Category Archives: Stringbean’s HE

today part one

Posted on October 9, 2005 by | Leave a comment

well, I am going to swindon this eve, so won’t blog, so thought I should do it in stages!

Today I had a lie in due to BB being an execrable sleeper and feedaholic. Whilst doing that, it seems that SB and Chris read through all the red and yellow letterland books. I really dislike the letterland books actually. I think it would have suited me best, once we had done letter sounds and common sh and th things to go onto see and read rather than phonics. this is what we seem to be doing now, though using letter sounds to work out words. Hmm!!

When I got downstairs, SB was ready for another Hama session. today we finished off the flower, and then concentrated on glow in the dark sun, moon, jupiter and stars. i did the glow in the dark bit, and SB then filled in with whatever pattern she wanted. My glow in the dark bit for the sun and moon was as directed by her. The moon is quite cool actually, as in the day, it will appear a full moon, but at night, only a crescent is glow in the dark. This has essentially taken all morning. While doing this, we read the ‘I wonder why stars twinkle…’ book, and discussed that our sun is a star, but ours is closer so bigger and we have given it the name sol. We also did the path of lights through different media experiment [straw in glass of water!]

to be continued…..

Have had a very nice time playing with BB. We have done stacking toy, played with sensory things – like the feather boa, done some walking, and now on pressing buttons annoying tunes toys! SB playing upstiars on her won – so don’t feel quite so comfortable about that, though when I enquired she was happy with Sindy’s/Barbies. Am persuading chris to make a house for my sindy things so they don’t get trashed! He is hoefully sorting veg bed – it does need it!!

Have read 3 greek myths stories from the usborne book [arachne, echo and narcissus, daedalus and icarus] her winnie the pooh book. She has helped chris in the garden and found 3 flints - and told him about chapping [aka knapping!]. We have reseeded the fairy garden and will hope something grows,

Now for tea and then I’m off. Aargh – the first time without my baby, not back until Tues. How crap do I feel?

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General, history, literacy, photos, science, Stringbean's HE

tears before bedtime – edited

Posted on October 8, 2005 by | 4 comments

It has been one of those days. I think all this socialisation and frenetic living is getting to all of us – time for some r and r!! Not helped by BB’s return to sleeping nightmare!

Initial Hama-ing. SB wanted to use the circle to do a face of BB – which she did really nicely, and started a new flower. A struggle over going to stagecoach – she definitely doesn’t want to go any more, and even the promise of a Christmas show isn’t wuite doing it. We will notify them she won’t be coming back next term. While she is there, she does seem to enjoy it, and goes off quite happily. For one reason or another, we are missing quite a few though anyway. We also have found the messing up of the weekend a bit of a pain.

This afternoon she has dissolved easily into tears. SHe has wanted to play with me non stop, but if I break one of her unspoken rule games she is heartbroken and sobs dreadfully. All very difficult, as I do also want to play with BB. When BB qwent to sleep, we did a shortlived word game with the boggle dice [she spelled cat and dog, and me bird, and then she did seeds] I then wrote a word without saying the letters I was looking for, so a standoff and it was put away. We had a nice game of dominos, and then I turned a corner without permission – game over! We read quite a few books though – the skeleton hiccups one she actually read quite a few of the words before she realised, and then abrubtly stopped. SHe has also done some colouring.

The other activity- mainly to give myself some headspace – was baking carrot cake – which we have done, wone to eat and one to freeze. At least that was enjoyed and tear free. the results were very nice too. Not so easy with dinner, as a cry when she realsied the spaghetti i had cooked weren’t tinned ones – sigh. She ate it all though. Some home grown grapes for pud. At present I am breathing[!!] as Daddy does bath before I do the stories.

I did get to have a short bit of BB only time – which is always nice. She is such a smiler. We were playing with the stacking cups, and a 4 high stacker toy. She enjoys this. Today she did the stacker toy herself!!! She was most impressed, particularly that I clapped, so did it lots more – until I went for the camera that is! Sb had been in the garden with Chris, but it rained, so she came back. we then did singing with actions for BB – wind the bobbin, twinkle twinkle etc.

It is clear that SB loves BB, but she can be so rough with her. I think as BB gets more mobile, she gets more of a threat as well -IYSWIM. Not that SB will be putting it in those terms, but I do have limited BB alone time [ i am trying for perhaps 2 x 15 mins slots - shouldn't be too hard??]. Hmmm – thinking cap!

