Sunday 8th January 2017
There are lots of things that we love about Home Educating and especially Unschooling. There are lots of things that are a direct result of us choosing Home Education, choosing to spend our days together. We can rejoice together in our good times and comfort each other in our sadness without the interuption or forced separation of school.
Today we travelled back to Kent and dropped daddy off at Nana's place where we left him with FA#3 and drove to her house. We unpacked, Plum, 5, immediately found CousinC and CousinH and picked up playing where they left off yesterday. Bean, 9, and Pumpkin, 7, went and settled in their beds and were playing on their tablets. It wasn't long before daddy called to tell us that Nana had died peacefully. And not long after that that daddy and FA#3 returned home.
Over the next few days we stayed at FA#3's house. Ten of us in total, 11 on occasion. We cooked and played with the children, there was a lot of negotiation and refereeing, mummy took the children out for a walk to the beach, we collected stones and caught Pokemon, walked along the wall and climbed steps and stairs, and played hide and seek. We talked about fishing boats and the wind whistling, islands and land masses, oyster shells, harbours and housing development. We walked down Harbour Street and the boy's thought it could pass for diagon alley and renamed all the fabulous looking shops. We stopped and bought food at the supermarket and cousinC asked to buy flowers so we got some for FA#3, their daddy and our daddy. We played board games and puzzle games, magic:the gathering and top trumps and cheat. We watched movies and cbeebies, Pippin followed the cats endlessly around the house. By the third day the boys were beginning to long for their space at home. They were too tired to successfully take out but not comfortable or relaxed enough in the space they had created for themselves. That evening we came home.
Romans 12: 15
Our Tribe
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Mission Possible
Friday 6th January
We invited new people to our house today. We have chatted on line a reasonable amount and it was time to meet in person. It would have helped if i had provided the correct house number and address but the postcode was good so it wasn't as problematic as it could have been.
Bean, 9, and Pumpkin, 7, both came and said hello before returning upstairs to watch Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban. They then formed themselves a club and made flags and signs and posters and contructed a trap of selotape across the landing, like lazer beams in a great hall.
Plum, 5, and Pippin, 2, played cars and colouring and read books with T, 5, and R, 2. We talked and ate and played. It was a very harmonious occasion.
After our friends went home, we played minecraft together and took baths and cooked dinner. Mummy and Plum packed a suitcase to go and stay at FA#3 for the night and when daddy came home we made our way to Kent.
We invited new people to our house today. We have chatted on line a reasonable amount and it was time to meet in person. It would have helped if i had provided the correct house number and address but the postcode was good so it wasn't as problematic as it could have been.
Bean, 9, and Pumpkin, 7, both came and said hello before returning upstairs to watch Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban. They then formed themselves a club and made flags and signs and posters and contructed a trap of selotape across the landing, like lazer beams in a great hall.
Plum, 5, and Pippin, 2, played cars and colouring and read books with T, 5, and R, 2. We talked and ate and played. It was a very harmonious occasion.
After our friends went home, we played minecraft together and took baths and cooked dinner. Mummy and Plum packed a suitcase to go and stay at FA#3 for the night and when daddy came home we made our way to Kent.
Love is an open door
Saturday 7th January
Plum, 5, and I had travelled to stay with FA#3 and Cousin C and Cousin H for the Friday night. In the morning we went to see sing a long Frozen together. Plum wore her new Elsa dress and FA#3 supplied blue and silver pompoms and we took snowflake shaped ginger biscuits. We had listened to the Frozen songs 4 times on the journey to see FA#3's house and Plum sang along in the cinema. It wasn't all roses. Plum was very tired and was upset during part of the film and missed 'Let it Go' which was equally upsetting but we managed to steer the course and she enjoyed the experience overal. This was followed by lots of mummy and daddy and sister play back at the house, this seems to be quite an established game between the three of them now.
Back home, Bean, 9, and Pumpkin, 7, began work on a robot dog and completed some origami.
We travelled home in the afternoon. Nana wasn't well so we came to collect the others so daddy could go and see nana. We then decided to sleep at home and wait until the morning.
