Views from the Crow's Nest

Monthly Projects for 2012

2012-02-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

After discussion, deciding we really do want to bring back the monthly project and a bit of brainstorming, here they are -

January has been all about times tables
February will be Romans, which fits nicely with the various origins of Valentine's Day.
March is Basic Cellular Biology (I envisage lots of fun model making and dress up)
April will be something arty, but I'm not sure what yet - a style, period or particular artist I expect, we need to have another conflab about that!
May will be Georgians
June, July and August will, I know from experience, be almost entirely taken up with watching various sporting tournaments and playing team sports. The Olympics this year too! Also with wild life and nature programmes, trips etc, and general being out doors as much as possible.
September will be Abraham Lincoln and the founding of the USA.
October will be scientific ordering and Hallowe'en
and November and December, I also know now from experience, will be taken up with birthdays, Christmas - crafts, baking, making things and presents, parties, carols, decorating, christmas films and books, etc etc.

So there we have it! Not forgetting Maths & English GCSE courses, Cricket, Karate, Swimming, Chess Club, Toddler Group, Book Group, field trips, the zoo, our stack of documentaries and classic read-out-louds to get through....

Imbolic

2012-02-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

A pinch and a punch for yet another 1st of the month!

There seem to be more and more of them as the years go by ;-)

It was a beautiful day today. Clear, and blue skied and the most heavenly sunlight - the yellowish of thin treacle. But cold - ooh it was cold! We're seeing in the beginnings of spring with frost and (finally) wintry weather.

It was the first session of the new Home Edd Toddler Group I've set up. There's been lots of support and interest for it and - no-one came. *sigh* I'm declaring it a success anyway though, because what I wanted was some activities and fun centred round the younger ones, particularly Dot, and that's what we had!

We had lots of fun playing with duplo and megabloks and reading TONS of board books and we made a giant train track and the older ones got lots of maths done and played lots of chess.

Plus the house got vacced, mopped and tidied in anticipation of guests, so that was good!

We enjoyed it anyway, so I'm going to carry on doing it and banging on about on the email list. People will get over colds and find our house eventually, right?!

Papacrow took everyone to the library after lunch, while I backed a honey & spice cake out of the Winnie the Pooh cook book and *whisper* actually did some writing. This consisted of turning on the old, sloooow computer, actually finding the up-dated versions of the work I wanted and transferring them to data sticks, as well as reading through lots, getting back in the story and sorting a few plot points, hoorah!

Our boiler had it's annual check up - always a pleasure to chat with the boiler man, he very definitely has a full tool kit and we always have interesting discussion - and the kids watched some Star Wars & Horrible Histories.

The cake, I must add was a roaring success - unlike the carrot cake I tried last week because half of us think raisens are deadly poison. However this one, despite not being chocolate, got eaten COMPLETELY up! Hoorah!

Spring

2012-01-30T15:36:00.000-08:00

Now I know the title of this post seems a little premature. Spring maybe round the corner but it certainly isn't here yet. In fact, we've just started a cold snap - snow is finally coming, although only to further up the country so far.

However, I've been hearing the birds for a while in the evening - the blackbirds have been revving up for weeks and this evening, walking back to the car from Ballet with Petal & Dot, we heard a blackbird sing. Properly sing.

We even saw him, up on a TV ariel.

Glorious.

Fallow

2012-01-30T15:33:00.000-08:00

It can be a tricky time of year, can't it - Advent, Christmas, just Winter in general.

I find it's a time when I become increasingly inclined to go quiet. I don't suffer from S.A.D., and indeed, we are blessed with generally mild winters and plenty of natural light; but I do feel more like curling up with a book and my thoughts than striding out extrovertly over fields and through my blog.

I find that there finally a time when I can slow down after the six months of birthday and Christmas preparation. Trips and courses and lesson plans and monthly theme ideas slow down, it all feels stale for a bit and I've learnt that it's ok - even vital - just to stop.

To stop and draw back and to reassess... To lie fallow.

Soon enough new ideas and plans and ways of doing things germinate in fresh enthusiasm and take root...

Already that's happened, and we're in the thick of things... A new season with ever older children in the house. We are now seeing evening clubs and sports, GCSE courses and sleep over plans. I also still, oh joy of joys, have little ones in the family so there are little friends coming over for tea, toddler groups starting up and, the beginnings of reading starting to happen.

New life, new interests, new get up and go...

But none of that can happen without that time of introspection, without lying fallow. Even this post has been lying fallow - I started the draft of it in December!

New Years Resolutions

2012-01-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

We did it a little differently this year. Rather than having personal and academic goals I decided to simplify and in a brief flash of genius decided on three resolutions - one thing to give up, one thing to start doing and one thing to keep on doing.

So here they are -

Papacrow is going to Give Up - Regular pointless late nights.
Start Doing - Physical Activity
Keep Doing - Writing Time (and submitting work)

Mamacrow is going to Give up - Shouting
Start Doing - Yoga
Keep Doing - Maintaining Friendships & meeting up with friends

Saurus is going to Give up - Biting his nails
Start Doing - Running
Keep Doing - Develop a Positive Attitude

Roo is going Give up - Interrupting
Start Doing - Speaking kindly & respectfully (& learning the difference between funny & hurtful sarcasm)
Keep doing - Working on handwriting and spelling

Wig is going to Give up - Scaring People (as in, jumping out on them)
Start doing - Join a club
Keep doing - Writing - working on increasing legibility and amount

Fluff is going to Give up - Messing about on chairs
Start doing - Reading by self
Keep doing - Gaining Independence (self hygiene etc)

Petal is going to Give up - Screaming
Start doing - Reading
Keep doing - Ballet & Swimming

Dot is going to Give up - Attacking people (we sincerely hope!)
Start Doing - a toddler group
Keep Doing - Walking everywhere! (she's doing great on this, haven't used the pram in ages)

So there you have it! These are written out and pinned up on the notice board in the kitchen where we can all see them.

January

2012-01-30T14:53:00.000-08:00

And here we are, nearly at the end of it! Gosh.

As ever, plenty has been going on here. The weather has mostly been mild, so we've been out and about a lot - to the park, on various spontaneous cat walks (aka walks round the block just before dinner. So called after Petal who was cat obsessed when younger, and we'd go out to go and spot some!).

We've been busy at karate - I've just successfully graded and got my green belt, and Petal has suddenly decided that she does karate now too. Apparently 'I'm a big girl and I do karate AND ballet'! A couple of weekends ago I was flying solo as Papacrow, Saurus and Roo were helping Uncle J & Cousin L move, and I was taking the rest to karate. She announced out of the blue that she was going to do the class that day - she hasn't done karate for a while as she started not wanting to, which wasn't a problem of course, although I did mention it might be nice if she did some when she was older as it's good thing to be able to defend oneself. Anyway, I said that it was fine for her to do the class but that I wouldn't be able to do it with her (as I used to) as I'd have Dot.

She said that was fine, and when we got there she got changed happily, went off with Fluff, did the warm up perfectly and the whole class! She listened carefully to what Sensi said and did everything he asked (unlike before, when she'd run off and hide behind me if he looked at her!) and she's been really enjoying the class since!

Home Ed group is going from strength to strength, we had a parent's meeting recently with new parents - we've had lots of new members recently - taking over a bit with ideas and so on. We're going to do a theme once a month rather than every week, which will make it easier to make more of an effort for it, and also do a music themed session once a month. The kids have organised themselves a bit recently into more relaxed sessions with random crafts, table tennis, a lego club, visits to the nearby skate park etc, so we're going to keep that on for the other sessions in the month.

I'm starting up a toddler group, chess club and book group so they should be fun!

The monthly visit to the Animal Rescue Centre was great - cats this month - and we had an absolutely FANTASTIC trip to the panto.

We've definitely re-established daily table-time basics and they are going well, we've organised some monthly themes too and have been concentrating on Times Tables this month. Roo's been enjoying 6 word stories - give him 6 random words and he has to write a story featuring them - and Wig has been doing lots of handwriting practise quite spontaneously, and it's really paying off. His spelling is improving too. Papacrow has been doing lots of alphabet and common word flash cards with Fluff and Petal. Fluff's getting there but the magical switch hasn't flipped yet, if you know what I mean. Petal's coming along nicely, she knows her alphabet well, and has started picking out the odd word too. Saurus is committed to maths and english GCSE, he's receiving maths tuition every Monday from another Home Edding mum (who was a maths teacher & then private tutor for years) while I do stuff with mine and her children, and another Home Edder has sorted out a couple of English groups, one of which will be at our house, and is starting soon.

We've been listening to lots of new music, The Destroyers have been a great discovery and we've really been enjoying the Now That's What I Call Disney - a two disc extravaganza of joy!

We've been working our way through the various documentaries (Alien Worlds, various animal documentaries) and cartoons we got for christmas and birthdays, and Horrible Histories as ever.

There's also been lego and train tracks and Bang! and chess and lots of reading - Saurus has got on the Cherub books, Wig's plowing through Dragon Lance and Roo has just started Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Dot has just discovered the Judith Kerr Mog books and LOVES them.

I think that's all I can remember for now... Am unsure as to how to proceed with blogging for the moment... Not sure if going back to daily recording is sustainable at the moment. I've just quit my evening cleaning jobs and one of the reasons for doing that was the various evening activities that have started up - Ballet, Karate, Cricket winter nets etc etc, so life is pretty busy. Maybe weekly? Time to experiment, review and adapt again...

Anticipation

2012-01-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

I had to share this photo with you. Papacrow took it, on Dot's birthday. Here she is, waiting to blow her candles out -

It's just perfect, isn't it? The gaze upwards, the smile, the clasped hands... *sigh*

This is how I want to go into 2012. This how I want to great each day! I'm mindful that not every day, not everything will live up to our expectations... But I want to go forth with joyful anticipation, like this, every day.

Ah, December...

2011-12-31T15:10:00.000-08:00

We've had a good little holiday time, actually. We let basics and table time go by the wayside and I don't know about anyone else, but OH I needed it. I was vaguely aware I was stale and getting burnt out - both generally but particularly in regards to Home Edding - but I didn't properly realise it until now, when I'm getting all enthusiastic again!

I feel regenerated, which is good - I needed to be!

So there's been much TV watching and playing consols and the PS3 what with all the new DVDs and games and so on that Christmas and birthdays (Fluff's to be precise) have brought, also plenty of chess, bang, lego, reading and just general playing. We got all the plasticine out one day! I am DEFINITELY going to get round to making salt dough. Soon. Honest.

We haven't got out much as the weather, though not very cold, has been very wet. I think we're all finally over colds and things now, and we are starting to get out to parks and town (to spend christmas money!) and so on, now.

We have seen lots of family - we had three nephews down to stay for a few days which was exciting. (Which reminds me, I must parcel up the toothbrushes and clothes they inevitably left behind along with thank you letters and send it all off to their mum).

We've had the Christmas Story competition, sorted out 2011's goals and fixed up 2012's resolutions (more on that in a separate post). We've had a big get-together with Papacrow's family, and with mine, and had meetings with the kids about reorganising basics, table time sessions, and project topics. Phew!

A few more loose ends to tidy up and sort out, and I feel we're sailing into 2012 with our sails nicely trimmed :D

Have yourself, a merry little Christmas!

2011-12-25T22:52:00.000-08:00

So this is Christmas...

2011-12-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Or, it nearly is! I would start by wondering where December has gone, but I know - mostly sacrificed to viruses.

*Sigh*

Virus's? Virusae?

What is the collective noun for virus, anyhow? A wretch of Viruses? A sniffle? A despair?

So we survived Hand, Foot and Mouth, started getting back into the social and academic whirl and then - just as I was indulging in an ill advised moment of smugness over not succumbing to Dot's cold, I woke up with it. That was seven days ago and I'm only just starting to feel human again *sigh*

Anyhow - we've decorate, made paper chains, wrapped presents, coloured and sent Christmas cards, watched Christmas movies, listened to Christmas Carols and songs, met up with friends, been to the park and (finally, today) the library, Father Christmas (in town), played lots of Bang!, and this week a fair bit of playstation!

The Home Ed group christmas party was great, maths is going well for Saurus, and Dot - as well as snotting and sniffling and dripping - has been heard to be counting up to four by herself, both just because and actually counting items, and sits perfectly cross legged on the floor. Now where on EARTH has she learnt to do that?! Her father I suppose, I don't do floors anymore. Or rather, my pelvis doesn't, which is fair enough!

We're hoping to go to the zoo tomorrow - it's been wild and windy and chilly and rainy but, with the Solstice we seem to have some mild sunny weather - everything is wrapped and Roo and I plan to make mince pies on Saturday with the leftover mincemeat from the batch we made last year.

Oh, and I finally gave the blog a winter make-over!

Happy Winter Solstice one and all :D

Dot Monday!

2011-12-05T15:04:00.000-08:00

Dot has been walking a lot lately, I rarely bother stuffing her into the pram anymore, something she had started to vigorously resist anyhow. If she gets tired, Papacrow will put her on his shoulders, or I'll carry her. We've experimented with an Ergo a very kind friend lent us, but I found that it puts a lot (or what feels like a lot) of the weight to my pelvis, where I just can't carry it anymore, it causes it (my pelvis that is) to drift out of alignment. Although it makes my arms ache a little after a bit, it's actually much more comfortable to just carry her - tummy to tummy with her legs round her waist, if you can visualise that.

She can certainly walk pretty respectable distances - to karate, round town, to the big park, to the library - and yes, and back again...Shades of Joyce Grenfell... 'A cruise, for two, to Madeira... There and back.'

She is loving books at the moment - a bit too much, the odd rip is still happening :( can you believe that before her, we've never ripped a library book? Ah well, there's a first (and second and third and forth..) time for everything :( Luckily they're very understanding at our library, and budget for such things!

2011-12-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

Monday 5/12/2011

Chilly but sunny day today, nice to wake up to a warm house now we've sorted out the timed heating option! Usual get up and dressing and tidying and so on, a cheerful breakfast and a good whack of table time before we headed out to visit a home ed family - this one has a farm, which is jolly exciting!

The mum (who my mother knows through guides, incidentally) is a maths teacher and is doing some maths with Saurus in preparation for his GCSE, while I do various things with her daughter and twin boys - today it was a variety of games, as loosing is the thing that needs working on! Loosing gracefully, that is, if you see what I mean!

So we played Munchkin (good choice this, as although it does have a winner and is competitive, it also includes co-operative options); Tumbling Monkeys (simple, easy to set up, so multiple games with different winners and losers); a bit of Bang!, much general playing with train track, lego, etc and we also played on their outside play equipment and trampoline and with their many guinea pigs.

We had a great time, and everyone seems satisfied all round, so it will become a regular occurrence, hooray!

Home for a late and lovely lunch (left over roast dinner), and the kids settled down to Hop.

Now, why were they watching an Easter themed film in December, I hear you ask?

Well, it's a predictable one word answer - Petal. Of course. She found it at Grandma's, borrowed it, and has been marketing it to the others ever since!

They enjoyed it anyway :-)

Then I got Petal dressed up as Angelina Ballerina - nice easy costume, basically her dress up tutu over pink tights, her ballet cardigan for warmth, her hair up as normal and some cheap clip-on white, fluffy mouse ears I picked up from Claire's Accessories, a nose and whiskers painted on with face paint and a tail I had made out of creamy white fluffy wool left over from a baby blanket I knitted years ago - I just made a thick plait, added a pink bow on the end and safety pinned it to the back of her tutu!

This was a much anticipated party as you can imagine, and I'm not sure how much she enjoyed it - she spent it silent and on my lap! Her usual teacher wasn't there, although the stand-ins were lovely. She ate a bit of party food - sitting firmly next to me - and we enjoyed looking round at the other costumes.... A vast array of various Disney Princesses, a couple of mermaids, a cat, quite a few fairies, and the one boy came as Father Christmas - I've never seen such a small suit, so cute!

Once we left, she was chattering all about it all the way home! Funny girl :-D

The boys had been diligently cleaning and cooking, I went off to work while Papacrow did baths and I got home to bed Fluff & Petal. Then Papacrow, Saurus, Roo & Wig watched Captain America (it was released today and purchased by Papacrow this morning).

I did the online ASDA shop and, as you can see, frantically caught up with blogging!

Advent

2011-12-05T14:25:00.001-08:00

So, what have we been up to so far this December?

Well, Papacrow has been excelling himself when it comes to helping out with the housework. I get behind with the washing and yet have to be out and about for a couple of days, and when I've I come back in, lo, what do I see? A new load of washing on and the one I left on is in the dryer!

I mention this because its not normally something that always shows up on his radar - we used to have a machine that beeped when it had finished, but not anymore and he doesn't generally notice, I normally come back to it hours later! For some reason, I no longer stress about this. Not even about the piling up loads of dirty washing - not really. I think finally, I truly realise that for one thing, it really doesn't matter, and for another - I really can catch up relatively quickly when I get the chance - it's ok, I'll do it, I'll manage, it will get done!

So, it's funny, and doubly lovely that he's suddenly and unexpectedly become so attentive on this subject, and very much appreciated believe you me!

We've been scuttling around tidying and cleaning so we can get the decorations up sooner rather than later, and we've very much been enjoying the lego and playmobile calendars we got this year. I'm still to dig out the advent wreath, crown, and other calendars though.. Ah well, you can't have it all!

Now lets see -

Friday 2/12/2011

We went to Home Ed group which, for once, was a bit of wash out - no one much brought stuff about Romans (the theme) I forgot to bring nappies for Dot so hers was soon swinging round her ankles, Saurus went off to the skate park but didn't have his phone (well of course not) so I couldn't call him when we really wanted to go home, and lots of our friends weren't there - seasonal bugs I suspect. Still, we got out the house!

Saturday 3/12/2011

Oh we had a lovely weekend! The weather was chilly but clear and dry and beautiful. Saturday was mainly taken up with karate - I got to my class for once - and I did some solo shopping. We're pretty much all done now, hoorah!