Anyway, getting the call for stories, so a good thing I have blogged quickly!

edited: she wasn’t quite up for bed. so we looked at the DK pop out body book a bit, and discussed the spinal column and spinal cord mostly. then read roald dahl’s revolting rhymes – which are an unusual take n the standard fairy tales.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Cooking, Dance/drama, General, literacy, music, numeracy, photos, Ponderings, science, Stringbean's HE

october blogbumping

Posted on October 5, 2005 by | 5 comments

has been rather grand!
we have kirsty and co staying, and merry and co round for the day.

it was nice to get in from work to a houseful yesterday. Kirsty’s 2 and SB were demonstrating nicely one of the reasons we bought the house – it is a fantastic place for children to run around madly shrieking!! They played together, watched shrek and investigated the house together. unsurprisingly very late bedtime. foolishly i’d said we read 1 book for each – andthey all chose long ones. kirsty giggled as i started to paraphrase! not that they then fell asleep……… We got in a good natter before my eyes refused to stay open anyway. I did check out the sonlight manuals though.

Today they all demanded we bake so i checked ingredients and recipe. SOme nice drawing occurred while we adults had a cup of tea! they then ran around indoors and out like loons while I tidied some of the disaster from yesterday! once the floor was visible, it was quite clear that happy street should be done, and the 3 worked nicely to get the track to go around the mat – even with BB ‘helping’!

Kirsty here! Helen forgot to add in the huge conversation she and Marcus had about hearts and discussing the different parts of it using her freebie heart model she got ages ago. We must get one of those! This was started by looking at a big body book so loads of discussion there too. Marcus was beign very brave I must say, talking to both Helen and Chris like they were normal people (which of course they are lol!) and not like he normally talks to adults! He’s getting better!

oops edit no 2 – forgot to also add that on asking for a paracetamol for a headache Chris supplied me with 2 double strength cocodomal (sp?) which resulted in me being stoned for the whole day!! erm, oops!

When Merry and co arrived, Fran settled down to read numerous books to SB [what a great idea!], before they got more adventurous. the littlies demolished the happy street of course. While we grownups discussed sonlight, usborne and brownie-style badges for bloggers. was a great natter.

Chris edit – Whilst those adults nattered. This adult was in the kitchen organising lunches for the hoards. Much uproar was caused over instant needs for Pitta Bread ! there should be some sort of rule that all children will eat baked beans….

Children went outside and climbing framed and sandpitted [great!] when started to look overly excited we went to plan B which was drawing in the conservatory – some great pictures done. Included discussion on growing grapes, why they have pips, the solar system and order of planets.

When Merry went we had pasta tea, and the children counted to 10 in all known languages. Chris read some of our pre-loved ladybird books – greek legends and dinosaurs. They all did a lot of counting and adding, and some shops playing. I insisted only one book read to nigt, but they still spread it out by doing a full home-ed thing by discussing each page – counting, spotting differences etc etc. sigh!! Still awake. Anyway we actually did a lot of autonomous home ed.

now, have flickred, so may do a badge whilst drinking wine!

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ok, better late than never!

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Posted in art and crafts, Blogging, Butterbean, General, history, language, literacy, numeracy, photos, science, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

A life less chaotic

Posted on October 3, 2005 by | 7 comments

would be nice.
updates
HE
Sat - some explode the code [2 pages] and some singapore maths [2 pages] read 2 of the red nose readers. I read loads of other books. Discussion around romans. Army and costume mainly. Watched Muzzy. Went to stagecoach. mostly played though – chris feeling ill.
Sun – Chris a zombie, me with migraine. 2 pages explode the code 1, and 2 [just] of singapore earlybird 2b. read another red nose reader, some phonics cards. painted a lovely picture which she told me was a dreamtime story – and the story involved. heard her tell inlaws about how days and nights worked

Chris’s parents came over for sunday lunch and prob wished they hadn’t as we were in a bit of a state – house in uproar and dishevelled parents and children.

