Category Archives: numeracy

Bank Hols

TBH, I’m finding it hard to blog atm. Sure it will come back, but its the most expendable activity of my day, so I’m not doing it – or reading blogs much for that matter. i have had my nose stuck in as many alternate realities as possible – a good thin I have a wide number to chose from on the bookshelves! No, I don’t know yet. Though now very belated, I might find out Thursday – so rumour has it. luckilly, there has been a change in redundancy payouts so that they are not age discrimintory, and it looks like I would get 13 months now not 13 weeks as my notice period would be beyond 31st Oct – so there’s something to be greatful for. A soon as I can be bothered to fill out forms etc, I am going to plunge into the hitherto completely unwanted world of private practice. No idea how much of a living I can make from it, but feel I need to start at least, so that if the day comes, I might have some income. One of my colleagues made ?2000 after tax last year – hardly encouraging! Also, where would be the time? finding it hard to keep up with everything at the mo. The bank balance however is not encouraging me to be slack!
Had a lovely party with parents last week, but too many people commiserated, so felt quite moody and fed up by the end. Day went really well for them, which was the most important thing. All my work days finish really late now, so don’t always get back in time for bedtime. Good wednesdays and weekends though. and when at home I try to be REALLY noticeable – cue much roaring and chasing.

Yesterday was crafts and books, and then a much overdue visit in the afternoon to flag fen. We all enjoyed it – BB shouting and running around, and SB spying the things to find and pretending to be ancient. I don’t know how much handling of the stuff in the roundhouses you are supposed to do, but we did a lot, but it was all put back. BB was most disappointed in the fake apple… SB and I had re-read the usbourne first people, and the DK story of a street recently, so she was fairly clued up anyway, but its nice getting a real visual.
we did buy a dinosaur egg thing [her money] and DK story of a city [mine] while out, so read some of the book when we got home, and otherwise played.

today was an in day, an easy HE day as well, as things seemed to flow – we started on her dinosaur egg – the tools with it are hopeless! form that moved on to some enchanted learning colour by numbers dinosaurs – but the numbers are sums to work out. We a read a bit more of story of a city – whch is quite different from the street as not UK, and then got out a crystal kit that we have had for a while – SB had a mad crystal phase and then cooled off a bit. we’ve read a number of other history through the ages type books as well – the ‘really intersting bits’. london and some more ancients people. SOme explode the code – SB is finally grasping that perhaps she can read as we near the end of book 3.

Sounds a lot, but threaded through the day were costume changes, being ballerinas/ fairies/ princesses and servants. Apparently she enjoyed being my servant best of all! SB was in her belle dress for a bit. BB refused point blank to be dressed as a pirate [which she normally seems to like, being able to say pirate] but was keen to be a fairy – thus it starts! We played outside and in, reading storybooks and making up stories. Quite a bit of chase…

We baked chocolate brownies – nice and quick! SB was rather proud to harvest some carrots from the veg bed. they are, well, diminutive! But certainly carrot, and more than bitesize – well, 2 out of the 3 plucked were! more yummy were figs.

bB has done a fair bit of peg boards. jigsaw and joint book reading today as well. She is always up for chase, dancing and singing with SB, and when SB doing a def not for BB activity, a good bit of playdough keeps her endlessly amused.

Tomorrow maybe to Denny Abbey.

Roar! – Meat !

No we haven’t all suddenly turned into rabid carnivores. Been doing some Dinosaury stuff this afternoon and it finished off before bedtime with a lot of chasing around upstairs with everyone being Dinosaurs.? SB and BB were baby T-Rex, we had to go and get meat for them to eat :-). BB loves being chased so that was very noisy.

Morning was domestic stuff – washing and stuff. then once we were eventually organised off to do some shopping. Sb had been inspired by something on Smart – or whatever the older version of Smarteenies (SB was quite excited to see Kirsten O’Brien from the Little Toe Show on there) is called which reminded us we needed to buy some more tissue paper, so we went to the stationery/art shop. Got said tissue paper – though they had? miriad colours so getting SB to choose which ones, rather than just one of each was time consuming, until the lady showed us the mixed pack.? Bought a couple of packs of Berol felt tips. We have the nremains of various cheap and free felt tip packs around the house in various places, but of course half don’t work, have lost lids, can’t find the colour you want etc. , weedy colour when it does work, and generally just a waste of time.And BB is? total pain with felt tips at the moment. So have been meaning to get some decent ones for a while. I know from school use that Berol last ages, even with lids left off, and have decent colour etc. So found some at a reduced price, so got some. SB is charged with keeping them in their packs and away from BB.