Plum, 5, and I had travelled to stay with FA#3 and Cousin C and Cousin H for the Friday night. In the morning we went to see sing a long Frozen together. Plum wore her new Elsa dress and FA#3 supplied blue and silver pompoms and we took snowflake shaped ginger biscuits. We had listened to the Frozen songs 4 times on the journey to see FA#3's house and Plum sang along in the cinema. It wasn't all roses. Plum was very tired and was upset during part of the film and missed 'Let it Go' which was equally upsetting but we managed to steer the course and she enjoyed the experience overal. This was followed by lots of mummy and daddy and sister play back at the house, this seems to be quite an established game between the three of them now.
Back home, Bean, 9, and Pumpkin, 7, began work on a robot dog and completed some origami.
We travelled home in the afternoon. Nana wasn't well so we came to collect the others so daddy could go and see nana. We then decided to sleep at home and wait until the morning.
Thursday, 5 January 2017
It's Oh so quiet
At Home Day #3 Pumpkin, 7, was positively bouncing with excitement when i said we had no plans today. Bean, 9, discovered that he can watch dvds on their computer so he and Pumpkin chose two that Plum doesn't enjoy and they watched those, star wars and harry potter. They also play the espcapists and watch dantdm and stampy. I set up skype for Bean on his tablet and we play a skateboarding game together. Bean also has a bath today. And him, pumpkin and plum, 5, watch Kermit Swamp Adventures together in the evening.
Pumpkin is in his happiest when we stay at home. After watching films and youtube he plays a capture in the dark game that he has made up with Bean and Plum. This then turned into wrestling. Followed by general climbing, running, chasing, fighting, energetic games.
Plum mostly watched on her tablet today. She has been very restful. She has been watching Steve and Maggie. She helped me make cupcakes in the evening ready for her party tomorrow. We read stories before bed and she read Ketchup on your Cornflakes to me.
Pippin, 2, has been colouring and playing Bing. She has watched Bing and Topsy and Tim today and also found the Peppa Pig dvd on the shelf so we watched that together.
Pumpkin is in his happiest when we stay at home. After watching films and youtube he plays a capture in the dark game that he has made up with Bean and Plum. This then turned into wrestling. Followed by general climbing, running, chasing, fighting, energetic games.
Plum mostly watched on her tablet today. She has been very restful. She has been watching Steve and Maggie. She helped me make cupcakes in the evening ready for her party tomorrow. We read stories before bed and she read Ketchup on your Cornflakes to me.
Pippin, 2, has been colouring and playing Bing. She has watched Bing and Topsy and Tim today and also found the Peppa Pig dvd on the shelf so we watched that together.
Wednesday, 4 January 2017
All by myself
At Home Day: i spent 40 minutes this morning setting up Skype accounts for children whilst simultaneously trying to fix the wii and playing with Pippin, 2, in the boys' room, that is trying to distract her from playing with their toys. It is our first day with daddy back at work. It will take sometime for us to get back into the swing of an adult:child ratio 1:4. However, downstairs, Pumpkin, 7, and Plum, 5, were playing with her cake making playdough kit together and Pippin went to join them. Bean, 9, was lying on his bed playing on his tablet.
With Skype accounts finally set up, Plum had a playdate with a friend, E, who moved away 18 months ago, yet she still talks about her all the time. They showed each other their Christmas presents and then both got pens and paper so they could draw together. Plum made a playdough cake to show her and E shared a book with Plum. It was delightful and will become a regular thing. It fulfilled Plum's social need whilst we were also able to stay at home. During the afternoon she lay next to me and watched on her tablet as i rested whilst Pippin slept.
Bean and Pumpkin played escapists together on the computer and continued watching Gravity Falls, coming to get us to show us the funny parts. It was a restful afternoon.
In the evening Bean took all the dvds that Plum doesn't like and found a box for them and took them upstairs. Bean and mummy played two rounds of poopyhead. Pumpkin had a bath. Plum watched cbeebies hair and the tortoise ballet.