Sunday 4/12/2011

We had a lovely relaxed morning with Papacrow cooking pancakes for breakfast - and a mass family trip to the little park of laps and bulldog and football, lovely! In the afternoon we went to the birthday party of the toddler son of a Home Edding family, and I came home to lots of washing having been done, Papacrow doing the washing up and a love roast beef meal! The one slight blot was that Saurus was so monumentally eggy that I left him at home. However, both being left behind and not getting to go to something he most likely would have enjoyed (he's great friends with the toddler's parents who, like us, are into Magic and DnD and all sorts of games), and having Papacrow to himself for a bit seemed to have done him lots of good. Thank goodness!

Treasure

2011-12-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

I understand some things now. Things that I didn’t understand or really ever think about before. Like children’s treasures - a pink hair band, a patterned plaster, a coloured stone, a twisted shell. When you’re a child, they’re treasures almost just - because. Because everything is magical, because you know nothing about anything, so you somehow know everything about everything at the same time.

Wonder, is what I’m describing, I suppose. Things are treasures because they are yours, because you found them. It’s about discovering yourself even more than the treasures and the magic and the wonder, about finding out what your tastes are, how you interact with the world. When you’re an adult, your children’s treasures are precious because of the awareness they now bring. Sometimes gradually, sometimes subconsciously, sometimes suddenly. The awareness that the time of treasures, of a pink hair band being the best thing in the world, and a coloured stone being able to heal hurts and ward off danger; is so fleeting.

Now I understand why my father kept things like that in his pockets for years. Things I found and asked him to carry and then forgot all about. Bits of coloured green glass, smoothed by endless buffeting by the ocean into pebbles, conkers, bits of broken china that seem to be in every back garden, white with remnants of blue pattern on them. His jackets still hang in his wardrobe, and every pocket still holds treasures.

2011-12-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

Thursday 1/12/2011

Me oh my, what happened to November?! Suddenly I find it’s finished, we’re on to December and (naturally) I’m a couple of weeks behind on the old blogging front again O.o

Ah well, lets do a good old fashioned November round up shall we?! Last week (The one starting 21st November) we were still recovering and there was plenty of overtired small people, restless nights and slight temperatures along with a light dusting of whinge. We managed a few trips to the small park and one to the big park – Dot did lots of walking on that one – Papacrow took everyone to the library, the weather started to be cold and wet and we did lots of cuddling up and reading. Petal now rather likes ‘proper’ books read to her – we’ve had bits of Tales of Beadle the Bard, The Dolls of Doll Street, Alison Utley’s Tales for Christmas and we’ve also earmarked The Worst Witch, Sam Pig (Alison Utley again) and something else that momentarily escapes me…

There’s also been lots of card and board games which has been nice to see – Bang!, David & Goliath, Munchkin, Chess, Monopoly and Heroica. We’ve been watching lots of old Disney too – Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hercules and we have Tarzan, Toy Story 3, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Aristocats waiting!

We’ve got back into the swing of table time, with the usual diary entries, book reviews, maths & English work books, a bit of Latin or French and handwriting practice. Petal, Fluff and I have been working away at common word and letter flash cards, Fluff’s been storming through his work book and he really has a great grasp of numbers and simple addition and subtraction! I’ve also started pencilling diary entries for him to trace over, like I did with Wig, and we’re making solid progress colouring the Christmas cards – just need to organise a list and send them now.

When it comes to TV programmes they seem to have gone back to Walking with Beasts & Dinosaurs, plenty of Horrible Histories, and old retro Power Rangers. Petal has been enjoying Angelina Ballerina, and we got a cheapy dance DVD to do as well, when there wasn’t a ballet class on 28th December.

This week we managed swimming – although we probably won’t go again now until it starts getting warmer – it was rather chilly! We also had some Home Ed friends round, and cousin P slept over on Wednesday 30th November with Fluff in his tepee, while Aunty A and I drove over to Brighton and saw Duran Duran, which was awesome!
All in all, a very good month

Saurus Monday!

2011-11-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

Well, Papacrow still has concerns about his effort and output, but certainly his handwriting seems very neat at the moment! He seemed to take Hand Foot & Mouth very lightly, just had a few days of feeling very rough. He just seems to be growing taller again, and I think his voice has dropped properly now, as it were, its deep without that strained tone.

Do you know what dinosaur I’d be? A sarcasticasaurus!

2011-11-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 22/11/2011

Quote of the day – Roo.

Bit of a slow, sleepy morning. There was table time and various housework bits and bobs, I sorted out various parcels and letters and Papacrow and I discussed various Home Edding bits and pieces.

Fluff and I went into town – just us two – and went to the post office. There was another little boy who was very interested in what we were doing, and he helped us post our stuff.

We picked up various Christmas bits – he got his present for Dot – and he also spent his pound that Granddad gave him for his recent Karate grading on two toy racing cars. We got chips on the way home and ate them in the park, which was nice!

Lunch when we got back – an exciting round of sandwich roulette – there was lots of reading, lego, Bang, chess etc, then some Walking With Dinosaurs during which I managed to nod off but Dot didn’t.

Papacrow started cooking (toad in the hole) and Petal decided she’d like to go to the park, so she, Dot and I went to the little park with their baby dolls and pram and pushchair. We saw S and her dogs in the park and had a nice chat, and got back for tidying etc.

I had a snack and went to work, Papacrow did dinner and baths and stories. I got back and they were having the promised Little Big Planet. I took Dot to bed, then Petal, then Fluff. The others shuffled off – Saurus played some Playstation with Papacrow first – and I finally got my dinner – worth the wait, of course!

2011-11-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

Sunday 20/11/2011

Wow, look at that, yet another numerically pleasing date! Even more so if you put in Americanise actually, look – 11/20/2011 !

Is it just me, or are there an abnormally large amount of pleasing dates this year? Maybe I’m just more aware of them… No, I think it’s to do with the year being mostly binary, and all the good combinations you can then get with the month and day numbers.

Anyhow! Papacrow and I had a very pleasant little lie in while the others had cereal in front of Match of the Day and a bit of Merlin. Then Papacrow and I had a very civilised breakfast with just the two of us, with proper coffee, and butter or pate on toast, and grapefruit juice, and plenty of fruit. Everyone else played with lego, read, and did various bits and pieces.

Then we pulled on shoes and boots and jumpers and the odd coat and went to the little park – it was a lovely day, pretty warm and soft and gentle again, in fact we saw a bee and later I saw a wasp in the house! Standing beneath the cherry tree, the leaves looked more yellow than orange today… They are thin, tapered oval shape and look like a strange flock of goldfish, waiting to take flight. Some had already done so, and lay scattered artistically on the pavement.

We had a lovely time at the park, plenty of running around and shouting and hide and seek and guns in the bushes, and football. We met a friend who lives nearby, Tall C and her little boy E who was in the throws of chicken pox – though he was quite cheerful and most of his spots were in covered areas! We also acquired another little boy who hung out and played for a while and then headed home for lunch, swiftly followed by consols and Little Big Planet. Papacrow washed up and I mercilessly destroyed mould colonies upstairs again, with lots of Detox Mould & Mildew removal. I should have shares in that company, the amount I’ve bought of that product!

There was lots of dressing up – Petal went to the park as Upsy Daisy, in fact, before ending up as a cat. Dot was Wonder Woman before snapping up Petal’s discarded Upsy Daisy outfit, and then just chucking everything off and not wearing anything at all bar a nappy – good job it was warm today! We did wrestle her into some clothes in the end because I had all the windows and the skylight opened upstairs while I was de-moulding.

Roo and Dot made a den/cave with half the kitchen table, and there was also lots of play with the marble run again. We had a lovely fry up for tea, baths and hair washing and hair combing – no squatters I’m glad to report – and settled down for a bit of Country File, Dot went off to bed and then we had snacks – cereal and medicinal ice-cream and the like – for the Strictly Results show which we all enjoyed.

After that it was stories and cuddles and bed – Saurus played some PS3 with Papacrow and also took himself off, and I wrote the shopping list and menu and attempted to do the online ASDA shop but the computer/internet connection was having none of it. Ah well!

Dot Saturday!

2011-11-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

Well Dot is feeling much better, which is a relief, because she's back to sleeping really well too - huzzah!

She's enjoyed her play kitchen again this week, she loved having some raisins to 'cook' with. She still loves being able to 'wash up' at the kitchen sink and is LOVING picture books at the moment, she has really strong opinions on which ones she wants, in what order, and really pays attention for the whole story. She's now also started grabbing a picture book and 'reading' it out loud.

I had to stifle a giggle when the Health Visitors asked if she managed the stairs alright... Um, yes! Mostly completely unaided, although she still does one step at a time, and uses the wall (if you know what I mean). She's also big into jumping (or trying to at least), walking on walls, and jumping off walls (with adult aid, thankfully!).

2011-11-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

Saturday 19/11/2-11

The leaves have finally turned on the cherry tree in the street outside our house. Almost overnight, although I expect it was actually a more gradual change, over these last five days or so. Today I was a bit more upright and a bit more aware, and actually looked out the front room window... There they were, these leaves, all an almost uniform yellowy orange, hanging downwards, ready to drop.

Papacrow was typing today, and I was up but not feeling too clever still so I didn't lead many activities. So the kids ended up doing quite a bit of sciency stuff - floating lego pieces and men in cups of water, and blowing through straws into the water and seeing what happened then! Dot also spent some enjoyable time washing up, there was lots of reading, Bang!, Chess, lego, and they also dragged out lots of bits of marble run and experimented building structures and dropping marbles down.

Saurus was feeling much better (he spend most of yesterday asleep) and Papacrow took them all to the little park for some fresh air, which was much enjoyed by all. They're definitely all on the mend, although poor Wig is still suffering from blisters in his mouth and on his tongue which are NO FUN AT ALL, as you can imagine.

They also had some cartoons in the morning - Charlie & Lola - and we had fun watching some old Power Rangers and discussing the different series and characters. They played consols and Little Big Planet in the afternoon before the park trip, and we enjoyed the special Strictly Come Dancing from Wembley.

Petal Friday!

2011-11-19T15:23:00.000-08:00

Well, in between illness this week has been all about ballet, and Bang!

She got (most of) her official proper very PINK ballet uniform on Monday, and has worn it most days since, although I insist she changes before meals. Miraculously we've managed not to permanently loose any of it and I've only had to wash the leotard once! We've had a lot of fun practicing pointing our toes, turning our toes out and doing graceful arms :D

Bang! is a wild west card game, I think the recommendation on the box is actually for ages 8yrs and up but it's a good simple game, all the cards are very visual so Petal and Fluff play it happily with the rest. You end up with a randomly assigned role - Sheriff, Deputy, Outlaw or Renegade - and different goals depending on that role. Petal likes being the sheriff, although she's rather ruthless, rather than working with any deputies she tends to gun the lot down! That's my girl :D

2011-11-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Friday 18/11/2011

A bit of nothingy day again, I was totally wiped out and spent most of it in bed. There was some table time, plenty of Bang, Chess and Junior monopoly, and we watched Aladdin in the afternoon. Not as big a hit as Beauty and the Beast, but Papacrow and I had a ball singing along!

Dot had a bit of sleep in bed with me in bed in the afternoon, a bit longer than was wise which put her bedtime back a bit, but there were plenty of stories and some Bang, and everyone got to bed eventually!

Papacrow and I watched Faster, and Saurus joined us for it. A very interesting experience, as it was a much more thinky film than I thought it would be, a really strong style and look - quite beautiful in fact - and interesting music and use of music. Rather than just being a slightly brainless flick, it actually had quite a lot of interesting ideas and thoughts - don't get me wrong, it was by no means the most fantastic film ever, not even in the running, but it was one of those enjoyable ones - when you are served up a slice of entertainment far more enjoyable and skilled than what you thought you would be getting!

Fluff Thursday!

2011-11-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

Ah, Fluff. He's spinning such wonderful stories now. At bedtime, he's the one who tells ME a story for a change - featuring Marmite (his teddy bear), Merryday (cuddly tiger) and various orangytangs.

He's still rather hyper at the moment, and very ignory. He and Papacrow rub each other up the wrong way, similar to Saurus and I. It's not so much wilful ignoring, more like he's entirely on another planet, or thinking great thoughts.

Certainly his reading is coming on, he's often playing games with the wooden alphabet blocks, all his recognition suddenly seems down pat.

He named his hat Stripy Boggaly by the way. Naturally.

Bruty & the Feast!

2011-11-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

Thursday 17/11/2011

Quote of the day - what Petal has renamed Beauty and the Beast :D

Another day mostly spent huddled up on the sofa, although we also did some table time in the morning, I washed up and Papacrow did some typing.

After lunch it was consols and playstation and Papacrow took the girls out for medicinal icecream (seriously, it's what's prescribed, especially if you have the blisters in your mouth) while I napped, then we reconvened for Beauty and the Beast, or Bruty and the Feast, as it now for ever will be.

After that it was baths and stories and beds, Saurus played a bit of Chess with Papacrow and we watched a programme about the history of explosives (which was vastly interesting) before Papacrow went out to the cinema.

It's worth noting that Dot's feeling MUCH better, although she still has a few blisters on her feet. They did not, however stop her walking for the majority of their town trip - quite a way!

Wig Wednesday

2011-11-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

Poor Wiggy. He's looking all stretched again, and on top of that all pale and interesting with this recent bout of illness.

He's reading a lot - Dragonlance still, and BeastQuest - and enjoying Bang and Zombies. He seems a lot more self motivated and self organised at table time, just going through his list of things to do quite happily, although he still needs occasional reminders to do the things for which he's not in the mood!

He's still quite susceptible to tense and scary bits in films... We were watching a disney movie recently and he was the first to start squeaking and hiding under a blanket at the mere sniff at a vaguely scary bit... He's very like Saurus in some ways :)

Are there any vampires in my hair?!

2011-11-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 16/11/2011

Quote of the day - Petal, as Papacrow nitcombing her in the bath. There weren't any vampires in her hair, or any headlice either, so we've finally got rid of them (again) I think.

Well Dot is definitely on the mend, although still rather cranky, Roo is definitely succumbing, and Fluff was a little hot and blistery today too. I felt awful and tingly, and the odd blister is appearing, so I didn't go to work. We cancelled everything, did a little light table time and watched various TV - the Sarah Jane adventures and Fantasia, mostly.

I also did some tidying and mending upstairs.

Roo Tuesday

2011-11-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

Not pausing for photos, I'm just trudging through the great catch up (again) O.o

Poor Roo, started feeling rough (and, later, blistery too).

He's back to drawing and writing about Fluffies in his book at the moment, as well as reading lots of Dragon lance and Tintin has made a return to the lunch table, which is slightly problematic due to the size of the books -there's been more than one spillage!

He's been expanding upwards a lot lately... Stretching, in that way he does, and being rather irritable while he does it. But he'll still play with Dot - she gets away with far too much! Unless she breaks into into his bedroom of course, then all bets are off!

2011-11-16T15:41:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 15/11/2011

Well the morning was mainly taken up with CLEANING ALL THE THINGS as the Health Visitor was coming round later for Dot's two year developmental check - these seem to be back on the schedule now, they didn't have time or funding for them for a while, I just did questionnaires for Petal and Fluff too I think.

Yes yes, I know I don't HAVE to be clean and tidy for the Health Visitor, but I LIKE to be clean and tidy for the Health Visitor. Not because she's a Health Visitor, but because she's a visitor.

Everyone helped, I washed up while Papacrow took some of them into town for few bits, then they settled down for game of Bang. The Health Visitor and her very nice trainee turned up, contrary to all expectations Dot really enjoyed it and did everything she was asked with aplomb - some wooden puzzles, drawing and building a block tower.

After all that excitement we had a lunch, and nice quite afternoon of table time. Dot was blistery but a bit less cranky, which was nice!

I went to work, Papacrow did baths etc, Wig watched a film in our room, Roo watched a film in bed on Saurus's PSP and Saurus watched the England (soccer) match in the front room while Papacrow and I played DnD in the kitchen with friends. It actually worked really well playing in the kitchen for a change, all food and drink within an arm's reach!

After that excitement

Saurus Monday

2011-11-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

Well first of all, I need to take more photos of him, I've run out of recent ones!

His complexion is clearing up (I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning) and he's been hanging out with his HE friends a lot more - he's been round to their houses, they've been round here, which is nice :)

He's still deep in the Vietnam war, and has started writing essays on it, and is also much enjoying Calvin and Hobbes again - I found him starting an essay about that too, which should be an interesting read.

He's all about the board games at the moment - he's gotton out Bang, Junior Monopoly and Zombies a lot this week so far, and got the others playing with him. I presume he was getting tired of endless games of chess with Fluff!

I'm going to Ballet in twenty minutes!

2011-11-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

Monday 14/11/2011

Quote of the day - Petal. My reply- 'no, in six hours sweetie.'

Dot slept through! She definitely had blistery spots comeing out on her fingers and toes, so it looks like hand, foot and mouth (also known, I think, as H1N1). Which I thought we had experienced already, year ago, with Saurus and Roo. I have no recollection of the blisters though, so maybe not.

After the practically balmy day yesterday, it was grey and dank today, and we mostly huddled in doing table time, watching Horrible Histories, and playing Bang and Junior Monopoly.

I popped into town to do a few errands, taking Dot in the pram so she would nap and Petal elected to come along too. We had fun in the bank using the coin depositing machine! We got home to a quick turnaround to take Petal to ballet - most of her new uniform had come (we're just waiting for tights, shoes and cardigan) and she looked lovely in it :D

Then it was home for dinner - pies & veg, lovely - and I went to work.

The evening was fairly quite, Dot was a little restless but not too bad. Wig watched some Super Hero Squad in our room for a treat, there was various other bits with Saurus and Roo.

2011-11-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

Sunday 13/11/2011

A bit of tiring day, I started it off already tired as Dot was up several times in the night, poor poppet.

It was also a gloriously warm, sunny day - all crisp colourful leaves, blue skies, and golden light. We even had the skylight open! Dot was definitely not as hot, and after breakfast we had a slow dribbly walk to the big park, where we played in the playground. I popped to Waitrose for some shampoo, and we had a slightly tired and eggy stagger home for lunch.

Aunty L, M and Baby S popped round for a visit which was lovely, then we had lots of tidying and vaccing. The boys had consols, the girls watched cartoons, and they all played some Little Big Planet.

