Category Archives: Stringbean’s HE

Back to Earth

Posted on March 10, 2007 by HHaricot | 11 comments

we have done a fair bit of earth oriented thinking today! Unfortunately the beans conspired to make it a very very early start. Though SB did read me 2 books in bed, as I was refusing to be awake [chris just pretended to be asleep]. eventually I told him via SB that he needed to make me a cup of tea, so then had a catch up nap!

Urmmm, well I think we started with looking at the worm world thing that was picked up from the charity shop whilst looking for gists on thursday [rofl!] We duly all went out, filled with alternate sand and soil and liberated some juicy worms from the fruit bed to put in. BB was devastated that she didn’t get to play more with the snakes, but since at least 2 were put back on the garden as we were unsure whether they were really not working [her phrase] or playing dead, we felt the sooner out of her grasp the better. Later a ladybird also stopped working – she is a menace to our beneficials!!

We had a look at our previous sowings, and a few broad beans have germinated, and we have a very thick row of radish seedlings – hopefully marking some carrot ones to follow! We also harvested loads of early sprouting brocolli – yum.

it was a lovely day, so we did general playing in the garden, swings, playhouse etc etc until lunchtime, and I also pottered about with some weeding and feeding.

After lunch we did simultaneous crafts [always slightly hair-raising! SB did a mosaic kit that Merry gave her for her birthday, BB did painting and stamping, and I lacquered the only bit of made fimo I could find from Melrose – the pendants and dragon appear to be awol.

Hmm! then came a bit of awkwardness – SB and BB did colouring and then head over heelsing, and I asked that the felttips should be lidded and tidied – time to gloss! BB and SB did some violin practice [must get a shoulder rest!] , SB did some more area stuff with cuisinaire rods [from here to there] and BB and I read books and did pattern blocks and then had another gloss moment about being mean to SB!

Daddy returned, so I took 5, they helped him find seed trays, and we reconvened to sow peppers, tomatoes and sunflowers. Watered in very well!! More playing outside and the SB did some piano practice, and BB fell asleep mid wail on my lap. have wound down with dinner and robin hood since then.

Chris nearly managed to set fire to the house [sigh], luckilly I know if I think I smell something hot, I should immediately investigate [frying pan with oil]. Can’t get laptop keyboard to work either. Oh well. Early night tonight. Feeling much more whole – though frayed at the edges!

11 Comments

Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, gardening, General, language, music, numeracy, science

The Disappeared

Posted on March 9, 2007 by HHaricot | 3 comments

That’s what I feel like as a working mother at the moment. Rather similar blog over at Jax’s as well. I have worked solidly since SB’s party day and am consequently well and truly knackered. All the days have been exceptionally long, and there has been some exceptionally stressful moments. I have had brief views of my children – so brief that I am not sure that they know who I am – but have [as is my style] been as manically interactive as possible – thus making me more shattered, but marginally less guilty.

SO today – my day off – where am I? In work of course. But did eventually leave – hopefully with a bit of a job plan thrashed out, and we hot footed it to Merry’s. SB was delighted to see the last part of her birthday present – the very delectable new member of our famly – a corolle doll lea. Merry had to buy them in 2′s so there is one more to go on the website, and if I were you, and you’re in the market for a trilingual talking and utterly adorable dol [it is too!] then I would be the one to buy the matching pair [even if BB and all Merry's children think they should be the proud mother!].

I coo-ed over the other dolls in the range, and we lost the children to protracted mums and dads, and other games.

We were going to do science, but both Merry and I have had tough working week and both feeling the need to r and r, so the children played. [fran did french though]. BB and Josie were adorable together, and playing more and more. The cake SB and I made yesterday before bed was scoffed quickly [i said I had used my time to the max!]. BB is such a jumping girl at the moment, and does lovely ‘kiffs’ and cuddles. The older children fimo-ed as well – but we left SB’s there, and she forgot to bring home her camera – sigh!! Hopefully we will be reunited in Hunstanton.

Back and more doll playing, SB is delighted with it, and played beautifully with BB being the big sister and helping – aw it is just so lovely that they play so nicely together – this is a real home ed achievment. And then we did playing in the dark with a glow stick, and more head over heels frenzy!

Bedtime for SB was with the new doll, and we read some more Britannia, and she read to me the usborne robots book [saw Merry's Alexander the great usborne book, so very tempted when finances next allow]. I feel much more whole for a day at home, spring has sprung [always improves the mood] Kessingland organised. Now just to make sure i have a life! Yippee for the weekend [le weekend of course]

3 Comments

Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Cooking, General, history, literacy, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

One day…….

