Category Archives: writing

A game of 2 halves

well we:
finished the cards
finished wrapping the pressies from SB
made the aubergine, mushroom and paneer curry
made brandy butter
did jump ahead year 1 placement test thingy – SB very impressed to have a certificate! She found it offputting when I said she could guess if she didn’t know, as normally I scaffold answers till we get there.
did some drawing and colouring – she spent absolutely ages doing a really beautiful card for her cousin M. His family on the front, our family in the middle and the writing.
We messed about counting in German and some basic phrases.
I read loads of books to her. the insited she read 2 to me – she did really well with an early ladybird phonics book and a library book happy dog sad dog.

BB slept loads to make up for dreadful night. She also did some drawing when she woke up, and generally chortled.

So are we the perfect stepford family?? Well, not really. BB getting to have a dreadful temper-in the making. She shrieks and screams for her own way. Doesn’t like me to share cuddles with SB. Is absolutely vicious in her quest for milk, and now throws herself on the floor and drums heels – hmm. luckilly not that often! And SB, well she still is her cry at any negligible provocation phase, which I don’t as a rule blog, because the majority of the day is great, and although has short term driving me up the wall capabilities, isn’t a major focus of the day thing. Mind you todays kerfuffle over the minimal tidyng i asked her to do did lead her to be sent upstairs. She then waisled as she was tidying, only i hadn’t noticed – obviously at the same speed tectonic plates move then. I am not an immensley patient woman, and Chris getting rattier – due to sleep deprivation all round I suspect. SO not Stepfordd, but normal.

Summary was though of a busy and fun day.

RANT ALERT: hadn’t realised that Chris parents who I finally did agree could take SB to a carol service in the evening are actually coming to take her away in the morning – why?? I def didn’t want that. SO grumpy. Luckilly I had vetoed the stopover in advance. i just don’t want SB to be taken away from me when I am at home, as I feel my home time is precious. Thursday is nursery party day, and friday I am at work, so losing her for 2 days already. I had thought I had made myself clear on this.

fingers crossed

an electric cooker on freecycle…..

Oh, and I have done bugger all today – well, apart from spoend the morning in the hospital, 3 very long phonecalls in afternoon and evening- 2 with work colleagues about appraisal. You know, I am about to have my first on friday, and i am the expert – rofl!

SB crafted, drawn, dot the dotted, played chase with BB and another over 1 hour on the maths game my dad bought. Also wrapped up 3 of her old toys for BB – bless. Autonomous ed rules!

All ebay items bar one safely in.
Must be at least a bit productive tomorrow – are you visiting Merry, or blocking my emails and texts, and ignoring the comments ?- sigh! anyone would think she had been posting 699 parcels [rofl]

Another busy day

But didn’t get through list even though early start!
Sb woke up at 5 am, and after her wriggling around in our bed, since I had migraine and awake anyway, took tabs and carted her off to here bed. Numerous made up stories later, and also some story tapes the sunlight was well and truly pouring through the uncurtained windows, so time to get up!!

She played with Sindy’s for ages whilst i tried to be asleep. Chris got up, so she cadged brekkie from him, and I descended at around 10am!

So stright into the fray – we finished the jar painting- hooray! so wrapped and labelled them all.
Next on agenda sweeties – always such a hardship to make. Last year we made fudge, and I was told it was tablet – very nice too. This year we have made fudge from an usborne book recipe, so no worry about setting points etc [though I do have a sugar thermometer]. Also courtesy of usborne, white and dark chocolate truffles. If anyone else making them, add 25g more cake and 15g approx icing sugar to get the dark to be as firm as the white – otherwise a very squishy mess.

Question: for the sweets – do you think I should freeze them untill xmas or leave in the fridge – usborne plays a week shelf life in fridge game.

massive diversion – listening to favourite Corelli Xmas concerto grosso, and just must get violin out and then join something local. I miss the yearly xmas concert ritual.

Quite a bit of drawing from SB whilst i gave BB alot of attention. She really is a giggly heap of a girl, and enjoyed chase and jiggles, then some putting things on head and laughing games. She also did a bit of making marks with purpose [rofl!]

SB and BB then turned the large chopping board into a wobble board, using a masking tape reel as the fulcrum – kept them both entertained for ages. BB sat on it and wobbled her bottom, giggling, and SB – well, she was just mad!

Tea of couscous and morrocan stew, some help/hindrance in the starting off of the dundee ckae, and it popped in the oven as they had their baths.

As I type [after a considerable delay!] SB is asleep – shattered, no fuss tonight. BB is pottering around at my feet, having woken up after 30mins and very awake. She likes tongue wiggling talking to me, and has been pointing out the cat. She also shared in mine and Chris’s meal of spaghetti – very amusing!

i have wrapped SB’s pressies, and the dundee cake is out – piccie to join the other one. Hmm!!!

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type 1 Parents R Us!