BB getting good at crawling forward now – at last! and likes to push along a car or other toy as well. good fine movt fingers – picks up the smallest speck of rubbish off the floor to eat!!

unfortunatley no sleeping skills – i closed my eyes at 6.30 am for alarm 15 mins later. dead on feet. In fact so dead, hace reallised i hav gone to work with trousers inside out – and done a whole clinic like this!!!! ROFL

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Daft Stuff, Dance/drama, General, history, language, literacy, numeracy, Stringbean's HE

Welcome to the mad house

Posted on September 28, 2005 by | 5 comments

we started lots of things, but not so good at completing! Sb still recovering from cold, and me from maudlin-ness. So a partial duvet day!!

We started off well though, had a look at various seed heads around the garden – the water iris and sweet chestnut the most fantastic. Picked up a few of other kinds too, and used them in a sticking picture of Autumn. We had a chat about seasons as we did it, what autumn meant, the how behind it etc. As we had done this in the conservatory, SB wanted to watch telly – so had a spanish Muzzy. Neither of us comprehended much, so we watched the english version – aha!! We were supposed to have the spanish back, but SB spied the bugs life video….. lunch was a good distraction, and after that we did some looking at our fly on the wall ancient egypt book and DK egypt book. We spied egypt on a map – SB a bit put out that it wasn’t ‘ancient egypt’. I tried to explain a bit about the country being more or less the same through the ages [yes, I know]. She did know the big river was the nile though – good-oh. She has decided that the first pharoah entombed in a pyramid was Josie Jo [close, as Djoser! - i wont let practical archaeology get to far Merry!!!!] We had a very brief look at the mediaeval bit of the DK history explorer – she was collecting stickers, and a blink at the solar system one. [and I mean a blink].

Moved on to Happy Street, and making stories. Getting better still with BB destroying as she goes [though the peace was uneasy!]. Some climbing about on the climbing frame, and then brought me the usborne greek myths and waved it about saying she wanted ulysses. i explained that was the other one, but she knows best and shows there is a woooden horse piccie in it. She’s right, the Ulysses story is in there too near the end. Odysseus here though – so we discussed name changing. She sat rapt by it, and insisted we went on to Theseus and the Minotaur.

What we haven’t done is any learning to read stuff and singapore or miquon maths for a while. I am gald we did some language though. knowing she would have it regularly at school does up the stakes doesn’t it. even for us, who are not trying to school at home. I know she will prob have a mad day of non-stop maths soon though, but I think we would like to encourage a daily habit as well. i have therefore taken photos of the front of some of these resources, and will cut them out into ? laminated magnetic stickers, or have a sheet with a certain number of them on, so she can get used to choosing which one to do, finidng matching book and getting on. How controlling. Once we’ve slipped back into the habit, we can just let go a bit again.

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Posted in art and crafts, General, history, language, photos, science, Stringbean's HE

The Grandparents have landed

Posted on September 27, 2005 by | 11 comments

Well, half of the 2 sets anyway.

Main event of the day was the moving of my parents. They have moved house from over 200 miles away to less than 20 (not coincidence of course, it was to be nearer us – well grandchildren really I suspect) It’s been a longish term plan of theirs, they’ve just been waiting for us to settle on where we would be living.

Nearest I lived since leaving home is about 70 miles, but for the last 10 + years it’s been about 250, so a bit of change there, kind of weird really. Stringbean is of course excited. I’m sure that there will be time of adjustment, but I’m pleased that they are nearer. My Dad has found long drives incressingly difficult in recent years. Now as well as us they are much nearer other relatives, so much less travelling for them. And it’s quite likley that he may have to give up driving at some point , so they are much better situated for coping with that (my mum doesn’t drive, though she once rode an orange moped). So me and SB were waiting today to pop over and visit them, but it was bit later than planned.

SB not been entirely well today, complained of painful throat when eating and didn’t have much breakfast or lunch, though seemed ok otherwise, though not keen on normally ‘keen on things’ such as baking cakes, so didn’t do that. Did make card for Nanny and Grandad for their new house, and we remade the Happy Street track (yep, still there Jax) that ‘Butterbean the Marbeliser’ had demolished last night like a mini Godzilla, and read few books before trying to entice her into breakfast. Me and BB had breakfast whilst SB fiddled about and ate half a small Petits Filou. She disappeared off to ‘Happyland’ and played for a quite bit by herself, so me and BB grabed the opportunity to have bit of one to one time playing. Always fun, as she is such smiley chuckly girl. She also enjoys a bit of rootling about on the floor, so she did bit of that whilst I did few a domestic chores, her baby grow distubingly grubby afterwards though (I hate kitchen floors, they just get to dirty too quickly….).

