Petits Haricots

hmm, sb had forgotton how to play the piano, so daily practice, and it is coming back quickly! am doing a home made colourstrings alike with BB for piano, as she wants to play tunes. Fair bit of general stuff gone on – maffs, grammer for SB and maffs and cvc words for BB [she doesn't know all the letters yet, but we have moved onto words and she can learn them there]. lots of going out – optician, local group gym, nannas and the reg groups. SB is humming and hawing over brownies. there seem to have been a few comments that not clever enough to go to school, or wouldn’t cope, and seeing that e and r go to a group which is mixed girls and boys, she might want to do that instead. she doesn’t want us to have a word with the leader.

today had been originally going to leicester space centre, but chris had to clear a space for the treecutter to come [approved by conservation area] and the girls didn’t fancy the science festival things on offer, so we planned to do science at home. however, BB got stuck into calligraphy – ever since the denny abbey thing, when we bought her an ink pen… and SB did some ‘normals’. i suggested they took turns with what kind of experiment we did. SB first choice = surface tension experiments, so we did a few things with pennies, pippettes and soap – merry what was your colourful one all about? BB wanted to mix chemicals, so we pH our acetic acid, and then – with plenty of windows opened – added spoonfuls of lots of different chemicals [well, one at a time, washing out in between!] seeing if a gas was made and seeing if it was CO2, hydrogen or O2 [tho a bit flakily!] both were caught out by the sodium carbonate… we also saw some pH changes! the final one – chosen by both – was crystal making – so all set up now.

both did something cooking – SB made eggy bread, and BB decorated cupcakes. they then played alot v noisily together!! i ordered some magazine subscriptions, sorted out my tax rebate and my parents birthday presents. SB and i then played ticket to ride, with BB ‘helping’ me. SB won! even though i went to murmansk!!

SB off to brownies and BB played marching dinosaurs through air drying clay, whilst i made some family fimo beads – quite badly as i have no artistic merit! but to put on a geotravelbug when i get one!! finished the day with a snuggle watching robin hood, and SB got v tearful [hugs] so a long snuggling bedtime. she has just come downstairs, so i am now going to go up and cuddle her to sleep.

am gradually going to catch up with blogging! last weekend was in the science festival. we were somewhat late getting in – can’t remember why! and the girls had a desire to go to the sedgewick site bits, so we looked at the archaeology areas, the earth sciences area and the mycology before lunch. We’ve not been in these areas in previous years, so thought they were pretty interesting. BB wowed with her knowledge of t rex bone, and SB was fascinated by all the earth sciences. lots of microscope looking down in different bits. unfortunately the chaos thing was full, and although the main chemistry looked interesting, the family vote was then round the zoology museum [which they like] and then to the biology area – a real hit! BB loved making her virus, and SB having a mad sciencist pic taken and painting the microbiology by numbers. ALso a fair bit of chat and interaction with the various stands. SB impressing quite a few of them with her knowledge. we were shattered coming home, but that didn’t stop the girls engaging in earthquake reenactments with sylvanians!

sunday we did an rspb walk with 2/3 of the manor borns, the other feeling somewhat unwell. we totally messed up on meeting :blush: am hoping michelle might forgive us! but we did, after 25 mins, work out that we were both there!! and did a reverse quarry route and all had a lovely walk, with only one minor moment from the least likely of my children… really enjoyed it, including the icecream at the end!

only been a week!!
ermm! home ed stuff happened, some ‘normals’ to quote a merry phrease at the beginning of the week. lots of recorder prac and an exam on the wed [oohh eek!]. we picked up an electricity meter from the library to be one of the 100 households in the village to monitor our elec use, so lots of discussion around that.

Latinetc wed, SB had extra recorder! both enjoyed the sampler sewing, and BB did some french as well [i think?] science was discussing the results of the pea experiments and setting off the next microbiology one! growing our bacteria and having antibiotics to either by cidal or static [we hope!] fair bit of discussion. Am going to try and find slides and coverslips so that next time we might look under microscope…

Thurs SB and chris went karting as a home ed thing with max and the bigger puddles, with BB and josie staying with merry and having great fun. BB loved the play, and SB adored the karting [as did chris!]

fri i believe was mostly making mothersday cards for the grandparents…

To fit in a certain amount of annual leave we had another holiday in the beginning of march, and booked it up pretty last minute! we found a lovely cottage not too far from padstow, and easy walk to the beach = ideal! so off we went. I wish i had longer to blog about the holiday, but actually I have bloggers block or something, and am not getting into the flow! It was a perfect holiday though. batteries recharged, sunny weather. lots of lovely playing time with my great girls, whether it be pretending to be adventurers or explorers on the beach, or seeing how fast we could cycle on the cycle ways [SB obviously beats me!]