Papacrow and I vacced, washed up, he cooked and I de-moulded upstairs.

After dinner we did baths, hair-washing and combing and then strictly. Dot was a bit restless, but eventually went to sleep on me, and everyone shuffled off to bed afterwards (Saurus had some PS3 first).

Then Dot had a very restless evening, where despite having all the calpol & calbruphen that she's allowed, she was up and down a lot. In fact, she's currently sitting next to me on the sofa, watching In The Night Garden. It is 11.30pm. Another long one then...

Dotty Saturday

2011-11-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

Poor Dot, she hasn't known what to do with herself today. She kept asking to nurse and then not even doing one suck before coming off and crying and refusing... Back teeth/sinus/both pain?

Still, this week I've noticed that she suddenly loves being read to. She'll sit still and listen avidly to a whole picture book - to date, she just wanted to paw through it herself. She'll also really enjoy the odd cartoon now, Clangers and Charlie & Lola are her current faves.

She also really likes P!nk, not sure why! She'll yell for the cd, bob through the opening seconds of the first track (Get this Party Started) then loose interest and run off!

Dotty's my bubba.

2011-11-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

Saturday 12/11/2011

Quote of the day - Petal, on my enquiring WHAT was she calling Dot and why?!

A bit of trying day, not enough sleep to start with and poor Dot was hot and bother and miserable for most of it. I took the boys to karate and Papacrow took the girls shopping, after lunch and consols and cartoons and plenty of sitting down, I started soup and then took Fluff and Saurus to their karate grading.

Both were successful, Fluff went from red to yellow and Saurus went from brown/white to brown/black, and is now one more grading away from black belt! The downside is he can't grade for at least another year now, it takes that long to properly learn everything he needs!

Papacrow cooked pasta and lasagna bread (yum) and we cuddled in front of Strictly Come Dancing. Dot finally got to sleep, and I hustled everyone else off for an early night.

We made the decision to cancel Dot's little birthday party tomorrow, even if she does wake up all temperature free, she's going to be shattered, and Papacrow and I are both over tired and not feeling quite 100% anyway.

Petal Friday

2011-11-11T15:50:00.000-08:00

Dear sweet Petal. She is being anything but in the evenings when I'm at work and Papacrow is flying solo, as y'all are probably gathering from my daily roundups. *sigh*

She's very articulate, and just doesn't take much seriously, to the point of seriously annoying disrespectful mucking around *deep sigh*

But she has also been doing lots of dressing up this week, and her friendships with other small girls at Home Ed group are really deepening (tick that socialisation box).

She loves to have a book at the table, like her big brothers (reading is aloud at all meals bar dinner), and particularly likes a small hard backed book of illustrated British Folk stories & Fairy tales - partly because it stands up on end nicely I think!

Biscuit! Biscuit? Biscuit!

2011-11-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Friday 11/11/11

Quote of the day - Dot's current favourite word :-)

There is a date, isn't there? We won't get one like that again for quite a while, huh!

Dot slept in till 7ish again, we had lots of snuggles with several people piling into the bed, and came downstairs to find Roo folding, bless him (I had a word with him yesterday about his letting it slide again). We had a quick breakfast, a brief table time, and hurried off to Home Ed group, determined to be on time for once. We were so on time that we were the first ones there by quite 10 minutes, and wondered for a bit there if it was actually on!

It was, and there was much colouring, lego, we got the big gym mats out for jumping and rolling and forward rolling, Roo and Wig went to the playground with their friends (in the grounds of the building) and Saurus went to the skate park with his. Roo and Wig arranged for some friends to come round in the afternoon, so we hurried home for lunch, tidying, and finishing off of folding and table time.

S & M came round, there was much playing with lego - they brought some great bases with them - and Little Big Planet 2 was also played. Dot was a bit clingy and misog, Papacrow got lots of typing in, and I did a bit of gentle housework and washing up.

I dropped S & M home on my way to work while Papacrow did dinner, baths and beds - I got home to find Petal & Fluff had yet again been less than helpful :( So we had serious words and talks about that, and got the three littlies to bed. Wig watched Super Hero squad in our bedroom, Roo watched some films in bed on Saurus's PSP and Saurus played PS3 in the front room. Papacrow went out to his brother's to play a new PS3 game (having hit his word count).

I dutifully (although admittedly not exactly enthusiastically) tidied, swept, washed up, changed the bin, bagged up cardboard for recycling and showered. Phew. Then I settled down to blogging and listening to Radio 2's coverage of the Country Music Awards :)

Fluff Thursday

2011-11-10T15:35:00.001-08:00

Ah my dear sweet little Fluff. He's in a bit of a hyper phase at the moment.. They happen. He seems less able to sit still - ever - or calm down at bedtime, and it invariably ends in a meltdown :(

HE's also getting better and better on the reading front - I think he'll do one of those leapy things soonish.

He's very much enjoying playing with Dot and her new play kitchen - it's not all tears, there are plenty of smiles too!

May I take my shoes off?

2011-11-10T14:45:00.000-08:00

Thursday 10/11/2011

Quote of the day - Dot being very articulate at Grandma's house where the house rules state they need to ask before they kick their footwear off!

Dot slept into to nearly 7am again, we think because we had the heating on timed (to come on from 3am to 6am) again, so she was nice and warm - result!

The only problem was that it was so warm and snuggly, no-one wanted to get up! We did eventually, stripped the beds and had breakfast. Then Dot and I went out -just us together! - to spend her pocket money. She got a cute wooden tea for two set to use with her new play kitchen, a red squirty whale that she fell in love with, and some new purple boots - very purple, very soft :)

We also picked up a replacement toilet handle (when we found them! B&Q doesn't have the most instinctive layout ever) before heading home. Everyone else had done lots of table time and reading, spelling tests and word games, and we enjoyed some Horrible Histories before lunch.

After lunch Papacrow headed off upstairs to do some more typing and we changed the beds, tidied, and headed off to Grandma's. Dot came back with a colouring and sticker book from Uncle J and a baby bath and various other bathtime accessories for her baby dolls from Uncle D and cousins L & W :-) I came back after dropping them off and did various little housework bits and bobs including de-moulding. Papacrow and I hung out together and had some dinner and I went off to work. I got back to find Papacrow had rocked Dot to sleep, and Petal and Fluff were absolutely NOT sitting down quietly waiting for a story :(

Long story short, we sorted all that out, everyone variously shuffled off to bed with stories, cuddles, books, etc and Papacrow went out to the cinema.

Wig Wednesday

2011-11-09T12:53:00.001-08:00

He can be a bit of an enigma, can our Wig. Enthusiastic about spelling tests, and at pains to write beautifully for them, then throwing a frump over having to writing some more stories about Darth Vader *sigh*

Then again, he can be so delightful and amusing and joyful, and he's still one of life's great huggers - I've been trying for years to get him to ask first, but he just dives straight on in... Luckily the majority of people are charmed by him :-)

He's been enjoying football in the park this week. He's not always very good at losing, if you see what I mean, but he is getting better... He's growing out of that phase I think.

He's steadily reading his way through the Beast Quest books, and often has his nose deep in a book. His mental arithmetic is going from strength to strength, pretty much just through using work books and flash card sums and so on. He's also really enjoying doing a bit of french and is powering through the work book he has. Thankfully it's all still at a level that's familiar to me so we can practice pronunciation together!

Happy Birthday to you!

2011-11-09T12:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 9/11/2011

Dot was 2 today!

We all hurried into to clothes and down to breakfast (well, some of us hurried. Some of us needed dragging out of bed.... *whistles innocently* *glares at Saurus*).

I washed up, Papacrow tackled the piles of cardboard for recycling and changed the bin, and we headed into the front room for Dotty's presents!

Petal gave her a red shoulder bag, Fluff gave her a colouring book (she's forever trying to use his) and some coloured gel pens, Wig gave her a Clanger pyjama case that makes clanger noises, Roo gave her an adorable sleeping baby doll that came in what I'd describe as a small hat box with a change of clothes and a blanket, Saurus gave her a board book about a construction site that made vehicle noises, and Papacrow and I gave her a wooden play kitchen - an upgrade from the small plastic one we bought Saurus when he was 3. It's had a good innings but is looking a bit battered now!

She loved everything, very much enjoyed unwrapping them all and opening her cards and pausing to play with each new thing. She's a very satisfying person to give presents too!

She also got a pink bag with an embroidered hanky in it, and a pink plastic carry case box with a hair brush and a fairy statuette in it from Nana, and some money from various Aunts and Uncles.

After plenty of play, especially with the new toy kitchen - she loves it, and Petal and Fluff are somewhat enamoured too, in fact everyone got roped in - we got shoes and coats on and headed to the big park. It was warm and sunny, the light was almost golden - very reminiscent of two years ago when I took the kids to the big park, sipped my raspberry leaf tea from a travel mug and tweeted Jax about my twinges!

Home via Waitrose for a few treaty bits and pieces and Dot napped in the pram. We had lunch and Aunty L & M & Baby Sophie and Grandma & Granddad all popped round! Grandma gave Dot (another!) a baby doll - larger than her other little ones - and had knitted some clothes for it, Aunty L & M gave her some clothes and nappies for it. She was very happy, she has a whole family of babies now!

When the dust had settled again they all chilled out to some In the Night Garden and Dungeons & Dragons while Papacrow and I washed up and made the birthday feast - home made pizza, cocktail sausages, cherry tomatoes, corn on the cob and potato & sweet potato wedges.

That was all enjoyed, particularly as I'd taken the evening off work and didn't have to rush out! We had birthday cake and icecream for pudding - Dot was VERY cute about blowing the candles out and joined in with singing herself happy birthday :)

Then it was baths - Papacrow washed and combed Petal's hair again and got a few more little 'uns out. We didn't bother doing everyone again , though, as they've all been clear two days in a row, we'll do Petal again for a couple of nights and then everyone at the weekend.

I read lots of stories and took Dot up to bed, then Petal (who was choosing to behave in a bit of a silly fashion *sigh*), Papacrow took Fluff to bed and the rest of us bought Fluff's birthday presents on line, so that's one more thing done. (All the Christmas presents are done and have arrived, just need to do Roo & Saurus's birthday presents now.)

Then everyone shuffled off to bed with cerial and books etc, all is deathly quiet now for once, and its not even quite 9.00pm yet!

Roo Tuesday

2011-11-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Not a lot to update. He's been sleeping a lot, growing a bit, reading a lot, winding Wig up a bit, drawing a bit again, and is still very into penguins.

He's going to give the GCSE English course that the HE group is setting up a whirl and see how he goes. He's been making more friends too.

Still occasionally grumpy, he's much more often his usual 'hilarious' self at the moment. Which is nice :)

Can I have a controversal biscuit?

2011-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 8/11/2011

Quote of the day, Roo's response to me questioning Papacrow over a 'CONTRABAND' biscuit!

Dot actually slept in this morning which was nice! It had been cold last night, so we put the heating on timed, and woke up to a warm house which was very nice too.

It was up, make beds, into clothes, grab breakfast and out the door (Papacrow stayed home) to go to the osteopath/kienisiologist/natropath. That was enjoyable, as they are always very welcoming, nothing is too much trouble, and as we've been going there a few years now, all the kids are very relaxed and happy to play in the waiting room, so it's a very chilled out experience for us all, which is all to the good!

Home for lunch and table time, I washed up, Papacrow vacced and helped everyone wrap up their presents for Dot for tomorrow, they watched some Sarah Jane Adventures & Deadly 60 and Nana popped round :)

A sausage sandwich and off to work for me, Papacrow sorted dinner and baths and more hair washing and combing - a few more small lice on Petal's head, but everyone else was still clear.

I got back and read stories and took Dot to bed, Wig had a frump about various things and grumped off to bed, Roo went to bed with some Harry Potter audio book cds, Saurus went up with a film, Fluff & Petal played a little bit of Sport (Lego Universe wouldn't connect) and had some breakfast cerial, then I took Petal up, and Papacrow took Fluff to bed. We ate - Papacrow had done some lovely roasted veg - and watched some James May lab. Then we wrapped our present to Dot and blew up numerous balloons, phew!

Saurus Monday

2011-11-07T15:07:00.001-08:00

Well, since I posted last week that he's all nice an all, he had lots of eggy days. Naturally. Still, he's motoring along with the Vietnam war, plans for maths and english GCSE courses are well in motion, his handwriting is definitely tidier most of the time, he's been round friend's houses and had them round here and when not eggy or grumpy or angry he's even quite happy on occasion!

He is much better and going out and about, although a suggestion of him going swimming by himself floored him, and he refused to even contemplate it.

He much enjoyed the Tintin film, and we've had much discussion about it. I also got him some pjs that were big enough on that day, and a dressing gown, and some monster feet slippers (all nice and cheap at Matalan), which he has been wearing and enjoying :)

Oh, and he needs his hair cutting. Again.

Dally, Dally!

2011-11-07T14:45:00.000-08:00

Monday 7/11/2011

Quote of the day - Petal, who has inexplicably started mis-pronouncing 'Daddy'.

Well my grand plans of jumping up early were slightly scuppered when Dot actually did go back to sleep in our bed for a while, and then it was just so warm and snuggly under our quilt...

Still, we eventually all got up, dressed, made beds (quite nicely too, Fluff's a dab hand!), had breakfast and settled down for table time. Our proposed Maths & board games visit to another Home Ed visit was cancelled due to them having the lurgy, poor things. It was a cold, dank, tired sort of day and it was nice to huddle up and have plenty of time and elbow room.

Table time consisted of - diaries, book reviews, maths/english, latin/french, handwriting practice (Saurus, Roo & Wig). Roo did lots of drawing and sketching and more of his Fluffies book. Saurus did some more Vietnam War, and Wig started a new Star Wars story. Petal did some of her number and letter tracing (she's getting good!) and we did her alphabet flash cards. Fluff did some of his work book - we're moved on from letters to simple addition now, which he enjoyed and wizzed through easily - and we read some Dr Seuss too.

I was very impressed with Wig - he asked me for some help with his maths, but actually all he needed was for me to read/explain the question - he was doubling with no problem at all, knew them all!

There was also lots of chess, and Fluff and I painted our cardboard houses. Petal and Fluff also painted a bit.

Then we had a bit of Deadly 60, before I finally succumbed and put on the heating. We had a hot lunch, Papacrow got back (he had popped next door for uninterrupted typing) and we staggered out to the library. Nice time there, we didn't have time to come back via the big park but we did traverse a slightly longer and more scenic route, Dot napped slightly.

There was various reading and folding and tidying and various houseworky bits and abobs, Papacrow started washing up and cooking and I took Petal to her second ballet class. She LOVED it! I watched carefully, so I can see the bits where she needs a bit of help and we can practice at home. We got back and found them finishing off some cartoons, we had lovely pasta, then I went to work.

Papacrow did baths and hairwashing and hair combing, as Petal had been scratching her head all day. She did indeed have a fine crop of squatters, although everyone-else was clear. I am yet to be checked, and am naturally very itchy now, I bet we have Lola lice... (i.e., ones that only like pink blood, that is, just the girls!)

I got back to find them playing lego games - shave the sheep mostly - and Dot had (finally) gone to sleep on Papacrow. I read the Find Chaffy! book Fluff had got out to the library to him while he had a snack in bed, Papacrow put Petal to bed, Saurus played some PS3 and Wig and Roo played Lego Universe. Everyone eventually shuffled off to bed!

Home Ed Up Date

2011-11-06T14:31:00.000-08:00

Where are we? Well, we've had an awful lot of trips and days round other people's houses and all sorts, as we got rather bored doing lots of table time at home, now we're rather exhausted and planning to have more days at home to do more art and drawing and reading and card games and so on! It will balance out eventually :)

I've got an arrangement with another very nice Home Ed mother - ex teacher and tutor and experienced with maths - to do some maths with Saurus while I do some stuff with her lot, and we're trying that out for the first time tomorrow. I'm doing lots of board games and things, turn taking and loosing without it being the end of the world are the things to work on at the moment it seems.

Theres an English GCSE course starting up very soon through Home Ed group which Saurus and Roo are going to give a whirl with some other kids. I do think English really lends it self to small groups, lots of discussion and idea swapping and all that.

Saurus is still in the throws of the Vietnam war, Grandma found him a great book in The Works and Granddad has recorded some documentary off one of his many sky channels for him.

Oh and Petal has her second ballet lesson tomorrow - mass excitement!

Right here, in the brain!

2011-11-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sunday 6/11/2011

Quote of the day - Petal, describing where Dot had swiped her!

Another fairly relaxed morning and breakfast, then I took Saurus, Roo and Wig to the cinema and we saw Tintin, the Secret of the Unicorns in 3D! I've been a huge Tintin fan since reading them with my sisters as I was growing up, and it's been such a pleasure to share this with the boys - we're all Tintin nuts now - and the film was WONDERFUL! A good film in its own right, it was well put together, looked beautiful, the CGI'ed mapping over real people worked really well and it was CHOCK full of visual references and nods to Tintin stories!

We all loved it, and did a quick bit of shopping afterwards for clothes and things they needed, and then we headed home for lunch. The others had watched some Octonaughts, Papacrow had folded great big piles of bedding, and we all shuffled out in the dank November chill to the little park for some fresh air and exercise and to try and shift the cobwebs and cranky moods!

We watched Frozen Planet when we got back, and Papacrow washed up and cooked, I flitted about and did a few bits and bobs, wrote the shopping list and so on. Dinner was lovely, there were baths, poor tired Dot went up to bed (she hadn't had a nap), we played Goliath and watched Country File and the Strictly Come Dancing results show, then I hustled everyone off to an early bed, so we can actually be up and doing at 8ish tomorrow rather than 10! We have stuff to do and places to be and all that.

Papacrow popped off to his brother's house and I sat and did the shopping and blogged diligently and overdosed on Wedding TV :D

Dot Saturday!

2011-11-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I say. Her language is just expanding before my very ears. Lots of sentences at the moment - still a fair amount of deciphering required, 'biscuit' is still quite a complicated sound to construct, for example. She's still at what I think of as 'the mouthful of porridge' stage, in that she sounds a bit like she's talking through one!

