Mega Update

Well- firstly computer playing up and dying slowly- making photos hard to find and upload- so I've been putting off updating. Of course the more you put it off the more overwhelmingly large it gets and turns into a BIG job......

Anyway highlights of the last two months..... Cub Camp with a Flintstone theme including lots of leopard skin costumes and box car racing. We won the flag for the most welcoming camp within the district too. Extremely hard work, sending kids here and there, but they had a great time- and thats what it is all about.
Another holiday- this time to Lincolnshire and the Beach! Cue very happy children who have dug/swam/ flew kites/ paddled/ate ice cream-everything a summer holiday should be. We had loosely planned an educational  itinerary to some castles/places but time got nearer and I thought- No! we need down time this time!

Anyway 'educationally'  we have been quite low key- working on some basics in a laid back manner. Letters and numbers for TP- he has made the leap of blending CVC- so we are going soo gently- keeping it an exciting achievement rather than a push, push situation. FI has been persisting her way through a Dick King-Smith and has now acknowldeged it is a little too tricky for her- so we will step back a little. However she is making good inroads into multiplication  and her time telling is as good as mine. She has been spontaneously writing little stories- which is lovely to see. SJ thrives on his number work- particularly liking those he can see applied to life- so money, measuring, mulitplication where it is dressed as real life- so working out amounts required etc. Reading wise he can read what he wishes and is starting to do more spontaneous choosing himself. They all love listening to stories- I could spend all day just doing this! We have been working our way through some of the Enid Blytons- the R mysterys with Barney and Miranda, The Naughtiest Girl for FI, Charlie Bone and Sam Silver for SJ and Jack Stalwart for TP. I say they all get some individually however I consistently find SJ quietly crawling round the door- whenever one of the others is having 'their' story- to sneakily listen. I say sneakily as FI really takes offence sometimes at the invasion of 'her' time.... More crafting- especially loom bands have hit, but cross stitch and crochet- very basic but FI is working on an ice cream coloured baby/doll blanket and making a very nice job of it! Lots of iPad- minecraft and survival craft and dragon city- TPs numbers are improving rapidly attributed to this! Baking and cooking, badge work for cubs/beavers and brownies- tis amazing what you can get them to do under this guise. A family wedding- which took up a huge amount of time- with weekly dress fittings for the disasterously long tale of the dresses- Ok in end but very time consuming when everyone has to traispse into the City and amuse two boys in a bridal boutique for long periods (times that Ipads rule!!) whilst FI was having her dress altered (multiple times!)

Anyway will try to do another post later on the family update- cos times are a changing.....

Wales

Having managed to persuade wider family to do something different this year instead of a holiday camp type holiday- we booked a large farmhouse in mid Wales, with a plan to cook x 2 nights each per couple and a group Barbecue. This worked really well and I would hope to do it again next year. The hot tub was very special- especially being out at 630 in the morning- silence as the sun rose....magical!
We were there for the end of a rainy spell as it turned into nicer weather- hence the Elan resevoir was spectacularly overflowing- very vertigo inducing!

We visited CAT- which we hadn't been to for a number of years- and were mildly disappointed- frankly looking really run down these days- most of the investigative stuff that we looked forward to the children being able to do was not working....get the impression they are more interested in the conference side of things now....
However we also visited Dolancothi Gold Mines (NT) which was a gem! Very interesting and brought alive by a fabulous guide- definately take the Roman route out.....We all enjoyed panning for gold (plenty of the fools stuff!), dressing up....

 Another memorable visit was to the Red Kite feeding station at Rhiador - very spectacular! Plus a lovely walk up the (steep) hillside to the viewpoint and their trout pools- the boys loved messing around on a shale slope. But the best day was spending a whole day by a mountain stream, with a picnic and paddling/ damming/ playing/ water pistols (and bad sunburn for Mummy)...
Great holiday then back to severe reality and a job interview.......

 

Papplewick Pumping Station

Very spectacular place and a lovely day out with family- although some of the little extras made it add up a little. Awesome workmanship- the care taken for 'just' a utilities building- stained glass windows, enamelling, ironwork, an ornate pond and a huge front door and porch.

Kept three children well occupied for a few hours- very interested in the miniature train and remote control boats. Spent time watching a man on a wood lathe making apples! Did some child crafts- Morris men sticks and sashes

And (for me) the highlight - a trip into the underground reservoir. So spectacular- fantastic careful brickwork-true workmanship. Amazing to think that was built to be filled with water! And had awesome acoustics- TP hooted and it passed around almost each arch being slowly magnified.

