Monday, Tuesday …..

Posted on March 15, 2006 by | 1 comment

Time to catch up, so what happened on Monday then? a bit of black hole memory wise.

Monday morning – me and SB played her ‘Build a Beetle ‘ game for ages, before during and after breakfast – and er, not sure what else, there was some reading of books as well. We also tided the sitting room – wel l i tidied, BB untidied and SB persched on sofa and watched CBeebies moslty

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Afternoon we were going out to a home ed social gathering at a another house a couple of villages away. Luckilly Helen was able to make it from work as well. Rather a nice time, got to sit and meet chat with some more/new/different home edders/play with some other children. Though SB not quite herself the last few days and was a bit reticent to join in as much as she normally does. But didn’t want to go home , so take that as a sign she was enjoying herself. Took place in a rather nice ‘room ‘ they ahev in their garden. Bit like a very large shed, but all fitted out nicely inside, with an office room as well – rather nice.

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Tuesday me and SB started off by having good look at one of here Picturepedia books on space. Spent quite a long time looking ta things in in chatting about variosu things such as star life cycles, gogin to the Moon, planets, space stations, living on the Moon, Mars etc.

Then we played with the Wacky Wigglers, made one from the instructions, later on SB made her one ‘monster’ with it. There was little bit of Hamaing over breakfats, and then it wa tiem to get organised/dressed and go to the library for storytime and book changing. Helen and found one of the books (Huggly’s Pizza) which had gone AWOL so we don’t have to pay for another lost book. As usual, SB was the last to finish doing her crafty stuff.

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Home, lunch, lots of reading of library books, more more Hama-ing. SB did start on following a Dinosaur pattern, but decided to use her own colours, then I think got mixed up and then got fed up so stopped. Then started on a large heart board with a complicated pattern that she is still working on. Told me to make a giraffe, but that is still unfinished as well.

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Did some maths, this time using Miquon maths, mostly working on doing numbers up to a hundred. Then it was tiem to get dinner ready, the girls pottered about a bit doigng this and that, then dinner in the oven while we went off to SB’s swimming lesson, hoem from that to dinner, and then a bit of long stretch before Helen got home at about half 8

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Posted in art and crafts, General, numeracy, SB-PE, science, socialisation

Thanks Merry – I’m boring!

Posted on March 13, 2006 by | 3 comments
You Are Olive Green
You are the most real of all the green shades. You’re always true to yourself. For you, authenticity and honesty are very important… both in others and yourself. You are grounded and secure. It takes a lot to shake you. People see you as dependable, probably the most dependable person they know.

3 Comments

Posted in Daft Stuff, General

Under the Weather

Posted on March 12, 2006 by | 3 comments

we all had a lovely swim together today. BB adores the water and kicks and splashes and likes being whisked about in it. SB is equally happy, she was trying to be the whale from planet Earth TV prog after i had made BB the wale and come out entirely – rofl! [we watched it on video yesterday] SHe is still practising back stroke, and doesn’t sink quite so quickly. However, we got out early as SB had a sudden loss of energy and felt ‘unwell’. So we got out, and went home, and both girls then slept until woken up at 4 [about 3 hours]. We thought SB in particular needed it, even though we will no doubt notice the consequences tonight!

Whilst they were asleep, i blogged and then we went out into the garden to make a late start on the fruit tree planting as the ground was ready.

having roused the beans and fed them, SB finished her plaster of paris box kit by painting it, and once dried, gluing the bits on. Its a fabkit actually, even though SB was disappointed that the picture on the front is far bigger than the box. She also decorated grandads present with stickers.

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A bit of a relapse and watch of toy story 2 . BB poddled about – and amused us by the total greed that she shows with dried apricots. She can just about wodge 3 in her mouth and continue chewing, but still tries for 4. She also had fun shooting about on her pushalong. SB did some webland, and then played with geomags whilst I made tea – chilli for us and veg and rice stew for her. She didn’t like it.

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Because she had a late sleep, we all cuddled up together to watch tonights planet earth. SB loves glaciers, and enjoyed it. She and BB have finally relinquished themselves into the arms of morpheus.