I am not sure quite why I had the gall to complain – well, I wasn’t really, just laughing at myself!
anyway, as a tried and convicted flickerite……

Today was Mudpud group end of year bash. Resolutedly with no Christian theme as it is multifaith. Actually, I am going to digress immediately.

SB wanted to know why all the usual people weren’t there, and to use Merry’s phrase, I said the scarf ladies weren’t there because they were Muslim, and knew that a Chrsitian church hall was bound to have loads of the usual Christian decs. this was a bit of a gloss, as they all had other apologies, but a good way of introducing faith and how you must respect each other. As we have the Hannah and her grandmother book, and a few other faith type books, we have discussed Islam before, and talked about Eid when it was. She wanted to know how you knew which god was right – a bit deep for bedtime really. SO I discussed that it was the one that you felt comfortable as having, either because your family had had that God, or as you grew older and looked into these things, that God was the one that you felt was right [I think most of the scarf ladies are converts] I always find this more dificult being an agnostic. However, I guess if we do it often enough, I will feel more comfortable, and she will have an open mind. Although Chris’s family are very religious [baptists], I don’t want their religion to be the automatic default one should she choose to follow one. To that, I may struggle to go the the church Christingle this weekend with her, or to the carol service next weekend.

for those that do Christingle – do I have to make an orang and candle thing, for most C of E, will it be OK just to turn up and look hopeless? Is there a particular form to follow?? AArrgh.

Anyway, we took along a dancing ladies craft made from paper plates – though mostly called angels by those doing them, they didn’t actually have wings, and I cut them to have crowns instead of halos. There was also a decorate the snowflake from Merry, and a decorate a biscuit. SB was rather over the top with the decorating [surprise surprise], but Amelie exceeded all with her snow lady – totally whited out by cotton wool!

the bouncy castle brought was a fab idea, and a great hit with the children. A food spread and party games completed the very enjoyable no faith end of term party.

on our return, SB insisted on wrapping up some christmas presents [sorry to the recipients!] but did write their names and hers on a tag. lots of roller skating being different animals. Again the T rex was best, though the grasshopper quite amusing.

She is being a reluctant to go to bedder again – this time she came down because she thought she saw a dragon peeping around the corner. I suggested that could she ask it to live with us, stay in the utility room to replace the boiler, and we will feed it catfood with the occasional treat, and it can have all summer as a holiday!

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Oh Festive Day

In this home-ed lark, it does seem like the whole of December is a Chrismas-ed type of month.
today we hav done:
Christmas crafts – no surprise there, loads of christmas cards done
Christmas writing practice – loads of writing SB to be honest, but still, writing.
Christmas maths – we have 28 cards left to do, how many have we done now, how many left
Christmas counting – how many address labels are left??
Christmas economics – discussion on how we pay for posting, and her jolly stamps or stickers wouldn’t cut the mustard with the post office, why there are 2 different rates [why are there really now, when first class not guarenteed?].
Christmas history – a foray into history of stamps, christmas cards and christmas trees – yes, those victorians!
Christmas music – yep Christmas carols!
Christmas baking – delias yummy savoury scone recipe

OK, and I read loads of Apple tree farm books, which are not Xmassy, we looked at the 1001 things to spot history – but thinking of geography as well. Some cbeebies – particularly good at the roly mo spelling game. Lots of playing with her sister – which I really like. general playing.

BB – well, she is feeling a bit better today, and ate 1/3 of my donut treat [shouldn't live opposite a bakery!] She was mostly stacking things, running off with SB’s toy animals, rarring at shape sorter when bashing in hard still didn’t get things to go in the wrong holes. Also, turning pages of the books I was trying to read to SB, as she doesn’t like me doing this! She is very good at turning pages. She has been walking faster and aster recently as well.

Overall a lovely day. Tomorrow they are both in nursery. I am 2 minds about this as usually we cancel when I am at home, but there is so much we need to do, that a short burst of childcare will hopefully do the trick, and let us really relax and enjoy the weekend. [does this make me awful, having just moaned about lack of time with the children???]

PS SB gagging me – she obviously doesn’t like the descants
password is the usual ,email if you have forgotten and want it – not v exciting though!

yesterdays blog

Hmm, well I really do need some sleep ? the combination [boring though it is getting] of these broken bits means I just don?t get a decent sleep for love nor money. When combined with SB having nightmares about being made into mushroom stew by a witch ? that girl has too much imagination, and BB feeding non stop?..

Anyway, we actually have had a good day, so I shouldn?t moan, even if adult tempers frayed significantly as the beanies bathtime approached.

We started with cards ? as sooooo far behind on both the early years list, and those for friends and family. How did Xmas get so close?? Then a fair bit of just playing followed by tidying up. I read to SB the why we eat usborne science book, so we did a few of the experiments out of that as well. Lunch was disregarded by both the little beans as neither fully chipper. SB did feel well enough for an icecream though?.