Easter and beyond

 All they wanted for Easter was an egg hunt in the garden- and despite the fact that we are all upside down and the weather conspired against us- we managed to get a brief window of (near) sunshine in which to do it! Family time, sharing goodies, baking together (well -melting chocolate!!) and then a family meal- followed by Daddy taking them away for a night in a tent with Uncle T (whilst Mummy went to work the next day) meant the day was a total success on all fronts (excepting Daddy being at work most of the day- but thats life!)

Then moving onto St Georges Day... 'Twas FIs last parade as a Beaver- so we persuaded her to go in blue rather than in brown- and this was the end result ( I suspected this- so increased the persuasion!!)- she was sooo proud. SJ is just visible (to me) in the background as a cub. Lovely weather and just managed to get FI back in time for her beloved ballet lesson.
And the news that she had got a Distinction for Grade 1- well done sausage- so proud of you!

Normalness

Well- after all the broken bones- including my mother- who has broken her leg and walked on it for three weeks!! I fancied a quiet bit of normalcy...
Nanny took the children to Clumber Park and found a birds of prey display. Apparently barn owls are really soft! Daddy has been away to hone his climbing skills and they have been back to the climbing centre- they have discovered the auto belay - apparently great fun.
Quite low key on the 'work' front for the kids- working on letter recognition for TP- his number skills are getting quite good. FIs reading coming on quite nicely now and she has been doing column addition. SJ has moved forwards to fractions and percentages.
On the house front we have had a couple of agents around and have been madly working on decluttering/ polishing and re homing....the idea of leaving the area feels like it is coming a lot closer- partly scary, partly exciting. And trying to motivate self to write assignment....

HE PGL Adventure

A wonderful weekend of activities with a lovely group of home ed families. The great thing with HE things like this is that you can just turn up and not know anyone- yet within an hour the kids are happy and firm friends with a new crowd! We did actually know one family which was nice but FI made a lovely new friend whom she was inseparable for the whole weekend.
We were in little lodges for each family and had all our meals in the canteen (a whole weekend off cooking!) -very school meals but lots of fresh fruit and veg.
We did Rafting ( I managed to fall in- right at the start!), Survivor (fire lighting and shelter building), The Trapeze, Rifle shooting, Giant Swing, the Challenge course and Abseiling

TP immensely proud of his 'hit' - what he didnt realise that the kind RAF dad behind him had popped a quick one in- as he had seen how despondent he was getting at missing (didn't really help that he was insisting at targetting the next door target!!!)

FI almost atop the Trapeeze- complete with wrist in splint!
Nice wind down on the way home with a stayover in Derbyshire and then a lovely day out at Lyme Park (NT)- great playground!

Centre Parcs

Anyway Futura splint in place and then I realise that in two days we are off to Centre Parcs for a swimming and cycling holiday and then the following week on a HE activity holiday...... Arghhh
Let's just say either a) we risk assessed carefully and took each moment as it arose and were led by her comfort OR b) we are irresponsible parents ?? Oops the info leaflet really said no swimming or cycling??
Anyway we had a lovely time- lots of swimming and cycling, family stories and games. We introduced the children to Carcassonne- which they picked up quickly and enjoyed, as well as Cadoo and Labyrinth. A couple of family DVDs saved for the week. Duck feeding and a trip to Rufford Park- always a favourite!

And a Beaver project in progress- looking for signs of spring for her Explore badge and then turned into a PowerPoint presentation towards her IT badge. She has a term left and is going all out for gaining all of the interest badges possible in Beavers!

Febuary and March

Flashing past as usual. Children growing and exploring life..... When your baby is whiz zing up huge climbing walls and loving every moment of it and can't wait to go again and actually has their own membership......

Grade 1 Examination- had to wait until the required moment as she wasn't old enough before! Now the dizzy heights of Grade 2 and a new marine blue leotard-  and still loving it......

.....which is a good job because two days after the exam I took them ice skating to our local HE meet and halfway through the session she fell over and broke her wrist! Hence big brother dragged little man around the rink whilst I was sorting their sister. Three weeks in Futura splint and a trip to fracture clinic.

And January disappears

 I so need to get the blogging habit back! Not going on the PC often enough I guess (ipad too handy!!). Anyway Januray flew by and it looks like February will do the same.....
A Cub Scout ramble- very wet, windy and miserable but my Cub and Beaver found their Scouting spirit and got themselves around and enjoyed themselves as well!

 Finally bit the bullet and retried Ice Skating with TP (our local HE group goes monthly) and he likes it and is getting on well- even managed two full circuits - not touching the side or mummy whilst playing the air guitar and singing the James Bond theme to himself for some unexplainable reason....oh to be five again! Of course the older two, bless them, quietly got on with it and went off with their friends and had a grand time- so I think this will be a monthly commitment now.

