Back to basics- or generally run down...

 Everyone either knackered or slightly under the weather- after what feels like an awful lot of running around, mental angst (in some cases) and nasty coughs....so we decided to lock the doors, stock up on Vitamin C ...cue dusting off the jigsaws and everyone has moved up a stage

plus some shared making and team work..

Finding a little girl tucked up on her bedroom rug lying in the sunshine snoozing

Watching the Wizard of Oz snuggled under a family blanket.

And relief from having drawn a line under an aspect of our life- and stood to it and walked away from a scenario causing much angst ( I like that word tonight)- to a situation where we will be better appreciated.

Under the guise of HE we have discussed similes, logic problems and ethics- deontology today- wow! Sounds impressive put that way..

More routine family....

Of course that could be more routine family life....as in more of the same.....

Or equally more routine family as in even more everyday examples of the majority of our time...

 Imaginative play- currently cats and a dog- who is really a dragon???..... (gives excuse for lots of roaring- despite the fact that poor daddy is in bed on nights)

 Lego, lego, lego......except this is a scale model of my kitchen complete with polished black granit tops! The dirty mark (just about visible) represents the sticky food I havent yet got around to wiping up....true!

 

A St Georges day crafty kit

 

Routine Family Life

 Crafty projects play a large part in our daily HE life- although pottery painting is not a common one to us- ratehr more a great highlight. FI did a plate with a landscape, SJ a bowl with a scene froma story and TP painted a money box train. Greatly enjoyed by all- except Mummy- who was at work.....

 Not a huge part of our lives but occasionally happens- the 'workbook'- FI is partcularly enjoying this one and wants to do a huge amount of pages per session. She is working on time telling at the moment and is starting to have the 'quarter to/past' bit sorted out and enjoys telling me the time at various intervals....

TPs crafty project- a sequin ball kit that he has been desperate to do for a while and we finally mad time this afternoon.
I had a rare two hours to myself this afternoon- M took the big ones cycling so I could do the task of putting away a lot of winter clothes - without eyes saying 'no mummy don't get rid of that dress (which barely skims my thighs anymore)- I like it.....'- as well as a few tatty bits which just needed to disappear. This then necessitated a small shopping trip as I realised that TP had NO pjgamas- how can a third child not have a single hand me down item put away- goodness knows what happened to whatever SJ had at this point??!

Easter Holidays

We celebrated Easter by being crafty this year, easter figures and chicks with soft fluffy feather, an Easter week mobile and lots of story reading re events. Was planning to try and cover the Passover but that one ended up passing us by....
Next comes St Georges day- and a few crafty kits for that one too.

Trying to make the most of the glorious weather and celebrate being outside and moving again. Lots of garden chores- clearing and doing some hard landscaping, trying to nurse the lawn along and plan the new one on the front of the house. TP has managed his first bike ride without stabilisers- very proud mummy moment (wasnt there -but the joy of iPhones!).

Planning our spring break next month- popping to London for a few days (very handy having a brother with a large house in N1) including a very big HP treat!

Spent the day in York yesterday- visiting the Castle Museum (always a favourite), Cliffords Tower and Jorvik Viking centre- sparked an interest that I shall probably have to follow up on....

Still working our way through the Little House Books- now on By the Shores of Silver Lake- did some quizzes on the website and they were scoring 9-10 for all the books we have read so far (have missed out Farmer Boy- until we meet Almanzo)

Off to James and the Giant Peach tomorrow- TPs first non pantomime theatre- so just hoping he will manage to sit OK.....

Easter Season

And the Harry Potter infatuation continues........with lego HippoGriffs, Pottermore and sorting (he is a Ravenclaw, I am a Hufflepuff!), basilisk Hama Beads and finally the books are OUT!! And he is reading them....I wonder how many children JK Rowling has set off down an independent reading trail-what a legacy!!
FI continues to make leaps and bounds with her reading and actually seeks out independent reading opportunities. She is also mastering the skill of time telling.

And on to TP-at times incredibly frustrating but actually a very intelligent little boy. Meticulous-possibly too much so, exacting with very high standards-poor boy-setting him up to be another perfectionist...

Beautiful little Treasure Map prepared by him-very obsessesed by action heros.......

And onto me.....woohoo I managed to scrape through-can't believe that I am more please at having scraped through this than I have been of any of the previously excellent results that I have always obtained.....and thus it makes the decision to move onto the next far easier... I also had the ceremonious pleasure of filing the textbook onto the shelf (I wouldn't allow myself the pleasure of doing that previously!!)

A month of update....

 What a month.......

Where time has flown......

Firstly M has been off work- an implosion of overwork, stress, burnout whetever you want to call it- BL**DY goverment targets! + too many years in a huge regional speciality ED. Hence the discussions of what next- now needs to be the when......

Anyway- pinnygigs- as pictured above- also knowen as Occupational Therapy- cant beat a piggie shrieking whee whee at you!  Kids are besotted and it amazing how they have slotted straight back into our life style- after about 6 years without. Iona & Orkney- after last years Scoittish Odyssey.

Carrying on with our (loose) American West theme. We have made Teepee- as pictured, Charm neckalaces, had a go at Totems, talked about Thanksgiving. We have read a Pioneer factual book as well as reading Children on the Oregon Trail, Little House in Big Woods and Little House on the Praire- currently halfway through On the Banks of Plum Creek ...carrying on -after LH on the P- at their request. Lots of discussion re Native Americans and Settlement, also touching on Slavery. May go to Michael Morpugos Twist of Gold next..... although they arte also besotted by Harry Potter at the moment too.

Choosing items for FIs new bedroom- momentous occasion alert- no longer being able to talk about the Dormitory (always makes me think of Nanny McPhee). We spent a lovely day- she and me walking around choosing bits and talking about how it will work. Entirely surprised me with her curtain choice and the ability to be gently guided away from the totally pink/purple thing- seeing it as a gentle accesory thing and being able to change these as she grows

As mentioned Harry Potter and WANDS- as made by some HE friends- lots of shrieking 'Expelliarmus' at each other ( as well as the odd Avada Kedarvra!- siblings!). Have worked our way through the films and have promised the books when we have cleared some of our outstanding pile.

FI has made huge leaps with her reading- we have tried to do some daily and she, herself, has felt the difference.
SJ has met multiplication and has the concepts under his belt-just needs to do the memorising bit now.
TP is talking about writing and letters and is producing some beautiful drawings.

Finally manging to move some stuff on- few toys gifted and packed away onto loft for (scary) future concepts (grandkids!!!!!)- beautiful wooden toys anyway. Need to do a little of the same with some books too. Trying to do (and thus cycle through) some crafty bits as well as put way those we just dont want to attempt for a while yet.

My module finished and exam taken- not very hopeful but a waiting game now. Know where I went wrong. Trouble is I have to commit (or not) to the next before getting the results- in fact by this monday......

Have started a new Cross stitch but feel fraudulent as exam results outstanding and not sure whether to keep on revising for a resit......

February job blaster

Not taking a great deal of photos at the present...having a real blast at getting some 'round the house' jobs done. Have paid the children to stone pick from the patch of mud that will be our front lawn!
M is currently stripping the rough plaster from the FINAL room- hallelujah!!!! Never, never, never buy a house with rough plastered walls- thinking that it won't be too bad a job!!!!
Finished my assignment - other than final tweaks - and trying to revise for the exam...
Have banned myself from crafty distractions
Having a hard-hearted sort through some stuff- including childrens toys and clothes...

Trying to make some sensible decisions about what comes next.....