Problem Solving

Friday: we met friends at Fisher's Farm today. For the first time ever the boys weren't keen on going so we packed all the tablets and agreed that we'd be two hours. Plum was meeting her friend and was very excited. We watched Cars together when we got home.

Saturday: After the boys having a difficult day yesterday we had no plans today so stayed home. All four played hide and seek, and chase, and stuck in the mud all around the house for an hour this morning. Plum and Pippin did some drawing, Bean and Pumpkin played lego together, we watched Pokemon and played plants vs zombies. Bean and I went to the cinema and watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to find Them, we loved it.

Sunday: Church day. Pumpkin has been reluctant to go to church so we arrange to go and then sit upstairs with him for the first part of the service. Today Bean and Pumpkin v mummy playing squares. Pumpkin was also saying that he didn't want to go to CousinC's birthday party. daddy and i were trying to work out how to make this possible. Bean then said that he wanted to go the the Christingle Service this afternoon. We proposed that mummy take Plum and Pippin to the birthday party and daddy, bean and pumpkin ride bikes to the Christingle. Everyone was happy. Mummy took Plum and Pippin to CousinC's birthday party at a soft play venue and then back to theirs for dinner before driving home.

Sometimes problem solving around how to meet everyone's needs can be challenging, difficult, time consuming but it is better for us to work through how we can respect each other than force each other to do things we don't want to do, there are enough times in life when this is unavoidable. It's not always easy when the children are small but as their understanding of time and their ability to wait and problem solve themselves and join in the discussion happens, it does become easier. Today Pippin wanted to watch Bing instead of leaving for the party, we were already running late and what she really needed was to fall asleep. She was crying. I was trying to get Plum's shoes on. And along came Bean and downloaded an episode of Bing on the tablet for Pippin. Problem solved. Pippin is happily in the car and watching Bing.

Tales of the Unexpected

We had a play date planned at Fisher's Farm today. Plum, 4, was going to meet her friend M. We headed straight to the slides, it was freezing ourside and it had been quite difficult for Bean, 9, and Pumpin, 7, to agree to coming out. I played with theidea of them staying at home but it would have been at least 3 hours which would have been the longest i have left them, plus Fisher's Farm is the furthest i would have gone and the phone reception there is terrible, in conclusion, i decided against it. We agreed to stay indoors and everyone took tablets as they have wifi. They ran off and played as soon as we got there. We had been there about half an hour before Pumpkin executed one of his usual moves and landed badly on his neck. He was in a lot of pain and couldn't move it without causing more pain. I gave him painkillers and we sat and ate food. All the while he was screaming. Bean came over and sat with us, playing games on my phone. Our friends had arrived but we decided that it would be best to go home. On the way we stopped and bought Tiger Balm. Pumpkin sat all afternoon, stock still, on the sofa.

Back home Pippin, 2, slept. Plum played face painting and painted herself a pirate and me some flowers. Bean and Pumpkin took the Potersmore quizes to discover what house they are in (Hufflepuff,) what their patronus is (bean was an hare, pumpkin was an otter) and what type of wand they would have (mine is hazel  10 1/4 inch, unicorn hair core, unyeilding)

Bean and i also read the first chapter of the coding book that his friend bought for him.

We ended the day with dinner and a film, Bean had a bath, Pumpkin had more painkillers and tiger balm before bed.

Taking it easy

Still not feeling great but being thanful that we can rest when we need to and get up and play when we can, that we can wear the clothes that make us feel cosy and warm and stop doing what we're doing as soon as we need to.

We went to Fisher's Farm today. It was our planned trip out today but it was a great choice as we had several children feeling under the weather and energy levels differing at different times between the children. We began inside on the slides, which Pippin is loving. Plum went down the bumpy slide on her own today which is the first time in months that she has done this. We raced together again and again.  After about an hour we were in the soft play area and Plum came and curled up with me, we put on her tablet and headphones and she watched iplayer for a while. After half an hour the carousel ride opened so we went outside to ride. Bean and Pumpkin went around the Tree Top Squirrel Scramble, they all rode on the carousel together and then Plum and Pippin had a turn together on the horse. It started to rain a little after this so we went to the barn to see the animals and do the animal handling. Today was rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoise and a pooing chicken. Whilst we were in the barn the temperature dropped significantly and the heavens opened. Plum announced she wanted to go home now so we all left. We saw a double full rainbow as we left.