SB moved onto a Muzzy CDROM on the computer, and then onto the CBeebies website, BB had some milk and went off to sleep, so then I sat and helped SB with the above. After a bit, we went outside and poked around in the garden, looking for beasties, talking about Autumn and winter, where the weeds come from, what we are going to grow where etc. She was now flagging bit, so inside for some lunch, of which she ate little. So dosed up on Calpol, she settled down under a duvet on the sofa for an afternoon of vids and DVD’s.

When Helen came home later, she had perked up a bit, esp. as mum came bearing gifts of magazines, and Playdough :-) (And Mmmmm, it was real Playdo, there is nothing like the smell of the real thing) Eventually my mum rang to say they were in their new house, so I got ready to go over (I had to collect some goldfish they had brouight up from their pond) SB had been goign to come, then said she was goign to stay, then decided at the last minute to come. She did a really good job of trying to stay a wake in the car in the way – just dozed off near the end. Saw the new house, sorted out a couple of simple things for them, had litle bit of chat etc. popped to the chippy for tea, SB ws trying to eat her chips, but was really tired by now, she was almost falling alseep over them – ‘can we go home now’…I think she fell asleep in the car in about 2 minutes.

House seems quite nice if you ignore the decor in some (most?) places. a bungalow would ahve been the sensible choice, but they could find one suitable in their price range. My dad has got his ‘bionic leg’ as we joke about it- nothign quite so grand really. He is paralysed down one side, and for many years now has had to wear a leg caliper to support his foot, but this is heavy and awkward. His been fitted with pretty new thing they are trying out, which basically stimulates the muslces in the duff leg to lift the front of the foot as he walks, which stops him tripping, and means he doesn’t need the caliper. He only got it this week, so early days but seems to be working well.

We are now getting to the stage where I am more likley to be popping to them to sort something out, rather than them helping us to do stuff, which feels a little poignant, though my Dad is disabled he was always active, and in my head is still the person who was up on the roof fixing it when I was teenager, or helping us fix rotten windows and build brickwalls in the garden in the old house. Though he’ll not be doing that now (though they did help us with the fixing up of the old one before we sold it). It’s Helen’s Aunty Peggy’s funeral tomorrow, what with this, and all the things happening for Little Nanny thisd year, there is a bit of a sense of the generational baton gradually being passed on here I feel.

BB looking very grown up today (though not as much as josie, not enough hair), pulled out a load of next size clothes to sort out for her. I put her in one of the favouritist pairs iof dungarees we had for SB, still looking cute :-) Bit of a tear in my eye though as I remembered SB wearing them, was she really so young not so long ago – less than 2 months to BB’s first birthday – excited, sad? I’m not sure.

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Posted in Butterbean, moving house, Out and About, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

What an excellent weekend – edited to add photos!

Posted on September 25, 2005 by | 2 comments

Had some great company, from the ‘making it up’ family. [who have also beeaten us to blogging!] SB and Big racing about together and BB and Small also doing a fair bit of interaction. Took so many photos, have given it a flickr set

On Saturday, all the children were fairly exhausted still from a late night, so we did ‘managed interventions’ [LOL] to keep the humour going and their awakeness untill an acceptable time for bed. This included sticker pictures, icing [and eating] muffins, book reading and indoor/outdoor changes of venue. It worked quite well really. Its nice to see how well they all get on bearing in mind the short time they have known each other, and the few times they have met. got some nice Flickr photos. Small was being a bit of the daredevil on the climbing frame, but escaped with minor bumps and bruises only [a relief!]

SB also restarted Stagecoach – she missed the first one last week. Having been reluctant to go, we were discussing this beign the last one, but she returned full of enthusiasm – we will wait and see.

Bedtime well managed, and peace had descended by 8pm – wow! Allowing for a fair bit of adult natter time and general gossip/setting worlds to rights and catalogue drooling. We weren’t quite as good at getting an early night. Jax appeared to also like the melon vodka.

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Sunday
Well, Merry has beaten me to the blog! Anyway in the morning, the girls were still shattered, and played well for most of the morning, and then were played out really – well they have done well. We did though dress them in matching princess fairy outfits [bridesmaids dresses to you and me!]. SO I have now worn my voice out [as if] by reading every princess story in the barefoot book, half the faeries one and to general amusement, fox in socks, which I will consider sending Big as a present!

