Category Archives: literacy

BB has ‘vanished’ my diary

The world is on hold as it were! totally lost without it. sigh.

I have a man-cold [feel miserable!] Work was work. The beans went off to Nana’s to help sort out the patio, and BB has returned with big egg on back of head having fallen backwards out of patio doors. SB did colouring there and reading, and some MPH 1B maths on return, and some SOTW. [Confucius]. Mostly running about ike a loon though with Kleine Hippo on in the background
my yellow-moon order arrived though, just a few bits and pieves – and a few of them presents as well – so very restrained. I did get some bug poppers for BB [a ladybird and a beed [her word!] She doesn’t like them popping – typical! But has enjoyed making them talk to each other.
We had frog-in-a-bog for tea [otherwise toad in the hole, but with veggie sausages] which was a yummy change from our usual teas. The girls are in the bath, and soon more britannia and the last bit of the pirates book.

Maybe Chris will blog this week though!

didn’t like the title…

Back to work tomorrow, so a bit of gloom – hence sherry! [ex christmas stock!]

i had a lie in today and breakfast in bed – lovely. The came down to the playzone! SB was roller skating, and BB using the xylophone as a skateboard [v quiet!] SB very excitedly said she could do a handstand, so we put cushions on the floor [well, she's bound to hurt herself otherwise] and SB and BB take turns to do tumbles, headover heels and something vaguely looking like a handstand. i remember crying in a gym lesson being made to do a handstand, so not the best person to demonstrate to SB. Should have asked at camp last week! I took out her ‘hair’ but was amazed by how wavy it is – we have been thinking she was someone else all day!
We then made cards for my dad – usual glueing pompoms, stickers, sparkles, feathers etc. I bet he’ll be pleased though! The girls then did an even messier gluing stuff picture with some bits and pieces merry left here before. SB finished varnishing the fimo, and BB and I have been wearing the thumb rings she made us.

BB helped me make Spanish omelette [I hep youuuuuuuu], and it seemed a lunch she could do – keeping all the ohter ingredients stirring while the potatoes cooked. It was yummy scrummy too. SB thinks she can make that for us in the future – I have promised to teach her to cook this Summer. [she had 3 helpings btw!]. We ate in the conservatory as the table was covered in gluey things.

We all went outside after lunch to enjoy the good weather. the girls raced about playing games, SB made a potion with flowers, and BB watered things. our fruit trees are coming into flower – the merryweather damson is covered in flowers. Our broad beans outside are getting going, as is the radish. no sign yet of carrots though.

SB did a violin lesson - of the pulling teeth variety! However, though she was slouchy, she did better bowing, and it didn’t sound quite so much like we were torturing the cats!

Seed sowing – cauliflower, autumn giant leek, mangetout and peas. [must reinstate gardening blog!] the aubergines, peppers and toms all have at least a few seedlings – unsure at present which are which as only seed leaves! The peas from before are coming up [1 week since sown]. Both girls ‘helped’ me – which is why there is a variable number of seeds in each module, and by the end I have no idea what is where! luckily, they become obvious as they grow.
The worm world has compacted down a bit, so need to add some more compost [task for this eve!] . We studied a dead bumble bee, which then buzzed briefly in BB’s hand – not so dead after all then. She didn’t like that, and called it a naughty bee, but we gave it some sugar water [and I think it has now expired in it!]. Oh well, we got to look at all its various anatomical features before it briefly recovered!

SB has done some more zoombinis – run through a whole level, but only ‘saved’ 7 this time. Thanks Kirsty. BB watched Bob the Builder. BB fell asleep over dinner, and is now being unsettled, SB had a shower and Brittania and the pirate book for bed, and is now listening to 5 children and it – a firm favourite!

Thanks for the reading suggestions from below. Will save my pennies at the moment then!

today was brought to you by BB BB BB BB BBB [x3]

Bead Merrily… [as in that pearl and dean thing or whatever!]

But anyway, a lovely relaxing day! SB, as mentioned before, tore into some new books and is romping through the last one [sigh!] in the set I have got. The morning was mostly playing and an eternity getting dressed [I think the 2 girls were mostly playing then too!]

After lunch we did some fimo, We were going to do Easter eggs, but SB saw the girly flower jewellery kit she had got for her birthday so we did that instead, but with different colours. She found cutting out the flowers slightly tricky – as she wanted them to look perfect – so we had a small flower cutter in the playdough box. BB mimicked all the cutting and rolling with her playdough. We both loved the rollup rainbow for the flower middle. [yes will flickr!]

