Petits Haricots

SB’s choice today, and it is the science museum – she is very fond of science museums as they often have levers to press!! We woke up, got ready, with curling on [again] in the background [go eve!], had our enormous brekkie, and set off. This one wasn’t really within walking distance – well not without a fuss from BB!! so we got on a bus, which v helpfully went past the Bull Ring for us to admire! Quite a queue for the entrance and we hadn’t prebooked [the half term effect!] but not a prob.

Decided the entrance floor far too full of kids, so started on ground floor with all the steam engines. I love steam engines! When i retire, i am going to have to think of a use for one and get it!! [will pay with lots ofr renewable this's and that's, I promise!!]. On the ground floor, there were little cards you could then impress, so the girls enjoyed doing that. It was divided into sections. Chris’s fav machine was the button maker – which was fab. SB and I had a lovely chat with a chap who used to work in the jewellery quarter and made silver items for faberge excellent discussion and look.The dunlop landpeed record car is there, so SB and i had a good peer at that. they have a huge water pump that they fired up for the occassion too, and I loved that, tho the girls got a bit impatient at that point… prob time for lunch!!

After lunch we changed floors, going up to the second SB and I started to look at the animal section, but BB flagging, so took her to kids city whilst chris stayed with BB [we were playing tag kids btw!]. The kids city is great, but too busy for BB, so we took some time out for a cuddle and read some books and then looked at the body bit. My main criticism of the museum i think is for this floor, as it was v much aimed at between my 2 girls level, and tho some over and undering, i think there could have been far more explanation and background description to extend all the exhibits, and a lot of them were out of order…

We then did a round of shows, starting with the ‘gene-eration’ game, which i thought was rather fun and captured most of the audience. The poor woman and her 5 year old at the end were a terrible couple for the complicated memory game tho! the kid had to remember 15 items, and the woman the 15 amino acids/ enzymes attached. My girls loved the intereactive seat buttons, and SB knew we would have done better!! [aah, that she has such faith!]. The next was a show and tell kind of thing called monsters from the past, handling various fossils and replicas of ice age and before creatures. Both girls loved this, but BB sat with huge beaming grin for whole thing. I was proud that they both answered lots of questions sensibly! unfortunately the giant sharks tooth was dropped by someone and came back in pieces – phew not us really!! The next thing was the planetarium. SB decided to go with chris to level 1 instead, as there was little chance of getting in. BB really wanted to see it [and it was aimed at her age] so we waited against hope! however, when they started to close the doors, it was because there was only one seat left, and the woman next had 2 kids, then a party of 7. SO i piped up would it be ok for one and one on lap [thinking prob not] and they said yes!! wond a big beam and happy dance from BB as we went in! I thought it a bit of nonsense, but fine for BB, and she loved it so all happy!! We all met intime to go to shop and agonise over purchases! both girls reasonably sensible tho, so not so bad.

Huge shock to find a blizzard in progress as we left! So we scurried along to bustop, where 3 of us sheltered, and one played on her own in the snow! whilst we were on the bus, it intensified, so when we got off, there was still quite a walk to the inn, and we decided to eat dinner at the v v expensive indian we went past. it was utterly delish! and the bill topped £100!!!! oh well!! [i spy a diet of pottage coming up!] we then raced back to the inn and snuggled in bed.

obviously, i plan to add some links and photos, but think sometimes it is best just to get that blog out there, and we have loads of pics!!

Day , and we stuffed our faces with as much brekkie as poss before heading out to BB’s absolutely desperate to go to choice – seaworld!! She loves aquaria, fish shows, etc etc. So we were lucky enough to see the day prev that you could get vastly reduced rates by buying at the library, so we did [you can online as well] and got there not long after opening. It was v full!! well, it was half term, and the sky was ‘threatening’. BB literally dancing all the way in! actually, it was pretty good, we got to see a lot, look at a lot, talk to handlers and helpers – and feel crabs starfish etc! SB v good at answering questions now! fab ’4-d’ film of turtle life cycle – with the added bits being seats that moved, bubbles and watersprays! both children entranced! kinda nemo-ish… and BB in particular was rapturous over the turtlebit… SB having the odd ‘hint of teen’ moment [have bought her some books. fine to talk over with her, but kinda heart sinking at BB getting her hands on them, as she is def at 'that' kind of humour phase!] anyway, in the end i asked SB if it were possible to indicate happiness by a smile, and to leave the mooching broody look for unhappy! I am starting to see how teen might go- i will have to get a supply of endless patience! i loved the walk through tunnel – as always! i am quite easily pleased!! the mirror bit was quirky and then the shop!! we, both girls sorted shop fairly painlessly, tried the soft play, but it was too crowded really, so we went off for lunch.