The beach near us is one of those idea beaches! sandy, but with cliffs round so rock pools and climbing possibilites! and even a small cave. We looked and indentified a variety of coastal life. both girls added to my grey hairs with climbing escapades! [but no borken bones] it was sunny and breezy so felt loved by both family and weather! a number of streams trickle down the beach, so we also channelled and blocked… bliss!

We visited tintagel – loads of stairs!! and pretended to be part of arthurs court, and chatted various stories. with both a migraine and a certain level of unfitness, i was a slower walker back! but SB decided that i would be lonely if walking behind, so kept up a jolly chitter chatter about all sorts of interesting ideas that we were back at the top far quicker than i thought we would be!

2 cycling trips, the first from Bugle to the Eden project – a lovely cycle through interesting track, and lots of peering and discussing and fun. the eden project the other end fab, and you get quite a discount for having cycled! I LOVED the rainforest biome, but BB too hot and miserable from the moment she walked in! we shut her in the refresh room for a bit. I had the joy of spending a bit of my university time in the rainforests of borneo, so do like to recreate that feeling! thought it was really well set out to be v interesting to children and adults alike. the girls both happier in the mediteranean one. the ed centre [hedgehoggy building] is well worth a visit, and has the most scary bridge back! For once, i actually thought the shop had thought a great deal about what it wanted to sell in it, and there were loads of possibilities. in the end, both girls bought a wooden snake, and i bought a present for someone! we then had to cycle OUT of the eden project – gulp!!!! that having been done, with some restorative fudge at the top [ ] we then made our way back to bugle and home.

the other cycling was along the camel way. fabulous views, easy trail and geocaches along the way. mmm another lovely time! lots of time cycling along with SB as BB decided mostly to be trailgated [no idea why, as a really really easy track and she loves cycling!]

All things come to an end, and so did our holiday. but it was pretty much perfect.

guess i am going to do a quick weekly round up! interesting stuff has happened, i have a tleast 2 blog posts that i want to get down, guess not going to happen tho! so here is a summary…

Home Ed – has been happening, recorder practice, things from her choice list, reading lots of magazines – including a discussion about golden eagles from the adult rspb one. bits and pieces!

birthdays – chris and SB have had one. it seems really bad not to have had a birthday post, so i am def going to have to do that one!

sickness – me a mixture of lurgy and migraine and no reserves i guess.

home ed in the news – can’t bear to think let alone discuss on blog the ridiculous spin and vilification of home educators

home ed groups – mon gym, wed latinetc, thurs totsnnots, thurs multisports, fri bailed out of history as chris not so good

other out and abouts – mon ballet, tues swimming, wed judo, thurs gymn, fri golf

are we hidden away?? are we buttercups!!

OK so…

SUNDAY: we went to one of chris’s uncles 60th birthday, so a nice family day. felt the loss of uncle robert there though… easy drive down and back, and girls lovely

MONDAY: home ed gymnastics session. BB greatly loved and SB not quite so sure it was useful. think she took some books for BB’s session… ballet in eve, but we forgot brownies rollerskating – aargh

TUES: i was interviewing ppl all day, so rather a change. got back in time to watch the girls swimming lessons – luckily at the same time. SInce the general session follows this, we had a family swim afterwards. I was starting to feel a bit peaky! On return home, both SB and BB had last minute presents they wanted to make, so did that with them. During the day SB had made and decorated a fab cake to take to latinetc the next day as a birthday cake, and bb had made some mushrooms from her cookbook.

WED: Chris’s birthday – happy birthday love! then went off to latineetc – sans latin and working camera! the older ones did music theory and french this time as well as science. we had the microscope and looks at roots and leaves and discussed food chains. then we discussed the needs for seeds, and have set up a pea experiment with 3 variables – light, water and warmth! hoping for sensible results folks!! lovely to see my friends and chat too, and then further chatting with gina and katy before home to celebrate chris’s birthday. SB’s judo club had a sponsored throw. she was estimated to do 50, and did 273!!! i am broke – SHe was very proud though, and we are v proud of her for doing so well and trying so hard!