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After tidying that up and setting the oven going, she was then keen to do hama eggs – you’ve guessed it, another bead merrily kit [therefore the title! But obviously an old pattern as couldn't find it on the website]. She did a beautiful egg with butterfly, but decided we should put it on our hama window, so we filled in between the butterfly and egg a little bit with clear [worked out by SB]. BB was asleep at this point, having done lots of skipping about, making me food to eat, and playing with the castle.

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I tried and failed to get the zoombini’s maths journey started, so while Chris did that, SB and I read up about the universe. [a DK one through the book people, so failure to find a link!]. SB does like the space topic, and we return a fair amount. We looked at our broad beans in jars – roots and the start of a shoot. Chris did get the zoombini’s to work, so she has been round it on its easiest setting, and realised it wasn’t impossible [she had read the age suggestion, so had to be persuaded it was possible!] Next time we will start putting it up! I enjoyed the bubble bit. Both girls did a violin lesson as well.
BB woke up very clingy, but moved onto Poisson Rouge and then watching The Snowman DVD [she has a rotten cold poor thing].

Zoombinis Poisson rouge

Curry for tea, with yummy lentils. SB finished the zoombinis, and we went to bed. More Britannia [we are at king Malcolm and Qeen margaret] She read me a chapter of an Usborne Young reader [pirates], and we discussed finances, salaries, saving for rainy days, and why I go out to work, even though I would like to stay at home, and why we don’t both work part time any more. Hopefully that won’t make her brain whizz too much to fall asleep!

Em’s hairstyle will have to come out tomorrow, as only just in place – I’m not sure I can replicate!

The Magic Tree House

I got books 5,6,7,9-12 today trhough the post [thankyou american ebay]. SB loves them. Typically, she has started at book 12, and having flicked through, I think they are supposed to be vaguely sequential!

I have looked at the website? and it doesn’t answer my questions, so anyone out ther that have used them:

1. Is it particularly noticeable it should be sequential?

2. Are all the books roughly the same reading level [SB is racing through this polar bear one]

TBH, I thought they may be a bit tricky for her, but they’re not [I have no idea what ‘reading level’ she is [well, she is reading the usborne young readers at level 2, level 10/11 ORT, DK readers level 3 - whatever all those are!], and what they are supposed to be. I just want her to have a bookshelf of interesting books to read. These certainly fit that bill.

I am doing some translation – sneakers = trainers, and an ineresting discussion on torches vs flashlights [rofl!]

Any other favourites out there for this kind of reader? [tempted by the animal arks in the latest book people - should have put in bin without reading!]. She likes chapters, but not really long ones, likes the occaisonal piccie or line drawing – doesn’t have to be every page.

Hunstanton

well, the weather was MUCH better than we had been led to believe! OK, so it was quite a bit windy – particularly Tuesday! and it was hailstormy, but…

We had a lovely time, thanks to Nic and Ady for organising it. SB ran around having fun, BB is a total camp baby now, and I hardly saw her [unless she wanted something...]. SHe did enjoy playing with Josie, J and R. Fran also played with her – mostly chase!

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The Sealife place was good too – with SB just about holding a crab. BB would probably have held it and then pulled it apart. SB raved around, but did make a good stab at reading many of the boards, and enjoyed the variety. some how we missed the pregnant seahorses – which is All My Fault! She carefully chose how to spend her holiday money – on some sweets which she shared out very generously, and good book on a shipwreck which was a bargain price. Also a ring – which fairly quickly broke, and I have the pieces to try and fix.

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We had 2 good blustery sea walks. The first on the Tuesday, Chris and BB had to turn back as it was too windy and ‘owy upside’ for BB. SB and I carried on and splashed briefly in the waves before retuning to the hostel for hot chocolate. The second we were joined by puddles and SOTP, and was far less blustery. we got to see jelly fish and a starfish, and some very weird tiny springs coming up in the sand! Also a man digging up lugworms who SB very bravely asked him what he was doing, and declined to believe the answer of harvesting potatoes!

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We did sneak some educational resources in there – I even have a piccie of Ady looking at a Latin scheme – with Nic disapproving in the background! I liked the lingua angelica , and may get that, but prob wouldn’t use the lovely latina christiana source, because… however, may see what I can remember about cambridge university press – maybe get a book from the library. I enjoyed it, and I liked learning about caecilius and roman ife in Pompeii. I am worried it might be to ‘formal and difficult’. Obviously, not a hurried concern as next resources time is next jan! on the ed front, SB read every evening to me, and is really enjoying it.

