How a simple idea mushrooms

M takes the credit for this one! A simple sheet from Nature Detectives suggesting willow lanterns. A willow framework covered with tissue paper with a single leaf glued to each panel (obviously open to interpretation!)

 A nightlight glued to the centre of each, plus a carrying pole.

 Darkness and a wood to walk to and through

A storm kettle hot chocolate in the woods (cue extremely cold children). And Sausage and Chips on the way home......

Passing Quickly...

 The chaos and amazement of Slavas Snow show- from row 2- definately a good place to be!! The kids loved it- even some of the quieter simple quirky moments as well as the BIG moments. Very funny- TP has developed an excellent impression of Slava on the phone! And the big blizzard was breathtaking (literally- especially on row 2)- we had snow everywhere (even in my pants!!!! and down my bra!!!!) And the big balls bouncing around.....

 We will go again -if it comes back- and take daddy too!

We have also done a new Forest School session- run by a HE dad- which was great. A nice smallish group with sensible non schoolish rules (not surprising that)- enough mud, smoke and dangerous tools to fill everyones excitement cup- hopefully running again after Christmas.
Otherwise SJ has been working for some Cub badges- his Home Help and Cyclist and Chefs badges. TP is slowly learning a few letters and numbers- very low key here and FI is having a huge leap forward in her reading skills- we have more or less abandoned the reading scheme and she has moved over to Rainbow Fairies (bleurgh- says mum- however it is what she wants to read!)- where she is sucessfully reading a few pages each day.
In family stories we have briefly stepped away from Enid Blytons Adventure series to cover the Butterfly Lion (prior to seeing at the Theatre) and have done a handful of David Walliams- some we enjoyed more than others. They do rather assume a 'popularist culture knowledge' and despite the fact that they seem to be being marketed as 'the new Roahl Dahl' they will date every quickly! Anyway-back to Enid Blyton and the Mountain of Adventure....

Halloween

Halloween, to us, is a low key festival. We like to talk about it from the perspective of seasonal change and the day of the departed- so we like pumpkins, a little spookiness (in a kind, celebratory way- rather than a frightening scary way) and usually do some kind of trail to some goodies.

What we dont do is Trick or Treating- or anything related. I really hate having strangers banging on my door and hate that people do this to elderly people. I have no problem with people calling on friends or neighbours where this is pre-arranged or reciprocated.....

So Halloween was,for us, delivering FI to her Beaver party-whereby she also  completed her creative badge- having spent ages making this cardboard farm- complete with ducks, campers and garden gnomes!
Then a Weekend of fireworks - both a public display (through our front window) to a family display- quiet with kids running around (no where near anything dangerous!!!)