Posted on March 9, 2007 by Daddybean | 5 comments

I’ll get the hang of bloggin every day…….

But as Michelle has been nagging me in Merry’s comments I’d better write something – can’t be doing with more extra women nagging me.

OK, Monday was our mothly HE group sports session, so we went along to that and SB ran around and did sporting things, BB pottered and I drunk tea and chatted :-). Followed by a trip to the park with the Katy and the crew from In at the Deep End. After that the plan was to head off get some lunch and go show shopping, plus a few other things. Went to the shopping centre where there is a decent sized Clarks, only to find that it was shut for refitting or something and wasn’t going to be open for 3 more days – so waste of car parking there then. Since we were there we got lunch and a few things, got back to carpark – it’s one of those get a ticket on the way in, pay on foot places. Realised I had no cash and it didn’t take cards, so had to traipse off to find cash machine etc. which meant of course we were welll over the hour, so that cost even more…. sigh.

So eventually escaped from the car park, headed off to the independent shoe shop we got SB’s last ones from – it’s out of the city centre and easy to park by. Got SB some shoes – a bit boring as she is now well into school age shoes, though they had better options last time, but SB really likes them so that’s fine. BB didn’t need any, though did discover that she has had a sock stuck in the end of one of them for who knows how long – it was squashing back here toes a bit and made it seems as if one fooot had loads more toe room….

By now needed more tea – so took up an invite by Katy to pop round to theirs which is just down the road. Enjoyed Earl Grey (but no tea pot….. ) and admired the birthing pool masquerading as a family size birthing pool filling up the dining room.

home to, well not sure really – ISTR some computing stuff goign on with the girls.

Tuesday went round to my parents house for most of the day, did do bit of HE stuff here before we went – moslty more of the Singapore maths – still the money bit, and some reading.

Wednesday

Helen was doing job interviews today, so not at home as per usual. Helen got a Learning Resources book about using Cuisenaire rods to explore Area/Volume and Perimeter from Sonlight last week, so Sb wanted to have a go at that. She spent ages with it, not so much on the book activities as with all the pattern making and general playing around with them that ensues. also got to practice drawing straight lines with the ruler (in the right place…) . Funny how simple thing like that isn’t a simple as it looks – getting the pencil at the right angle, holding the ruler firmly, in the right place, lining it up etc.

We sat and read a couple of the Anholt Artists books – Picasso and Van Gogh ones, and then spent some time looking for different pictures of their on the internet. There was some more Webland-ing and a bit of Ed City.

We finaly got some new swings seats (Ebay) to go on the swings, so we put one of those on so SB was happy to be able to swing again and spent some time on there. and generally playing outside – harvested some of the Purple Sprouting Broccoli which we have lots of right now.

Never understood the whole ‘kids don’t like green veg ‘ thing, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, whatever it is out love them all.

Watched a bit of the Life of Plants DVD before bed.

Thursday

BB’s toddler gym thing, so that’s a 9.30 start. SB took her camera with her and snapped some photos, haven’t had a look at them yet and sat and moslty read some Letterland books she found in the cupboard this morning. She is such a good advertisment for a HE-ed childthere, sits quietly with her bag, reading, or drawing, or writing etc.

Went into town after to do some shopping of various sorts. Noticed the stationers shop in town is closing, which is a shame – it was always useful for various bits, and very helpful in there as well. It’s our nearest town, and has survived pretty well with a range of indpendent shops as well as the normal high street places. But gradually the independents seem to be going.

There is a shop which sells gists etc. that has lots of stuff from different parts of the world – they tend to have little changing displys of stuff in one window. It was Chinese stuff for chinese New year last time. This week they had some Native American stuff on display, so looked and talked about some of those things, the photos they had etc. bought a few things in a charity shop, including a kit to make a worm observatory thing, so will hopefully be putting that together soon.

Once home had lunch, together me and SB read through a set of Quentin Blake books she got for Xmas and then Hellen got home early from work. There was somejigsawing – BB really getting into them now, head over heels practise, Sb did soem more of the Area etc. book before ballet class.