Oh how she LOVES babies! She did lots of showing her baby dolls to visitors today, and was very pleased to see Baby S again. Her drawings - can still be described as mainly scribblings - are becoming more and more complex, and she uses a variety of colours in the same drawing now, plus long lines and short stabbing dots, again on the same picture which is a development. She also enjoys choosing the colour for the paper, and loves to play with envelopes, 'writing' letters and cards and putting them in and out of envelopes.

She's still big on washing up and water play in general, and loves to shove her sleeves up - you can SMELL the determination and purpose when she does that!

Oh, and she will be two next week. Oh my.

Baby gone?

2011-11-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday 5/11/2011

Quote of the day - Dot, in a sad, whistful, inquiring tone, after Baby S's visit. Repeated several times, for some time after, in fact!

I was up at 5am again with a very irate Dot, as I have been most (if not all) mornings this week. The thing is, even if the clocks hadn't have gone back, this would still have been early for her - 6ish rather than 7am. Bringing her in to the bed early is not a solution anymore, as I then don't get any sleep, and if she's in the bed longer than an hour or so I end up with backache. Plus she doesn't go back to sleep, she nurses for up to 20mins then potters off. Which is fine at 7ish when we're all a little more compus mentus, but not at 5am. *Sigh* Still, I'm being very grown up about it all (or trying to), and Papacrow (bless him) got up at 7am with both the girls and left me to sleep - bliss!

So it was a nice relaxed morning of breakfasting and general reading and playing and slopping about and recuperating. I have been trying to encourage everyone to make their bed properly every morning this week, (admittedly I do Dot and Petal's for them) and everyone is getting much better!

Papacrow took the boys to karate, and Petal went with him to do some shopping, I stayed in to recieve parcel deliveries. Saurus and Fluff watched some Charlie and Lola together which was very cute, while I sorted out washing and washing up and some other bits and bobs. Then Saurus & I watched some Prehistoric Park while Dot nursed and napped - I kept on me and she had about 20 - 30 minutes. Anymore now and it adversely affects her night sleeping.

Saurus went off to his karate class, the others got back, Dot woke up and we had lunch. Then they all had consols and tv, Saurus got back and they also played Little Big Planet. Interestingly this all went swimmingly, they had a great time and there were no arguments of which I was aware!

Tattooed Mummy and her awesome CC (Cheerleading Champion, formerly known as DD - Darling Daughter) popped round on their way home from a victorius cheerleading competition, and Aunty L (my sister in law) her partner M and Baby S popped in - lovely! S is a nice tidy weight and size now, very huggable :)

After that whirl of social gaiety, Papacrow cooked (spaghetti), I washed up and wrote letters, and the football was on the radio, which was lovely.

Uncle J popped in for a quick visit, we had dinner, baths, Saurus and Roo went next door to play King Maker and the rest of us watched Strictly Come Dancing, Dot going up to bed quite soon in and early for her poor poppet, she's still snuffly and coldy, and I didn't have the heart to make her stay up (in the hope of her not waking at 5). Everyone shuffled off to bed after, leaving Merlin for another day. Saurus & Roo got back and also went off to bed, there was brief excitement at some fireworks visible from our house and then all was, eventually, quiet.

Papacrow and I sat at the kitchen table on our respective notebook and laptop, both tapping away and occasionally chatting. It was all very civilised and pleasant!

Petal Friday!

2011-11-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well, ballet was a roaring success. She absolutely loved it and has talked of little else all week!

Her behaviour has definitely been off near the end of the week though - very shouty and grumpy, pretty rude on occasion and quick to melt down. I think it's a combination of things - we've had some very full on weeks, out and about on trips and at people's houses pretty much everyday. There's also been lots of cheese, lots of biscuits and lots of tv and PS3, plus several cold, cough and flu bug germs flying around.

It's not just her, we all need a bit of a rest I think!

So I prescribe more drawing, reading and general pottering.

1,2,3,9,11!

2011-11-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Friday 4/11/2011

Quote of the day - some creative counting from Petal as she played hide and seek with Dot first thing in the morning, in the clothes horses on the top landing.

There was folding, tidying, breakfast and a brief table time before we headed out to Home Ed Group (leaving Papacrow behind). The theme was Bonfire night and much fun was had by all - colouring, making firework pictures, rockets and edible sparklers, playing table tennis, playing with lego, playing with various friends, and watching an indoor firework show!

Saurus also went to the shop and then the nearby skate park with his friends. Which sounds very casual and normal, which is how we both treated it, but believe me, it's a SIGNIFICANT development.

We galloped home for lunch, did the beds, I washed up throughout the day and Papacrow took everyone on a catwalk before dinner. (That is, round the block with dolls push chairs & prams, and scooters.)

I got back from work to find everyone in bed with books and tapes and so on, Saurus had gone next door to play King Maker (a strategy board game) with his cousins, uncles and Granddad, and our friend S was round for a chat. Papacrow and Roo then watched Xmen 1st class. I bathed, washed up and joined them for the second half.

Wig Thursday

2011-11-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. Well for some reason I went out of order and did Fluff yesterday instead of today, so it should have been Wig Wednesday which would have been pleasingly alliterative. Ah well, I will pay more attention next week!

So, Wig. Well, his reading has totally taken off and is very fluent. He's read his way through the Harry Potters up to the Half Blood Prince so far, and is also enjoying the Beast Quest Books and Dragonlance.

His meltdowns have all but gone, although he does frump and grumble on occasion. However, there is none of the flailing, screaming, throwing events. Which is nice. (Hope I haven't jinxed it...)

He's getting on well with karate and swimming and his writing is developing. He's enjoying the spelling tests Papacrow has started doing with them.

He's getting on better with his siblings, seems more secure in his place in the family and has grown up a little I suppose!

Oh, that's a bummer...

2011-11-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday 3/11/2011

Quote of the day - Petal, on hearing that a particular zoo exhibit was closed... in a very comical tone of voice!

Interesting day today - started with a fair amount of noise and TALKING and snuggles! I'm having a drive on EVERYONE making their beds PROPERLY and before breakfast at the moment, so a few people were called back to do that. We had breakfast and a brief table time, then the girls stayed home with Papacrow and watched Dungeons & Dragons and Bugs Bunny, while I took the boys to the home of some Home Ed friends.

I wasn't sure if Fluff was going to stay or not as they have a large dog - a brown labradoodle in fact. However, although he was a little wary, he wasn't too bothered - I think the presence of a lot of lego and his brothers helped, and I'm beginning to suspect it's specifically black Labradors that he's frightened of, due to those incidents in the little park with a black Labrador a year or so ago which I've mentioned before. So he stayed, had a whale of a time, and ended up (apparently) making great friends with their dog!

I went home via sainsbugs where I recycled the cardboard and got petrol. Then the damp, chilly day cleared a little with some sun so the girls and I went to the zoo! We had lots of fun, we had chips there and everything! Dot walked the whole time (and napped slightly in the car either way) and we sorted out her membership too - she's two next week so will have to start paying. Luckily, the zoo has a half price membership promotion for members - result!

We got back, so did the boys, we ended up have a toast feast and a dance to Martin Harley in the kitchen! Then they all went off to grandmas :)

I got back from work to find Petal had been shouty, unpleasant, had several melt-downs, and a big poo in the bath :( none of which is like her (not to that extreme anyway) and she was already in bed asleep, poor poppet :(

Everyone else shuffled off as well with stories, toast, cereal etc., and Papacrow went to the cinema. I watched the last of Joanna Lumley's Greek Oddesy, which I've been really enjoying.

Fluff Thursday

2011-11-02T17:06:00.001-07:00

Well Fluff seems to have moved on from trains, caterpillars, butterflies and cowboys to orangutans and chess.

He's an avid builder of lego, is doing very well at karate and his reading is coming along - on a slight plateau at the moment I think, but he's picking out letters and some common words and can spell out words with help.

His fine motor control is great, he's a keen joiner in for sports and enjoys doing laps in the park, playing football, swimming and so on.

He's in a slight wingy phase at the moment - sometimes there's nothing 'slight' about it - he seems very much to be at that transitioning phase that Wig was at a year or so back. He sometimes doesn't quite fit in with the girls, but doesn't quite fit in with the older boys - he's betwixt and between! Having said that, he seems to be bridging it much better than Wig did, he and Petal are still as thick as thieves most of the time, and he likes joining the other boys for card and board games.

This later is where the slight issues are really, he finds it difficult to loose, have his pieces attacked and so on. Not massively, not all the time, but certainly there are melt downs (poor sausage).

He can also be very articulate and very chatty - sometimes to the point of switching to broadcast only and just NOT listening at all, something I'm rather used to by now as he's not the first to be like this! In between the meltdown moments he is confident, happy, amusing and a joy to be with :D

Goodnight worms, good night cats, good night cherry trees..

2011-11-02T16:15:00.001-07:00

Wednesday 2/1/2011

Quote of the day - Dot and I. We always say goodnight to everything out of her bedroom window when I take her up to bed. She repeats each one after me. Yes, that is every bit as cute as it sounds!

Well the POOR house needed major attention and cosseting today! We've been out and about so much lately, it's been a bit manic. After snuggles this morning we had to leap up as the ASDA order arrived prompt on the dot of 8am (you book two hour windows, it could have arrived any time from 8am to 10am). Papacrow and I dressed at top speed, the kids pulled on dressing gowns and slippers and all looked very cute, especially Dot who pulled on her bunny slippers all by herself!

I put the shopping away, we had breakfast and did table time. I washed up, Papacrow helped everyone sort out their christmas shopping online.

After mild, blue skied sunshine yesterday, today was cold and windy and we were all tired so we gave swimming a miss and went to the library instead - Dot walked all the way there and napped on the way back.

We had lunch, there was reading and so on, Papacrow went off to do some more typing and the rest of us tidyed, vacced and generally primped and preened the house all over. The kids were all helpful, although tempers got a bit frayed with the big job needed in the downstairs bedroom... You see, there are certain areas that get, well, silted up - like the sides of the toy cupboard, behind the piano etc. and I unsilted them. Which resulted (naturally) in a big pile of stuff in the middle of the floor for them to tidy up. Still, we got through it, and the house looks and feels much better for it :)

Saurus then went round to Granddad's house to watch a documentary about the air battles in the Vietnam war which Granddad had recorded for him, I washed up, Papacrow cooked, and Petal had her CD player and Princess music in the front room and we all had a good dance!

I went off to work (after a sausage sandwhich, yum) Papacrow sorted dinner and baths, I got back to them playing Goliath (a card game). I took a tired and slightly misog Dot to bed, hung out with Fluff and tidied the table and the kitchen and then we read about butterflies in his bed :)

Roo and Saurus had some Spore (couldn't get Lego Universe to work, we're having connection problems again) and I chatted to my mum on the phone, made myself some special mash and enjoyed Frozen Planet, phew!

Now feeling rather coldy and sorry for myself, and Dot has just been awake and unhappy. Ho hum...

Roo Tuesday

2011-11-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ahh Roo. Sort of in another grumpyish phase at the moment - he's growing again I suspect. Not so much drawing and so on happening, but lots and lots of lego building and strategy game creating.

He's not overly enthusiastic about karate at the moment, but he is getting on well and his discipline (once he is there) is excellent. He's helpful round the house (when he wants to be) but his innate neatness and tidy room keeping has complete disappeared. I'm curious to discover whether those inclinations will re-appear anytime soon!

He plays a lot with Wig (when they're not clashing) and the littler ones (when he's in the mood) and is clashing a lot with Saurus because, I think, he's no longer content with Saurus completely ruling every roost simply because he's the eldest. Which is a good thing for both of them I think, but obviously causes conflict, and seeing as both of them are evidently awash with hormones at the moment, that leads to frequently volatile situation!

It's not all bad of course, he's memorised lots of Horrible History and Monty Python songs and frequently regales us with them, has been enjoying our zoo visits and has pretty much set up a lego club at Home Ed group. He's been progressing through the latin book we have, does lots of handwriting practice and his spelling is improving, slowly but surely. He's been reading avidly at the moment, has been delighted to discover a new Muddle Earth book at the library and has started on Redwall.

He's described in the sidebar here as a mad inventor and that holds as a pretty good description!

A Pinch and a Punch!

2011-11-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 1/11/11

Look at the pleasing binary of that date! Lovely :D

Quote of the day - everyone, at breakfast!

Dot was up at 5am very unhappy (this wretched cold lingers on) but I got her down eventually, and Papacrow got up with her and Petal a little later. We all eventually got up and had breakfast, then a slightly brief table time before getting ready to go and visit our home ed friends in the nearby city.

It was a beautiful sunny, warm, blue skied day, with the trees finally turning and some gorgeous colours to see. A good time was had by all, with Fluff, Petal, Dot, E & K all playing happily and Saurus, Roo and Wig playing various card games (including Goliath, a new one) with M, the dad of the family. V (the mum) and I took the little ones out on a walk that was pleasant, and may have been more pleasant if Dot could have made up her mind about what she actually wanted.

I had taken the ergo (lent by my lovely friend) with us, and she walked, didn't walk in a straight line, wouldn't walk, wouldn't go in the ergo, wanted to go in the ergo, immediately wanted to get down, wanted to be carried without the ergo, etc., etc. I remained calm, but the situation was exacerbated by my not having had much breakfast or having much lunch and also forgetting the water bottle so most likely not drinking enough either.

I was fighting to stay awake on the way home which was NOT fun, and of course Dot fell asleep on the way there and the way back, which was worrying as any naps at the moment seem to be disturbing her evening/night sleeping, but she's not getting through the day at all happily without any. Ahhhh transition, isn't it such fun?!

Anyhow, we got home in one piece, and Papacrow took a party out (Saurus, Roo & Petal) to get a few emergency supplies for dinner, while the others read and played and I tidied, washed up and prepped for dinner.

Then they all got back, there was (more!) tidying, Roo stepped up to the plate like a trouper and did the sorting and folding nicely, and Saurus did some vaccing too. Papacrow cooked a lovely tagliatelle carbonara (non diary) which we all enjoyed, then he did baths and stories and beds while I went off to work.

I got to back to a Dot running on fumes who actually went down easily with a quick bit of nursing and was quiet all evening, and Papacrow and I had friends round for DnD.

Saurus Monday

2011-11-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

Golly gosh, where to start. Well really, he’s morphing in front of our eyes into a young man, which is somewhat disconcerting, actually. He’s always been smaller than the average for his age, though stocky and sturdy, but now he’s suddenly as tall as me and has bigger feet than Papacrow!!!

Although there is still much grumpyness, he’s also quite articulate about his emotions sometimes these days; he’s definitely grown in this area, and even wants to dole out hugs and kisses! (Which is big progress.) I do wonder if we’re past the ‘worst’ (for want of better phrase)… Not that I’m expecting him to never throw a strop again, but it does feel like we can SEE where the woods end at least, even if we’re still a way away from that yet!

On the academic front, he’s definitely getting there. We have plans afoot for maths and English GCSE courses, and are pursuing careers and work experience advice.

He’s only doing karate and swimming at the moment, (and cricket when it’s the season of course) but is unwilling to return to a football club, and to be honest, after the awful experience he had I’m unwilling to push him. Papacrow and I do feel fairly strongly that he needs something else though, especially if he still wants to do something sporty on the old further education/possibly job front. Maybe a junior running/athletics club?

He still adores the little ones, and despite the aforementioned tetchiness, is still frequently patient with them as well, always happy to hold their hands or carry them when we are out and about, read them stories, help them get clothes out their drawers, etc.

He and Papacrow are clashing a bit at the moment, but it seems very much to be to do with Saurus figuring out his place in the pack, sort of thing, his identity as an adult. As ever, one moment he seems to be EVER so grown up, the next minute he seems to be EVER so NOT!

I'm going to ballet now!

2011-11-01T02:55:00.000-07:00

Monday 31/10/2011

Quote of the day is Petal. At approximately six hours before the said ballet class, and at regular intervals throughout the day until it was, actually, time to leave.

And what a Monday it was! The very antithesis of Mondays in fact!

After breakfast and some table time, Papacrow stayed home to type and Saurus stayed home to do various essay and maths stuff and wash up, and the rest of us went to a home ed meet at a home edder’s farm – it was all younger ones which made a nice change, and we had so much fun! We played on their awesome swing/slide/etc set, we put up what we called rope bridges but were actually two lines – one to hold onto one to step on – between oak trees, and we build fires!

The home edder (S) is also involved in the Guides, and these were ‘proper’ set ups like I remember, we built our fires on corrugated iron which was raised up off the ground on wire cages – so much easier and safer. We had a fab time and even cooked bacon and sausages!

We headed home for lunch and a sit down, there was various housework, reading, chess games etc and I took Petal out to a ballet class we had found – it was wonderful! The teacher was lovely, and every so good with them all, and there were lots of glass panels in the doors so it was easy to watch J Petal loved it – she was a bit shy when we walked in to meet the teacher, so I wondered if she’d really do it – but she happily took the teacher’s hand and off she went! She didn’t even hold the teacher’s hand after the first few minutes, and did really well. In fact, the teacher asked if she’d done ballet before (no, though she’s watched lots of Angelina Ballerina and we’ve done a ‘ballet at home’ kiddy DVD), and said she can progress up to the next class pretty soon as she didn’t find anything difficult!

Which is awesome, but will require juggling and assistance as I won’t get back in time from the second class to be on time for work L

We got home after all that excitement to find Papacrow had cooked an AWESOME roast gammon with roast potatoes and tons of veg! That was yummy, then I went off to work while the others bathed and settled down to our Hallowe’en special movie night, Scooby Doo 2. I got back and Dot had fallen asleep on Papacrow, but work up very upset soon the film had finished and he’d transferred her to the cot. I changed her nappy, calpoled (she’s very coldy and was slightly hot and bothered) and nursed her and she eventually calmed down, but she was definitely very unhappy about something!

Wig, Petal and Fluff all went to bed, I read Fluff a story and there were lots of snuggles and cuddles all round. The others put on Signs.

