We had a trip to sheffield Park planned today. We had only been there for the first time recently but wanted to explore more. We arranged to meet Mr T. Pippin jad had a disturbed night so we slept in until 8.30. This put us a little behind schedule. The smalls all watched tv and played dens for the morning whilst i prepared a picnic and got everyone dressed. We were almost an hour late leaving.
On the way we played i-spy with the spotter sheets i made two years ago for a long holiday journey. We talked about American road signs and vehicles and the similarities and differences bewteen ours nd theirs. It was busier than last time when we arrived and we had to park in the overflow car park. We walked to the entrance where there were toilets and picnic benches. We meet our friends and climbed trees and ate lunch. Sheffield Park tie orange ribbons around the best trees to climb. Bean especially seems happiet up a tree at the moment.
When food seemed to come to a natural end, we went to move on and find the Nature Trial but Bean had put his head on the bench and said he was tired. We looked at where we were planning on heading on the map and reassured Pippin that we were not going near the ponds (he has a recent fear of people drowning) and suggested we walked back to the car and then see how we feel. The reality was that going home was not an option but Bean did not know this and i couldn't really explain that to him either. When we got to the car he lay down on the back seat. My friend rescued us by offering for us to come to their house to play. So, dispite us being an hour late, and travelling 45minutes to our destination just to have lunch, we then accepted the invitation back to play. Everyone was happy. And i am glad to have friends who understand us.
Plum spent our time at home making dens today under the coffee table. She took her cuddly toys in and her tablet to watch on. We watched Bolt in the evening and the boys both opted for a bath.
Our Tribe
Friday, 28 October 2016
Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Where are you?
We have got ourselves into a lovely rhythm lately. On the whole we stay at home in the morning and, if we are going out, we go out in the afternoon. Today Bean and I tried installing a coding course for him with the intention that he would have some time on it, however it took over an hour so there wasn't enough time to start on it. It is now all set ready to go when he's next ready. I also found an HE friend who is in the process of setting up a coding course/club.
This afternoon we went to our Christian Home Educating Friends (CHEF) meet. We had two new families and it was quietly busy. Hamma beads was very popular. Pumpkin made a ladder from lolly sticks and Bean bagan making a house from lolly sticks, a proto type of his tree house. Plum missed making her ladder so we have plans to find the lolly sticks at home and make one there. Plum spent her time playing with the dolls and soft toys.
Bean and Pumpkin played on the wii when we got home and Plum played cbeebies games whilst Pippin pottered around and watched some more Bing and played hide and seek with me, calling "where are you?"
This afternoon we went to our Christian Home Educating Friends (CHEF) meet. We had two new families and it was quietly busy. Hamma beads was very popular. Pumpkin made a ladder from lolly sticks and Bean bagan making a house from lolly sticks, a proto type of his tree house. Plum missed making her ladder so we have plans to find the lolly sticks at home and make one there. Plum spent her time playing with the dolls and soft toys.
Bean and Pumpkin played on the wii when we got home and Plum played cbeebies games whilst Pippin pottered around and watched some more Bing and played hide and seek with me, calling "where are you?"
Tuesday, 25 October 2016
Changing Rhythms: school holidays
School holidays change our rhthym too, as does the changing seasons. We don't celebrate halloween, for lots of reasons, the dressing up part scares the children. For this reason we avoid anywhere that has decorations up during the half term holiday which mostly means we stay at home or have play dates. Today we met church friends and used the church hall as a space to play together. The big ones began with an extended lego session, Plum and me built a railway track with the brio. Games soon turned to dressing up and chasing the one dressed as the tiger. Bean was Superman and then a clown. Pumpkin was a pirate. Plum a policewoman. We also played four rounds of uno.
Bean had a problem with his phone today and tried several ways to fix it. He patiently waited for daddy to come home who spent some time with google and fixed it in 30 seconds. We spent a large portion of the day watching cats being funny in compelation clips on YouTube and moved on to You've Been framed in the evening.