Merry and Co from Patch of Puddles joined us for lunch [chaos!] and then we went to the romano-british day at Hinchingbrooke Park. We were rather late getting there, and had missed the battle, but I did enjoy the rather gory Boudicca story. The lady in the roundhouse was informative, and SB enjoyed just looking about. She didn’t think there were any romans there, as they weren’t wearing togas, or the bright red of the army [though we did miss the fight - and she was disspointed about that] As we walked pased the spinner, she said she knew it was spinning, and she had seen it before, so didn’t need to again! So something def going in then!! ‘quietly making noise‘ were also there, and Sam, and SB had a jump over dinosuar pit/midden [depending on viewpoint] competition. They both lost!

The display room was good, and all the children enjoyed the sandpits/archaeological digs. there were some tesserae to make mosaics, and bits of moasaic tiles. SB particularly proud to get a free postcard. On the display, it said various freebies for schools and entry to various local digs etc, so may follow that up, as it seems there is quite an interest from the children. The archaeologists had fluorescent safety jackets with official archaeologist on the back – Kewl!!

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Said goodbye to the various families as we all went back our different ways. SB just about persuaded to stay awake, and we used up the rest of the pyramid templates. The house is VERY quiet!! A total disaster zone, as 3 mini tornados and a baby destroyer of worlds have certainly left their mark [s]. I’d better start on the happy street [and flickr in a bit!]

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Dance/drama, General, geography, history, literacy, Out and About, photos, SB-PE, socialisation

Short Blog

Posted on September 24, 2005 by | 3 comments

well, for once I’m going to be succint as we have guests.

yesterday I finally went to the emergency dentist to have tooth done – should have gone ages ago as cracked filling was spearing my gum. Still painful today, but in an aching something done way, so much better. the emergency dentist at the hospital was a fab woman.

Jaw ached so much, that I called it a day at lunchtime though and came home, just in time to nip off with the beans to puddlers. [my first!]

that was very nice! will def go if free from work for whatever reason. It was an egypt session, so we made tammy’s fantastic sugarcube pyramid – from the story of the world activity book. Rather unfortunately, she told me that the activity boook comes with suggested stories to buy, all available from rainbow resources, so Jan may be main another order when this one comes through!

other bits of fun – heiroglyphics, scarab beetle seals, making a paper pyramid and sand camels. I rea d a few books as well. tick box, tick box, tick box!!!!!! Hopefully Merry took a photo with our beans, that I can nick from flickr!

Home again home agian quickety quick, as imminent arrivals from ‘making it up’. I say imminent, but although Tim did OK, Jax got caught in traffic from hell. Big and SB instantly disappeared to play, and eventually all 3 were intently happy streeting.

any thoughts they might wear tthemselves out were, of course,erroneous. eventually a midnight socks the survivor tape did the trick. they still woke up promptly though, an BB had given us a dreadful night. luckilly i am coming too whilst blogging. may even get dressed!!

guinness back as well

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, General, geography, history, literacy, Out and About, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

The long and the short of it.

Posted on September 23, 2005 by | 1 comment

Bwahh! just shut the wrong window – goodbye post….. Luckily it wasn’t too much written.

Took the tandem out with the trailer as well for it’s first run as a full rig – ‘The Beanmobile’ :-) To nursery and to ballet class – a few car-replacement miles to justify it’s purchase.Stringbean thought it was great having Butterbean as well. Lovely Autumn morning to be pottling along. SB seems much happier now about going off on her own into things. She’s happy now to run off to get cuddle from ‘her’ nursery nurse, always used to like me to stay for bit first, and goes off into ballet without a second thought. Good to see, as she was always happy to do this, but the move left her seemingly much less confident. Excited to have all the gear for her ballet class, though ‘Bad Daddy’ forgot to sew the little bits of elastic onto her shoes, but they stayed on fine. Quite why the teacher wants skirts above the knee when the skirts in the shop all seem to be longer than that I don’t know….. bit more sewing to be done eventually I guess. Supposed to have little basket as well. Outfit is mostly in blue though, I’m sure there are ploenty of disappointed little girls who would have preferred all pink :-)

She of course looks just so cute :-) in the outfit. Piccies will soon be on Flickr.

