festival of history – 2008

dates for next year are decided.Bit of a surprise as earlier this year with 19/20 july! we camped at wicksteed park this year, as v cheap and easy, and a great place for a bit of communal camping! we would plan to do again, so any other joiners, mark it i your diary.

walking and cycling

My car being at work due to the shenanigans of last weeks travelling meant we all went into town today, but to the other side and had a lovely walk/cycle around the park. SB cycled, BB triked [sometimes pushed] and walked and we did all the usual looking at things that goes on. was chuffed that SB had remembered loads about clouds and weather, reminded her of the names. BB in particular had a real ball with leaf kicking. Ended at the cafe – where else? and they coloured and drew funghi and SB read the display.

and off we go

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Home, mostly playing. SB did do some violin practice though. Whilst we did this, BB was very carefully ascending and descending a note at a time on the toy keyboard, singing doe a deer at the same time. i was impressed. BB and I read books – she loves counting at the mo, and she and SB played a complicated game with the alphabet cards, and SB and I played a lot of card games, including rapid adding up. Rather HE-ly, we now have 2 and 3 times tables up in the toilet, which she chants loudly when she goes. 2′s are fine, and the early 3′s any way. When BB in bed, she then went through a DK gymnastics book, doing warm up and various positions. She has finished the magic tree house ghost town book already! so I have put various mapping, atlas and explorer and such like books in her choice box at her request.

I need to buy some textbooks. they come in at 150 – 200 each! added to our 2000 [well just under] mondeo bill and christmas, aaarrgh. So might just stick some of the Katie art books in anyway – or is SB too old now?

Soothing Saturday

we planned a chilled day today – or rather hope to plan! S and I had a nice morning snuggle in her bed with me making up stories for her, and just chatting about this and that. When she went downstairs I fell asleep until BB came up with a card she had made for me – ahh.

SB did a long violin practice [we're getting to the end of the book and the musical antics of last week also enthused her] and a MUCH shorter piano, as we’ve hit a piece where she needs to move her hands, and at the present it is a bit of a brick wall, so gently manouvering around it. She won’t move on till she can do it btw.

A mood enhancing high carb lunch to gee us parents up! Worked to, with strong coffee!! Then SB did loads of maths – again a book end in sight, read cover to cover jan’s Richard scarry books and then did some circle based painting.

BB had been doing jigsaws and also painting – well demanding I make circles for her to turn into things! i read a variety of books, and she pretended to read some too. Lots of counting involved, as she likes counting. She then went on to play with the playdough – after having a sulk that it wasn’t fimo – rofl! rule is we do fimo with SB and mess with playdough otherwise – I am so harsh.

BB was the one with particular post camp behaviour [and parents - me flickring and chris just being out of avery one's way!] SB was fine.

Watched some numberjacks and roar pre tea, and little house on the prairie post tea. SB discussed the story as one where an 80 year old dies, and her friend pretends to die so she gets to see her family. SB just didn’t understand why they wouldn’t visit. I explained travelling being so much more of a deal than jumping in a car!
With BB reluctantly going to bed, SB and I did some sewing as she wants to make her a sewn card. we cannabalised some shorts embroidery, and she cross stitched one onto a card very nicely. She is now reading the next magic tree house – Ghost Town at Sundown, so as well as the little house on the prairie, I need to find a few other books that vaguely tie in for her ‘choice’ box.

Hmmm, time for a cup of coffee methinks. oh, SB can remember roman numerals – she knew a VII was 7!

DS camp?

I wasn’t there for very long, but DSing was a prominent feature of camp. It didn’t impede playing, cooperativeness or socialisation for those worrying about it – as it was prominently as social event! [other similar photos from others on flickr]
DS again!

DS enclave
We very greatfully received our ds from the monkey house a while back – and SB has made champion efforts with nintendogs and less so with shamu. i have tried out the animal crossing to see if she would get much from it. hmm to whether she could reallly play it without me yet, but she might get it for her birthday. However, in the 3 week tryout, I have obviously become an expert – so gave E a tutorial – rofl! Mind you, teaching E suggested that although SB can read fine, she would find ‘the point’ a bit too obtuse too [mind you, not sure if she would care?].
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What other games are out there that are a bit animal crossingy but perhaps a bit more obvious in what you are supposed to actually DO! Any advice greatfully received! Something that they can wifi at camp perhaps as well?? theres a zoo tycoon ds – and I know Monster apparently likes whatever game console thingy he plays it on – would that be a good option?

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There and back again

After [for me] and all to brief dose of Nic camps, we came back with an easy drive and at the lunch stop, chris read his texts, and the local friend had asked for a playdate today or tomorrow. Since SB and her get on like a house on fire, we are both keen to encourage this as often as possible! So since I knew I would be ‘slow’ on Sat [and I am] we chose the Friday. She finishes school at 15:30, and we got back 5 mins later! So a quick into playing mode.