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time to breathe. work tomorrow.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, geography, SB-PE, Stringbean's HE

Protected: Parental Angst

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Posted in General, Ponderings

should be in bed

Posted on March 12, 2006 by | 6 comments
You Are Somewhat Machiavellian
You’re not going to mow over everyone to get ahead… But you’re also powerful enough to make things happen for yourself. You understand how the world works, even when it’s an ugly place. You just don’t get ugly yourself – unless you have to!

though I object to the spelling of vicious! Most people are just not viscous!

6 Comments

Posted in Daft Stuff, General

And then I had insomnia – sigh

Posted on March 11, 2006 by | 1 comment

SO lets gloss over a rather long night and get on with the day. Started in style with SB being sick – she was rather interested to note the brown bits were her pitta bread. Hmm. She is complaining a bit of tummy ache, but the amount of screeching and bouncing that has gone on today belies her claim for special treatment because she is not feeling well…

We have had a jiggle about of things in the playroom – and a second hand table takes the place of the cute little one, as this limits BB’s chances of ruining whatever SB is doing. So we started the day propery by playing UNO on it, a bit of beading and then SB got out her leappad and the phonics set. Whilst we did this, BB has got the hang of sitting and pushing along with her feet on her pushalong, so careered around the house – quite deadly to ankles!
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We then started making her plaster of paris box, that she chose herself [ok, eith some slight direction] from Tesco yesterday. She was very good at mixing and making sure it wasn’t spilled everywhere, and with the pouring, so we filled the mold and removed when set. It should be dry tomorrow to paint.

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A lot of legoing went on, and SB made a castle – well, she also made an alien and a tower, but BB got them! It looked a bit like the tower of london, so we discussed traitors and elizabeth the first in a low key way.

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Since I’d got the lego out to incorporate BB into the game, they then moved into some wierd imagination of SB’s game where shewas queen, and BB either a dog or a servant, and she threw things and BB brought them back – which she did, but much giggling between them – so great to watch – even if abandoned lego coating the floor in its usual lethal way!

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We then had a singing session – and BB is getting the hang of actions, and is particularly good at wind the bobbin up. in fact, she often asks for this song by gentle raaring and doing the winding action – very cute. I then read 3 of the barefoot book of animal tales – SB had particularly wanted a snake story, and the one in that is a good one. Because I was then voiceless without a cup of tea, she did some explode the code – only lesson 11 and the first book is finished – well done SB!

Chris stuck up the coathook for the kiddicoats, and Sb and BB were an adoring audience whilst I removed the lego minefield and took the opportunity to hoover – not that the carpet looked any nicer when finished. I need an Adymachine!

As soon as BB saw her coat she was quite clear it was time to go out, so she got kitted up and went for a pootle in the backgarden with Chris whilst me and SB opened the trial extension of education city and she did some more of the year one english – which she is enjoying. I would prob pay for it despite finances if you could just choose 2 years rather than one. Can’t remember the home-educators deal either?

Anyway, both children been in wild mode since just before tea, and having a bath now as I need peace and quiet – though monitor is on, and I’m trying to blog quickly to be done before SB gets down. I do enjoy this home-ed lark. Just wish i did more of it.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, DIY/ house renovation, General, history, literacy, photos, writing

I heart UKPeopleParents newsgroup

Posted on March 11, 2006 by | 4 comments

cos a regular poster’s DH has started making wendyhouses, and these are just what I fancy bearing in mind SB’s specs! As you may remember from ages back, chris’s parents were thinking of buying the girls one as joint brithday and xmas pressie. Not sure whether within their budget though. cheaper than the round ones I liked [and SB didn't]

4 Comments

Posted in General

Drop Dead Exhausted

Posted on March 10, 2006 by | 2 comments

When I looked at the clock at 6;20-ish, and realised there was only about 20 minues of the night I couldn’t account for I wondered what i was doing.

Well, SB seems to have insomnia. SHe drops off reasonably in the evening, and then wakes up – this time at 11-ish with coughing – and just couldn’t get back to sleep again. She was really upset about this, and tried to keep here eyes shut and breathe slowly and pretend to be asleep, but it wasn’t working. We put a story tape on and I cuddled and soothed her until she fell asleep at approx 2.30. I just had chance to breathe a sigh of relief and wonder how soon I could roll SB of my arm when BB set off. Chris went to her, so she screeched even more loudly, and woke SB – aargh!

I fed BB on and off for the next 4 hours.