That’s about it for interesting things from today, a bit of mising catchup from Tuesday:

Morning started unsually with bit of TV – she asked to watch some TV, and had managed to pick the time when CBeebies starts on BBC2, so got to watch a bit of that first, prised her away for breakfast by promising to video a bit.

Breakfast was followed by finding library books, getting dressed etc. – always seems to be plaver when we want to get out, then she wants to take her dolly pushchair as we almost ready to go out :roll: , Amble round to library, drop off the books for checking back in, settle down for story time – BB seemed quite attentive as well. Then probably SB’s favourite bit of the colouring and glueing and sticking – it was a mermaid so she was happy with that. She is always the last to finish as she always wants to do two…..

Bit of a chat afterwards about HE and stuff, given pointer to a dance shop in local town, so planned a visit to finish kitting SB out with her ballet kit. home to give BB some milk whence she promptly fell asleep and slept for about 3 hours :-) – she had had very bad night – a lot of crying – I’d ended up taking her into another room, but she still continued for bit. So me and SB had peaceful time, reading some of her library books, having lunch, watching the bit of recorded Cbeebies – Balamory, hanging out washing, whilst SB ‘helps’ – eventually decided she would be the ‘peg giver girl’ and clambers on the climbing frame – latest trick seem to be to climb along the top of the ‘jungle run’ handlebars with a foot on each one.

Main thing is that we finally started on doing something with the ‘Muddlepuddle postcards’ (a bunch of children on the Muddlepuddle email list sent postcards to each other) Pinned the map to the board, joined postacrds to location with some red wool. It’s looking very good, but still not finished as we ran out of pins – ands while we must have loads, they haven’t surfaced from the boxes yet. SB got very good at stringing the wool, tying knots and cutting it. Will do a piccie when it’s finished. However the list contained 28 other families we only seem to have 20 recieved – is it time to ‘name and shame’…?

Somewhere onong the way, SB disappeared upstairs to play with her dollies for bit, while I was on the telephone, so I left her to it to grab a bit of valuable ‘me’ time for a bit of quiet reading of the Grauniad and drinking of tea. Helen was due back from work pretty late, and a bit of kid free time is very good for keeping things on an even keel later on.

Once BB (eventually) woke it was some quick late lunch and then we whizzed off to do some shopping. Dance shop was tedious, becuase all the new classes have started and we caught the after school ‘rush’ – well it’s atiny shop, so only afew customers, but only one salesperson, so it wasn’t goign very quickly. So we had to wait what seemed like forever. SB – and BB were good though waiting so long. SB pleased to have the gear now. Popped into closing down baby shop and bought a couple of fleecy winter hats for the girls each for ?1.50 each – SB talked me into buying this fluffy plastic Tiara thing as well……

Time for quick hit on Waitrose and then home for dinner. SB was fine really, but did come out rather to often with ‘can we have’, ‘I want these not those’ etc. I was flaggin g a bit, so came out with the old chestnut ‘ I’ve just spent loads buying you your dance stuff, I don’t want to hear anymore I want’s or we will take it back’ :-) – one of those ‘did I really say that’ moments…… Ok empty threat , but it had the desired effect :-)

Home for dinner, a bit later than normal, and BB seemed starving, she wolfed it down and was making a fuss > Helen didn’t get home until about 8 – 8.30, so SB pleased to still be up when she got home, so she had bit of late bed time. BB of course was just happy for some proper nosh. Spagehtti and sauce from a jar (Lloyd Grossman, rather nice actually) was just about all I could manage to get for tea for us by then.

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Posted in Books, Dance/drama, geography, literacy, Out and About, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

Late starts and early finishes

Posted on September 21, 2005 by | Leave a comment

well, hopefully chris will finish the blog for yesterday and put up :?)

today – well I had had such a crap night with BB feeding permanently, and rather a few work calls that I was no good for man nor beast and had a lie in.

Rousted up, and came too with nice cooked breakfast from Chris and played ‘round the mulberry tree‘ board game with SB. I read the last 2 disney princessess magazines [oh joy] cover to cover. SB loves them though, and it is all learning to enjoy the written /oral word after all.

I gazed with a suitable amount of impressedness at the map and postcards she and chris did yesterday [is that a spoiler?] whilst feeding BB [so she went to sleep for 2 hours- nice!]. we found where people lived, and those that sent postcards from areas other than their home address caused some consternation. Chris had aimed the postcard to Dartmoor, but it is now re-aimed somewhat closer to home. [you know who you are!]

