Friday, 9 December 2011

Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

I hosted on the 13th October. We read Madeline then made Eiffel Towers from pink waffers! It was a bit of trial of will as I'm sure the kids would rather have been eating the waffers, (they were rather tasty!!!).

18th October 2011

Zoe's turn to host this week. What a fab session! The children coloured in maps, sorted out North, South, East and West and generally had a jolly old time!



Five in a Row

4th October 2011






We had our first Five in a Row session today. Hayley hosted. She read 'Lentil' then the children set to work doing some taste tests!!! Salty, sweet, bitter and I can't even remember what the other one is! Ha! Well, there you go!!!! The little ones had a fab time.

More photo updates

Sylvie's pink birthday party! 5? How has that happened??!!!




A photo catch up

A great time had by all at Bamburgh Castle and the beach.







September days spent outside at the Botanic Gardens in Durham. See the sock on Bea's hand? She hurt herself and refused to remove the sock for an entire day.




Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Windy

Fabulous day in the sunshine and wind today.
We met up with our home ed buddies at the Botanic Gardens and felt the force of the winter winds as we wandered down through the gardens to the woods.
We got home at 2pm and the girls have been in the bath ever since. They're going to look like a couple of prunes by the time they've finished!!!
I've made a garlands for the mantlepiece and one for the dining table using cuttings from spruce and holly so all in all, a good, productive day!

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Back, yet again!

I really must write here more often. I've felt like I shouldn't as I don't have many photos to match my posts but I'm sure that doesn't matter too much!
I've been having a right pang about parenting of late so I'm hoping that this blog will make me see all of the positives and fill me with gratitude for the life we have instead of thinking that perhaps the kids would be better off NOT being at home with me. I know, how mad is that? How ridiculous that a mother should think her children would be better off being looked after by the state for six hours every day...
Here's why...
I'm working really hard, all weekend and most evenings. This means that while I'm out of action Mark has to have sole responsibility for the children. It frustrates me that he's not very organised in his approach towards the kids and that he winds them up then they can't wind down then they end up cross with each other; you know the scenario, it's played out in most households across the country, or that I have no doubt. I think I've taken on too much work wise so next year I'm going to slow things down a bit.
I've done five wrap conversions in the last week and a half. The quality is top notch, I have no worries about that but I still think it's too much. There's no room for any movement! Now if I'd planned, prior to home educating that I would be working lots of hours a week that would be fine but my mission was always to put the children first, not work yet at the minute 'work' is in the forefront of my mind day and night because there's so much to do and so many deadlines to meet.
I'm not complaining... this is my own fault. I take the orders, I manage my time, I agree to deadlines so there's no one to blame but me. I adore sewing, I love making carriers for mamas who are going to really enjoy using them I just need to slow down a bit!!!!

Our FIAR co-op is coming together at my place this morning and I'm really looking forward to it. We didn't meet up last Tuesday. We were going to go to a mamas house to do an Advent Spiral but the weather was dire so it didn't work out. I wonde if we could do a quick improvised one in our back garden this arvo!!! You never know, do you!
We're going to the Botanic Gardens in the morning then it's the children's Christmas party on Thursday afternoon. Thursday evening I'm going to Emma's house to wrap Christmas pressies and have a jolly time with lots of stinky cheese! Woooo hooooo, can't wait. It's such an exciting time of year. I love having children!

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Our second week

It feels a bit silly saying 'our second week of home educating' however, that's what it feels like. Last week would have been Sylvie's first week at school, if she'd been going. I see the girls and boys going out each morning in their uniforms and feel so blessed that my girls are still here, with me, with their friends and with their freedom.

So, how have things changed since 'before the second week'?! Well, they haven't really. I suppose I feel a bit more focussed. Sylvie's asking a lot about letters and wants to read so we've been checking out 'reading eggs' on line. There's a 14 day free trial so, so long as it's free I don't mind giving it a go. I never thought I'd use any on line learning tools but she seems to really engage with it so why complain?

We've got a bit of structure worked out for the day which focusses around keeping calm, keeping busy and me feeling organised. We wake, have breakfast and then we get washed and ready before doing daily chores like washing up and making the beds. We do a bit of drawing/craft before our morning nature walk then we come home for a snack, a story and circle time. The girls help me prepare lunch then we have our lunch and then do crafts/daily activities in the afternoon. Of course, this only works on the days we're actually at home. For example, we went to a Lingotot session yesterday which was BRILL so that was our afternoon. Wednesday we're meeting friends at the Botanic Gardens and Thursday we're meeting Ang and Emma.

I feel like I've not seen my buddies for ages. Since the whole chicken pox thing nothing's been right health wise! Bea and Annabelle have both had impetigo which was so easy to clear up but still, meant we had to keep away from babies and little uns. Thankfully, Mark had the week off work so it wasn't like being bound in alone!

I've got so much work to do too, which is another reason I need to keep the days organised. I've got slots booked until the end of OCtober and have also offered quite a few floating slots which means, to be honest, I'm in a bit over my head. However, I'm sure all will come good.

Sylvie's birthday party is on Sunday so there'll be lots of pink things!

I've got loads more to write but it'll have to wait until tonight as the girls are in the bath and I need to be with them.