At home Bean, 9, and Pumpkin, 7, played on the wii together. The completed an entire level today on their lego: pirates of the carrinean, Plum, 4, and Pippin, 2, both slept. Plum spent the remainder of the day in a duvet on the sofa. Bean introduced us all to The A.N.T Farm so we watched a few hours of that together.

The girls both had a bath and stories and the boy's had stories together. All in bed by 9.30 (including mummy.)

Who put the colours in the rainbow?

Crayon making continued in earnest today. Bean, 9, tries out different shapes and moulds, some that he made himself and others he found in the baking cupboard. We now have hearts and puzzle pieces and semi spheres and sticks

We all went out to Fisher's Far, for the afternoon. ot was wet so we spent most of our time indoors (about two hours) but it was also really busy. It must still be half term somewhere. There were a lot more children than usual to contend with and the noise was deafening but all the smalls did really well to last so long. We eventuallu braved the wet weather and moved across to the outdoor cafe and had the place to ourselves so we teamed up and shot cannon balls at each other until we saw the carousel was open. Pippin, 2, took her first ride on it today. We had the whole ride to ourselves. This was folowed by seeing the animals in the barn. The goats are a favourite now with Pumpkin, 7. We were just in time for the animals handling so we spent 15 minutes strocking rabbits, huinea pigs and a tortoise. The smals all spent their pocket money in the shop and then we came home to get warm and dry. A change of clothes for everyone and a film (Madagascar 2)

The smalls ended the day with a sleepover in the living room.

Down on the Farm

A monumentous day as we bought Pippin her membership to Fiser's Farm. We have been members for just over two years now and it is an all year round favourite, although my personal winter favourite. It is our most costly membership but also our most used by far.
Today we met Plum's friend V for a play. thre was a bit of a tricky start when Plum wanted to play indoors and V outdoors but it was navigated with some seperate play and then we got together for pony rides, crazy golf, pirate ship, toddler cars, bouncy pillows and 'Bob the Builder' in the sand pit.

Bean (9) has been fiddling with lego most of the day. He has completed a little more of his lego chima set and then created his own set. During the evening he began drawing instructions but it became too difficult so he swapped to taking photos and has plans to do a YouTube tutorial tomorrow. Daddy has found a website where you can submit your lego set designs too.

Pumpkin (7) has also been fiddling with lego, mostly creating minifigures with accessories. And this evening we continued watching The Great British Bake Off semi final.

Plum (4) has decided to sleep in her own room, so we made a make shift bed on the floor and she slept a large portion of the night in there. We left a green night light on in her room, door open and nght light on in the hall. Daddy had special instructions to make sure that there was still room in the bed for her incase she wanted to come and sleep with us.

Surprise Surprise

The boys surprised me left, right and centre today.
Firstly the train track has started making a reappearance, this time round initiated by Pumpkin. The cars in the middle are the car park.

This was followed by a trip to Fisher's Farm where we met with friends and fellow home ed family. Surprise number two was the boys insistence that they wanted to stay out in the rain, probably because there was so many exciting things for them to do but normally one or other or both of them gets cold/ wet/ weather worn very quickly especially in the constant damp drizzle rain we were out in today. Pumpkin was in fact saturated on his lower half having jumped through numerous puddles and gone down a very wet slide, he even got a hole in his sock!

The boys are very close and tend to do everything together, even eat the same cereal for breakfast, but not today, surprise number three. Pumpkin decided he would like to do the pony ride and Bean chose to watch. Pumpkin even got on after watching the previous child (of similar age) get shaken about as the horse sneezed and ended up lying across it sideways waiting for assistance. I thought this would put him off but he rode twice.

And lastly the boys both thoroughly enjoyed the bug ride in which they get pulled around in individual carts, bumping all over the place. I honestly thought there would be tears from at least one of them especially as I didn't go on with them and they had to ride solo but they both loved it. Pumpkin was very disappointed that he couldn't ride again.
The indoor play area was our respite from the rain and thanks to our friend's children being so keen to play indoors it persuaded my two to do the same. They had a great time and are very keen to revisit.