Must now try to colect all the pens/pencils/crayons etc. together and to try and rationalise them a bit and remove anything not BB proof from the general pool.

Continued via the fair trade shop in a local church – where BB entertained the woman behind the counter by singing various songs to herself – such as Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and Row, Row Row Your Boat – words not exactly intelliligible, but the tune is clear. BB seems amazingly good and picking up such tunes, I don’t remember SB being like that, -? their cafe for a snack stop – where I explained what Fair Trade was all about? and then went to see upstairs where there was an Art Exhibition by a local Art Group. Didn’t get to look at much as SB went to touch one of them, and the man who asked here not to (quite mildly) scared her apparently, so we left. She likes the stained glass windows though.

Next via the market stalls for some fruit and veg, where BB (again…) entertained the woman behind the stall by spotting the Strawberries and shouting ‘Strawb, Strawb, Strawb!’ (or somesuch) at the top of her voice :-), finished off with picking up some things in the supermarket.

Once home it was a lateish lunch with Little Toe Radio Show on listen again. Some Maths – Singapore Maths Weekly Revision book some bits about completeing number sequences. Then we looked a bit at some books/web pages about Dinosaurs as SB has been into them recently from watching the Walking With Dinosaurs series on DVD. Printed off a? few things from Enchanted Learning, while SB went off to draw a picture of a wobbly house made of Jelly with her new felt tips…… Then it was time for a bit of Explode the Code followed by colouring in a Dinosaur maths puzzle – T-Rex, her favourite, of course, which Helen joined in with as she got home about now.

BB’s milestone of the day was to ask for something on the TV. Doing her shouting, push/pull you thing she got me into the living room, pointed at the TV, pointed at the ‘on’ button, pointed at the DVD box :-). So I settled her down with the Clangers DVD. I went toff to get one with dinner, but she evidently wanted me in there becuase she kept coming after me shouting ‘Back, Back’. so in the end, I put it on the laptop in the kitchen. Which was ok until she started hitting keys and buttons…….

Which is where we came in really.

Domesticity

well, my Mum and Dad are having a party here at the weekend. this means they are trying to make my house look presentable! So far, Mum has spent all day on just 2 rooms! i should have invited Ros and Joyce next week!!!! Dad is in the garden.

BB has spent today eating, running and shouting wildly, doing lots of pegboards and dance mat. I’ve read her lots of books, we have had roust about games and she has done some fun blox playing. She is adding new words all the time, but I am glad of apple and banana, as it doesn’t make it appear that we only feed her sugar!

SB has done halving and doubling maths today in a picked up workbook, some explode the code and 3 chapters of Story of the world – cretans and early greeks, followed by MoRE myths and legends. We also did some of the activity sheets. SB spontaneously put a ‘line with levels’ up the side to help me direct her on the map to the key cities! Not grid referencing yet! the maze was a hit, and she enjoyed the colouring in. Also quite a few board games and fun blox. lots of running about too. We made a Dundee cake together – well, actually SB did most of it, so fingers crossed. It doesn’t seem to have risen much though, and I’m sure the last one did. Oh well. Its for the party. Will make and decorate a sponge cake to go with it.

very long catch up

about me – well still waiting, have offered up 10% paycut [yes another one!] and awaiting outcome.

SB this week has had a lot of fun playing with cousin Oren, including a fun visit to Hunstanton with grandparents and funfair adventure. Oren was here today as going back to France tomorrow.

We have been less match and sorty – though some going on! But I have read loads of books on history, geography, science, lots of chats and discussions and geomagging and brainbox electronics. We have also baked!

BB getting alot more words. She is very clear over some directions – like get up and move it!! She can shout ‘thumb out’ at SB [which causes a riot!] and lots of other small words appear to be peppered in her still largely incomprehensible [but long!] sentences. She is gettng good at shape sorting, and having a bash at pegboards – but not so good at rotation! She is a know-no-fear climber – loves steps of any kind! A passion second only to that for ‘bicbic, coctut, cake, fapjak’

SO to the weekend – a really fab time at SOTP. they have a great camping field, lovely atmosphere and a good guest list, so that we were too busy wathicng children having fun and nattering rather than taking pictures!!! one of the good things about having met each other a number of times before, is that I no longer am concerned about either of my childs little foibles [wailing/eating everythng in sight] and their responses to other children’s foibles, so it is far more relaxing, and this seeing them used to each othr and adapting, and occaissional nudging into better behaviour [after all, lord of the flies is better as a book than in real life!], should help SB avoid the social pariah trap that I didn’t if things didn’t go my way, or I didn’t ‘get’ the game.

Mmmm to food – pancakes was inspired! Was that a standard pancake mixture or a slightly thicker one? We have gazillions of guests this weekend, so thought i might copy!