Three window boxes made at Cubs as a DIY project then painted up at home according to interests - so we have seasons, blobs and aircraft!
Coming up we have HE Drama, HE Forest School, Cub Activity day and Sleepover and a CentreParcs trip and a secret HE PGL trip
And another arghhhh Masters module on evidence based practice........

The run up to Christmas

 As well as visiting the Panto in Nottingham- much enjoyed by all especially when Daddy got dragged up on stage in 'mistake' for Barney Harwood! We also had FIs Dancing show at the Ice Arena- dancing to Another One Bites the Dust and the Gangnam Style. My young man- with his first tie- took me out to dinner then accompanied me to the show. We noticed that Torvill and Deans costumes were on display in the foyer- which was quite a wow for me anyway.

 And then those final few days before Christmas- centred around catching up with some family and relaxing, a few Christmas makes and traditions like watching the Box of Delights (I want to live at Seekings!) before new pyjamas and preparations....

Ironbridge- I forgot!

A dreadful realisation (OK acknowledgement) of how far behind I allow myself to get....

Last month we spent a wonderful few days at Ironbridge in Coalbrookdale YHA with  some HE friends

 By the side of the River... bridge possibly just about visible.

 Enguinuity- lots of button pressing/gadget pulling

 

Candle dipping at Blist Hill Victorian Town.

 

Highlights were the fact that a number of the musums were in walking distance of the Youth Hostel. Massive fun with lots of HE friends and a little wine drunk with the mummies (and some daddies!). We have taken out an Annual Family Pass- so we will be back again with Daddy in tow- especially as we have booked to go back to the YHA next June with the same ish set of people.

Autumn Walks

 A walk around a local lake- those favourite shushy leaves moments

 Complete with making themselves a house/nest (Mummy praying no dog dirt in there!!!) Lots of autumn crafting- trees, stained glass windows, scratch art leaves and leaf cushions....

A RagDoll Princess (with a little help).

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!!!)

Glorious Autumn Weather

 I know that some parts have had terrible storms over the last week or so- but here in the protected Midlands we have really had quite lovely weather. I am at that time of year where I feel it all slipping away and desparate to make the most of these last weeks before the cold really sets in- hence a glorious autumny walk in Sherwood Forest. I love the mix of woodland there!

 Shushing through leaves and children and daddies grubbing for acorns and toadstool spotting- it is a very good year for them!

A handful bought home and potted up- we have a wonderful little tree about two feet high potted from an 'SJ grubbed' Acorn when he was three.....when we move we will be taking!

October Days

As per usual time is flying- I just know that Christmas will be here before we know it!

FI has just survived a Beaver Sleepover to The Deep in Hull- 100 excited Beavers on two buses sleeping (NOT sleeping in most cases!) around the fish, doing crafty activities- masks and T shirt decorating. A very tired little girl- who says she isn't!

We have been working on spellings and word families- fairly low key but making OK progress and have discovered the MathsQuest books -after numerous recommendation from other HE friends (when I say discover- I meant dusted them off seeing as they had been on the shelf waiting the whole time!).

We have been crafting autumn things- falling leaves and stained glass windows, Hama beading spiders and Halloween pictures.

Planning holidays over the next few months... A HE Youth Hostel Trip, a family cabin holiday plus a farm holiday with extended family next year and possibly a family PGL trip.

Booking Theatre tickets..... going to Michael Morpurgos Butterfly Lion this month and Slavas Snow Show next month and the Panto in December...feels like we have spent a fair amount of money recently!

Trying to move the house forward-  bath panel completion in sight, front garden heading towards being a front garden, fencing serviced and completed (that was a big job) and hoping to perhaps put the house onto the Market in the spring???

One of those moments....

 where you find the children have been playing with the camera.........

Obviously lego is valued highly in this household....

In fact I think some of it is played with daily. We have a huge box of general stuff, Ms ancient lego railway set and then quite a few modern sets ( we tend to go for either Creator or City).

We are having a little- very gentle- push at trying to improve the older twos spellings- this arises from the fact that they have noticed their peers are writing more smoothly and longer pieces than what comes to our naturally. We have been struggling to find the right approach avoiding any learning 'by rote'- tried crosswords, hangman etc- am considering going back to word families- ight, aught etc

Back to 'work'

 A birthday present for TP- I thought it a little beyond him- but careful support and the acceptance (from him)- that projects need to be completed over a longer time span - has led to an end effect that I think he can be proud of

 More Narnia battles- occasionally with the odd plane or car involved- which isnt quite Narnia (of course neither are the guns that each plastic figure is sporting either!!)

SJ  and his new CDROM for his birthday- a lego construction park- interesting alternate skills to platform games
Sometimes struggling with the 'how much time on technology' question- trying to make sure interspersed with outrdoor play and activities- as particularly TP would go TV-iPad- PC-IPad etc some days....