It was a good end after a rocky start – people were rather noisy and ignory at table time and I ended up getting a bit cross after being completely ignored for about the forth time and imposing a screen ban (for the day, until the movie night). Indeed, there has been an awful lot of tv, computer games etc recently – and that, in fact, was what was fuelling the hub-bub! So we’ve obviously overdosed and need to be a bit more careful for a bit.

Wooooooo!

2011-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day is Fluff, under his ghost sheet costume!

Ooof, the clocks going back meant Dot was up earlier than usual. Sort of. If you see what I mean! Papacrow got up with her and Petal like a complete trouper and I got some more shut-eye which was BLISSFUL.

I was really REALLY glad I had made myself do all the baking last night, as it meant a far less frantic morning! After Match of the Day and breakfast we tidied up, vacced, folded, washed up and decorated with fake cobwebs and halloween themed tape style garlands. We also watched some Scooby doo!

After lunch we sorted out our costumes - Papacrow was a zombie with a very thorough make up job, I was Velma from Scooby Doo which was the easiest cheapest costume ever - orange polo neck, orange kids' football/hockey socks and red kids' netball/hockey skirt, all off ebay, and all cheaper & more flattering than shelling out on an actual Velma costume, which I didn't want to do as I didn't need the glasses or the wig! Saurus was a wizard/knight, Roo was a mushroom from fantasia, Wig was Darth Vader (of course), Fluff was a ghost, Petal was a ballerina and Dot was Wonder Woman!

We had various friends and relatives round, there were some great costumes - especially Tattooed Mummy and her DD, who get top marks for effort - DD made a FABULOUS Egyptian mummy-cum-zombie!

There was much chatting and playing and MUCH eating - everyone brought so much with them that we had heaps!

A quick tidy afterwards and we relaxed in front of Frozen Planet - after chatting to them about the scary seal hunt bits. We watch lots of nature programmes with lots of blood, guts and gore, but I saw this on Wednesday with Papacrow and was concerned for the younger ones as the orca seal hunt is really upsetting. However they all survived fine and enjoyed the exceptional cinematography. Then we had showers (Dot, Petal, Fluff, Wig and Saurus) and baths (Roo, me and Papacrow) and had stories and then Country File and Strictly Come Dancing results which we all enjoyed.

Everyone all then shuffled rapidly off to bed, all a bit tired, Saurus went up with a film and Papacrow and I watched the Tintin documentary, played playstation (him), blogged (me) and watched Mistfits (him).

A good start to what will be a busy but (I hope) enjoyable week!

Dot Saturday

2011-10-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Gosh, where to start. She’s just changing and growing in front of my eyes at the moment!

She’s into everything, moving chairs and stools about to get to where she wants, and LOVES playing with water – one of her favourite things to do is to wash up the (unbreakable) breakfast bowls in the kitchen sink, or the plastic play tea set in the bathroom sink.

She has HUGE blue eyes which she uses to effect – ‘what, me?!’ when she’s caught destroying something. She’s really playing with things now, lego for example – she’ll build towers with it, with real concentration (nothing going in her mouth either!)

She absolutely ADORES babies and baby dolls, which sometimes leads to arguments with Petal over who owns what and therefore who has first dips on what. She also loves bags and dressing up, which leads to more arguments because they invariably wan the same bag and/or the Wonder Woman costume at the same time.

She can undress and dress by herself pretty well – like Petal she has 5-changes-of-costume days – and she loves walking, now deciding she hates the pram, which is a shame. My back can no longer do the ring sling for her weight, and neither of us are comfortable in the wrap any longer – she wasn’t that fond of the back carry and was old enough to wriggle her upper body out and throw herself around which was a bit scary! But a lovely friend is lending us her ergo to try – can’t wait!

I love Marvel, I love Marvel, I love Marvel!

2011-10-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day - Petal, skipping and chanting through the house, making her Comics preferences very clear!

We had a leisurely (and rather late) breakfast, and then I took Roo, Wig and Fluff to karate, along with Petal. I'd promised Fluff that I'd stay and watch this week, and I much enjoyed this - Fluff is coming along nicely - not just in balance and technique but in his ability to understand what the sensei is telling him by way of corrections, and carry them out. I was impressed with Roo & Wig too - I'm not sure if it was just that Wig was feeling a little frumpy about it all, but there was absolutely zero looking around, talking or mucking about - eyes front at all times!

Saurus met us after the class and we went into town to buy Dot's birthday presents. Saurus then went off to his karate class and the rest of us popped to sainsbugs for a few bits - where we had to rack our brains a bit because we'd forgotten the list, then home to find the only thing we'd forgotten was - milk (for Papacrow's tea). *sigh*

There was lunch, consols and Scooby Doo and Papacrow and Roo went out for brisk wander to the library and to pick up the milk while I washed up. Then Papacrow made lasagne, the kids played Little Big Planet and I hollowed out and carved the pumpkin, separated out the seeds and stewed the flesh. I also had a bash at toffee apples - not perfect, but they'll do :-)

Then it was dinner - yum - swiftly followed by self-elected showers for Dot, Petal & Fluff, then we settled down to watch the Strictly Come Dancing Hallowe'en special, which was lots of fun! Dot asked to nurse and conked out with in about 5 mins, poor thing, and Petal and Fluff went to bed after it while the others watched Merlin.

I read some stories with Fluff, the others all shuffled off to bed after Merlin had finished, Papacrow watched some Sons of Anarchy and I baked and baked and BAKED! Fairy cakes, Hallowe’en biscuits, cinder toffee (also known as hokypoky), pie with the pumpkin (using readymade puff pastry that I've had kicking around in the freezer to try) and I tried roasting the pumpkin seeds too - lovely. In fact, I'm munching on them now!

Petal Friday

2011-10-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

She is just getting bigger and bigger at the moment. Not just physically - though she certainly is getting taller and going up in shoe sizes - but changing shape, really 'little girl' now as opposed to baby/toddler.

She'd really playing with lego now, making things - towers or flat ships - with a look of real concentration on her face!

She's a dab hand at the alphabet flash cards now and knows the alphabet song - in fact, she has a great memory for songs and sings along with the Mountain Firework Company and Monty Python (select tracks only of course!).

She's made several 'little friends' which is lovely, and at home ed group is usually to be found with a gaggle of small girls, usually going from one princess dress up dress to the next, with random shrieking and giggling :-) At home, she and Fluff are the best of croneys - well, most of the time they are. There are occasinal, explosive fallings-out but most of the time they are as thick as theives, wandering round the park together arm in arm and so on!

She is also consistently going on about ballet. Ballet lessons, ballet school, ballet classes, and about how she's going. So I guess I better do some research on a cheap, friendly, local ballet school then..

This is the earth, our planet, our home, sailing serenely through the vast emptiness of space

2011-10-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day is from our early morning TV watching. Read on, gentle reader, for further explanation!

*Yawn* well, Dot REALLY doesn't like being snuffly. She was up to 1.00am or 2.00am or so, I lost count after a bit! There was nursing, there was wailing, there was watching of Clangers, and she finally succumbed to Papacrow pacing and singing Poison at her.

So we were slightly the worse for wear in the morning, and breakfast was a little late, but there was lots of reading and chat and xmas planning and so on, plus I washed up.

Then Fluff, Petal, Dot and I went to play with some new home ed friends! They have a lovely house and lots of lovely toys and two lovely dogs, one of which (slightly unfortunately) was a large black Labrador. (A year or so ago we had a few 'incidents' in the little park with a young black Labrador.) Now both dogs were calm, friendly, well behaved and well trained, but Fluff was still rather unsure about it, thus Petal and Dot were also. We still had fun though, and noone wanted to leave, which I felt was a good sign!

We got back to find the boys had been changing beds, tidying and playing PS3 games, so we joined in with that. Dot did fall asleep in the car, but Papacrow and I were united in not wanting a repeat of yesterday evening, so we woke her up. She was NOT pleased with us, but soon perked up after 10 minutes and several Bourbons (as in chocolate biscuits, not slugs of whiskey or whatever it is). She and I changed her and Petal's beds, tidied their room, read some board books and helped Papacrow make pizza, which was lovely.

I then went of to work and got back to find everyone had bathed and shuffled off to bed, bar Saurus who was playing a little PS3 first. Fluff was still awake for the story I had promised him, so we had Frog on a Log. Papacrow then went off to his brother's house, Saurus went off to bed, and I sat in state by myself on the sofa and enjoyed Ray Mear's Wild Britain, which featured some of my county. Nice end to a nice day :-)

I cut down trees, I skip and jump...

2011-10-27T15:07:00.001-07:00

Quote of the day is Petal, singing Monty Python...

Today was such fun!

We had a leisurely chatty breakfast, and who could resist Dot when she proudly trotted into the kitchen holding the Clangers DVD box, even saying 'pleeease' so nicely?! Certainly not me - Fluff's been asking for and watching it this week, and Dot is now also hooked! It's half term, we've been keeping up with table time but also been very busy catching up with friends and connecting with home edding friends - round each other's houses, cunningly avoiding the half term crush that you get at public attractions. Although we did go to the Zoo on Monday to enjoy all the Hallowe'en themed stuff.

I took Wig off to a friends house and then to Asda to recycle the cardboard and pick up a few bits - including some secret Christmassy things, shhhhh! I got back to find that some home ed friends (J is a little younger than Saurus, they slouched about and did teenagery things, S is more Wig and Roo's age, they were building forts in the downstairs bedroom) and some cousins had been dropped off (L is now a teenager and slouched about with the other two, W was happily building forts). I washed up, we had lunch, I took J & S home, and Saurus & Dot came along for the ride. We met their big, curly dog, their four young ducks - still in their fluff - and some rabbits. On the way home, Dot fell asleep in the car and transferred to the cot - she was a bit snuffly and red cheeked :( She woke up after a little while, then asked to nurse and went back to sleep on me.

The others played playstation games and consols, Papacrow sorted out dinner and they watched How to Train a Dragon while I went to work. I came back to relative peace and just our offspring, took Dot up but she took a long while to settle, woke several times and was very snuffly and unhappy. In fact, there she is again now :(

Spring Clean

2011-10-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

It's the wrong time of year for a spring clean, I hear you say...

Well you'd be right of course...

However, I felt like it!

If you have my blog in your blog roll on YOUR blog, I have NO idea if it will automatically change its name... I'd be interested to know though!

I've been experimenting and thinking with different types of recording, and I'm definitely going to go back to the daily blogging, if I can. I liked it and with weekly or monthly updates (but not going back to daily paper based journaling) I'm missing lots of the daily minutiae, spontaneous discussions, what board games we play, funning quotes etc. I just need to take care it doesn’t descend into formulaic monotony again though, I was beginning to bore MYSELF slightly, goodness knows about you, gentle reader!

What I might also try and do is a daily update about one person - I have six children after all, one for every day of the week and an off day - so we'll see how that goes.

Certainly lots has been going on here, lots of going to home ed groups, lots of courses, lots of having people over, lots of going over to other people's houses! Table time has been comprehensive and has included diaries, book reviews, maths, english, latin, french, calligraphy, handwriting, essays, stories, colouring, drawing, still life and music appreciation. We've also being doing lots of alphabet flash cards, common word flash cards, number and letter writing and tracing and reading with Fluff, Petal and Dot's been joining in a bit too. Plans for English and Maths GSCE courses are also well under way.

We've been playing Risk, Chess (particularly Fluff & Petal), Dragonology, Magic, lots of lego, dressing up, building tents and forts.

We've been running, playing football, having swimming lessons, and particularly enjoying Nana's (early) Christmas present to us all, which is annual membership to our local zoo! Not only are there lots of lovely conservation and information bits and bobs, but there's a huge adventure playground, indoor soft play area, Thomas train, a gorgeous senses maze based on the four elements, and lots lots more. We've been going pretty much weekly!

So what with all THAT we've stopped doing monthly projects for now, there's just too much going on - we have birthdays, Hallowe'en, Christmas and all sorts we've been crafting, baking and planning for. Various little individual projects (orangutans for Fluff, Vietnam for Saurus) have popped up and are going on, and I think this is just the latest evolution on our home educating journey - exciting!

This is my church. This is where I heal my hurts

2011-10-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

So Jax tagged me for Mammywoo's Music as therapy meme!

If you've read any of this blog recently you'll know I LOVE music, pretty much any music, always have. Being limited to choosing three meaningful songs is really rather painful :(

So I'll keep it in the present, to songs that have been meaningful and accompanied me this year, to at least give me starting point!

First - Rummer. Oh how I LOVE this album (Seasons of my Soul). I heard 'Slow' on the radio, fell in love with it and eventually bought the album. As soon as it arrived through my letter box (I used Amazon a lot for music - cheap and reliable) I put it straight on the stereo - and played it three times in a row! It's been a while since I've pressed play again at the end of a new album... The only complaint I have about it is that it's a bit too short. You come to the end and HAVE to push play again! In fact, it might have been four play throughs in a row that first day...

It fast became the sound track to my summer, and every song on it is beautiful and wonderful, but I have to pick 'Am I forgiven...'

I Lost My Heart,
I Didn't Know What To Do,
I Was So Caught In This Misunderstanding,
Took It Out All On You,
'Cause I Didn't Like The Words,
I Didn't Like The Words,

I Lost My Heart,
I Sat On My Window
And Looked Out And,
Watched The Rain Washed Down The Street,
Oh Will The Sun Rise,
Like The Birds That Fly Over,
Rising Up Through The Trees?
Oh Will You Be There For Me?
Will You Belong To Me?
Am I Forgiven?...

Cause I Didn't Like The Words,
I Didn't Like The Words,
If I Should Let You Go,
There Would Be Nothing,
And Silently,
Love Would Be So,
And I Can Begin Again,
Can We Begin Again?
Am I Forgiven?

Even matches made and continually forged in heaven have... moments. Well we had a... moment this summer... This song said it all.

Second song HAS to be Are you Going to Scarborough Fair. I've always loved the tune, and knew the first verse but was prompted to look for the rest of the lyrics recently by a friend mentioning she sang her son to sleep with it. There are many slightly differing versions, here's my favourite -

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For she was once a true love of mine.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
One without seams or needle work
Then she will be a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it, in the dry well
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Where water ne'er rose nor drop of rain fell
Then she will be a true love of mine.

Tell her to find me a parcel of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strand
then she will be a true love of mine.

Tell her to plow it with the horn of a lamb
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Then sow the seeds from the north of the dam
Then she will be a true love of mine.

Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And bind the sheaves with a rope made of heather,
Then she will be a true love of mine.

If she says that she can't, then I will reply
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Tell me at least you will try
Then you will be a true love of mine.

Love imposes impossible tasks
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Though never more than your heart asks
And I must know, if you're a true love of mine.

I especially like that if you just try, you still qualify! And I LOVE the last verse (in some versions it's the penultimate), very profound. It's a FABULOUS song to work to, as it's repetitive, tells a story, and is happily in my comfortable range, note wise; so I often sing it at work while I scrub toilets, clean fire door glass panels, and vac floors.

And my final choice? Well, it's difficult, but it's going to have to be title track from Diamonds & Pearls, by Prince. An old song, yes (old?! eek!) but this year was our 12th wedding anniversary, which is signified by linen and pearls. So I gave Papacrow this album (one we both loved but the old cassettes have long since bitten the dust) wrapped up in a linen tea towel (I know, cunning!). He won of course, as he gave me a kindle (squeeee!).

I love this song. Love it. From the moment I first heard it to the present day its one of the classy-est sounding tracks ever - there's just something about it, it's so elegant! The appeal of this song is more about the sound, base line, the echoing of the top line and the backing vocals for me but there are some rather lovely words in there too.

There's rather a lot of lyrics to post in a huge chunk here (especially after beating you round the head with seven verses of Scarborough Fair), and my favourites are at the beginning anyway -

This will be the day
That you will hear me say
That I will never run away

I am here for you
Love is meant for two
Now tell me what you're gonna do

If I gave you diamonds and pearls
Would you be a happy boy or a girl
If I could I would give you the world
But all I can do is just offer you my love

Which one of us is right
If we always fight
Why can't we just let love decide (Let love decide)

There's also a line about how love is the master plan, which I rather dig!

So there you have it, my three songs - what are yours? Who'd like to be tagged? Come along now, don't be shy!

Christmas is coming!

2011-10-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

oh yes it is - barring volcanos and falling space junk and social revolution, it will be here in 80 something sleeps, so I hope you're prepared!

We LOVE christmas, there's so much to celebrate in this house - and we're having a bit of a new way to organise it this year. The make/customise theme went well enough last year that we're keeping it, but instead of every child having to make/create/etc five presents for each of their siblings, and each come up with a present for me, and one for Papacrow, we are going to have one team present from the kids for me and one for Papacrow. (Of course Papacrow and I will still give each other a gift.) Papacrow and I will team up and give combiened presents, one for each child, as we did last year (it worked well, we did kit type ideas, which we will probably be doing again), and the kids each pulled one sibling name out of a (christmas) hat this weekend - Papacrow is assisting Saurus, Roo and Wig and I'm helping Roo and Petal and Dot (well, doing it for Dot really, but you know what I mean.)

This gives them a bit more budget for their one present, rather than haveing a small amount for 7. It got a bit much last year trying to think up multiple things that people could make and the budget for it all has been getting out of hand anyway, on top of all the birthdays that we have at this time. So everyone will get two presents on the day - if this sounds a bit slim, there will still be stockings, and nurmous gifts from extended family, so I think they'll survive!

We also discusing tree presents - I grew up with these, just little tiny things, often sweets, but the idea has been hampered by lack of budget and time - a little tiny, possibly homemade something, everybody could do one for everyone else, um, if that makes sense - so everyone would be producing 7 small, possibly sweet based tree gifts as well.

So we have been plotting and planning and schemeing - exciting :D

A bit of a worrier

2011-10-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

So my sister (Aunty C) and I were at this birthday party together, this Saturday just gone. Her daughter L was there, and I had brought Roo, Wig, Fluff, Petal and Dot. There was lots of space, a bouncy castle, a trampoline and a fantastic swing and slide set with a wendy house up on a platform, reached by a some rope squares or some wooden bars.

