Another busy but fantastic week.

On Thursday we went to Funky Monkeys soft play. Poor Alfie got scratched to bits by his 4 year old friend but didn’t even complain until I asked him what had happened on the way home. The kids pronounced that they had had a fantastic time, and we ended up all staying for lunch there, before rushing home for our late afternoon shopping delivery.

On Friday Alfie, Amber and I met the lovely Elaine, Jacob and Jess at Walsall New Art Gallery for lots of fun in DISCO, whilst H stayed with Nanny at her house. After lunch we joined her to spend the afternoon with Nanny and Grandad.

Alien!

Amber enjoyed playing the xylophone.

On Saturday we went to Sam’s tiny tubing party at the Snow Dome. The kids had a great time. Afterwards, Rich and Alfie built lots of Geomag cars whilst H and I played a board game and then the girls soaked in the bath.

Yesterday we went to Attingham Park National Trust. It was fantastic to be out in the fresh air. We explored the walled garden, playground and orchard (complete with free range chickens and bee hives) before lunch, then Alfie and I got a chance to do the 3 mile deer park and woodland walks on our own, which was bliss. Holly is going through a phase of refusing to walk and having major meltdowns, so a lot of what we do is dictated by avoiding much walking. Alfie went through the same at a similar age and it was so frustrating, but, like most things, it passed and he is now a fantastic hiker. It was great to get out into the woods and have a good, long walk, knowing that the girls were happy and occupied with Rich Also, spending quality time walking and chatting with my number one boy is so so precious

We saw the deer really close up

Alfie loved crossing the stream on the logs that spanned it, although I (wrongly) feared wet clothes!

Today, a quieter day. We walked to the library to get new books (and I read all ten when we got back, plus the copy of Mr Snow Alfie bought from discarded books there for 20p!*croaky voice*), ordered Jasmine some more food (and were sad to find out that our pet shop is closing in a few weeks) and did a bit of shopping. We have been reading a lot of Usborne factual books at bedtime recently – What’s Inside You? Why Does it Rain? Why is it Dark at Night? and others in the series. They are all internet linked, so we spent some time today exploring websites and playing quizzes and games. I now know a lot more about vertebrates/invertebrates, muscles and joints, organs and the skeleton then I did this morning It’s amazing how you can go to grammar school, be rated in the top 2% of the population by Mensa, have a degree and MA yet still learn from a 5 and 4 year old We also did cleaning and polishing, cooked a roast dinner and the smallest three played some bizarre imaginary game about theme parks

H decided she needed a photo of Amber having milk

I’ve just realised how long it has been since I blogged. I usually blog of an evening but recently Rich has been out for two evenings, and I met the lovely Bex for a curry on Sunday so my PC time has been reduced (not a bad thing!) We’ve been pretty busy too, so time has passed quickly, and it doesn’t seem a minute since my last proper post, even though it has been a whole week.

So, what have we been up to?

Well, today was the Think Tank home educator day. As it is a Wednesday – Alfie’s gym bounce day – it wasn’t worth me paying for the kids to do the workshops as we’d have had to leave halfway through. We will do the May workshops as that day falls on a Thursday fortunately. Today, we just went in with our season pass to meet up with our HE friends and do our own explorations of some of the galleries. Alfie enjoys doing the transport, machine and engine trails downstairs in the past gallery, Amber enjoyed working in the cafe and driving the ambulance in Kids City, and H enjoyed programming the robot to whistle and talk in the futures gallery. We were able to join in with the sea life handling session, which Alfie really enjoyed. H took lots of pictures of the creatures and objects that they learnt about and touched.

A queen conch (which is like a big snail)

Coral

Starfish

A green turtle shell

It was a bit of a rush, but we managed to drop Nanny home, drop the girls with Rich, and get to gym bounce just in time. Alfie enjoyed it – lots of trampolining, walking on the beam in different styles (and with a beanbag on the head and between the legs!), backward rolls, vaulting onto the horse off the springboard and other gymnastics moves.

Yesterday we went to the Tuesday Club, which had the theme of robots this week. The kids enjoyed making a battery using different fruit and vegetables and a robot picture out of recycling. The rest of the session just didn’t interest them and the other children as much as usual, so there was a lot of slightly chaotic and over-excited behaviour, but they enjoyed seeing their friends and playing.

Back home, Alfie completed his 250 piece Famous Five jigsaw, and solved the mystery. We had to use a mirror to read the last page of the book (the solution), which the kids found fascinating, looking at the “reflected” letters. Elaine, if you’re reading this, note Mousetrap that they had been playing on the table behind

He sewed his felt bird finger puppet, which is now stuffed and completed.

