to flickr, shower and have an early night in preparation for tomorrow

I was up late, but it took a serious amount of encouragement to get SB up and out of bed and stop reading , and was nearly midday. [i did get a lovely snuggle tho whilst persuading her ] It did me that we didn’t get to the cheap cinema tho . BB had managed to get up tho, as a little lark. BB and I had commenced calligraphy [or penning as BB calls it] when SB staggered down. She looked tired and wan, so I made her a cooked brekkie of sautes [from a left over jacket pot] and fried left over sausage with a fried egg. That seemed to go down well and she needed something hearty to be a combined brekkie/lunch. [seems somewhat early in a blog to say, and then we had lunch - giggle!].

SB joined in the calligraphy, doing a pen drawing and sort of poem first, and then deciding to do a big capital letter on nice writing paper. She didn’t finish tho. BB did lots of writing, then a capital letter and then used the nice writing paper to make a sign. All very happy and chatty. SB and I snuggled and did SoTW 3 with various fightings in america and canada, and the founding of pennsylvania, I found out the origins of the name Philadelphia. SB then did some of her DK project book – she is in the middle section now, on Earth and we had a bit of discussion about the different layers always shown, and how they might come to be there. [I winged it a bit]. Then we all did SoTW 1 about ancient China and had a thought about the realities of rice farming in freezing cold water .

We then did a bit of bunny adoration, and took a couple of pics. We have a definite home for one of the girls – now named Olive, but homes for the other girl and the 2 boys required. Am hoping to have a home for boy + girl, and then rehome boy on own if can. They are all v gorgeous

SB did some piano prac [trudging grad getting there, and thanks G for loan of sightreading book] and then galore park english, and BB did music theory and then explode the code. We felt like we had had a lovely snuggly day alltogether and recharged batteries BB and I then watched the david attenborough first life as recommended by Kirsty, and we enjoyed that. SB had been playing with paper dress dolls, but grad watched more of the DVD. BB did then fall asleep on me – awwwww. Woke up to have her bath tho as totally mucky from the ink! After that BB and i played some Bohnanza before bedtime, and SB carried on her doll game. A really lovely day . Oh, and I love the conservatory!! not sure I will move back into playroom when painted…

Though I had better start with Thursday first! we managed to get up really early to be off and out to T and N’s as G had offered to listen to SB’s exam pieces before it got going. Unfortunately there was a huge hold up on our way in due to roadworks so we were late. Luckilly we did get a bit of piano in, and with a bit more work should be ok for grade 1 – phew! Which also meant that i went to the group for the first time in ages. i hadn’t gone whilst off as have found new places stressful, and meeting ppl difficult, especially as haven’t really broadcast that I have been off work and why… [and now slightly stressed that due to the post a couple down, lots of people will be reading my blog that don't normally - eek and embarrased wave!] Anyway, chatted to lovely people, reminded me how much i would like to be the home educator! but back to work next week. SB did some french, suprised me by not doing the bookclub, but we are all in a bit of a funny mood i think at the moment, and BB went shopping with chris and returned with new boots and a fab dinosaur top – prompting the post below!

Home and SB did some more home ed – maths and galore park history, and then we gave the rabbits a good clean out. BB went off to gym, and SB wrapped her pressies for BB and then made a lovely hamabead card. We then went to gym. Finished the day watching the new BBC shopkeepers in shepton mallet prog. perhaps not good for veggies watching the pig being butchered!!

This morning was completely and utterly devoted to bedroom tidying! It was painful, it was shrieky, it was done!!! phew! After that SB and i did piano prac and then went out to play with rabbits and then find some pretty leaves for our autumn craft. We stuck leaves on into a pleasing pic [BB cat, SB random, me spiral] and then read Keats’ Ode to Autumn, had a bit of a chat about the poem, and then SB and I chose our fav lines and added them to our pictures. Looks good i think! Let me chill after some stressy interweb moments! I love occupational therapy through crafts

Friends arrived for the bonfire and fireworks at our house tonight, and we had a lovely time. The kids had fun playing together, that adults chatted, giggled and chilled. After dinner it was still raining, so we shrugged our shoulders and got on with it! enjoyed the fireworks in the rain, and then raced inside to do birthday cakes, more playing and then a tearful goodbye. we should prob have arranged a sleepover! A very pleasant way to spend an evening

Mostly due to nipping out this eve, better to get it done and dusted!!

This am SB struggled to get up again, she has had a cough for over a month now, and apart from making her tired and not sleeping well, she seems ok otherwise. thinking, on and off, about going to docs tho, as it has gone on for soooo long! She did – in a very quick whizzy way – some grammar, galore park science and dk project book. can’t have taken more than 5 mins each ?? [btw, tick sheet last week <20, and anticipate same this week as loads of other things to do] . BB entertained herself with a rabbit game.