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Posted in Butterbean, IT, literacy, numeracy, photos, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

totality

Posted on March 4, 2007 by HHaricot | 4 comments

remembered to look at the moon. it certainly does look weird when it is the wrong colour! When I got home from work, SB and I read some of our new books – marie curie and the search for radium and eric the red and leif the lucky. She had lots of questions after the marie curie one about science and elements and atoms, but decided we would look at another book ‘tomorrow’

she has done a fair bit of webland today while I was out, and chris has done a grand job on sorting out this years propagatory – time to sow some seeds! bit late with peppers already – oops.

SB and BB both did some violin practice, and SB some piano. otherwise mostly chilled and did pattern blocks altogether. tonight before going to bed, I read SB some britannia and she read me clumsy crocodile from usborne young readers. Her flow at reading is really coming along, and she reads things all the time now during the day – fantastic.

I must make sure worries of work don’t eclipse the joys of home.

4 Comments

Posted in Books, gardening, General, geography, history, literacy, music, numeracy, science, Stringbean's HE

Wuendvul :-)

Posted on March 3, 2007 by Daddybean | 3 comments

On Thursday, for my birthday, Stringbean spent ages doing a picture (of a church) and then writing on the back, then putting it in an envelope with 60p she got out of her piggy bank. Except for asking me who you spell ‘er’ (of all the things) she did it all herself
It really is Wuendvul, and I was very touched.

3 Comments

Posted in art and crafts, Stringbean, writing

Rainbow Birthday

Posted on February 27, 2007 by Daddybean | 3 comments

As Helen has blogged below, SB went to a HE friends birthday party on Saturday (also 6 and very much SB’s best friend there). Rather than an indoor party, they had procession around the local park, with people wearing as much rainbowy coloured stuff as they could, singing songs , making noise etc. The girl of honour was transported round in a homemade sedan chair.

Ended with time in playground, a coconut shy (went on forever given the poor throwing accuracy of young kids) which was popular, fish and chips and cake. We sung ‘When we Were Two Little Boys‘ a couple of times, which always brings a bit of tear to my eye. I was often sung it from as far back as I remember as a kid by my Auntie Ethel,? before Rolf Harris did it.

3 Comments

Posted in Out and About, photos, socialisation, Stringbean

rewind to wed

Posted on February 23, 2007 by HHaricot | 4 comments

we’re not really doing a good job of blogging in order are we?

I guess wed was really a game of 2 halves, but i didn’t balance them well. Sb def losing out to BB. Must do better really. we did get a fair bit of home ed done -sb mostly confident with the subtractions [54-28 type] now, and did a fair bit of maths on edu city – multiplying. Also her reading is nicely moving along. she is really enjoying reading, and a while back i bought a set of usborne young readers from the book people, and now she is racing through them, they are pretty much dead right for what she wants to read. must give back merry her ORT 8 as well as read well now.

She has done some more of the chinese books from enchanted learning, and liked the numbers. She is finding it particularly amusing that 2 looks like=. it is making the maths slightly tedious as we have ‘the joke’ about all the 2′s each time. But lets face it, its a good joke, and she is really happy saying it.

We read random pages out of an encyclopaedia – insects, industrial revolution, volcanos, and talked quite a lot about evolution.

BB and i did a lot of playing, cuddling and messing about. we built towers and boats out of blocks, and knocked them down again, read books, danced and messed about.

After lunch we piled outside to enjoy the sunshine, sowed some carrots and make a makeshift cloche/polytunnel affair to put over the row. I did a fair bit of weeding, and the girls did lots of playhouse and climbing frame play as well. They did help chris with pruning the grapevine, and i popped the babyswing seat on the tri-swing [just as BB growing too big!] She did love it, and SB pushed her as she giggled. Lovely.

When we came in, all girls [including me] turned into grumpalumps for some unknown reason. BB screeching like a banshee over who knows what, SB wailing and me stroppy. so we divvied up, and SB had piano and violin lesson and Daddy kept BB occupied. The peace restored, we read, played games [spot the animal!] and the day back on track.

Every evening this week, SB and I have had an extra 30 mins of games or reading – whatever she wants – before her bed following the departure of BB. SB is really appreciating this.

Today I got home earlier to have a bit more time, and we mostly played and did some tidying up. We made a chocolate brownies – didn’t get the timing right – they were in and out of the oven like yoyo’s! more games and reading and a nice bedtime.

SB’s birthday this sunday. have the castle, no wrapping paper, and family arriving tomorrow to house of chaos!

oh, and i forgot to say, that BB is quite insistant she is a boy ladybird!