The boys pretty much just screeched around by themselves, and I followed Dot around - she ably shinned up the rope squares by herself (though I held the back of her reins just in case - slipping and catching your chin is no fun) and pottered about on the platform (I hung about by the unbarred side, just in case, although she's pretty sensible) and we had a lovely tea - we had to avoid the sandwiches (most margarine have some kind of milk derivative in them) but there were lots of ready salted crisps, sausages on sticks, grapes, cherry tomatoes, pretzels, bread sticks and so on.

C and I chatted, and it would have been lovely but for C's company being a bit wearing after a while - Dot would only have to look at the edge of something, or climb up anywhere and C would be gasping and explaining, her hands to her mouth or over her heart. She swooped down and removed their cocktail sticks from their sausages (this was Fluff, Petal & Dot who were all sitting at a little table together with C & I nearby) in case they impaled themselves, panicked and worried whenever Dot put more than one thing at a time in her mouth and was often looking around and checking where the boys were and so on, and asking 'Oh, where's [insert random name of one of my children here]'.

After a while, I was beginning to have to grit my teeth to remain smiling, and flex my shoulders consciously to shake it off. She's aware that she's a worrier, she almost sounds proud of the fact - 'oh gosh, that's just me, I've always been such a panicky mother about such things' she said when I raised my eyebrows a little at her removing cocktail sticks from MY children's plates.

The thing is, the reason it annoys me, I realise after much heart searching, is this - it wounds my pride. I can't help but see it as a comment on my parenting - and that it is lacking. The thing is, my instinct and conscious decision has always been to let them be as free as possible, and to make my safety interventions to be as low key and as unobtrusive as possible. To sound casual rather than panicky when giving advice... 'Yes, mind how you go down those steps dear' rather than 'OH MY LORD don't go down there, hold the handrail - actually I'LL CARRY YOU!!!'

I pretty much always know where each child is, or where they have just been. If I relax and let my eye scan the scene without panicking, they'll quickly pop up on my parent radar, as it were. Dot is not quite two yet, and not big for her size, but has always been an efficient climber, and I can only see health and safety benefits from allowing her to learn and become efficient (with in reasonable boundaries). I don't just stumble through parenting letting chaos bubble around me, I think about everything do, I review my days, I critique my actions and relive them, looking to see how I can improve. I observe others, I read, I learn, all the time.

I'm not trying to make myself out to be some perfect parent - as if that even exists - or some paragon of virtue, just point out that I do put some thought into it, I care deeply about my children, I do feel I have some motherly instinct, and I work hard to build, maintain and polish my parenting skills.

I understand that L once choked badly as a baby, and this scared C. I understand that our sister A once impaled herself in the face on a cocktail stick. I get this. I just don't see why this had to apply to ME or MY children!

I remember vividly once how C told me during a phone call, years ago, how as the eldest (of my full sisters. We have two half sisters but they are much older than us all) she felt responsible for me and always would. I had exert every atom of self control to remain polite and not just hang up on her. She IS NOT responsible for me. I do not WANT her to be responsible for me, and see no reason why she should be JUST BECAUSE I happened to be born after her!

I'm wondering whether this worrying about my children is an extension of this perceived responsibility? Which makes me even MADDER than the possible criticism of my parenting... If ANYONE is responsible for Saurus, Roo, Wig, Fluff, Petal & Dot it is myself and Papacrow thank you very much!!!

At the end of the day, she means well, I know that, and of course I care about her. She just rubs me up the wrong way sometimes, maybe because of our similarities more than our differences. It comes down to, I think, something Nana and I discussed once - about the difference between worry and concern. Worry includes the implication of doubt about capability. Concern doesn't, it indicates confidence of capability but care of the outcome.

I love Mondays

2011-10-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

Gosh, what an absolutely delightful day we were bless with today!

It was a mercifully quite night, despite Fluff being quite restless in the evening yesterday - he eventually got up and joined us for some Match of the Day 2 (late night weekend soccer round up) which is pleasing progress actually - usually he just lies there and whimpers in his sleep and its near impossible to wake him, get any sense out of him, or help him in any way really :(

Then the day started - not too early - with everyone (well, everyone from Wig down) piling into the bed for cuddles and miraculalously there was enough room for once! We got up, got dressed, had breakfast, Papacrow popped off to Grandma's spare room to do some writing and we did a really thorough table time, Saurus washed up and I did lots of stuff with the littles. We then packed up and went out to the beach -a beautiful day again today, but not quite as scorching, which was nice, actually.

Dot fell asleep in the car, remained asleep through me carting her down to the beach, and slept on me as I sat in my very comfy folding chair while everyone else cavorted on the sand and in the rock pools. The look of confusion on face when she woke up was slightly comical!

We headed back for lunch, the boys played risk and the girls and I watercoloured and read stories. Papacrow got back and helped with chores and watched cartoons with them while I did the online shop, then I did a few online bits with them while Papacrow cooked tagliatelle.

There was then much excitement when Granddad popped round - with carrots from his allotment. These were no ordinary carrots. These were carrots that were sewn, watered, watched and obsessed over by Fluff and we scrubbed, skinned, dissected & consumed one at once.

Then there was dinner and I popped to work while Papacrow did baths, and I got back to find yet more Risk (its the Lord of the Rings one, incidentally) going on! I bedded Dot, then Petal, then Fluff (and read him a story in bed). Papacrow escorted Wig & Roo to their respective beds and played some PS3 with Saurus.

Now all is quite and I'm frantically typing away the numerous thoughts and half written posts rattling round in my head before they all melt away. A good day, and SO good to see the moon waxing again - it seemed a very long wait to see it again this time for some reason.

Weekend

2011-10-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

It was scorching hot, blue skies, and mercifully cool at night.

Saturday was taken up with karate, errands in town, a brief bit of table time and a fabulous birthday party in the afternoon, thrown by Home Ed friends and on their small farm, enough out of the way to have views of only fields all around, but enough IN the way to be easily reached by well repaired roads :) Aunty C and Cousin L were there too, and a lots of fun was had by all - apart from Saurus, who elected to stay home to do teenagery things, and Papacrow who stayed home to continue writing :) The evening was a veritable TV orgy, with Strictly Come Dancing - punctuated by baths - and a full front room for the finale of Dr Who, with Uncle J, Uncle D, Cousins W & L coming round, and all the kids (bar Dot who passed out during the dancing) staying up. Thankfully it was a well worth it, with a return to form episode and lots of loose end tying :D

Sunday we had a nice, slow, relaxing time, with plenty of books and reading and games and computer games and so on, and we packed up lunch and had a picnic in the big park. We listened to the football in the afternoon, Saurus went up with a film and I much enjoyed Stephen Fry's Planet Word.

2011-09-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday 24/9/2011

Saurus & Roo went with Grandma to her church to help flower arrange, I went into town BY MYSELF! and we had Wig's birthday party in the afternoon, which was lots of fun.

Sunday 25/9/2011

General relaxing, and a park trip.

Monday 26/9/2011

I was not feeling well at all :(

Papacrow took everyone into town to spend pocket/birthday money and to do various errands. Saurus needed new shoes, and needed a size 7. Which is what Papacrow takes. And, incidentally, what Gramps (my father) took. Roo also needed new trainers and is now a size 4. The same as me. Golly!

Tuesday 27/9/2011

The shopping arrived and we did a big library and park trip - it was very warm and sunny. Papacrow's turn to succumb to the bug going round!

Wednesday 28/9/2011

Mostly taken up with table time, planning, housework and a trip to the little park.

Thursday 29/9/2011

We went to the Zoo! It was even hotter today, we nearly boiled O.o
The kids went to Grandma's for dinner.

Friday 30/9/2011

If all goes to plan, we'll be going to Home Ed Group - the theme is books and writing.

So, this week, we've been doing table time - diaries, book reviews, latin, french, handwriting, calligraphy, letter & numbers, drawing and Saurus & Roo have started new essays (Captain Cook & Leonardo Da Vinci's cartography). We've been listening to a variety of music, helping with house work, playing lots of chess - Petal and Fluff in particular - playing Magic, reading lots of stories, enjoying the warm weather. Saurus wrote the menu with input from the other kids, Papacrow has done various laptop things with them - blog stuff, Lego Universe, etc.

Dot, interestingly, has not being going to sleep at her bedtime nurse - instead she's been happily requesting bed when she's done, and going to sleep in it by herself!

2011-09-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

Friday 23/9/2011

Ooof, had a bit of a late night, so waking up was a bit painful. Managed it in the end though, after lots of cuddles! We all got up, got dressed, had breakfast and did various bits of reading, housework and so on. I printed off all the requests - princess colouring pictures for Petal & Dot, pictures of orangutans and Sumatran tigers for Fluff, Leonardo Da Vinci's cartography for Roo and Captain Cook for Saurus. Papacrow did some colouring with Petal and Dot, it started off as a conversation on different colours :)

Then we went off to Home Ed group and played table tennis, watercoloured, built with wooden blocks, cut up paper, played with lego, played out side and had lots of fun with our friends! Papacrow stayed home and did an awesome job of sorting out all our paperwork.

We got back and had lunch, there was lots of reading and so on, then Papacrow popped next door to help Granddad shift some soil and we watched some of our new Super Hero Squad DVD that had arrived this morning! Then the kids picked up the floors and tidied for me, and I vacced the house - including under the beds! Papacrow washed up and cooked, and then I went off to work while Papacrow did baths and stories. Poor tired Petal was fast asleep in bed by the time I got home, and I bedded poor over tired Dot (only a short nap in the car today).

Papacrow managed to calm a rather hyper Fluff down enough to get him happily into bed, Wig & Roo went off to bed, Saurus had a bit of PS3 and he went off too. Papacrow went off to his brother's, I continued to catch up with various tasks :)

Healthy Pregnancy

2011-09-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

This post is written for Merry and is to help promote Tommy Baby & Bounty Uk's 5 Point Pregnancy Plan.

Tommy’s and Bounty Uk are encouraging women and health carers to address 5 areas of well being:-
Nutrition
Weight Management
Mental health
Exercise
Smoking

Please do go and visit Merry's blog to read and learn more. There are some very well written and moving posts written in on of this cause.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is going to be one of them!

I can happy witter on for hours about my six pregnancies and the difference between them. How I was only sick once with my first, sick every day with my second but only ever in my toilet at home, and sick absolutely everywhere with the other four.

Actually in the end, I think that's the one important point I absolutely and irrevocably have learned - EVERY PREGNANCY IS DIFFERENT.

Now, I think it's important to remember that you are the expert on your body - or you certainly should be. Any health care provider you see, is an expert on the big - no, HUGE - picture, but you and you alone potentially know the most about your body, and how it changes and reacts in pregnancy. You and your health care providers need to work together with your different areas of expertise in order to put the jigsaw together, as it were!

So there most certainly will be similarities between different pregnancies for the same woman - there have been for me. But I have 'only' been pregnant six times, not nearly enough to experience all the different little variances in chance and my body's reaction to them.

So don't be complacent. Try and learn to listen to your body and your instincts, even - in fact, especially - when others around you are dismissing them.

Pregnancy is a funny old thing. In the modern world we do seem to take the safety of the mother and baby for granted, but of course, even in the First World mothers and babies can still die. On the other hand, to view it as certain death isn't quite right either.... Millions of mothers have had millions of babies over millions of years (more or less) otherwise we, as a race, quite simply wouldn't be here!

My advice - for what it's worth! - when you find yourself faced with a pregnancy related dilemma or worry is to read as much about it as you can, from a wide variety of sources, the chuck it all out the window and trust yourself and your instincts to come up with the right answer for you.

It's kind of my philosophy for life, if you hadn't already noticed that!

2011-09-22T15:59:00.001-07:00

Thursday 22/9/2011

Ooo, fun day today! Rather early - and grumpy, on my part - wake up with the girls this morning, rapidly followed by everyone else. I wish we'd had more foresight when we bought our bed. We'd have got a much bigger one! However, it's OUR bed now, if you see what I mean, too late to change now.

We got up, stripped the upstairs beds, got dressed, had breakfast, and had a very happy chilled morning of reading, lego, and various games. The shopping arrived, all helped bring it up and Fluff & Petal were excited to get some new whiteboard pens, and used them on their write on wipe off books right away! I put the shopping away while Papacrow set up a new blog with the older kids, then I washed up and we got ready to go out to bowling. I took everyone bar Saurus, then came back to get him - it's only a short drive, luckily.

We had an AWESOME time - Wig won, fittingly, and I came second and Papacrow came last which was very unusual! We had lunch there, burgers and chips - the food was actually really good! Then we went home and the kids went to Grandma's house - including Petal! Papacrow and Dot and I popped to B&Q and then Mothercare, then when we got back I fixed the teepee with the new poles we got, and helped Papacrow do the upstairs beds. We had some snacks and I went out to work while he did baths. I got back to find everyone in bed bar Roo and Dot! I bedded Dot, Roo & Papacrow played chess, Saurus got back and bathed, then Papacrow went to the cinema. Petal woke up very upset with very red cheeks - a back tooth maybe? - but settled down after a spoonful of calpol.

2011-09-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 21/9/2011

Wig is 8!!!

We all got up and gave him his presents - he liked everything, hoorah! They had breakfast in front of the TV with Wig's new Avengers DVD (cartoon). There was much playing with new toys, then he and I braved the rain and went into town for him to spend his pocket money, popping in next door to see Grandma & Granddad first. He bought the planned preowned DS lite - it has very cool swirly stickers on it! He got such a good deal on that - it included a new game too - he had enough money left over for some lego and a transformer.

We staggered home and we all had lunch and there was much playing of consols. Papacrow popped back into town with Petal for some bits for dinner (there was a plan for bowling which would have taken us up past a supermarket, but that got rescheduled to tomorrow because of time constraints). I picked up a miserable Dot, I asked her if she was tired and she said yes, put her head on my shoulder and went to sleep! I transferred her to the cot when she was properly asleep and did lots of tidying, washing up etc.

Papacrow and Petal got back and the kids enjoyed some Dungeon Hunter on the PS3 while Papacrow cooked Wig's requested pasta, then I went to work and Papacrow did baths, then they all settled down to Wig's birthday bogout! They all watched Rango - Dot REALLY enjoyed it, it's the first film that's really captured her - then I got back and bedded Dot, and Papacrow and I bedded Fluff & Petal too. Then the others watched X2 and Wolverine, while I did the online shop, and Papacrow and I bathed and headed to bed.

2011-09-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 20/9/2011

We upped, dressed, breakfasted and did the usual table time - and oh, it was lovely to have Papacrow with us! I did some latin with Wig and then we did lots of art while listening to a Horrible History WWI CD.

Then we walked to swimming and had a lovely time with our lovely swimming teacher H. While the boys were finishing up, the girls and I popped to Waitrose (again, I know I know!), and then we all went home for lunch, reading, a bit of Worms and then the boys helped me tidying up and pick up the floors, and I vacced. Papacrow helped everyone wrap their presents for Wig, and then washed up. He sorted dinner while I went to work, and got back to help with the baths, hairwashing and stories.

I bedded Dot, she nursed on one side and requested bed. Then I brought Petal up, and got on with bits but Dot got noisy - not upset, just shouting a bit - so I nursed on the other side to sleep. Saurus and Papacrow played chess. Roo is reading his Artimis Fowel book bundle on his DS a lot at the moment which is nice!

2011-09-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

Monday 19/9/2011

Poor old Wig was sick in the night :( I think it was because he had a bit of a drippy nose, but because of having had a few nose bleeds recently he was frightened of blowing it so sniffed a lot and probably ended up swallowing alot!

Apart from that it was a quiet night, and we got up, dressed, Papacrow went off to his (positively) last day at work, and we had breakfast. We did the usual table time - and watched the window cleaner - and went out in the sunshine to the library, and then on to the big park with a picnic! That was lovely, and we had a nice long play in the playground before heading home via Waitrose for a sit down, some reading and some TV.

Had a go at the iplayer but still couldn't get it work (we use it on the PS3 or rather, we used to), then Cities of Gold but it kept glitching in the same place :( so they had some Prehistoric Park instead. Papacrow got home early, hoorah! There were chores, I cooked, then dinner and I went to work while Papacrow did baths, stories etc and bedded Petal. I got home and bedded Dot. Saurus watched a film (Matrix 3) in our room and Roo watched one on Saurus's PSP.

Papacrow and I had a friend round which was lovely, we talked about our characters in his new game, and also films, comics, etc.

NEW BLOG!

2011-09-22T14:47:00.003-07:00

Lookie lookie, the kids have their own blog!

Ok, there's not much on there yet, but they'd be thrilled if you had a look and maybe left a comment :-D

http://llittleissues.blogspot.com/

NEW BLOG!

2011-09-22T14:47:00.001-07:00

Whistle while you work...

2011-09-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

So, as I've mentioned in passing, I have a job. It's cleaning - offices - for a couple of hours in the evening. It's a job I've done before, a few years ago, and Papacrow did it when I was working full time, so we've known the people and the place for some time.

I like cleaning, actually. It's a job that irrefutably needs doing and there's a clear visual record of your achievement when you're done. What like even more is the fact that, at this job, I can clean with out the myriad of 'muuuuuuum' type interruptions that I invariably get at home.

So I have two sections to do, which are right next to each other. The first is quick to do because not many of the offices on it are occupied. It consists of two toilet blocks - one has three toilets, two urinals and three sinks, the other has five toilets and three basins. There's also various class panels in fire doors to clean, a bit of dusting, the toilet floors to mop and some corridors and stairs to vac.

The second section is huge, someone else does all the vaccing and I just do the toilets, mopping and a few bits of glass in various fire doors. There are five - the top floor consists of two, both of which have two toilets and two basins. The middle floor has a block consisting of two toilets, two basins and two urinals, and a single toilet and basin and the lower floor is another single toilet and basin but with more floor space.

If you've waded through all that and are still with me, good for you! The point I really wanted to make is that, when doing something manual and repetitive like this, I tend to sing, hum or whistle a good portion of the time. A lot of my colleagues and a few of the office works that work late have commented on this - how I'm so happy all the time.