I [and here we need a drumroll!!] got out little Nanny’s sewing machine, with the purpose of making SB a pinny to wear tomorrow. i have never made any items of clothing before, nor used Little Nanny’s sewing machine [a singer 401 of some vintage] so slightly nervous! I was going to make more of a tabard look with frill – which does seem more of the era, but a combination of bits and pieces, and actual worry, has turned it into more of a maids pinny. oh well! I am just jolly glad with myself for actually making it. it ended uptoo big as well, so have had to nip up various bits, so it doesn’t look as good as it did… The sewing machine is a dream tho! i love Nanny, she even had in her kit prewound singer bobbins <3 <3 as one of the things i dread is all that bobbining. tho they needed diff tension. Tension on a sewing machine is one of my bete noirs, but that fab singer instruction book – yep, little nanny kept it, made it so easy, i sorted it!! It is a rather fab sewing machine. i might even sew more things

SB, BB and I went to Djembe Drumming, arranged by CHEF and old home ed friend T was there, so had a hug and a chat. Miss seeing her now her daughter has gone to school. We all enjoyed the session greatly, as we had before. Learnt some new rhythms and both girls v happy.

returned home and the girls have gone off to swimming. I have added buttonholes [badly] to ribbon, and tempted to glue the fraying bits! I don’t think i will try making the mob cap!! Did a good piano prac with SB tho, gradually getting there! She also started her galore park history, and i silently chortled listening to her explaining the rosetta stone to BB. That is good home ed

SB decided that she wanted to try and do as much as possible today and spend tomorrow making her halloween costume. Fine! So she raced through various of her home ed books – trying to remember here! kS3 science workbook, maths, french workbook, gruesome grammar, piano practice, she read her last Aquila [that counts as a fact book] and I was sure there was something else?? no idea…

SB, BB and I got to do a lovely afternoon of fimo, SB made a mummy and started a sarcophagus. BB made a skull and also another skull in a black cloak – very great i used scrappy bits of fimo to make keyrings, either for geotat or geotags so very therapeutic. And I needed therapeutic, having flickred the pics of sisters funeral. feeling v low not aided by another BB exploring when people were going to die, and who was going to die first. anyway, fimo good and made all the better by the inconsequential but loving chit chat that goes on whilst we do it. and ooh that is good, or what on earth is that mummy@ [a snake canopic jar - lol!]

also baby rabbits! missed there being shadow/biscuit, but good to know she was rampaging around her new home the babiest babies still all doing well. on discussion, we are not sure whether sedna [gerda as was] is a giant, or whether hamster and the 2 black otters are just small?? all v beautiful. Aware we will be saying goodbye to the final 3 of the big babies this weekend, and feel slightly sad about that, but glad that they are going ro such good homes with friends.

Girls both had gym, and SB was v happy doing something or other on the bars [some kind of backwards twirl thing] and when she came home, did some non verbal reasoning asking that at the end if we could have a treat of story of the world, as she thinks that might be better than baking I did say lets do it now, but she wanted to do the verbal reasoning. so, unfortunately, she didn’t get the story of the world as it was dinner time, and then we watched a dvd about plants I have promised to do story of the world tomorrow.

BB hasn’t been mentioned much today in blog, as she spent most of it being either a monster, leopard or baby rabbit. TBH the baby rabbit was bearable, the other 2 challenging… but in between shrieking, rarring and pretending to eat her cuddly toys we did have some lovely cuddles and snuggles And we all had loads of interesting home ed type discussions, the ones where i wished i had google-in-the-brain! [like how many seeds are in a pomegranate, how long would it take to walk round the world etc] and the ones where i could answer, but could tell i was not being believed – ie why don’t fruit and veg tend to grow square…

well, we got up earlier today, after an exceptionally late night. SB just didn’t settle at all, and so was a very tired bean when she got up. awww . anyway, bit more of a discussion on 5 a days and what counted, how big etc over brekkie, then a look at part of the first chapter of real science for kids level 2. SHe did understand it, and we talked around it, but then got a bit worried that if she didn’t she would have to change science group, as she loves her science group. ((SB)) so i reassured her that currently the groups weren’t changing, but that if she found the level 2 difficult, then we would read the level 1 version. And i think though the group BB is in will be doing the level 1 version for labwork, that i will be reading the pre-k explanation to her beforehand, and think the various families may want to bob between the different levels, as more important to get understanding than be pushed ahead. [such an advantage to have a flip book!]

We then got down to a sturdy morning of home ed in my lovely conservatory. Hmm, i think i have forgotten to mention how much i love my conservatory .