4 Comments

Posted in Cooking, cute, Daft Stuff, General, IT, language, literacy, numeracy, SB-PE, science

Blog or Else

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Daddybean | 5 comments

Which was sort of what Helen told me – seeing as I’ve been a bit lax in the blogging stakes lately.

So some gap filling:

Last Sunday

It was my Dads 70th birthday on the Friday. On Sunday we went over to theirs to go out for a birthday lunch. It was an all you can eat buffet type thing at an local Indian restaurant. It was nice, but would have been a bit better if the restaurant had been a bit more together.

My mum had rung them to say that we were veggie, and would there be veggie dishes, as was told there would be. When we got there, there was one veggie dish on the buffet (a rather nice potato thing – there were veg samosas but they were mixed up with meat ones….). It turns out that we could order something from the menu instead (same price) – that was fine, but we didn’t realize this until we were all sat down and were going to get food. so of course mum and dad had eaten a lot by the time we got our food. Not helped in that we had ordered some onion bhajis and samosas – ok normally you have them as starter, but seeing as everyone was eating, we thought they would bring the rest out as well. But no – though obviously they were cooked, as when I asked they appeared straight away.

So, could have been better with bit bit better clarity from them on what was happening, but food was good (though weird Mutter Paneer had chickpeas instead of peas – not so good when you have ordered Chana Dhal as well…..) Girls enjoyed it, SB at least at well, BB was entertained by the various fish tanks.

Finished up with cake and game of Ludo at mum and dads house.

Tuesday

SB started with more palying with the Polydron stuff before breakfast. Then the usual black hole that takes in breakfast, getting dressed etc. did sit down for more maths. After that we had a various bit of food shopping to do, so over to the post office (where of course as we only had quick in and out transaction the person 2 in front seemed to be carrying out every possible transaction you can in the PO in one go….). Then the bakers, then home again. Then get the bike and trailer out, tootle up to the farm shop for veggies. They are putting up a nice big polytunnel, so hopw to have some more interesting home grown things this year. It’s at a local plant nursery, opened when the village greengrocer shut. As a ‘farm shop’ they are supposed to grown most of their own produce (85% I think – by value I guess?) so he has been gradually increasing that.

Returned to lunch, then not sure, but we did sit down to SOTW later on – moved on to India, the Indus and the Ganges and the story about the formation of the Ganges. Then off to swimming lessons – for some reason they are now continuing through half term. but this hasn’t really been brought to peoples notice – I only new because some one else has mentioned it to me. So seemed a bit lower in numbers. treated the girls to dinner there (kids meal so they offer burger and chips, nuggets and chips etc….. anyway, SB likes the veg nuggets so they had those). Makes the evening easier really, as wqe don’t get back to past 6 pm so dinner becomes a bit a rush. This was me and Helen can have dinner bit later once girls are in bed.

Thursday

Umm again…..

One of my targets is to get out and do more regular bits in the garden to keep up with things. So we did spend about 1 1/2 hours outside, the girls mostly played in and out of the playhouse etc. I was weeding the strawberry patch, BB helped out a bit. SB decided that the playhouse garden needed a climbing frame so moved the Little Tikes one over there. It easier than last year to do this, as this time last year BB was still in pretty early toddler stage, so would fall over lot, get stuck etc.

After that and Lunch , whilst BB napped. We got out the Physics science kit we got given last year (thanks Raihanah ) SB wanted to do something involving test tubes and the spirit burner. So we did one boiling, evaporating, condensing and distilling water (boiling old coffee, collecting clear water. Liking to have things correct, we talked about the difference between water vapour and steam – one day she will remember She enjoyed it , and it kept us busy for an hour or so.

BB got up and made herself a paperclip aeroplane

She does love doing experiments etc. and we don’t really do as much of it as we should I think- certainly no excuse on the knowing what to do front….

We um and ahh about the Young Scientists Club kits on and off. Whilst we really ought to be able to sort the things out ourselves, we don’t as much as we should and there is also the whole ‘kit thing’ that seems to appeal to SB. She does seem to enjoy the whole box of bits. instructions etc. that is ‘hers’ thing. Umm, ahhh…..