Which makes two points of interest occur to me -

a) that this is not the norm. Which is weired, isn't it? I mean, how come someone, anyone, vac and dust and scrub for two hours and NOT hum or whistle or something, not once?!

and

b) I find their instant conclusion that my singing/humming/whistling means that I am happy, to be quite interesting. I am in fact happy or at least content a lot of the time, but not always. If I'm feeling a bit down, then guess what I do?! You've guessed it, I sing, whistle or hum to cheer myself up! Also a large part of it is habit, I think, it's just largely automatic on part to start singing or whistling a song and then to be scrubbing or vaccing in time to it. Besides, a couple of my toilet blocks are tiled all over and the acoustics are quite heavenly - hard to resist singing, to be quite honest!

So they think, I presume, that I'm nice but a bit odd (which I suppose is fairly accurate) and I privately think they are a bit odd and slightly miserable, and carry right on singing/humming and whistling. Anything from show tunes to Beethoven, encompassing Jazz, rock, folk and pop in between.

It can't just be me, surely? Do you whistle while you work? If so, what, and what do other people think about it?

2011-09-18T14:29:00.001-07:00

Saturday 17/9/2011

Woke up with a headache again. Lots of cuddles with pretty much everyone, then we all got up together and had breakfast and dressed. Roo was headachy and unwell so stayed home in bed while Wig, Fluff, Dot and I braved the rain to go to karate. Dot determinedly leapt out of her pram, stripped off her wellies, socks and jumper and was obviously all ready for the class! She lasted about 2 seconds in the line up (hanging off Fluff) before Sensi smiled at her and she scurried back to me!

Saurus came along and did his class, I was feeling headachy and off so didn't do it but took the others home, via town for some errends. We got home for lunch where Papacrow had done lots of washing up, and had played Wonder Woman with Petal (who was in her Wonder Woman costume, of course). After lunch there were consols, Worms and Wonder Woman.

Petal developed a temperature and had an early bath and bed, Roo was much improved though and we had dinner. Uncle J came round and fixed Kylie (Papacrow's netbook). Dot bedded at 7ish, and we watched Dr Who - which was excellent - Uncle J went home and we watched Dr Who Confidential (a behind the scenes 'making of' programme), and they all shuffled off to bed, both Papacrow and I feeling increasingly not right, so we bathed and went to bed while Saurus had some PS3.

Sunday 18/9/2011

Rather an early wake up with Saurus watching Match of the Day at 7.00am, the girls coming in with us, everyone else arguing downstairs, and Roo popping up and down the stairs informing on everyone-else's shortcomings *sigh*

Petal was right as rain, Roo much better, both Saurus and Wig started feeling iffy as the day went on, Papacrow and I didn't feel great, but got marginally better as the day went on.

We had breakfast, and went to go out in the sunshine. However, it started to rain before we were even half way down the street, so Saurus went back to bed and the rest of us climbed into the car, went to Waitrose, recycled the cardboard and got a few bits, and came out to even heavier rain so we gave the big park a miss and headed home for lunch, Dot having a short nap in the car.

After lunch there were consols, Papacrow, Roo and Dot popped into town for a few secret errends and Dot napped in the pram, there was also Wonder Woman, Bob the Builder and some Dungeon Hunter on the PS3. I washed up and Papacrow made pizza and we listened to the football, which was very pleasant.

The kids all watched the new dinosaur programme that we had missed on Wednesday but thankfully it's repeated on a Sunday, we had dinner, did baths, had stories, and Papacrow read them all some Alice and Wonderland while I bedded Dot, who despite all the nappage she'd had today, asked to go up at 7pm again and wasn't long going to sleep. I bedded Petal and Papacrow bedded Fluff, all the others also shuffled off and Papacrow and I settled down to various writing and blogging catch up and various travel and sports TV.

I've got a great big 'normous Fluff hug for you, and a great big 'normous Fluff Kiss!

2011-09-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday 15/9/2011

Quote of the day - Fluff, to me on my return home from work :)

Dot was awake in the night again, poor poppet, those horrid old teeth :( Girls came in for cuddles in the morning, Papacrow went off to work and we dressed, had breakfast and stripped the beds. People came and did the usual table time, but it so happened that they came in one at a time which was interesting, and gave me some single time with each of them - very nice! Didn't do much with Fluff today, but he's been working away beautifully and is another of those short bursts people, rather than a slow and steady plugger awayer, if you see what I mean.

We made the beds, did a bit of reading, had lunch and went out in the warm lovely sunshine to Waitrose and the big park. We had a great time, and maybe stayed a little longer than we should have done, Papacrow got back home (slightly earlier) just after we did! So we both took them to Grandma's, came back with the girls (Petal's still insisting she's never going to go to Grandma's again. Oh well..) and watched some Charlie & Lola.

Then I went to work while Papacrow did dinner and baths, I got back and bedded Dot, the rest also shuffled off and Papacrow went off to the Cinema.

Friday 16/9/2011

Up with loud shouty children and a bit of headache :( WE got dreased, had breakfast, did table time, washed up and went out to Home Ed group. It was warm and sunny, we had lots of fun with conkers, leaf pictures, crochet, table tennis, lego and playing outside.

We got home for a late lunch, reading, Cities of Gold, a tidy and I vacced. Papacrow got back, I went to work, he dinnered, bathed, storied and they were playing parlour games when I got back!

I bedded Dot and got my dinner, Papacrow bedded Petal and Fluff, Wig and Roo shuffled off, Papacrow & Saurus played some PS3 then he watched Misfits and I relaxed on the laptop.

Can I get my wair het?

2011-09-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day, Petal, on our way to swimming, getting her words a bit muddled!

Tuesday 13/9/2011

The day started with cuddles with the girls, we all got up with Papacrow who went off to work. We dressed, breakfasted, did the usual table time. I washed up, Saurus & Roo also did some loads, I cleaned teh bathroom and toilet, Roo (eventually, after some grumbles and a bit of a lecture from me) sorted the washing mountain and we all helped fold it.

We stopped for lunch, then everyone helped pick and tidy and I vacced. I made veggy soup with Dot's enthusiastic assistance, then it started raining so we all cuddled up and watched Maggie and the Ferocious Beast and Horrible Histories. Dot conked out for a late nap. Papacrow got home, I went to work while he sorted dinner and baths, I got back to find Petal already in bed. Saurus went up with a film, Roo made a lego game which he, Papacrow, Fluff & Wig played and I took Dot up. It took 20 rather than 10 minutes, but she was asleep by 8.30pm, yippee!

I read my new book, Papacrow watched misfits. There was also lots of lego and all over the house fantasy games today.

Wednesday 14/9/2011

The girls were up early for cuddles - Dot was awake in the night in fact, with hot gums and needing capol. The boys slept in a little, there was lots of lego etc, then dressing, breakfast and table time, although maybe a little lack lustre today, we were more interested in getting out in the sunshine! Roo washed up and there were various bits and bobs of tidying and playing and so on, and we walked to swimming where we all had a great time, Dot especially loved it.

Unfortunately the older three mucked about in the boys dressing room afterwards, a problem that I thought I had knocked on the head last year *sigh* Fluff did enjoy getting undressed with the big boys although he got dressed with me and the girls - he and Petal got themselves dried and dressed again!

We got home for lunch and books, then lego games and Saurus got the scrabble out. He and I had a game or two together before others came into play and they had a few games before it all descended into arguing despite my warnings :( I sent Roo to fold and Saurus to tidy the downstairs bedroom while I cooked. Papacrow got back, I went to work while he did baths and hair washing and stories.

I got back and took Dot up. She nursed as usual but didn't fall asleep and was clear, after a bit, that she wanted to go in the cot so I did. I told her I was just going downstairs and she was quite happy for me to do so, in fact I sneaked up a little later and she was fast asleep! Everyone else also shuffled round and Uncle D came round to chat to me and Papacrow about starting up DnD again.

Petal had four or five unassisted wardrobe changes today - she's worked how to move the comfy chair and (safely) climb up it if she wants a dress. It's quite entertaining see her come down in different outfits!

2011-09-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Monday 12/09/2011

Nice snuggles this morning with the girls and Fluff and Wig, we all rolled up with Papacrow who went to work, we got dressed, had breakfast with lots of books and lego and so on, then we had table time - diaries, book reviews, maths or english, latin or french for Saurus, Roo and Wig; calligraphy or handwriting practice for Saurus & Roo; maths work book and Peter & Jane for Fluff, write on wipe off letters and numbers books for Petal & Dot; plenty of colouring, drawing etc for all. Saurus got out an activity book that had a number of geographical quizes that were fun - capitals, monuments, leaders and so on. We also got out the acrylics and painted the clay pots and models we made a while ago.

Then Saurus, Roo & Wig had a big game of Zombies (strategy board game), and Fluff, Petal, Dot and I built a train track. I also washed up. Then we watched a Numberjacks and a Scooby Doo and I sorted out some nappies. Then it was lunch - with lots of books and so on - and we then climbed into the car and drove carefully through the wind to the Osteopath/Natropath. EVERYONE decided they wanted to be seen today - even Petal and Dot climbed on the couch! Dot also took her jumper to M (the osteopath) to sort out and put on her! We like them there, they really make us feel at home, evidently!

We eventually got home and Papacrow had beaten us too it and thankfully made us pasta (with leftover sauce from Saturday), so we sat down to that and then I went to work while Papacrow did baths etc. A viewing of Thor had been planned, but it turned out that it's not actually out until next week, which was rather good actually as Saurus, Fluff and Petal had all ruled themselves out and had early-ish nights (Saurus hadn't completed his room properly after multiple assists and chances, and Fluff & Petal were very silly and loud in the car despite repeated requests to be quiet and calm for safety reasons). Wig, Roo and Papacrow were playing a bit of Worms when I got back, Fluff and Petal were already asleep!

I put Dot to bed, chatted on the phone to my sister C, and did the online shop while Papacrow got started on Misfits season 2.

2011-09-12T13:49:00.001-07:00

Sunday 11/09/2011

I had a bit of a lie in while Papacrow got up and did breakfast, which was lovely! Unfortunately I dozed back to sleep on my back, so woke up rather stiff and was in increasing amounts of discomfort as the day went on, particularly in my left knee, which always complains when my neck or back are out, as it were.

Papacrow spent most of the morning supervising Saurus & Roo sorting out their rooms, as despite lots of opportunity and advice since last weekend, it hasn't really happened. I wrote Petal's thank you letters (with her help and embelishments of course), Wig's party invites and filled out the new phone book.

We had lunch, with consols afterwards, then Papacrow took EVERYONE out in between rain and wind for fresh air and a few bits he needed for dinner. I was home alone! Can't REMEMBER the last time that happened - I tidied and washed up a little and sat down a lot!

Then Papacrow got back and made burgers, the others watched a little TV and I washed up. Then there were the usual baths, stories and beds, and Roo had a film with Papacrow - The Eagle. I abstained as the Rosmary Sutcliff book on which it was (loosely, by the sound of it) based - Eagle of the Ninth - is one of my favourites, and I didn't want to see it mucked about really. I got a nice bath and early bed instead :)

My hair is turning brown. That's why I have to brush it.

2011-09-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday 10/9/2011

Quote of the day - Petal. While sitting in the kitchen pensively brushing her hair.

Papacrow had a little lie-in after his late night, we had a relaxed breakfast and some cartoons. Then I took Roo & Wig to karate (not fluff because Papacrow couldn't pick him up after and we felt for him to sit quiet all the way through my class was a bit too much of an ask), did some errands in town, did my class - Saurus turned up for this too - while Roo & Wig sat quietly in the corner and read books. Then we headed home for lunch.

Meanwhile, Papacrow stayed in with the three littlies as our shower and cooker were replaced! It's rather exciting to have a brand new oven that actually works properly, and had glass in the door that you can actually see through! Its given Dot many hours of entertainment so far :D

After lunch there were consols, Petal got some Wonder Woman and there was also some PS3. Then I took everyone bar Saurus (who elected to stay home and tidy his bedroom) to the library, and we also had a little mooch round the little park, while dodging rain showers.

Home and Papacrow had made us spaghetti, we had quick baths and settled down to a TV extravaganza of Strictly Come Dancing, Dr Who and Dr Who confidential. Poor tired Dot conked out while nursing about 5 minutes in and went to bed! Afterwards we all staggered severally off to bed.

2011-09-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Friday 10/9/2011

The day started with lovely cuddles with the girls until Dot got hold of my glass of water and spilt it all over me, her and the bed! At least that got me up at a good hour I suppose! We got up, got dressed, Papacrow vanished off to work and we had breakfast.

Then there was table time - diaries, book reviews, maths or english, french or Latin, and poetry - copying out the poem they are memorising thus also doing handwriting practice at the same time, cunning eh! - for Saurus and Roo. Wig did his diary and book reviews, maths, some more story, and also some poetry/handwriting practice. Fluff did his diary (tracing over the entry I wrote for him), we did some more of his maths book and there was various drawing and colouring. He and Petal and Dot also did write on wipe off numbers and letters, fractions and various other bits and bobs.

I cleaned the kitchen, Saurus & Roo helped me wash up and we hurried out to Home Ed group - the first in the hall after the summer. We had such a good time! There were lots of our friends there, and some new people. We sorted out an alternative English GCSE course for Saurus (he and some others were let down when the course they booked on didn't run after all) and possibly some maths tuition help too. There was indoor football (soccer), lego, playdough, making things with ribbons, Petal made some more girly friends (I say girly merely because 'girl friends' sounds like she's dating, and she's not. Yet.) and they shared some strawberries, and we played in the playground afterwards - it was blue skied and sunny but VERY hot and muggy with a thick but strangely dry mist hanging down over and off the downs. I can only hope that the rain is swiftly following.

We headed home, recycled the cardboard on the way, and had a lovely lunch. Then we started tidying and picking up in order to vac. Papacrow got back early and showered, poor Dot (who hadn't napped in the car as expected) fell asleep on her changing mat and had a short and slightly late nap, all helped to vac and I did some phone calls while Papacrow cooked dinner. Then I went off to work while he did dinner, baths and stories and I helped with the beds and popped in the bath. Dot was still in bed fast asleep by 8.30pm and Papacrow went off to his brothers.

Poor Fluff had a hard day. He gets very hyper and silly moods sometimes where he gets higher and higher, less and less controlled and stops listening/being able to listen. He had a thick fleece jumper on despite the mugginess, was playing IT in the playground and just stopped properly taking in data or making sensible decisions -pushing passed people on narrow ladders and walkways as if they weren't there, for example, and getting increasingly red in the face. Having called his attention to what was happening and having asked him several times (all day in fact, and for the last few days) to calm down, I tried to slow him down and get his jumper off him (so he'd cool and hopefully calm down a bit) and, well, I can only describe him as blowing a fuse, and loosing, while not all, then a big part of his reason :(

It ended with me carrying him (kicking, and he's not getting any smaller) to a bench and eventually getting the damn jumper off him, finally he calmed enough and switched into being clingy and tearful so we cuddled for a while and he hung off me for the rest of the time we were there.

He had another stop listening, refusing to reason and shouting fit at bed time where he was unable to wait for Papacrow to come and read to him (it was a reasonable lengh of time, and Fluff's usually fine with that, but...)

Poor Fluff. He's 5 going on 6 so having huge hormone bursts. Wig was incredibly aggressive and even violent at this age (as was Roo) but Fluff (as ever) reacts very differently. It's still well with in the huge margin of 'normal' but it isn't much fun for anyone, poor Fluffkin. We cuddled and talked and he agreed to wait for me to come down from bedding Dot. He was asleep when I did, but (naturally already having a plan B ;-) I'd already agreed with him that, if that happened, he could bring his book up to my bed tomorrow morning, so I guess that's how my day will be starting!

2011-09-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

Thursday 8/9/2011

Dot was up at 3.50am wet through, poor thing.. Papacrow had pinned the nappy to a professional standard but plumb forgotten to put a second soaker pad in it! Ah well... She was soon back to sleep once dry and comfy again, and the day properly began nearer 7am, with her, then Petal and then Fluff into the bed for cuddles. We all got up with Papacrow, dressed and breakfasted. I washed up and we did table time.

Diaries, book reviews, Maths or English for Saurus, Roo and Wig. Latin or French for Saurus and Roo and I did some Latin with Wig. He also did more work on his story. Roo did more work on his Fluffies book, Saurus on his Harry Potter Fact File book and I did lots of maths and Peter & Jane with Fluff. Numbers and Letters book for Petal and Fluff, and there was plenty of drawing and writing on the whiteboard by Wig, Fluff, Petal & Dot. Petal and Dot also got out the fractions.

Then we stripped the beds, there was plenty of Magic and Chess, we made the beds and had lunch. It was grey and windy and I was tired so we gave the library a miss and read and played. They invented a long, elaborate and eriely quiet animal cum hide and seek game that baffingly didn't even create a mess! There was also a fair bit of lego building - Fluff and I built various ships - and story reading.

Then it was off to Grandma's house where we played for a while before the girls and I came back home to stew apples and bake cookies! Papacrow got back and we all went for a cat walk (i.e. a walk round the block looking for cats, Petal used to be obsessed with them when she was a toddler and it became a stock phrase! Dot's not so obsessed with cats but she does love little walks) and the weather was nicer for us.

I then went off to work, Papacrow did dinner and baths. I got back and I bedded Dot, Petal and Fluff and everyone else shuffled off eventually too. Papacrow went out to the cinema and Saurus and I watched a special England v Wales charity football (soccer) match played by legends and actors and so on. England won 6 - 0!!

2011-09-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 7/9/2011

Petal & Dot slept in slightly, once they were awake and in having cuddles with us, Wig and Fluff also pottered up... Our bed seems to be getting smaller?! We all got up with Papacrow, he went off to work and we got dressed, had breakfast and did table time.