Then we all made a cherry and almond cake.

On Monday, we went to Sandwell Park Farm with Sally D and baby Finn. Amber loved Finn, and they spent a good while in the cafe grinning at each other (whilst Amber tried to beep his nose LOL!) Hopefully they’ll be good playmates like Evie and the big kids are now. It was lovely to catch up with Sally, and despite a Holly tantrum at the beginning (and a slight fish pond falling in incident also from H!), the kids had fun seeing the animals, running round the maze, playing skittles and looking for pineapples growing in the pineapple house. Amber liked being in the sling as it meant she could see over all the pig sty walls and do her pig impressions

We had a good weekend too. Saturday was spent at Blists Hill Victorian town. The postmaster showed the kids how they used to seal the letters with wax, we climbed the Hay inclined plane and learnt all about how it works to transport boats from the low canal uphill to the high canal and we bought sweets from the old sweet shop. Alfie was pleased to spot a wooden diablo in the old grocers store. He was after one after trying it out at the toy museum workshop last week but their gift shop didn’t have one, so two were purchased today instead

Sunday was a quieter day. Baths, a quick Mommy and Alfie trip to the toy shop for yet more Geomag and a Lego base, chores, playing and reading. I had a lovely curry in Regards with Bex too

On Friday we met Sally H at David Lloyd for a coffee. The kids played in the soft play then completed the activity books that they had brought along. I love the fact that they do slush made purely from fruit juice there, which the kids love. So much better than the evil blue stuff most places sell

Alfie has his first wobbly tooth too. He’s growing up so fast!

He took these pictures – a Lego model of some sort

H must have grabbed it then as I can see Alfie’s bottom in this pic

Oh, and look at these pictures H took – capturing a crime in action

Nah, can’t get this top off. My plans to nappy cream the whole house are thwarted

Recognise the scarf Bex? Knitted for H’s teddy, but adopted by Amber for some reason. She constantly puts it on

http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/news/home-educator-workshops-at-the-rep/

It’s funny how amazed people are by the concept of home education. I went across to our local newsagents with Alfie today and the owner was surprised that he was not at school (he only sees him on a Sunday when he comes to get my Sunday Times usually!) When told he was home educated, he asked me if the teacher came to our house to do it (!) and seemed shell shocked when he found out we do it ourselves.  I think it’s just an alien concept to most people and even when they find out we HE, they imagine the kids sitting round the table with text books! Er, no! We learn from life, I do not teach. Why would I not send them to school then sit round a table doing lessons??? We are unschoolers.  There is another way! I love this website, amongst others.

“What we want to see is the child in pursuit of knowledge,
not knowledge in pursuit of the child.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Anyhow, I’m too tired to think straight anymore! The joy of teeth (Amber’s not mine!) I’ll just give you a flavour of our week so far instead

On Monday we walked down to the post office to send some outgrown cloth nappies to another green mama, recycled the batteries and plastic bags then went to the playground. It was Amber’s first trip to a play area since confidently walking and she loved being able to please herself with where she went.

Afterwards we met Julie and Evie at Pizza Hut for a bargain lunch – Kids Eat Free vouchers plus 10% off voucher + free garlic bread with cheese voucher The kids all had fun and it was nice to catch up with Julie. Back home, where the kids chose to spend the afternoon working on the magazines they’d asked for (Peppa Pig for H, Art for Alfie).

On Tuesday a wonderful morning at the HE Tuesday Club. The theme was outer space, a favourite of Alfie’s. He particularly enjoyed the games around ordering and sizing the planets, and the separating of rocket fuel using magnets, filters, evaporation and water. H loved the balloon rocket making and racing

On Wednesday we attended a fantastic HE day with Nanny and all our friends at the Museum of Cannock Chase themed around Toys of the Past. We had a session in the toy gallery learning about toys from the past and how they would have differed between rich and poor children, including some to feel, play with and experience for themselves. Next, a session on games and pastimes where they got to play traditional games and use old fashioned outdoor toys. There was a dance session where they moved like the old clockwork toys they were shown, and an art session making peg dollies and puppets. Fab Luckily, Alfie had enough energy left for his gym bounce class, which he loved

Today, a quieter day. A walk down to Boldmere with Amber and Alfie, lots of card making by Holly, household chores, Alpha Blocks and Numberjacks Mission to Learn computer games, making veggie lasagne with Holly. Much needed down time