With Skype accounts finally set up, Plum had a playdate with a friend, E, who moved away 18 months ago, yet she still talks about her all the time. They showed each other their Christmas presents and then both got pens and paper so they could draw together. Plum made a playdough cake to show her and E shared a book with Plum. It was delightful and will become a regular thing. It fulfilled Plum's social need whilst we were also able to stay at home. During the afternoon she lay next to me and watched on her tablet as i rested whilst Pippin slept.
Bean and Pumpkin played escapists together on the computer and continued watching Gravity Falls, coming to get us to show us the funny parts. It was a restful afternoon.
In the evening Bean took all the dvds that Plum doesn't like and found a box for them and took them upstairs. Bean and mummy played two rounds of poopyhead. Pumpkin had a bath. Plum watched cbeebies hair and the tortoise ballet.
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
Five Years
Although our decorations are still up, today really marks the end of Christmas for us as daddy's 11 day staycation is over and he returns to work.
Yesterday we celebrated Plum's fifth birthday. Some of us stayed at home all day enjoying a much needed At Home Day. Plum wanted to go the the play park at Sainsbury's with daddy and Pippin, 2, went too. We had birthday lunch with presents and cake made by daddy. Plum got a ballet dress and Peppa Pig puzzle, toy horses, a cake making playdough set and some tights. She spent the morning curled up in bed eatching on her tablet after an initial board game of dinosaur races with Bean, 9, and mummy. After the trip to the park she came home and played with her playdough and horses.
Pumpkin, 7, decided on an app to buy with some of his Christmas money. He chose toca lab and sat and played it most of the day. During the evening he organised his apps on his tablet into different catergories: fighting games, toca games, building and block games, round games.
Bean played the escapists again in the afternoon for a while. But mostly he wanted to be left alone today.
Yesterday we celebrated Plum's fifth birthday. Some of us stayed at home all day enjoying a much needed At Home Day. Plum wanted to go the the play park at Sainsbury's with daddy and Pippin, 2, went too. We had birthday lunch with presents and cake made by daddy. Plum got a ballet dress and Peppa Pig puzzle, toy horses, a cake making playdough set and some tights. She spent the morning curled up in bed eatching on her tablet after an initial board game of dinosaur races with Bean, 9, and mummy. After the trip to the park she came home and played with her playdough and horses.
Pumpkin, 7, decided on an app to buy with some of his Christmas money. He chose toca lab and sat and played it most of the day. During the evening he organised his apps on his tablet into different catergories: fighting games, toca games, building and block games, round games.
Bean played the escapists again in the afternoon for a while. But mostly he wanted to be left alone today.
Monday, 2 January 2017
Celebrating You (Plum)
Celebrating Plum, aka Anna Grace, today who turns five, FIVE!! Having not spent a full day at home since... i can't remember...over 10 days, which is unusual for us plus the busyness of Christmas and all the tiredness that that brings, we have plans to stay at home all day. It is bank holiday so daddy is here to. There will definitely be presents and birthday tea with cake (i have seen the cake daddy has made.) There is a party planned for Thursday to celebrate with friends and family.
Plum, 5, has recently moved into her own bed. She has spent the Christmas period sleeping on the boy's bedroom floor and has already mentioned that she wants to sleep in her room when she has to move out of theirs. I still have the privaledge of holding her hand and lying with her though as she falls asleep. She tends to go to bed between 9 and 10pm with Bean and wake up about 9am although she has been know to sleep until 11am on occasion.
She is incredibly social. She loves being out of the house and in large groups of people. She has friends of all ages. She enjoys playing with older girls and just recently she has taken to successfully organising small groups of friends in the game that she has devised. She equally enjoys friends of her own age and younger. She is just as happy to play with Pippin, 2, and her cousins C, 4, and H, 2. Plum particulary enjoys small world and role play/ dressing up games. She plays through family scenerios a lot in these games, most of them revolving around a 'mummy's and daddy's' theme. Her favourite things to encorporate in her play (other than other people) are dollies and soft toys with accompanying equipment, polly pocket, doll's house, kitchen set and she is loving her new collection of My Little Ponies. Plum also likes crafting and making. She loves painting and sticking and junk modelling and especially play dough and face painting. She is a natural goal setter. She is able to tell you what she is trying to achieve and then will set about working on it until it is accomplished. She is a natural gymnast and enjoys tumbling and is currently trying to perfect a head stand.
