sonlight arrived!

actually ordered only in Jan, so nice and quick – was v careful to delete 2/3 of the order [having also taken notice of Jan's critiques of some!] before I actually paid for it though. I got the pattern block set, so SB has spent ages going through the cards and enjoying it. Also got some of the core 1 readers and books. I LIKE the science stories! will have to look out for the marconi and electricity ones elsewhre.

SB decided that the level 3 I can read books and the level 4 step into reading books I had got where just right for her. SO what with the usborne first readers we are well supplied for books at the mo for her to read.

I do think that if we ever did do a bought curriculum, sonlight would be the one for us, cos I like how the books are all interesting and around the timeframe. However, SB is def a follower of eclectic learning and the strewn book technique, and it does work for us. Just must make sure lots of strewn books!

it is about time actually to look at our books again, and remind ourselves and SB what we have, so that we can be more interesting.

BB has done loads of jigsaws today since I came home. She adores jigsaws. And both had fun blowing up balloons with the foot pump and letting them fuzzle away [though BB says 'I'm not doing that again' but does!] SB experimented ‘blowing’ it up with water from the tap, and of course realised the pressure thing that then makes the water spurt out and drench, rather than fuzzle like air – rofl!!

Sb also done some playing with birthday presents – thankyou all. in partic geomags, ocean mega puzzle, and a fight over ownership of the wooden maze [demonstrated by me in show of mode - rofl!] The pencils really are beautiful to use and the bionic putty is truly weird!

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Thanks again everyone for coming. SB really loved it, and was really happy to have her friends there and wasn’t at the end particularly phased by the lack of playbarn. Hope you all got home safely.

I can do a head over heels

well, BB was actually trying to do a headstand, cos she enjoys doing them, but found it even more exciting when she tipped into a head over heels, so did it lots more.

Birthday disasters

well, we did a modicum of tidying, got the food ready and then went to the play barn. disaster! the leccy was off, people were mending the overhead wires and it was shut! We texted those we had numbers for and rapidly thought of a plan B. The village chemist sells little toys, so I went there – shut! Ah well, bye bye plan B.

Guests arriving so I pillaged SB’s craft cupboard and found enough bits for pass the parcel, a treasure hunt and a prize. SB gutted that playbarn closed, but put brave face and decided the games sounded good, so once others arrived, they played in the garden, adults nattered and with help organised the pass the parcel. The games went well. Katy and children arrived eventually having had communication probs with our mobile – thank goodness for the balloons!

From then on, all the children had fun and plan C worked pretty well. SB said it had been a lovely birthday and she was very happy. Thanks to all the guests from near and far, it was lovely seeing and having you here [apologies for chaos - might have done a bit more cleaning and tidying if we had started off with plan C!].

SB and sleepover guest might now be asleep [with a bit of luck!] and hope all the rest went home safely with their treasures. I must now restock the craft cupboard as SB was saying she also had this and that when they were being won by others – oops!

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Preparations

Ok, you are organising a birthday tea in your house for 13 children, just how much tidying is it worth doing…..? ;-)

Certainly I am not vacuming the dining room.

” I’m not scared “

When we stayed at Chez Making it Up earlier this year, Small showed Butterbean upstairs. He started of by saying ‘You don’t need to be scared, there is no crocodiles’ :-)

BB still now often says‘Im not scared’ when going up stairs. She did it earlier today when we went up the back stairs. And I heard her saying it in some game she was playing with the castle, whne she had soem character going up and down the steps :-)

Little things can have such an impact on young minds….

Rainbow Birthday

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.

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Have a grape


Have a grape

Originally uploaded by Scrumbledelicious.

new swing seat


new swing seat

Originally uploaded by Scrumbledelicious.

oh go on

i really should blog the weekend. we have had a lovely time, with my parents and sitster and family visiting. SB enjoyed her birthday and loved her presents – and had a surprise in the way of a camera as well as castle.

SB went to a fun rainbow birthday party of a friend sat morning, and that set us up for a weekend of fun. BB loved having the family there, and SB and M had a lovely time together. I haven’t seen mum and dad for ages, so I was really happy too.

I am entirely soppy by nature, but not so publicly on blog, but just thought I would say what a delight SB is for us. We had a long wait before we were lucky enough to have her, but it was worth it! This year has seen her transform from little girl into big girl, she is great fun, loving and brings a smile to my face 95% of the time.? Children are a privilege.

BB last night was somewhat less of a privilege due to her inability to recognise when her parents wished to stay asleep! oh well.

Happy Birthday Stringbean

And now I am six

11.30 a.m. – and now she is 6