ANyway, many thanks to the hosts, hope chaos has been magically transformed back to the oasis of tranquility! lovely seeing everyone. oh, I want one of these for xmas!

IMG 7458 IMG 7479 The usual suspects! playing against Mummy!

oh, and after lots of meddling, I still can’t get flickrbadge to work properly! link to my set.

Romp through the week.

Well, I am at work, and there is a hiatus until I am actually required.

So, CHEF sprts day on Tuesday was good. The children really enjoyed it, and we met Amanda in the flesh, who has already blogged the sports day, and also Katy and children [do you like links or not Katy/Bob?]. I was feeling rough as had been on call, got migraine and obviously not at my best mood-wise anyway. however, the children had such a blast, the sports day was really good? with egg and spoon, sack race, and lots of team races. SB was convinced she had won every race [OK, she said winned!]. BB carried on on escapologist front, and raided everyone’s fruit. We cooled off afterwards in the pools. SB ran around with her friends, and BB took the oportunity to float and investigate getting about in the water. I chatted with Katy in the shade with our toes in the water – bliss. Probably the best place to be on such a warm day. More photos on the flickr set

actually realised?I had saved this not posted, and noticed chris has done it too!Still at work, so will continue! Actually have done a lot of playing with SB and BB in the evenings, and read lots of books. I love BB’s surprised face!

BB is saying lots of words now, and trying really hard to copy lots of words. particular skill at words like biscuit and flapjack are noted! She loves manipulating lego – and also the wacky wigglers – getting things to fit together and pull apart, and can work out how to make it join. Lots of dancing and singing too. Dheloves playing with SB, and always tries to get a lookin. still adamantly breastfed!

SB and I have also read lots of books – about egyptians, space, why is series, greek myths and legends?and general reading books. Our caterpillar life cycle experiment is doing well, with the cabbage white caterpillars hatching out – hopefully chris today has found a better container, and less pongy brassica leaves! We made a mean gears wacky wiggler, with SB designing it, and me helping when required [and BB deconstructing too!], chatted in the thunderstorm outside [sorry Merry] about thunder and lightening, how it works, where not to be when it strikes, electrical conductance etc etc. We have also done a lot of dressing up play – pricesses, pirates and doctors and generally had fun. She has also been very proud of the match and sort she has done this week and the jump ahead year 1. When we chat, she does have a good memory of many snippets of info – all I could ask for really.

Sadly I have beena t work since 5am, but hoping to go home soon! [though still on call]

Life does go on

we have pottered about a bit. SB went to CHEF sports [I think] Monday, and stayed and played in the park after that. Chris’s parents came round after the library story and craft and read loads of books. We went to Merry’s on Wed and had a lovely day there. The new hama kits look very tempting – I particularly liked the maxi bead fish, and when we get low on hama – the midi great jars look absolutely fab! Anyway, I bought a mobile for little Nanny’s neighbour as a present, and hope she enjoys making it. Chris’s parents came round on thursday, and lots of Home-ed type stuff was done – explode the code 3, miquon maths, she read to Nanny red nose reader, as well as lots of games playing. Yesterday also another good home ed day on the ‘normals’ and has started singapore 1B, going at multiplication. She is also quite confident with the jump ahead year 1. I have made time to read or play a game when I’ve come home in the evenings, but it has been minimal.
today BB and I have played a lot and cuddled and sang. When asleep, SB and I did some marble runs, making them different steepness and curvaceousness, and guessing before whether the marble would be faster or slower. She quickly got the hang of this, and we moved on to discuss inertia, momentum, gravity whilst having fun.

IMG 6345 Then we did more of her roman villa making,and played a roman chariot game. i am afraid merry, that she wants to invite you and family to a roman party, and toga’s are NOT optional! We did a fair bit of discussing romans, roman room names, how they lived etc whilst making the villa, and practised saying I love you in latin. [must get out the latin's not so tough!]

IMG 6385 Moving on, we had a piano lesson, which she enjoys. It is quite funny, as if she starts to be silly/whingey about nothing, I remind her i am being her teacher for this, and she either does it, or we end the lesson – causing her to behave impeccably!! [ROFL] A short lesson only, but she is enjoying and remembering.

IMG 6386

BB awoke, so whilst i fed her [yet again] I suggested SB did some maths. She whipped through 14 pages of singapore maths – though it was revision of shapes and ordinal numbers from the 1A we hadn’t done before. some general mayhem playing – catch, run around, reading books [girls not taking turns thrusting books under my nose to be getting on with!! ] And then watched Mary Poppins for the first time. SB spellbound, and BB jigging to the music. Actually, what i forgot to say with the piano bit, the SB was singing the note names along with playing, and mostly hitting the right pitch, so I am happy and proud! [if you are wondering why, ask chris to sing one day!]. finally after tea, SB spontaneously got out a key stage one maths workbook, and worked through the money section with minimal assistance – excellent!