i failed badly at lunch! i ordered something without gravy and it came with, so got a substitute which was undercooked and not that pleasant! luckily everyone else faired rather better, and thus sustained we went to a modern art gallery – IKON. We all loved the singing lift art instillation, and i loved the quilt theme based upper story art, and also the reflective room, where we could look at art books, watch an animated film, and do our own quilt based design. the first floor was ‘video art’ which, TBH, I struggle with really. the ambience not aided by BB whooping around in manic mode, and SB wasn’t that keen either!

SO we finished off back at the sealife centre again, and enjoyed a much less busy and leisurely look at all our favourite bits [i loved the seahorses as well] before wandering home. for much of the day there was sleet/snow! evening meal was at foggs around the world in 80 days buffet. yummy! we all ate well and staggered back to the inn! i have to remember to say that most days of the hols SB did some recorder practice as exam early march, and she hasn’t really got the scales/arpeggios.

Hmm, difficult to blog onto a word document, much prefer doing it on wordpress! Anyay, better start with…

Monday! SB did an all day sports thing, which she mostly enjoyed. They did quite a mixture of sports, but she said some of the boys were quite misbehaved [this as a half term sports event not a reg home ed group] and she did come home with the most stunning of bruises! Meanwhile I as recovering with a lurking migraine with BB at home. It was only a few days ago, and already my memory is dimming!! Anyway, I am fairly sure that BB did some more of her Singapore 1A math, as quite taken by the new books! And that she had got to ‘hungry crocodiles’.She also did some getty and dubay book a. e then did a fairly ong bit of fimo-ing, where she made daddy a lovely keyring for his birthday, but has already shown him a couple of times, and I made a brooch. We did a fair bit of playing around, watched something or other I think [ I must chase my facebook screen when back online] and then she went off to gym taster session – she is desperate to get to go to gym!! When she came back we made sausage rolls. Somehow it took an age for chris to get back with sb from sports [thankyou katy for caring for her] so bb had eaten here, sb had eaten with the deependers! Luckily that meant I had some fav dinner for brekkie!! I was an insomniac again [ and have been all week – grr!!]

Tuesday – YAY holiday!! So eventually we set off for our chosen holiday destination. Chosen for its many possibilities and viability as an awful weather destination… Birmingham. And yes, it was fab. Agreed by us all. SB wishes I had got a job here… Anyway, easy journey and arrival at premier inn. Base camp established and we were off too Birmingham museum and art gallery, only we got distracted en route. There was a temporary wheel in town, and the girls desperate to go in it. Ok then, why not. Aargh. I remember, heights, and the carriage on this one wobbles! But it was good, we went round 4 times without even the hint of a mischance. E did then move onto the museum and raced around it with less time than ideal, particularly as girls witing, so a stop at their fab Edwardian tearoom in order! I had a most delicious lemon cheesecake. Mm mm!! We got firmly removed from the Birmingham history section by dint of the lights being switched off!! Bath for the girls and then a return out to pizza express, where we were v happy with food, particularly with the idea of a tiny pud and coffee combo! Chris’s was by far the best – baby figs and macarpone! We watched some winter Olympics back at base – we have done this at every return, and seems uncommonly common to watch curling!

hmm, there hasn’t been quite enough catch up blogs from daddy bean! but education has been occuring, perhaps not quite as much as SB has ticked off though – ! they tried out a new meeting group on monday which runs monthly, usual sports and activities during the week including multisports on thurs.

The deependers had a party weekend/ goodbye for j and M [both my girls unhappy at the thought that the goodbye to m is forever...] fab party hosts, with good games rather excellent cake and adults to chat to! we came back later than planned with SOTP and making it up families who were staying at ours [and they brought a pack of hendersons flavoured crisps!]. on the way back we were lucky enough to see an owl flying. the kids played happily and finally collapsed into bed and we adults chatted!

unfortunately the next day i was migrainous, so chris took the girls after the traditional pancake brunch back to the deependers for day 2, and i missed seeing the manor borns and nic and co. sob! however, a lovely weekend, thankyou.

for those that like the chemistry links!

though, it has to be said, we will prob get more out of that book later on!

and a link to some of my fav science readers