THURS: SB is 9!!!!!! hooray for my gorgeous SB! tots and nots and recorder prac! PM multisports then gymnastics – what a busy day!! we had her choice of tea – chips! [second choice actually as something went wrong with the pizza dough - chris blames me for using up the best yeast at a prev latin!] opened her presents and was v happy with all of them. SHe is such a gorgeous girl and just so happy with everything. i love you SB xxxx. we then played one of her presents [the wii version of olympics], and she went to bed playing another…

both of which got a thumbs up!

FRI: golf lesson – she really is enjoying golf. however chris feeling blurgy and SB coughing and cold after golf, so didn’t go to stuart history group. PM spent mostly making presents of home made soap and home made fimo soap dishes.

SAT: delayed christmas with chris’s family! lovey relaxing day, beautifully catered and organised with lots of happy laughter and fun. girls happy too.

i think that is how you spell it anyway!! Saturday was a bit more on the quiet day in – once we had all managed to get up!! can’t think what we did?? a bit of recorder prac as grade 1 less than a month away [panic! - well, me only] bit of maths on areas, so kids scurrying around house measuring things! some hama beading, and then a final scurry to actually get dressed [rofl!] to go to katy’s ceilidh dancing. actually, i guess it was more of a biff affair as they were being their band! the caller, btw, is truly excellent. we all had a fab dance, doing lots of dancing and laughing and chatting with ppl we haven’t seen much.

SO today, i was migrainous still [grr] so medicated whilst SB made a birthday cake for herself to take to latinetc, since her birthday is the next day, and we haven’t arranged anything at all as yet. she is aware that we might not be able too either… Anyway, we then drove to chris’s uncle for his 60th birthday and had a relaxing time there. slightly too many ppl for space!! girls happy to meet cousin abigail again and gradually got wilder and wilder!!

now, must think where i had got to again! the girls were given an option for day 4 of jewellery quarter and museum and back to back house museum or the black country life museum, and the overwhelming choice was the latter option, so, after the customary enormous brekkie, that is where we went!

SNow everywhere still, so we were particularly warmly wrapped as it is predom outdoors [abit like weald and downland but 1900's ish black country, so more industry and less farming!] it was truly fab. again, not the cheapest place on the block – though with gift aid you get a repeat visit as often as you like! we decided to go straight to the outside rather than looking at indoor displays, incase more snow fell. the tram arrived as we went out, so straight on, and SB got to ding the bell [v happy!!] got off and thought we would aim for the far end and then wander back. loads of re-enactors, most of the shops open and both SB and the usually shyer BB asking sensible questions! we went in a doing well working class house, a just ok working class house, and could clearly see the difference. none of us really understood why, when you are so short of space, you would think it sensible to have a front room you don’t use! [and yes, we sort of have 2 rooms, but we use both a lot!] we also went in a back to back and someone who ‘took in’ washing and mending. bless little nanny for telling me so much about the family and herself etc, as i could keep up a running commentary on how this was what x or y did etc, and the girls were v inquisitive and happy. When BB had a lull, she made a snowman!! [the snow was quite a distraction]. eventually we all got peckish and went to the rather nice canal cafe. ooh, forgot to say that the canalman was also a partic. fav as v knowledgeable and glad to seek ppl out to talk to. i just thought it was fab!

after lunch we had a look at the schoolhouse, somehow missed the cinema! and then the union, where SB was amazed all over again by the need for suffragettes, and was getting hot under the collar on their behalf. then to a builders yard and then a glass engravers – where BB surprised me by wanting to spend ‘her pound] on an engraved glass! ok, it was £2.50, but i was so chuffed that it wasn’t plastic tat… so now she proudly owns a glass with BB [obviously not actually BB!!] engraved on there. And after some slight hinting [cough] SB and chris went back ‘for another look’ whilst BB and i played i spy.

we skipped back to catch the last mine tour – a recreated black country mine, with torches made so emits apporx 1 candle of light! it was fab – v dark at times!! and also v crouchy! we a learnt alot about mining pretty quickly and were v glad we had just made it!

so then a quick glance around the museum indoor display as was closing and a rather hideous drive thro rush hour brum and then snow/hail/sleet in turns. lovely!!

so yes, we really, really enjoyed our hols, they were great, and we think we really used up every second! lovely family time too!!