Actually SB did very well, as she could have been ‘camped out’ But her and R couldn’t quite make up the same story to do with the castle and knights, so I intervened, and we played continuo – which we all enjoyed. I did the adding up for R, and SB showed off! SO we then moved onto fimo. R has never done any before, so I helped her work out how to do a zebra – and she did that, and then a kitten in a basket. Baked it and then she could take it her [parents v interested in fimo, and gave them the webdetails of a reputable local supplier - rofl!]

SO we took her home 3hours later and then relaxed in their entirely fabtastic house with wine and crisps having a good natter, whilst the girls were altogether better at playing together with pollypockets! finally coming home nearing 10 – thus no flickr or blogging as once girls asleep, chris and i relaxed with QI and a drink of coffee – i neither managed to watch or drink!

Chris cooking a parental pick me up for lunch [high in carbs!]

Sussex Nic Camp

I only made the last day – but it was lovely, and I saw the caberet, got to the beach and shared in C’s birthday party and lots of late night gossip. Sure Chris might blog more – errm, well not sure exactly! Both girls also had a great time, so thanks Nic for organising. Will wade through the 6 billion photos to flicker 10% [rofl!!]

Oh, and I will u-tube the okeycokey [spontaneously childled] and stick in here too!

PS I have been a bit lazy with the flickr tags – not entirely accurate – so feel free to add or subtract your tag if it annoys!!

Hey, I made 50!!

at the free rice
CORRECT!

  1. hawkshaw means:
  2. slide

  3. fireworks

  4. detective

  5. green-blindness

VOCAB LEVEL 50

You have now donated
570 grains of rice.

bonfire night

not feeling much like blogging as home alone. anyway, yesterday we went out for a fab meal with my parents at a local gourmet pub, and then did a fair bit of playing then got ready a bonfire and fireworks and roasted chestnuts – yummy. so a great last day of my parents stay. its been a great visit and we have all enjoyed it. more readng – celts, where the rivers go, some ill fated baking also!

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girls now at niccamp, and i am on a course, work is approaching another crisis – oh what joy!!

relatives and raptors

mum has retired to bed early as exhausted – so are we all. I a even more in awe of the home educators who are trotting about gaily. We have had 2 days of trotting about and I am exhausted!

Yesterday I took mum and the girls to visit Little Nanny. We had a lovely day, the girls reading books [SB a DK one and a book house one about big cats and grasslands respectively, and BB on apple tree farm] and playing games with the Nanny’s [rummy, patience and whos who] whilst I tried to make sure my mum didn’t do any helping [as post op] and little nanny was sorted out for food etc. And the girls didn’t spread chocolate everywhere… SB also did a piano practice after tea – entirely unsolicited! BB did both piano and violin – very cute.
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today, BB and SB made a card for Chris’s Uncle Robert who had a 70th birthday party today [one of the 2 birthday parties we didn't attend today] My parents were invited to both of them, and orignally i was going to Josies, but Mum was worn out after cambridge followed by little nanny and had a lie in [for her] and felt in need of TLC.

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TLC duly given whilst SB did maths and writing, and BB also did some maths – counting and making numberjack buddy blocks. Mum’s raised eyebrows over the term was neatly shown when SB continued to call them bloody box. SB read mum a book about why we eat, and discussed healthy eating whilst eating more of the trick or treat spoils – rofl.

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mum felt more chipper after lunch, and the girls needed a run. Dad also here, but has been doing our garden – it looks fantastic. He is so helpful. And no, he doesn’t have to do it, I tell him this repeatedly, but also that he is my hero for ignoring me – mixed messages! Anyway, he had had enough, so we all piled out to the Raptor centre [apart from Chris, who had had enough with windows, and puled off down to his uncle robert's birthday - his uncle robert is not v well]

We enjoyed looking at the rescued birds, alot of them were in Harry potter movies, so had their star portraits – SB wondered if Harry Potter was about owls then – bless. Nearly ready I think to start on Harry Potter. Then there was the flying display, which was fab. The main man doing it was very knowledgeable, obviously loved the birds, and talked both top them and us. I loved the owls best. The audience got to stroke the 2 owls – BB and SB very keen to do so. lots of discussion round them, and a trip to the shop, where they each got a flier for 40p – bargain!!

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there is also a craft shop on site – a bit deadly, but SB noticed they had a small haberdashery [we had been discussing haberdasheries, and their decline, so yes, she does know the word!] so I bought her some headed pins, she also noticed Mum looking over some leather purses, and asked me if we could get one for her for Xmas – so a little pantomime, of me telling SB to ask mum what she would look for in a good purse, and a good colour – ie mum picked one out more or less – and then we bought it! SB very proud to have chosen it – my credit card slightly more surprised! [I also bought an Xmas tree dec for me, and one for SB and BB's tree]

Home, and I made enchilladas for tea – yummy. Girls flew their flyers – nearly confiscated them at one point mind you! SOme numberjacks, game playing and BB to bed, SB watched various fireworks going off and then played more card games before her bedtime.

I am knackered, Mum already in bed. I’m waiting for Chris though, so he doesn’t come in to a dark house – hurry up sweetheart!