She has definite preverances in what she wears. She loves dresses and most things pink or sparkly but she also loves to wear items with pictures of her favourite things on, Hello Kitty or My Little Pony. She likes to "decorate" herself too. She likes to wear nail polish and braclets and necklaces. Sometimes she will ask for hair clips too.
Plum likes watching Youtube. She enjoys watching toy reviews and often asks for things she has seen on there. Her favourite though is Family Fun Pack. She also enjoys playing cbeebies games and dressing up and make up game son Friv. Her favourite thing to watch is the cbeebies pantos and ballets.
She is a very busy little one. Most of the things she does happen all at once with a board game thrown in too. There are often several moments a day when she requires everything to happen simultaneously before she settles on one game or activity. However she also knows when she needs to rest. She likes to curl up cosy somewhere, on a bed or make a den or cuddle on the sofa or watch a dvd. She knows her own mind and how to articulate what she wants but is also able to show huge consideration for others and suggest plans and ideas that will suit everyone. One of her most used phrases is "why don't we...." as she proposes what we can do so everyone is happy with the outcome. She also likes to say "why don't you....whilst i...." as she organises everyone.
Five years seems to have gone incredibly quickly and also marks the beginning of our HE journey and meeting the first of our HE friends.
Plum, 5, has recently moved into her own bed. She has spent the Christmas period sleeping on the boy's bedroom floor and has already mentioned that she wants to sleep in her room when she has to move out of theirs. I still have the privaledge of holding her hand and lying with her though as she falls asleep. She tends to go to bed between 9 and 10pm with Bean and wake up about 9am although she has been know to sleep until 11am on occasion.
She is incredibly social. She loves being out of the house and in large groups of people. She has friends of all ages. She enjoys playing with older girls and just recently she has taken to successfully organising small groups of friends in the game that she has devised. She equally enjoys friends of her own age and younger. She is just as happy to play with Pippin, 2, and her cousins C, 4, and H, 2. Plum particulary enjoys small world and role play/ dressing up games. She plays through family scenerios a lot in these games, most of them revolving around a 'mummy's and daddy's' theme. Her favourite things to encorporate in her play (other than other people) are dollies and soft toys with accompanying equipment, polly pocket, doll's house, kitchen set and she is loving her new collection of My Little Ponies. Plum also likes crafting and making. She loves painting and sticking and junk modelling and especially play dough and face painting. She is a natural goal setter. She is able to tell you what she is trying to achieve and then will set about working on it until it is accomplished. She is a natural gymnast and enjoys tumbling and is currently trying to perfect a head stand.
She has definite preverances in what she wears. She loves dresses and most things pink or sparkly but she also loves to wear items with pictures of her favourite things on, Hello Kitty or My Little Pony. She likes to "decorate" herself too. She likes to wear nail polish and braclets and necklaces. Sometimes she will ask for hair clips too.
Plum likes watching Youtube. She enjoys watching toy reviews and often asks for things she has seen on there. Her favourite though is Family Fun Pack. She also enjoys playing cbeebies games and dressing up and make up game son Friv. Her favourite thing to watch is the cbeebies pantos and ballets.
She is a very busy little one. Most of the things she does happen all at once with a board game thrown in too. There are often several moments a day when she requires everything to happen simultaneously before she settles on one game or activity. However she also knows when she needs to rest. She likes to curl up cosy somewhere, on a bed or make a den or cuddle on the sofa or watch a dvd. She knows her own mind and how to articulate what she wants but is also able to show huge consideration for others and suggest plans and ideas that will suit everyone. One of her most used phrases is "why don't we...." as she proposes what we can do so everyone is happy with the outcome. She also likes to say "why don't you....whilst i...." as she organises everyone.
Five years seems to have gone incredibly quickly and also marks the beginning of our HE journey and meeting the first of our HE friends.
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