It all began with Pumpkin and DanTDM and the Don't Laugh challenge, which is very hard and very funny.
Plum slept in late this morning, i was glad it wasn't Little Verse day due to half term, she would have hated being woken up but hated missing it too. She pottered around with the happy land people most of the morning. She is mostly into nesting them and her dollies at the moment.
And Pippin is watching Bing on a loop.
We ended the day watching Wreck it Ralph and all four smalls having a bath. Neither of the boys felt they had had long enough to finish the games they were playing so we will probably repeat it all again tomorrow.
Bean had a problem with his phone today and tried several ways to fix it. He patiently waited for daddy to come home who spent some time with google and fixed it in 30 seconds. We spent a large portion of the day watching cats being funny in compelation clips on YouTube and moved on to You've Been framed in the evening.
It all began with Pumpkin and DanTDM and the Don't Laugh challenge, which is very hard and very funny.
Plum slept in late this morning, i was glad it wasn't Little Verse day due to half term, she would have hated being woken up but hated missing it too. She pottered around with the happy land people most of the morning. She is mostly into nesting them and her dollies at the moment.
And Pippin is watching Bing on a loop.
We ended the day watching Wreck it Ralph and all four smalls having a bath. Neither of the boys felt they had had long enough to finish the games they were playing so we will probably repeat it all again tomorrow.
Monday, 24 October 2016
Changing rhythms
In terms of learning our weekends are no different to any other day, in terms of the rhythm of our days the weekend does not change things but having daddy home opens up possibilities that i can't orchestrate on my own. Today it was mummy going to the optician for an eye test and new glasses (as my current ones are broken) Daddy was left home with the smalls getting the dressed and a picnic ready to go to Box Hill and meet friends. We spent five hours in the cold mist/warm sun/ autumnal shade on the nature trail. We didn't make it all the way around and, although the smalls and their friends had a great time playing forts on/in various wooden structures on the way around, Bean was upset that we didn't make it as far as the rope swings, so we have agreed to return soon. home to a roast dinner and a film. tonight was Disney's Robin Hood.
Sunday is church day in our house. This week i packed pens and colouring/activity books in everyone's bags. It worked out well except Plum didn't have her own pens. It definitely shows on a Sunday morning that we rarely have to be up and ready to do things in a morning. Pumpkin was very tired. We came home earlier than normal because he was ready to leave. Pumpkin picked up a large leaf from church and we looked up what it was when we got home, an american red oak.
In the afternoon i took Bean shoe shopping. He is currently wearing two mismatched crocks of different sizes. He has his feet measured (size 1 1/2) and we found a pair of trainers that he likes. Plum came with us and we played on the cedar tree before buying kinder eggs and coming home. Plum is keen to play lots of sweety games this week, carve pumpkins and a melon.
Daddy went out with Pumpkin on a bike ride and then took Pumpkin, Bean and Plum to the green with their bikes. Plum rode her bike, with stabilisers, for the first time.
Plum has slept three nights in her own room on her own. she creeps back to our bed in the early morning. Last night she fell asleep cuddling mummy and daddy as we put lydia to bed in our bed.
Sunday is church day in our house. This week i packed pens and colouring/activity books in everyone's bags. It worked out well except Plum didn't have her own pens. It definitely shows on a Sunday morning that we rarely have to be up and ready to do things in a morning. Pumpkin was very tired. We came home earlier than normal because he was ready to leave. Pumpkin picked up a large leaf from church and we looked up what it was when we got home, an american red oak.
In the afternoon i took Bean shoe shopping. He is currently wearing two mismatched crocks of different sizes. He has his feet measured (size 1 1/2) and we found a pair of trainers that he likes. Plum came with us and we played on the cedar tree before buying kinder eggs and coming home. Plum is keen to play lots of sweety games this week, carve pumpkins and a melon.
Daddy went out with Pumpkin on a bike ride and then took Pumpkin, Bean and Plum to the green with their bikes. Plum rode her bike, with stabilisers, for the first time.