We went outside to measure up the fruit bed – which looks a much more promising site for an archaelogical dig. I am going to buy minarettes, as although I think they are aesthetically fairly awful, they are the best functional use for that space, and then will have some espaliered pears and apples around the veg beds. Ken Muir are doing an offer with the kitchen garden magazine, which is effectively 6 at 12 each. I trimmed some more holly, and played catch games with SB, and stories for the climbing frame.

Found guinness, and unfortunately confirmed tht he has a very nasty leg injury, so is at present in the vets awaiting xray and then hideously expensive treatment. [so maybe fruit trees will wait]. Its either broken or dislocated – possibly from being run over. Rest of him seems ok – thank goodness. We will find out tomorrow.

SB had desire to make cupcakes, but settled for chocolate muffins. I have found out that she prefers to measure things in imperial – well there are far less oz than g! So returned to the past to measure in oz theingredients. They were delicious – so obviously an imperial recipe! Did some match and sort – AKA miquon while they were cooking – she def prefers singapore, but i think that is because miquon is so different to start with. She does, however, really like using the cuisinaire rods. Hooray – not a frip after all!

Whilst she ate her lunch, I got some of our shallots and started preparing them for pickled shallots – they are steeping in the brine overnight. prob 1/3 our shallot harvest, and will make 2 kilner jars. I will use some for shallot confiture. then discuss with chris whether to use the others fresh or pickle. Since we are a family keen on pickles and chutneys, I think its better to pickle and chutney, and use onions for everyday eating. We are going to replant some of them, as too late to do a shallot order.

BB keen on more feeding, so we read a book on earth sea and sky [well half], about, well, what is says on the tin – we didn’t get to sky part. She likes things involving the globe, so we looked at various features on there as well – though ours is such a cheap tesco globe that not very featureful, more political. We also played dinosaur ludo toghether. SB getting much better at understanding the flow of games. May even introduce the catching concept now. A ring on the bell, and the last of the redbook order [that had gone to leeds by mistake - I am sure i changed the address - LOL]. So we then read 4 of the anholts artists series. A real hit. A nice way to start thinking about art. She was particularly struck by the art in the Picasso one – asking why he painted the girl so many ways. [why not?]

We also have been listening to classic fm, and trying to discuss the type of music etc a bit. Must do a bit more stuff with the piano though.

BB has crawled alot today – getting very good at it. [in a slow lollopy way]. i am still making sure that I divert attention purposely to her, and SB getting better at following along, or doing something else [albeit reluctantly].

I’ve been out for a works meal – which was very nice. Given a slight grilling over home-ed, put played it as an even balance, not an anti schools thing, and something that just seemed right for us at this time. i wish Chris had never been a teacher though. I am p****d off with the, well its ok for you as Chris is a teacher – irrelevant!!! I keep plugging on about it just being an extension of what i’m sure they do for their own children without noticing anyway. no special skills, just time, patience, books and enthusiasm [well, ok there are some special skills in that lot - patience being one I have to master!] Some nodding there, so left it at that point.

Sundry messages and notices: I was having a dig at myself in the last post as a reaction to the school solar plexus thing. Do keep on posting your lists of what you do – i think it was the 10 pages of miquon!!! I like to see it, and although I do compare, on the whole I am not too stressed by it, as SB a wee thing. I can’t believe my blog stresses anyone – after all, we don’t often DO much of anything [ie 1-2 pages miquon with a lot of round the housesing] and its often me just reading lots.

If I was to be critical, I think i don’t do enough hands on demonstrations. This is why I am exited by the idea of a fake dig. I did look for old terracotta pots for painting and then breaking – with the idea that they could be dug up and glued together. However, we seem to have not brought any down from leeds with us. nor broken crocks. Will rethink. On a similar vein, having blanched the shallots in their skins and got a lovely deep coloured water, how much onion/shallot skins do you think you need to put in to make a dye??

Oh, and Kirsty, I only have 2 K books!!! [LOL] I thought I had more than that, but i have some 1′s and the usborne science ones making me think I have a lot!!!! My real flirtation with sonlight will start at about core 2, when the history and readers start to tie together. we might even try it then for that part.

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