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However, since that wasn’t in the spirit of NicCamps [rofl!] we also ate cakes, drank tea and a small amount of wine. i cooked a yummy curry [oops, cauliflower and chickpeas in it - not Nic Camps]. Anyway, thanks again for Nic as the grand organiser and Ady as best man! Thanks also to Em for raising the abr way high in hairstyles for children! SB is desperate for Merry’s landlock game as soon as she stocks it! BB is on a cake and frips [sic] high, and reluctant to return to normal eating.

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Oh, and SB wants a DS!

And photo’s will increase as they trickle onto flickr!

Happy mother’s day all out there

today we went and said happy mother’s day to little nanny, and she was thrilled. The weather has been interesting! She taught SB how to play rummy – and SB was delighted. The lasagne went down a trick. She loved the card from SB, but chris packing cards forgot to take BB’s. I think she was just thrilled to see us though. Both girls were mostly delightful – as always.

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its a long old day for me though, with a good drive either side, and the keeping both girls at perky best, not putting sticky fingers anywhere [although they are fed chocolate and icecream!] without seeming too manic and making them unhappy! Cooking, washing up and being a full prairie muffin dervish [so not me!]

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But it is all worth it, Little Nanny totally delighted – has already rang a number of family members to tell them full details, and I love seeing her, and whats more, she is sooooo much better than this time last year. She has even got into town and back [though won't in the snow - I left her with provisions!]

learning rummy

on an educational front – we discussed – watermeadows, ditches, canals, draingage, ploughing and sowing, use of polythene and polytunnels, cathedrals and multiplication of time differences between driving at 60 and walking at 4! SB has read to Nanny there and me at home. And learnt rummy! It was also lovely having 3 of us singing baa baa black sheep et all on the drive as went in car with no stereo [or anything!]. SB also gave me a lovely card at Little Nanny’s – all written [and spelled] by herself. will photo and flickr – aahh.

busy busy baking

well, mostly today we have been baking and making mother’s day cards. BB loved sticking, and SB just enjoyed making the cards. chris’s parents came round and got their card, and saw SB’s birthday pressies [they bought her the gorgeous corolle doll . SB read to Nana whilst BB and I made and baked brownies.

SB did some education city and then we baked a choc chip banana loaf. we checked on our worms – nicely making tunnels and taking down food, our seeds – some evidence of phototropism in the spouted cress, and the tomatoes and sunflowers have started to appear.

I made a lovely lasagne, and the girls did some colouring, and then watched bob the builder on the ‘puter. BB singing along at top voice. i have to say, BB sings beautifully, and she is really vocal. We have listended to little toe and classic fm as well, so not all BTB!

We read more britannia [battle of hastings] and an ORT at bedtime.

not packed though.

“We are tidying, we are tidying..”

Could do with the Mice? from Bagpuss, to sing songs and help us out since that is what we have been mostly doing this week. in particular, as mentioned by Helen, tidying, and reorganising the playroom, which seemed to be disappearing under piles of ‘stuff’, boxes etc. I seemed to have moved most of the books around, organised things to be more accessible. There are now some shelves just for ‘Butterbean’ toys rather than being thrown in a box, which means she does actually now play with them. Also been tidying other places, like spending about 2 hours other day, just putting away piles of clean washing, sorting out the cupboards in the girl’s room – which have loads of space which was mostly filled up with boxes/bags of outgrown/waiting to be grown into clothes.
Basically, things got so messy and disorganised that it’s hindering getting on doing educational stuff, either you can’t find things, or you can’t face getting something out and adding to the chaos, or it just sits there praying on your brain as it needs doing or you end up doing a bit of sorting out or tidying, instead of doing stuff with the kids, but not enough to make an impact – it needed a concerted effort. Yes I know we have plenty of space and storage space, but that just means you can put off things for longer…..

So still things to do, but much improved.