I can’t go on in this way, over the last 3 nights things have got worse and worse. SO tonight we are going to shut all doors between BB and everyone else, so that SB hopefully not woken by her. If she wakes, Chris is going to confort her in guest room with all doors shut, and i a going to pretend not to hear her, not to get wound up about feeding her/cuddling and just hope. SB can sleep or not with me at that point.

SO we got up late, I didn’t see Merry’s message, when organising Chris, 30 mins just vansihed somewhere so we were late and chaotic. really sorry Merry. We did all get to puddlers though, and although we hadn’t managed to bring anything, tammy had done fantastically, so lots of recycled sculptures got made. SB and I made a windmill and a crown, and she then made a tin thing for my Dad’s birthday.
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BB loved the fun Blox and the dough to roll out.

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Merry – unfortunately for me – now stocks those Ideal Blocks! So will be taking her money for one of those, as have fancied them since Alison [portico] first posted a link to them! SB is going to use some of her birthday money to by the princess pegboard. All the children had a great go with the ideal blox/fun blox. the other Dad there thought he might buy some for himself!
Its OK, SB, I'll buy a set!

We then went to spend some of SB’s birthday money – for me a totally shoot-me-now scenario as we surveyed the shelves of sheer pink! Hopefully for the next few years we can persuade her catalogue is best – and restrict the catalogues! in the end she got a beanie puppy in a plastic kennel, and a make your own jewelry box from plaster of paris kit. She also got a dr suess book from wh smiths with a book token.

oh, I did buy a game of UNO at the same time, so we played that this evening as well as read her new book.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, numeracy, Out and About, Ponderings, science, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

Very tired

Posted on March 9, 2006 by | 3 comments

What are the beans up to?? Might have to change the title to the Nocturnal Beans at this rate!

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Being so tired does dreadful things to the memory too. i know we did do some more Hama – both maxi and midi beads, and SB did some singapore maths 1a on subtraction. i guess the single biggest chunk of the day was spent doing more science experiments – this time with magnets. We did all the magnet experiments in the kingfisher hands on science book, and more besides.

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What a minimalisitc magnet!

SB did a fair bit of jump ahead maths, and also had her ballet lesson. She reluctantly watched time team with us – we are stretching her tv viewing!! oh, i remember, we did a bit of looking for OS symbols on maps – a thing Chris had got ready for puddlers, and wasn’t really done. Aagh, we haven’t got a recycling thing ready! This piccie is of our PVA suncatcher.
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chris has just gone upstairs to bed, and I think I will follow – yawn! PS merry, I spot you looking at flickr – rofl!

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Posted in art and crafts, Dance/drama, General, geography, numeracy, science

After the sleepin!

Posted on March 8, 2006 by | 1 comment

well, we all needed it. We decided to have a relaxed day. So we have mostly pootled about and played games.

SB has got quite keen on Set, so we played that until BB couldn’t help but be overinterested! We then made some bracelets and necklaces with a bead kit she got for her birthday. The first one she made was for BB – what a lovely sister!

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We did do some reading together – but mostly me doing the reading! Clifford the big red dog – well it was better than spongebob. She also had a look at what I believe. lots of playing with happy street – so much for her having outgrown it! We did some hama stars – apparently for Merry’s girls – SB obviously thinks they don’t have enough hama in their house – rofl!

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BB and I did a lot of playing. She had a go threading bobbins on a string – more succesfully than I thought she would be, also happy stereting, and playing with dolly. She whipped away all the bead bracelets she could get hold of, and had a go at maxi hama too. SB and BB played together beautifully throughout the day [if rather noisily].

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SB says she wishes she had a twin or an older sister to play with. She would quite like Violet – should she be on offer! She compared my dismal reproductive status with that of the puddles and the porticos quite dsipassionately. I had to point out that 2 was rather normal, even if the age gap was bigger than she would have liked. So we had a bit of a discussion about how old you had to be to have a baby, and why people didn’t have one all the time :rolls: so did subfertility before we did how conception stuff works.

Today I also sowed some seeds, but SB declined, so tomato gardeners delight and alicante; peppers Meek and Mild poblana, inferno and big banana; manegetout oregon sugar pod [in root trainers]. Had a hissy fit at the not budgeting that has been going on – so failing at frugality in the last month. I guess birthdays and Melrose together weren’t helpful. Must claw back! [especially since buildings insurance of 630 due - aargh]
We will play a game of her choice now when she comes downstairs before bedtime, so should be a nice day.

playing buckaroo

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General