Friday

Other than shopping, not a lot really. Typical morning blackhole stuff meant leaving later than I wanted to. We went out to Staples, where SB wanted to investigate all sorts of things, then to the pet place to to get cat food and spent ages looking at fish, rabbits , guinea pigs etc.. Then Tesco’s via Tesco’s cafe for lunch (well, a plate of chips and carton of milk for them to share). Time we got home it must have been about 3, and the rest of the afternoon sort of just frittered away with cups of tea, Ed. City and other kiddy websites, some reading, cooking dinner etc.. We did do a bit of piano practice I think.

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Posted in Butterbean, gardening, history, literacy, numeracy, photos, science, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

started on the sowing

Posted on February 18, 2007 by HHaricot | Leave a comment

so feeling much better. The middle of the fruit bed was weeded and covered in cardboard which we have sowed broad beans through – aquadulce claudia. i say we, because SB and BB worked as a team to plant them. SB reiterated that BB was an excellent helper frequently, for us all to exclaim just what a really useful engine she was these days [rofl] we also did some ivy removal – but carefully, as didn’t want to disturb any early birds nests.

the girls also did lots of playing in the new playhouse with BB also now confident at getting up to the upper level and down again – though did like me and chris to pop in and out. what with having to bend over double to get through the door! but def a good buy – though very muddy on the floor now!

In no particular order! We did the rest of the India bit in story of the world, SB liked the activity of nail varnish and make up!! She was in princess clothes anyway. we read some more of the buddhist tales and discussed the buddhist lifestyle vis a vis our own. SB finished the foam bag with great ease. Has obviously got the hang of sewing [sowing and sewing in one day!] and so will attempt to find the little cross stitch sewing kits from yellowmoon [via FC] to continue on with. [merry was right, I do have a lot of crafts, but you have to say that is a bit pot caling the kettle!]

edited to add – gah,silly browser lost post as I was putting up, and I had only presaved half [silly me]

Anyway, that lead to lots of being at a ball, with me singing and SB and BB dancing in dressing up clothes – very jolly. When worn out, we relaxed wathcing bonjour mes amis. [now I have forgotten the blog post!] oh yes, we had a piano lesson – got to adding in D now, so 6 notes. BB came in half way and grumbled on the bass notes. SB not phased until she made a grab for the lego as well!

BB and I have read lots of books together, done more marble running and jigsaws, and also general rousting about. SB has been investigating the enchanted learning printouts in depth, and done 2 more china booklets, and cloluring in and naming maps. She has thought the printout folder rather fab. I had better keep up and have some always in it. we discussed new year some more [and were a wintsy bit jealous of various flikr photos - she needs more organised and outgoing parents!]

We looked at seed catalogues – BB most interested in the fruit, and very good at naming them! Sb a veg girl, but we need a few more companion flowers to jolly things up. Must raid Merry’s cardboard box heap, and find a cheap supplier for smeipermeable membrane for keeping down the weeds [any advice?] Actually, can I ping Ady – does he know whether this type is any good for planting through, or don’t they do any planting through? [no, i don't think we need quite that much!]
there was a bit more ramble, but totally forgotten it. sorry!

not quite there quick enough

Posted on February 17, 2007 by HHaricot | 2 comments

well, we are NEARLY at a china chapter in SOTW, and it Chinese new year tomorrow, but not quite managed to co-ordinate them, having been a bit slow with SOTW recently. Chris had done some India in the week, and SB wanted me to read the Buddha enlightenment story again today, so I did, and then we read some stories from the Barefoot book of Buddhist tales. however, it being chinese new year [it lasts 15 days], i went ahaead and downloaded some of the little books from enchanted learning to do – and SB enjoyed that, and both girls made firework pictures. BB’s rather liberal use of glitter pens [as if a firework store had blown up tbh] has meant she pretty much used up a whole pack!

In the middle of all this, we had an outside play – in and out of the playhouse! And also football. Chris and I did a bit of garden tidying up to do, but it seems a bit like the forth bridge at the moment. Need to get an industrial quantity of the permeable garden weed mesh stuff.

SB has read to me and BB – apple tree farm books and books from the library. We have done a lot of building with the marble run, some internetting – nick jr and cbeeies.

BB has been absolutely in love with a galt alphabet thing, where it makes a long line, but the pictures are in little blocks cut in half. She was so excited doing it, clapping as she matched things up – very cute. Also she was having fun counting things – she is very keen to count, but just using 1,2 and 6 makes it tricky. Back in nappies though today as a weeing spree – sigh!

we finished with a rousing second half of the sing along sound of music [watched the first half last night]. and SB chose a book about seasons and time etc for her bedtime book, so we did that too.