Category Archives: Stringbean’s HE

very long catch up

Posted on August 14, 2006 by | 5 comments

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.

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Posted in Butterbean, Cooking, General, geography, history, literacy, numeracy, Out and About, science, socialisation, writing

Romp through the week.

Posted on July 23, 2006 by | 1 comment

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]

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Posted in Butterbean, General, geography, history, literacy, numeracy, Out and About, SB-PE, science, socialisation, writing

Sports Day

Posted on July 23, 2006 by | 9 comments

On Wednesday we had a sports day with a local Home Ed group. nothing to dramatic, so little team races -run back and forth, doing stuff like squats and sit ups, sacks race, egg and spoon, tug of war, daft dressing up race etc. didn’t have to run too far, so although it was very hot (supposed to be around 35- 36 a bit later) we had lots of shade from big trees and there was a nice little breeze to cool us down a bit. Races were followed by a picnic. it was great fun anjoyed by kids and grownups a like. I recommend it to any local groups. afterwards we cooled off by the paddling pools.

Really, Flickr tells the story better than words.

Worst part of the day was driving 40 mins home in the hot humid late afternoon in car in which the aircon isn’t working -esp. if you are a Mum with persistent migraine :-( Much flaking out once we got home


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Posted in Butterbean, Out and About, photos, SB-PE, socialisation, Stringbean

Bare Necessities

Posted on July 17, 2006 by | 1 comment

we have been singing this a lot, as SB has been enjoying the audio CD from the times [well, we didn't get the times, but got this from ebay]

anyway, I should be writing a talk – and am on slide 30 [don't you pity them!] so am doing some diversionary activities and blogging.

hideously hot today and massive migraine.

Chris and little beans went to CHEF rainforest day today – and I am sure he will blog. they did pick up a rather lovely physics kit, which I did with SB in the early evening. SO this evening we learnt how to show air was there, rather than there being nothing. Of course, i am not suggesting SB has proved this to herself, but shew a grasp of the idea and did a bit of preding. The measuring the air bit didn’t work – I didn’t really imagine it would!

SOme playing in the garden together, and little toe radio while eating tea. both have taken ages to fall asleep, but have finally.

Better go back to my talk

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Posted in art and crafts, General, geography, music, science

Childhood days don’t last forever…

Posted on July 16, 2006 by | 5 comments

So guess whose blog I have been reading? But true here as well. I was given some advice by a very wise woman that even if redundancy looming feels it is taking over my whole life, I must still seize the life and grab some back. I am finding this hard to do, and consequently feel the children’s childhood is slipping away from me.

today, we went swimming – SB made me proud by swimming a width backstroke, and then deciding to learn to dive in, and after a few belly flops did a couple right. In the diving end of course. Also more painful as she refused to learn by first sitting or squatting at the edge, but wanted to do a ‘proper’ dive. BB also enjoyed the water, and mostly kicked and floated herself about in a swimming ring. She was exhausted by the end, and fell asleep on the journey home.
So at home, SB wanted to do some electronics, so we got out the fabulous brainbox primary plus kit, and made a variety of siren noises. She follows the instructions and diagrams very easily, and we discussed electrocution, and how it kills you!

IMG 6389

Moving on, we went out into the garden after lunch to paint a rainforest picture for tomorrow CHEF. SB decided she wanted to do it with handprints and footprints, so I facilitated by insisting we do it outside! I painted BB’s hand and foot cast, and SB then did her hand [even better than mine].

diagonal IMG 6402

We looked for caterpillar eggs on the brassicas, having seen a number of cabbage whites, so since our brassica crop is about to be decimated, have put some in a jamjar, for a lifecycle thing. we have some yellow eggs, and a leaf with 2mm long teeny weeny caterpillars on. We also pointed out various birds in the garden, as SB getting quite good at naming them. We have a near tame robin and blackbird, lots of sparrows and a variety of finches seen every day, and today we had a thrush.

IMG 6437 IMG 6435 edited-1

BB woke up, and whilst we had a play, SB did a fair amount of explode the code 3 , which we are nearly half way through. It has been very useful for us – though very workbooky! finally after lots of storybook reading, singing songs, play cooking etc all together, we watched the end of Mary Poppins as I had totally run out of steam. Oh, and somewhere in the day, we got a bit more piano lesson in too.

IMG 6431

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, literacy, music, SB-PE, science, writing

Life does go on

Posted on July 15, 2006 by | 2 comments

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.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, history, music, numeracy, science

quickly

Posted on July 9, 2006 by | Leave a comment

colleagues around yesterday. nice bunch of people. shame one topic conversation.

today elinor read yellow nose reader with few hitches, did loads of webland, we read together about things underground and watched some shuttle mission video clips.

we all went to meet my mum for a cup of tea.

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Posted in General, history, literacy, science

TRYING HARD

Posted on July 6, 2006 by | 3 comments

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…

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Posted in art and crafts, gardening, General, history, literacy, numeracy, science

local fete

Posted on July 2, 2006 by | 4 comments

with a colleague and wife, who kindly catered also! and met there by another colleague and her family.

lovely sunny day out – we tried not to talk tooo much shop [but in the circs, it is quite difficult]

there was a plastic duck race down the river [we didn't win] SB played on climbing frames, painted a mug [with the eengerland flag!!! to remind her of the world cup], and also filled a pendant with coloured sand in layers – very pretty.

lots of icecream eaten as a scorcher. evening feels very close, and think it will prob thunder.

the bees appear to have swarmed again, and a couple of hundred are resting on our parasol. presumably they will move off again, as not an ideal bee home.

thanks to a great friend for a helpful letter.

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Posted in art and crafts, General, Out and About

just call me mistress of puzzles!

Posted on July 1, 2006 by | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General, history, literacy, music, numeracy, Stringbean's HE