SB did some galore park science, history and english, and then some clarinet prac. BB did some maths – with some serious argument over whether nothing/zero existed, whether you were allowed to put it in sums etc, and she remains unconvinced over its validity. giggle! She read a 1a magic key story – again with a grumble over the word the [obv that shouldn't exist either!] and i read to her the next story in the chaucers canterbury tales, the one with the bottoms, so she particularly loved that we also finished painting her spider puppet, and later strung it together, tho as we had lost instructions, don’t know that it is quite right… Both did a bit of colouring as well.

we played with rabbits again – making sure we get enough rabbit love in before the bigger babies leave for their new homes.

after a nice lunch in our LOVELY conservatory we did some baking. SB wanted to use up left over rice crispies and marshmallows, so we went to do that, but we didn’t have enough marshmallows… and BB then wanted to make choc rice crispie cakes, but we didn’t have enough rice crispies or any choc… so we went to the shops and then made the cakes, and now have more marshmallows and rice crispies than wen we started 1 we also made some fruity snow from the galore park science book. SB really is quite an accomplished baker and cook, really good at following instructions and tweaking things so they work. it was a fun bake

SB and i also got in a piano prac before she went out for swimming. trudging is getting sort of a glimmer of hope about it, and the other 2 pieces are ok and should pass already, but time will make them better. so we started with arpeggios. she isn’t certain she will ever play them but we will see. we all did some ds-ing together with animal crossing and also mario bros games. we ate a chippery tea [totally ruining the 5 a day thing!] watching the primates episode of life.

now i must try and get things a bit organised for historyetc tomorrow.

predominantly for my big girl, who finally managed to completely get up at lunch time, having been happily wrapped in her duvet reading a book since 10am, when i had woken her up – giggle, i can’t imagine who she takes after! It was supposed to be a mega catch up home ed day for all our lazy days this week! ah well, we have enjoyed each others company a lot this week, even if we have neither been ‘productive’ or gone out much! i am going to declare it a companionship week

BB, obviously, had been up, and was watching dvd’s on lizards and amphibians. she really loves them, and has asked for a bracelet like mine, but with lizard and frog charms for xmas [they are having something small from us, as getting 1/4 each of trampoline for birthday and xmas]. I don’t know of many small children who have remained as determinedly fixated on lizards/dinosaurs/amphibians for so long. pretty much since she could speak. she then went off to play a complicated game with her lizards and frogs. SB also fancies a charms bracelet, but wants quite an individualised one, so have handed over some likes from other bracelets, and we will see what happens [fingers crossed!]

We did do some home ed today – since this is a home ed blog, this is something of a relief. SB did some maths, science workbook, galore park english and non verbal reasoning – ooh that sounds like quite a lot! SHe still didn’t write the english in sentences tho, will have to remind her again next time! BB and i did some reading practice together, and a tinsy bit of maths. we all did story of the world 1 chapter 6, just need to do chapter 7 before wed . no piano got done, as we had made the mistake of lighting the fire in the front room, and that was sooooo nice and warm…

I spent a while on the phone today as uncle D has got a v bad knee infection where he had a knee replacement, so had a surgical debridement today, and has 2 weeks in hospital wth iv ants before they decide, presumably, whether to take out his replacement he is feeling rottenly unwell with it. I have got a pavlovian response to the phone ringing of my heart dropping to my feet, and it just isn’t pleasant.

i also painted a tiny square of glass to more or less match with the others to go in our window. very proud of it, as tho not identical, pretty much fits, and if i am lucky, will stay in the house even if we end up moving on. I played stork’s nest with BB and SB [i lost!] and a complicated game of blokus crossed with ludo frogs with BB [i lost!].

chris bodged a temporary extension onto the rabbit hutch, as the 4 big babies quite big and need a teenager pad he has also put all the panes of glass back into window, so i guess paintng next .

the rabbits are adorable, and it is hard to part with the older babies, but glad to know what good homes they are going to. flopsy is def most the amenable rabs of them all. will be perfect for aprillia to cuddle . fudge just soooo fluffy, so t-bird can have a good cuddle too . lupin has a bit of character, and is happy to be cuddled and also happy to pootle about doing her own thing. Biscuit is a bit shyer than the others, but does sit beautifully for a cuddle once persuaded to not hide. they all v much adore dandelion leaves, and have been handled and loved on a more than once daily basis, and have no bad habits! even more or less litter trained… awww. the baby rabs are quite a mixed bunch. they are now findng their way around the hutch, tho i have made it so they can’t get into the run yet. the white stripe baby [currently called Gerd due to her statuesque build] is 2ce as big as the other babies, and the fawn one is quite a bit smaller [attracting some of my worry, tho she seems quite healthy]

we finished the day with a snuggle watching jem do some explosions, and searched on ebay, and found all the ingredients required to do at home – hmmm!!! well, only the earlier explosives. it was quite clear watching the prog that the later explosives not such a good idea…

today was for the girls a mostly sylvanianing day. they adore playing sylvanians! they tend to only start when SB has read her book for the day – she starts the day with a book and ends the day with the book. we are getting through loads!