So abandoned attempts to do much ed stuff really, some maths, reading here and there about this and that. As part of the maths stuff on money, SB did a shop the other day, priced up somethings, including putting barcodes on them,

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then I had to buy things and she gave me the change. Realized when she had done it that we haven’t really done decimal addition or subtraction yet which we needed to do to calculate things. We could have done it all in pence, but SB decided she wanted to use the toy till, which has a calculator bit on it, to do them, so she did that, and I explained what the ‘point’ was – or tried to anyway

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Today, so far, SB gave me a ballet lesson, SB and BB have made mothers day cards, my parents popped round this morning, and Helen has baked/cooked, assisted in various ways. BB is a real Bob the Builder fan, so to add to the couple of well played videos we have I’ve downloaded a couple BTB things so they’ve been watching some odd thing where they all go off on some sort of Cowboy holiday in America.

Ahh, Helen has been cooking with SB, she has just come in to say the ‘kitchen is all mine’ , which is rather ominous.

I hate kitchens, no sooner do you get it cleaned and tidy, you blink and it’s a disaster zone again. I want two kitchens, one we use and spends most of it’s time messy, the other would be just for going in and enjoying the pleasure of sitting in a nice clean and tidy kitchen. No cooking, or children allowed ;-)

Invasion of the bobbles

Well,that was Chris’s cry as he organised the home ed room – there did seem to be rather a lot of them about! In fact, chris has spent most of the day organising and tidying the room [and is still doing it] so 3 cheers for him!

resources reorganised!

What have we done? well the morning was mostly playing for the girls, running about and having fun. The new violin shoulder rest came through [its a bit big!] but we fiddled it [rofl] and both girls did a violin practice, and I managed to get some nice bow arm movement from SB. We had unearthed some DJ readers level 3 [a long ago book people order] and SB had a go at reading the carnivorous plants book, and she did some education city. We looked at the worms again, and our cress has started to sprout [the only thing sprouting so far. Have read kirsty's gardening blog and feeling well behind again!]. I read a variety of books to BB, and she did handstands while SB did a bit of singapore maths 1B final stretch!
After lunch, I distracted BB with playdough, so that SB and I could so a fairy clothespeg dolly from tesco’s. The playdough distracted SB too though, so we didn’t! BB has made a plaster of paris handprint, and we will do SB’s tomorrow or fri perhaps. We did our french conversation, and added in the age again. I know that isn’t really much for language, but still…
We then got out a microscope we had picked up from freecycle and had a play about with it. The lenses aren’t brill, but SB enjoyed messing about, seeing what she could see etc. intended to read greg’s microscope, but didn’t, and BB fell asleep.

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With BB asleep, we went and snuggled altogether on the sofa and did some story of the world [it has been ages!] and read about China and the great wall. we also have the great wall of china book from sonlight, and assorted bits from enchanted learning that she has done. We looked at the globe, messed about with our own calligraphy and I change the I am romulus and this is rom to I am chin shen and this is china [said, but she'll remember!] we even compared and contraste with romans, and looked at google earth – took up about 2 hours of interest. I guess this is what it should be like all the time!

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With BB then awake, we did tidying and had a chippery tea. Girls had a bath, and more britannia and ORT for SB bedtime, but BB still up and about due to 2 hours of sleep before! Other than that, both girls have been singing around the house, dancing and generally being lovely [mostly!]

Oh for some sleep!

v difficult to get up and go to work, but did so. [though had a mad phoner on my mobile while I was there - i think it might have been Josie! I put it on silent - rofl] The beans did a bit of maths, not sure what else and then went to the playbarn to meet with a friend. they had a lovely time

When I came home, Chris was reading the tree of life [about evolution] well, SB read half of it and he finished when she got tired. Its a really nice book actually – the evolutionists answer to a creation story. I would recommend it. They then all looked at places on google earth – my parents are off to Syria, which started the search.

We did some violin practice – both of them. SB has a stiff bow arm, so am doing various weird waving excercises as well, being a swan, wrist sighing etc etc.

We read some more of the science encyclopaedia all about atoms [woosh over her head I think, but she liked looking at the pictures - especially the rutherford model]. We looked at the worm world again, they seem to be fine, and pulling the leaves down their burrows. Other than that mostly played dolls and loved me! [the ed is all bitesized if you were wondering how it all got fitted in!]

They also helped Chris make a pineapple upside down cake [BB only ate the pineapple!] All very noisy and wild. Early bed for all of us.

oh, a late update! we have played around the world board game [draw] and connect 4 – and SB truly beat me [rather than a tactical lose] for 1 game out of 3! Hooray. More britannia and ORT reading for bedtime stories, and she is now listening to Horrible Histories CD [so I might tick history!]

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