Plum has slept three nights in her own room on her own. she creeps back to our bed in the early morning. Last night she fell asleep cuddling mummy and daddy as we put lydia to bed in our bed.
Sunday, 23 October 2016
Rest and relaxation
A day at home can sometimes be a very relaxing and welcome rest. however today all the smalls were incredibly busy and needing help with things.
Bean wanted to try coding for the first time. We were recommended a programme and it has a free trial so we downloaded it. That was as far as we got because our computer wouldn't run it and i didn't know how to fix that. We navigated the disappointment by moving on to videoing his tutorial for building the lego model that he designed yesterday evening.
Pumpkin needed his bike wheels washing after riding through poo. We also made a cake and he iced it using the icing bags (like they do on the bake off)
Plum and i had played various card games throughout the day, snap, pairs, and variations of these that Plum made up the rules to.
It all sounds fairly ordered when written down but it was peppered with food distribution and Pippin climbing on me, a lot, helping Pippin to sleep, sorting out electronic devices, and some peace making.
Bean wanted to try coding for the first time. We were recommended a programme and it has a free trial so we downloaded it. That was as far as we got because our computer wouldn't run it and i didn't know how to fix that. We navigated the disappointment by moving on to videoing his tutorial for building the lego model that he designed yesterday evening.
Pumpkin needed his bike wheels washing after riding through poo. We also made a cake and he iced it using the icing bags (like they do on the bake off)
Plum and i had played various card games throughout the day, snap, pairs, and variations of these that Plum made up the rules to.
It all sounds fairly ordered when written down but it was peppered with food distribution and Pippin climbing on me, a lot, helping Pippin to sleep, sorting out electronic devices, and some peace making.
Friday, 21 October 2016
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.
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.
Mr Maker
We haven't watched Mr maker for a long time, this morning he was on a loop. it seemed fitting as ever had our first version Explore and Play session today. We have set up a monthly meeting for the winter months for friends to meet together and are providing an invitation to explore and play in the space. today it was all things long and wiggly: wool craft (yarn monsters, flower bouquets, American Indian decorations), spaghetti messy play, orange and green play dough it has straws, large boxes for modelling (and putting on our head), large paper roll with pens, lego, duplo, skittles, large balls.
Bean played piano again today and made two flowers at the wool table this afternoon. He also made ply dough monsters and played a game he named BBB in the garden, that is Ball, Bounce, Brick, which involved bouncing g a small ball odd he wall of the building.
We made Strawberry milkshake in the morning, Pumpkin's choice. He said we hadn't put enough strawberries not it so next time we will try two punnets. No one lose liked it either but we had a lovely time chopping it and blending it, Pumpkin, Plum and Pippin.
Pippin struggled to find his space at Explore and Play. he made play dough monsters before everyone else arrived and drew on the group art but struggled with the large group and was very at sea when Bean was concentrating on his wool craft.
Plum equally enjoyed making play dough monsters and drawing. She returned to the playdough through out the afternoon. we also played a lot of skittles together. back home she watched her Hello Kitty dvd and then The Incredibles.
Bean played piano again today and made two flowers at the wool table this afternoon. He also made ply dough monsters and played a game he named BBB in the garden, that is Ball, Bounce, Brick, which involved bouncing g a small ball odd he wall of the building.
We made Strawberry milkshake in the morning, Pumpkin's choice. He said we hadn't put enough strawberries not it so next time we will try two punnets. No one lose liked it either but we had a lovely time chopping it and blending it, Pumpkin, Plum and Pippin.
Pippin struggled to find his space at Explore and Play. he made play dough monsters before everyone else arrived and drew on the group art but struggled with the large group and was very at sea when Bean was concentrating on his wool craft.
Plum equally enjoyed making play dough monsters and drawing. She returned to the playdough through out the afternoon. we also played a lot of skittles together. back home she watched her Hello Kitty dvd and then The Incredibles.
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