i did want to do some science, as over a year ago won a very ancient kit on ebay about osmosis, and have been v keen to try it out!! today was the day! unlike newr kits, it has LOADS of actual science talk in it, explaining what you are doing, why, the scientific concepts etc – great! Anyway we had a thought about permeable and impermeable, and each selected a container of each and poured water into it. we saw we were right, but that some things were more permeable than others, and infact waxing a permeable thing [ie muffin cases] greatly reduced their initial permeability. We then looked at diffusion, to prove that the molecules moved around in the water [perpetual motion/ kinetic theory ] and that we don’t need to shake to mix up a solution we dropped a copper sulphate crystal into warm water and watched the water all gradually turn blue. Unfortunately we didn’t actually get to any of the osmosis experiments, as the girls were sylvanian needy again!!

other things done were some playdoughing, BB did more of her ‘secret’ , SB and I did a long recorder practice and some aurals [aargh!], SB wrote into her journal. I sorted out the science shelves abit, and chris turned the room of doom into a place where you might nearly be persuaded to go. Oh, and we spent a long time doing the RSPB gardenwatch – better late than never!

We finished watching tales from the green valley – the Jacobean farm series.

we have had a v busy day today, and i took a day off work to do it! we had a locally organised trip to the nene valley railway – not quite so close! We were going on a mail train, where we would stamp our own letters, pop them in the mailbags, onto the train, then see how mailbags were picked up and dropped off at speed, and then sort the mail. [oh, involving a train ride]. It was absolutely fabulous. we all enjoyed it, although both girls were suffering from tiredness with tired wingy wobbles from BB and tired no-one understands me from SB with tired unsympathetic parents but still… i loved meeting loads of group people i haven’t seen for ages – waves!! there were loads of spouses, some never seen before [by me, obviously other people had seen them before!] i was fascinated by the bag pick up thingy, and enjoyed the convivial atmosphere of the whole trip really. absolutely fab!! the weather even was with us, a lovely warm lunchtime picnic!

we returned home for a quick turnaround, SB did some galore park english [3.4] piano and a bit of science reading, whilst BB made herself sums in her books and used toes and fingers to answer them – bless [like 10+4] she didn’t want to use her real book obviously! then whilst SB went to ballet, myself and BB played oodles of traintracking. i love the way her trains are either chuggering or truckling round the lines – v cute!

And after tea we were out to the michaelmas fair. also fantastic. there was probably the most terrifying ride in fairgrounds in the world – called extreme. a big NO from me!! SB and chris did loads, bB did a few really baby ones, and instead one things hooking nemos and penguins! we spent more money that planned, as the fair was quite big, and through the town centre, making it more interesting and exciting!

SB has nearly finished her sugar and spice book and am wondering what to get next? a working towards grade one??

its obviously another chris day, but you may have noticed he has stopped blogging. this is a problem, as i am not there!! but i believe they went to the library, read loads of books, sb did some piano practice, spelling and maths. they didn’t get the microscope at to look at crystals though. and then they went swimming. this is the once a month i might get back if i push things, so i arranged to meet them at the swimming pool and chris took our swimmies. i just made it for the end of their lesson, and then we all had a lovely family swim. bb can swim 2m now, but hasn’t worked out how to swim and breath, so tends to have to stop swimming, stand up and breathe – rofl. she also has a weird jelly fish swimming stlye, in that she scrunches herself up then extends and by some miracle she is a bit further along. a bit like dolphin stroke i guess! after having a lovely time we returned for slow cooker lasagne – which was delish. bb exhausted, so fast asleep, and sb should be too. she has been enjoying listeing to anne of green gables on her mp3.

Sb has been v busy today, she has done her music theory, some of her schofield and simms book Animals and Plants (Understanding Science)
, read some box books – including where do babies come from, so all clued up there! she also did some piano practice and bond verbal reasoning. oh, and made up a story for her galore park english [we are currently doing a question a time - so 3.4 this time!]

In the afternoon she bought postcards for postcrossing – we have nabbed the idea from the babs as a gentle way to introduce some geography into our life! she also wrote one of the cards as the crossee is 9. and also did some sectret ‘stuff’ which she has sent to cousin e as a birthday present. i think that took most of the afternoon before ballet.

together we read some french – a berthe and a lucy chat book [links in my books we read section], story of the world – isabella and ferdinand and i did some of her before the code c with BB.

BB also made some plaster of paris dinosaurs and other moulds whilst sb at ballet – lets see how they turn out! [hopefully they will turn out!] She watched the walking with beasts first one [her favourite] and also played with the science magnet kit.

tea early enough that bb could go to bed afterwards and sb and i had time to play ticket to ride. we drew! we both really enjoyed it, and need to get back into the games playing habit together. in our roman mystery, jonathan has survived being executed – as sb predicted!