We plan some swimming tomorrow.

TRYING HARD

Lilypie Trying To Conceive Ticker

not to be shouty and grumpy with the girls, and to actually engage – easier with BB who just loves and cuddles. Not so easy with SB who has picked up on my stressiness, and is whiney, whingey and just on edge too. ‘mummy, I just feel angry and sad’

so I am not pushing home ed in anyhting but a lets read lots together – her choice. Chris can do the ‘normals’.

so today she did jump ahead year 1 for ages [got 2 reading caps and a time cap], we read about apollo 13, some general space stuff, and a book about the tudors. We also did some egg decorating – worked out how to blow out the middles, and then she painted. we might even do it one easter! She picked up a scrabble card game from the library without instructions, so we worked out a satisfactory game with that and had fun. SB’s sunflowers are flowering.
BB had lots of cuddles and ran around. also did some painting. Mum and dad made a flying morale visit. I hemmed SB’s ballet skirt. this eve I have watched 2 west wing – leo died :( . however west wing is whats keeping permanent jitters at bay at the mo.

Anyone who fancies a visit here before we move…

just call me mistress of puzzles!

we have mostly played today. A lot of the time it was all three of us together rough and tumeble play and running about.

SB also did a hama cat to give as a present tomorrow while BB played with playdough. [cue small hama stuck in playdough!]
while BB asleep, SB wanted me to make her a dot to dot and a maze, so i did a number of these, and she was good at them. I also did some number puzzles [kakuro] and simple crosswords, and she thought this was great, so we did some more. I enjoy kakuro, and was pleased how quickly she got on with it.

We read a couple of books together and also listened to little toe - SB keen to learn the words of puff the magic dragon.

BB was awake, and SB went to get her, and some more hideous shrieking game that the 2 enjoy together but is an anathema to their parents!

I did a piano lesson for SB, as have promised her i will do this for too long. She concentrated hard for the short time we did it.

A CHEF home-ed family dropped by on their way home from a very succesful HESFES to store their tent – SB gave them the ground tour, and we got 0 out of 1000 for tidiness [oh the shame!!!!!]

Some weeding and hoeing and watering in the garden. SB picked some wok brok, and BB picked and ate green strawbs [sigh] and we all picked the broad beans. It was still a scorcher at 5pm!

Snuck in a bit of history discussing american independance day and canada day, and how europe sent navigators and explorers to seek new countries and goods, basically annexe them until eventually there was either civil war or the countries were ‘handed back’. and although the land itself wasn’t really having a birthday, the nation had survived an extra year etc.

I must now hem her ballet skirt.

mum and dad

mostly a day talking tactics for the future and gardening. its nice to have some help in the garden. Dad gave the topiary a good trim, mum and i weeded, SB watered and BB pulled up to veg – sigh!

SB did do some obvious home ed stuff – she did some explode the code, read some raiders and rioters book, and then some history with mum – mostly mediaeval bits and pieces. She is starting to read words out and a bout – which is nice, even if it was predominantly shed [garden centre] and getting more and more proficient with mental maths of adding and subtracting over a ten. She did some nice singing for my mum, and lots of maze books.
Most of the day was playing though. I think my uncertainty is not helping the girls, as SB more waily at the moment, and mimicking BB for the attention.

BB also had fun today. pottred around, started undressing upstairs as poopoo – so we might start potty training in the good weather. she enjoyed the sandpit and the brio track the most.

Catching up

kind of day. did some trrying to sort the veg garden – weeding, a bit of watering where desperate. the peas in their entirety didn’t survive us being at kessingland – very sad!

SB read to me the 9th ladybird phonics book, and did some explode the code. We also did some singapore maths thinking skills, and read a book all about how the body works. Mostly we played out in the garden though. SB definitely turning into a trapeze artiste.

i feel the need to be expanding on her home ed with resources we have, but not quite doing it. Luckilly she is very good at finding things to read/do, but I’m not keeping up with the piano, and would like to do the getty and dubay, latin and story of the world more regularly.

BB and I did lots of shape sorting and jigsaws before mostly playing in the garden. lots of running under water! [no hosepipe ban here, though this is the first use of hosepipe as most water butts now run out – unfortunately noticed one was full after i had watered! [we are metered]

chris made flapjacks, but neither girl really helped!

i am finding it difficult to keep my head in one place at the moment. Need a haven of tranquility – rofl! No news yet.