Saurus & Roo did diaries & Book revews, English or maths, latin (Roo) and French (Saurus) and calligraphy. Saurus did some washing up for me. Wig was a bit frumpy this morning, but together we got his dairy and book review, English, some French and some more of his story all done. Roo also did some more of his Fluffies book and Saurus some more of his Harry Potter fact file. There was also lots of drawing and colouring, Fluff and I did lots of his maths book, and I should mention that he's now doing diary entries - I write in pencil, he traces over with felt tip (like I used to do with Wig). Absolutely no argument from him (yet), interestingly, he loves it :D There were also lots of numbers and letters (those write on wipe off books are great) alphabet songs, and various bits and bobs with Fluff, Petal and Dot, and some Peter and Jane with Fluff.

Saurus, Roo and Wig then played lots of magic, the rest of us got the musical instrument box out and played the piano. We talked a bit about middle C and the base and treble clefts and which hand for which (generally) and so on. We sorted out swimming bags and walked (better weather today) to swimming where we had an AWESOME time! (We love our swimming teacher H). Fluff got dried and dressed by himself and Petal nearly did too! We walked home, scavenging a few windfall apples that we had spied on the way up, and discussed the gathering/scrumping divide and the accompanying laws. I don't know if it's different in America or elsewhere? But here in the UK you can take fruit that's on the ground, so long as you don't have to go onto private property to do so, and of course you can't take it off the tree (scrumping). Petal was VERY taken with this and carried the apples in the bag (nearly!) all the way home.

We got back and it almost immediately got grey and cloudy (yes, I was totally smug at our impeccable timing) and had a nice big lunch and a correspondingly long sit down. Dot napped in the pram on the way home, and we did the various tidying chores, then watched some Horrible History extras - particularly all the songs, which were awesome - and then Wig's free playmobile CD from the toyshop. Then there was sorting and Papacrow got back and helped me with the dinner. I went to work and got back while baths were still going which was lovely, I miss that time of day a bit! There was also hairwashing, because of going swimming today and then there were lots of stories and bed.

Papacrow and I hung out, watched Horizon - on the causes in the brain of good and evil - very interesting, but with a disappointingly 'dumbed down' voice over that was unnecessarily dramatic - and we paired up the sock mountain. I know, thrilling life we lead! Luckily we like it :D

2011-09-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 6/9/2011

Rainy and windy and grey all day. We all eventually upped and dressed and breakfasted. I cleaned the bathroom and washed up in between and during table time. Saurus, Roo & Wig did diaries, book reviews and maths or english. Saurus and Roo did french or latin and calligraphy practice. There was numbers and letters etc for Fluff, Petal and Dot. Petal is particularly enjoying singing alphabet songs at the moment!

We made lunch and headed over to the next town to visit some home edding friends, M & V and their daughter E (a little older than Petal, the two are thick as thieves which is lovely!) and their son K (a little younger than Dot). WE had a lots of fun, Heroica, Magic and various hide and seek games in their Teepee (scuse spelling, all my research on the topic was years ago and now forgotten) were played, and we enjoyed lunch together before we headed, Dot napping a little both ways and the rest watching March of the Penguins after an epic struggle with the DVD player. (Whenever I find myself referring to the fact that we have a DVD player in our car, I feel compelled to tell y'all that this is mere chance, the car is second hand, and just happened to have a DVD player in it! We only use it occasionally on longer journeys, and oh it's great! They enjoy it, and I have peaceful A road/motorway driving!) The only cloud to all this silver lining was that Saurus's car sickness, that had all but fled recently, returned with a vengeance and he really suffered :( He wasn't actually sick though, which was just as well as neither of us had remembered an emergency plastic bag!

At home there was the usual tidying up and folding chores and they watched Horrible Histories and Scooby Doo while I cooked. Papacrow got home early and managed to sneak in like a ninja and surprise us all! Then it was dinner, I went off to work while Papacrow did the baths and we enjoyed the England V Wales match. Uncle J and Granddad popped round to watch with us, and the three littlies were bedded at half time. (Dot went up up a little before, tired little sausage.) The shopping arrived at 9pm ish, with lots of help to bring it up! I popped it away, with help from Papacrow so I didn't miss too much of the match :D Which was sweet of him, and it was a victory for us (England) but sadly it was also ditch water dull *sigh*

It's that season of mists again...

2011-09-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

So Monday. New week, new month, new season, new academic year. The cycle of growth starts anew!

It started quite well really, cuddles with the girls and Wig in bed, Papacrow went to work, we tidied and dressed and breakfasted (Saurus slept in a bit) and did table time - dairies, book reviews, maths or english, handwriting practice or calligraphy for the the top three, also Latin or french for Saurus & Roo, flash cards, fractions, work or activity books for the three littlies. I also went through everyone's basket with them, all the resource shelves, pen pots & that basket, piles of papers and books etc. It's all neat and tidy again!

Washed up, there was chess, lego, heroica, reading, a bit of indoor cricket. We had lunch with plenty of books and then headed out to the big park via Waitrose - Saurus detoured via the library - and we had a good long play in the playground. Weather was very windy, a bit rainy and slightly nippy today, we were glad of hoodies & packamacs, in fact I can see me getting coats out soon!

Home and I sorted out washing and finished washing up and so on while people washed hands, put shoes away and sat down for a minute, then we got out the acrylics and some sparkly poster paint and did some fantasy animal pictures. Interesting point - I put out a mixture of white and coloured paper, and I was the only one to choose coloured paper! Everyone else opted for white. I might force the issue next time and only put out coloured paper... It makes you look at background, and how the paint behaves on the background in a different way...

Then we cleared all that away and it was chores - Saurus tidies the downstairs bedroom, Wig the corridor, Roo sorts the washing and all help fold. I cooked (tagliatelle) and Papacrow got home early, whoop! Even with the heat somehow being turned on under the saucepan that had the tagliatelle in it but no water, dinner was STILL on the table before 5.00pm and we all ate together for once before I went out to work which was nice!

Papacrow did quick baths and stories, and let them watch a little In the Night Garden while the electrician came round to look at the faulty show and cooker. Looks like we may get replacement new ones of both, which would be nice.

I got back and they were playing Worms (Papacrow downloaded it again, such fun!), and I bedded Dot, then read Cowboy Sam & Shorty with Fluff in bed while Papacrow bedded Petal and the others made up some new Worms teams. Then everyone else shuffled off to bed and we huddled on the sofa in jumpers with all the windows shut, he played zombie cowboys on the PS3 and I did the ASDA shop.

2011-09-04T16:08:00.001-07:00

Sunday 4/9/2011

Papacrow got up with the girls and everyone else and left me in bed to snooze for a bit, which would have been nice if I hadn't had such involved and unpleasant dreams! We all had breakfast, there was lots of relaxed playing and reading, various housework bits and bobs - like the folding mountain of doom - and we said goodbye to the cousins who were going back home with their parents Uncle W & Aunty S today.

We had lunch, had a big family meeting about sport and music changes to our 'curriculum', discussed changes to the daily table time requirements, sorted out who was doing karate (all the boys, every Saturday) and discussed topics and so on.

Then they had consols and PS3, and Dot and I went and collected a really nice kickstool I scored off Freeagle (the artist formerly known as Free-cycle). Then Papacrow and I did various things in the kitchen - I would have washed up but he wouldn't let me - and I took Roo, Wig, Petal and Fluff to the big park. Dot hadn't napped so it was a bit dangerous to take her, so Saurus played with her while Papacrow cooked all the veggies to go with the bacon joint (a change from gammon. Cheaper, and ok, but not quite as nice).

We had a lovely time at the park - got some sneaky chips! - and had a lovely dinner on our return. Then it was baths and stories and beds for the girls, and then I put on Around the World in 80 Treasures to watch with Saurus & Roo, because it's difficult to watch documentaries with the little ones sometimes, and Wig & Fluff crept out of bed to watch with us too! It was all things in South America, particularly Peru, which matched up with things we've been seeing on Mysterious Cities of Gold, which was cool.

Then they all went off to bed and I sorted out all my back log of blog posts. And now I'm done, PHEW!

2011-09-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

Saturday 3/9/2011

Productive day - Papacrow had a slight lie in (I did try and give him breakfast in bed, but he wasn't having any of it, he wanted to get up! Odd person!). We all had breakfast, the kids had some cartoons and then we went to karate. We dropped Zak and a (sadly very frumpy) Roo off for their class, then went into town. I did some errends at the bank with Fluff, Petal & Dot and then we bought some sweets at the lovely old fashioned Pick a mix stand, while Papacrow bought Saurus some new, bigger clothes that actually fit - Saurus has been growing a lot recently, while still claiming that his clothes fit fine, when honestly? They really don't!

I then popped to C&H fabrics for some cheap fleece for nappy liners and some poppers to replace the knackered velcro. Then I went to my karate class with Saurus - we had a great time, though it was hot and muggy and I was extremely sweaty afterwards!

We went home via Sainsbugs and the noodle bar (yum) and we all had lunch when we got home, and consols and TV. Saurus went and played magic and risk and stuff with Ryan and I took Petal, Wig & Fluff to the library, to pick up Wig's book that had come in, and we also found one of Roo's too! We went up the road to our favourite second hand book shop and got a great haul, then home where Papacrow had been cooking lasagna and Roo had been Dot-wrangling :-)

Saurus came home for dinner then went back round to do stuff with R as it was his last night here, we had baths, Uncle J came round, Dot, Petal & Fluff all went to bed and we watched the VERY SCARY Dr Who!

Then it was bed.

2011-09-04T15:50:00.000-07:00

Friday 2/09/2011

We got up, dressed, had breakfast, and caught up with table time a bit - diaries, book reviews & maths/english for the top three, and various number/letter/work/activity book things + flash cards and the like for the littlies. They picked up the floors and I vacced the whole house and caught up with washing and washing up. We also watched some more Mysterious Cities of Gold.

Grandma took the cousins and Saurus, Roo & Wig to the beach after lunch, Fluff, Petal, Dot and I did a few bits and pieces then took the scooters to the little park. Papacrow got back early but we somehow managed to miss him even though he walks through the little park - he must have had his head down and his MP3 player on, we must have been in the bushes hunting for squirrels and conkers! Anyway, he texted to see where we were and we scurried home to see him and sort out dinner (baked potatoes). Then I went off to work while he dealt with baths, the returners from the beach, and stories and so on. R & Saurus watched a film.

2011-09-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Thursday 1/9/2011

Well Hello September! Certainly the weather is turning, it's colder in the evenings and mornings, and a there's a freshness and occasionally that leafy, smoky smell to the air.

Today we got up, stripped the beds and I made up Petal's, Dot's and mine, got dressed, had breakfast, a brief basic table time, and made the beds, which took a while! We popped out to the library which was nice, got back for lunch and watched some Mysterious cities of gold.

There was various plans for a beach day with the cousins, but I find it really difficult doing things like that in the afternoon when I have to be at work for 5.20 or so, so in the end they all went round to Grandma's for dinner as normal, except Petal who is still preferring to stay home. We watched some tv, with Dot too. Poor Papacrow had to stay late at work, so Uncle J popped round and hung out with Petal and Dot - they played some playstation and had dinner, then the boys came back and bathed and Papacrow got back just 5 minutes before I did to find them all happily watching Night at the Museum 2!

So we finished up baths and the film and shuffled everyone off to bed. Papacrow went out to the cinema and Saurus & R played some PS3 for a while.

2011-09-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 31/8/2011

A more leisurely day, we did table time and watched a bit of Mysterious Cities of Gold, caught up on folding and things like that, and went to the park in the afternoon where we met up with Grandma and the cousins and Papacrow on his way home.

R & Saurus played magic with Wig and then watched a film, Roo went round to Grandma's to play Risk but it turned in Monopoly that wasn't very much to his liking, so he came home a bit sad. He'd also gone to the library that day after going and getting margarine for me when we went to the park, but they didn't have the book he wanted! So we borrowed Saurus's PSP and he went to bed with a film, that cheered him up a bit!

They're lovely. They're beautiful. They MATCH!

2011-09-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 30/8/2011

Quote of the day - Petal again. Talking about her new Hello Kitty socks and boots. In bed. Because she wore them to bed. Naturally.

Busy day - after dressing, breakfasting and doing a quick table time (diaries, books reviews & maths/english for the top three, a bit of reading and drawing for the littlies) the boys all went and played round Grandma's house and played with their cousins while the girls and I went to Mothercare for some nappy pins (my next attempt in the nappy saga of keeping the damn things on now the Velcro has lost all integrity), and Petal also spent her birthday money - on Hello Kitty converse, a Disney sleeping beauty dress up princess dress, and I also got her some socks and vests in the sale. Dot also got some sale socks, and a baby doll in a butterfly costume (sale!) that she fell in love with. She's OBSESSED with babies at the moment!

Then we went to ASDA and did recycled the cardboard, and did the weekly shop, phew! Got back and the boys came and brought it in for me and we had lunch. Then Aunty A & Cousin P came round, and our lovely hairdresser A trimmed and cut our hair - we all look much neater now!

Saurus then went into town with R & L, R went and played with WJ, Wig with W and H came round and played with Fluff. A good time was had by all, and I cooked a quick pasta (using left over sauce from Papacrow's Saturday spaghetti).

Papacrow got back, I went to work, he did baths and stories and I bedded when I got back - he had an injured thumb, poor thing :( he had friends round for marvel, I was shattered and had a very early bath and bed.

Huzzuh Huzzuh

2011-09-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

Monday 29/8/2011

Oh what a lovely day we had!

It was the Hertsmonzeax Medieval festival. We can't fit everyone in the car anymore, so Saurus spent the day with R at the cinema, watching Planet of the Apes and Harry Potter (again), while the rest of us sped merrily away for fantastic day of lovely weather and not too many wasps, and jousting and juggling and conjurers and musicians and drummers and pig roast and rows and rows of fantastic tented stalls selling herbs and leather worked goods, and weaponry, and showing weaving and wood turning!

We all got something nice (it's so much more fun when you can take some money to spend) and my highlights (as ever) included Mouse Town - oh, and Petal was adamant she wanted a ride on a pony! Which she did have (in her Wonder Woman costume. Well, what else would one wear to a medieval fair?).

I was a horsy mad child and rode all through my teens, (and on and off since the advent of children) and although most of them have tried it at one time or another, no-one's been much bothered really. So I stood there swelling with pride! Maybe she'll like a few lessons some time :D

We got home, having eaten tons at the fair, and had a scratch supper, baths, and very thankful beds.

I'm just showing the mirror my pants!

2011-09-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday 28/8/2011

Petal's birthday!

Quote of the day - Petal, of course. Looking at herself in the mirror, resplendent in her new Wonder Woman costume that I gave her.

So it started not too early, thankfully, with cuddles in bed with the girls, then Petal dragged everyone up and we had presents! She seemed happy with all of them - particularly the Wonder Woman costume (cheap on ebay) and dolls pram (very very cheap from a charity shop).

We then had breakfast, and she settled down to some of her new Wonder Woman DVD (from Wig), the boys all popped next door to play with cousins R, W & H, I got stuff ready for the party in the afternoon and Papacrow cooked a lovely fry up (my suggestion, sanctioned enthusiastically by Petal) for lunch!

The party went well, there were cousins R, W, H, L & W from next door and Aunty A and cousin P, Aunty C and Cousin L, Nana, Grandma and Granddad and Petal's bestist friend in all the world, E and her family (home educating friends). We were going to do a park trip but the weather was a bit uncertain and everyone was quite happy pottering about with toys, games and food so we left them to it. Rather than do a cake I did lots of fairy cakes that, as ordered, I decorated with pink icing and cocktail umbrellas. They sat on my three tier cake stand (that was a wedding present) and as Petal had been going on about having pink piggy presents (no idea, unless she meant Pepper Pig which I refuse to buy) so I dug out some pink pig shaped candles someone had passed on to us. Life got quite interesting when these pink pig candles got slightly more intimate with the cocktail umbrellas than I had anticipated (yes, there was a conflagration) but we all survived!

After the party there was yet more Wonder Woman, baths, new Angelina Ballerina books (from E) and beds. Phew!

2011-09-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday 27/8/2011

Mostly taken up with getting ready for Petal's birthday & Party (on the Sunday)!

There was a big town trip with everyone, where we did various errands and picked up more paper and so on, and Petal and I went and got various balloons - pink, purple and dark pink - some heliumed and everything! It was a lot cheaper than I've always imagined, and probably something I'll do for most birthdays now, it was nice. Papacrow bought us all buns and we staggered home for lunch, consols and PS3 and TV for the kids, plus their cousins R (15) W(11) and H (8 but small for his age) all arrived to spend the week at Grandma's house - mass excitement!

Papacrow made spaghetti bolognaise & meatballs which was lovely and there was also Dr Who in the evening, which was enjoyable but had quite a few themes/tricks I've seen only too many times before, plus a few plot holes. Oh well, we all enjoyed it and snuggled up to watch it.

2011-09-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Friday 26/8/2011

I was up with the girls, Dot being stinky! Everyone else also shuffled up eventually and we got dressed, had breakfast, and a bit of table time. Diaries, book reviews, maths/english for the top three and numbers, letters, activity/work books for the younger three. There was also indoor cricket, colouring, and watercolours with Petal & Dot. I washed up, stewed some apples and rhubarb and cleaned the bathroom. The others tidied the floors and pulled out from under the downstairs bedroom bunk beds, Saurus vacced the front room and downstairs bedroom, Roo vacced the corridors, bathroom and toilet and I did the big flight of stairs.

We paused for lunch with plenty of reading, lego, etc. Then they watched Attack of the Clones and Clone Wars vol 1 while I tidied & cleared upstairs, pulled out from under Petal's bunk beds and vacced the upstairs. Then I pulled out everything under our bed, sorted it and re-homed it, putting the attic stuff away STRAIGHT AWAY!

I cooked pies and veg for dinner, the boys tided and folded (after a bit of barney where we all got a bit cross with each other but then all kissed and made up), Papacrow got back for dinner, I went to work while he did baths and stories and they played Split Second (PS3 racing game). I got back, bedded Dot, Petal and Fluff, Papacrow went out to his brother's, Roo & Wig shuffled off to bed and Saurus completed a PS3 game. I made custard for the crumble and ate loads - Roo & Fluff requested and demolished some too - I didn't mention it had rhubarb in it until after they had eaten it!

Today we also listened to lots of Radio 4, Emma Johnson, Bob Marley and French language cds.