After lunch we had a group play session, which BB thoroughly enjoyed. Then we painfully did 4 pages of explode the code 1. SB great at the reading and ringing bits, but finds writing dreadful. Must sort the getty and dubay. She then did lots of sprinklies over the house picture, rather than more xmas cards. Her next book for me was all about magnets. We had quite a long chat about them. BB asleep fitfully in lap, so didn?t do experiments, but discussed the brio trains and the fridge magnets as reference, and we bought a magnet and iron filings set from brightminds as xmas pressie ? so will use that later. When the book got to electromagnets we thought we would have a break.

At this point BB vomited rather impressively all over me. Lovely. SB cheered her up by gentle stroking [read manic mauling] and was then persuaded to put on a music and dance show ? something she needs only minimal encouragement for!

Over tea with did a lot of counting in German and some mental maths ? adding and subtracting. SB also through the day has being coming to me with one liner queries regarding the concept of tens and units, so something percolating there!

Internet connection down, so done this as a word document. Hope it springs back soon!

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Well…

Not sure if I’m going to write a huge amount! We had a great week in Okehampton – thanks Sarah for arranging it. Got to chill and chat with people i just don’t see enough. Slightly more tricky due to broken arm, but hey, amongst friends!

Highlights: has to be BB walking! SB picking up with her friends with great ease. Pennywell. Good food and drink. SB hugely excited to meet Father Christmas.

Lowlights: broken arm. long painful journey, SB being sick!

Credit due: Sarah – for alsorts. Alison and Sarah for being commis chefs, and Jax for being my sous chef for the curry! Ady – for lots of things! Kirsty for remembering my books – thankyou. [that map one is really good!] ‘Tilda for her creche idea!

home-ed moments: well apart from the socialisation, drama re-enactments, story telling, crafts etc, I have enjoyed SB’s determination to count to 100 [can get to 59 now], and managing to write I luv uu [sic] in a card for me.

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calming down

chris much better. i’m not, but really expected!
we are hoping to set off tomorrow – and i have packed [very slowly!] the clothes.
will text if we don’t.
i have loads of ebay bids on dressing up clothes, and will see if i have won any on return – chris laughingly thinks i will win the lot, but not wiht my max bid!! prob none.
BB well and jolly, and SB hasn’t caught anything

Actually done a fair bit of home ed stuff – lots of reading, story books, books on engines – plus ad hoc experimenting!] Hama beads, mental maths. lots of role play, sindy playing, lego playing. Some christmas cards – not too glittery actually!

Mistakenly looked at finances after an im with Jax – so back into depressed mode! But decided to ignore until after Xmas, and just be prudent until then – apart from an increase [dramatic] in the alcohol budget.

We unfortunately missed SB’s last stagecoach show, as I broke my arm the week before, we weren’t told, hadn’t been the week before that as Nic visiting, so this week she was taken by grandparents, who stayed to watch it. I’m less upset than I thought I would be – prob because the grand scheme of things problems are a bit large at the moment. SB did us at least 6 ballet shows to make up!

BB a treasure also, very happy laughing and cruising around. [shouting!] only the odd unaided step though. May bring her walker toy with us. Sh’es got great dimples.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Down but not out

l feel issue ridden, but not a good time.
BB still dread-ful with purulent eyes.
-*also helping me to typ++e ++++++++a+t th+e- moment – mainly the plus sign, you will have noticed.
lots of sleeping and milk.

SB did 4 pages explode the code with nanny, lots of sindy playing. drove me wild with her bouncing on the spacehopper – only suppose to be done in corridor, but knocked my arm. bowled bb over and final straw my much needed cup of tea. and with it my patience,
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [bb again]
cue totalmayhem and appaling cheekiness and strops. finally settled with sitting beside me quietly for 3 mins, doing an errand [getting bb's cardi], a hug and some tears. she was an angel for the resr of the day. odd. need to get this under control, as cheekiness horrid.

lots of book reading [mostly reading books, included ulysses, a+--nd caught mum to giggle at goriness. She learnt it in latin!], lego and the spent over an hour on a maths cdrom dad brought. we aLso did come german

dad nearly finished pink bedroom, and chris has managed to help a bit.

my arm killing me, if anything worse as had to keep BB ok, as unwell she is not into mummy substitutes.
+

Some ed achieved

yesterday we did a hama spiral glaxay [rofl], some addition and takeaway with beads, and read many books including the buddhist tales from barefoot.

Today we did 4 pages explode the code, 4 pages singapore maths, making letters with maxi hama, christmas cards – stamps and sitckers – for the early HE list. A sudoku grid. Nanny took her to the park to wear her out [failure]

BB has dreadful conjunctivitis, but is trying to be a gorgeous smily star anyway. She got to push the dollies pushchair today – what a big girl! A few single steps, and finally got the swapping hand on hidden thing gag!