Of course, no blog post would be complete withput a few of Holly’s telling pictures capturing our wonderful, every day world

Oh, and to finish, a couple of gems from Alfie today. Me – “Can you please hurry up and sweep that straw up please? I can’t put Amber down until the floor is clear and I can’t make the sandwiches very well with one hand.” Alfie – “Well, look on the bright side, at least you have one hand not no hands!” !!! Later – Me – “Oh look, Amber is wearing your pants on her head again. Why did you teach her to do that?” Alfie – “I didn’t, it was Daddy who first started it, then me and Holly showed her how to do it too.” Me – “I might have known it was you three. I’d never do anything like that.” Alfie – “Yes you would. You ate Holly’s Flake.” Oh yes…..

We started 2012 with a busy and fun week   We met Granny and Grandpa at Taybarns for lunch on Monday.

On Tuesday Amber progressed from her occasional steps unaided to “proper” walking – ie charging around the house and outside under her own steam and generally causing chaos She has worked on this ever since and is now faster than me We also took the Xmas decorations down for another year, made aliens and cleaned the kitchen.

Playing letters games

Making aliens (their idea!)

Cleaning

With a “helper”….

On Wednesday we met Tracey and Sam at Shenstone Garden Centre. The kids had a good time playing in the soft play, eating giant muffins and looking at the fish. I learnt my lesson from my meet up with Harriet there before Xmas when for some bizarre reason I took a pram and couldn’t get round. A sling was, as usual, a much better plan It was lovely to catch up with Tracey too. I also  bought H a watch as she has been coveting Alfie’s. It’s lovely to see him helping her tell the time (a lovely change from them tearing each other to bits ) Later, Alfie started back at gym bounce and was the only boy this week He had a great time, especially as the big beam was out.

Thursday was home educators drama workshop with the Rep. Their theatre is currently being refurbished so we met at their rehearsal rooms in the jewellery quarter. Nanny came along too (to help with toddler wrangling). Alfie was, as expected, straight into it, joining in and putting his hand up to be the first “Grandma” in Grandma’s Footsteps. H took a bit more persuading but was soon in the thick of it. They had a great time, apart from one rather bizarre activity about sentence structuring and punctuation which went right over the heads of 90% of the kids (and many of the adults LOL) They enjoyed seeing their friends and all the activities and were totally worn out!

On Friday we met lovely home educator friends at Chilly Kiddys in Stourbridge for some fun and exercise. Twelve home ed kids, plus all the other kids there – but of course HE kids don’t socialise Afterwards Nanny and Grandad came round, much to Alfie’s delight as he has been desperate to show off his new desk and lamp Holly made Nanny a play dough dinner

Today, the safari park. Apart from Amber becoming distraught when an ostrich tapped it’s beak on her window (who wouldn’t? Scary scary things LOL!), the kids had a great day. We drove round the reserves, watched the sea lion show, looked at the fish and snakes, froze to death having a picnic All for free with our free return ticket too (and of course, the first time was free anyway with our Clubcard vouchers from my credit card!)

Penguins, Mommy!!!

Holly then wanted to take some photos too

I hope that you all have a great 2012.

Today we went to Pype Hayes Park for a bit of new year fresh air on our way to get Alfie’s desk. I had hoped for a day out somewhere like the safari park but H has been a bit under the weather with a cold this week and has had the most horrendous tantrums every day. The one in West Bromwich on Thursday was spectacular and drew a wide audience – I should have put down a hat! Anyhow, we decided to keep today quiet – and sure enough she had a massive meltdown of astounding proportions in the park That aside, the kids enjoyed the play area and feeding the ducks, then we bought Alfie a desk and lamp, as well as some storage shelves for under the stairs. He is badly in need of some work space away from his loving but meddlesome sisters, especially now he is so into his building projects. He seems so grown up! He has his own desk, his own watch. My big big man He thoroughly enjoyed helping Rich to build them this afternoon too

This week has also involved lots of playing with Xmas presents. Alfie has built both of his Lego kits and built several “robots” of his own design from the big tubs of Lego he also had.

He has really enjoyed playing with his Geo Mag too, so yesterday we went into Sutton and he used his Xmas money to buy two more packs – some with wheels and some glow in the dark. H bought some Hello Kitty “Lego” in the sale with hers too, which she has greatly enjoyed playing with (as has Amber!) H has spent a lot of time making us all necklaces with her wooden beads too.

On Friday we went to the Public. They had some great new exhibits, as well as all the old favourites.

So, what else? Well, lots of play, a quick shopping trip to provide supplies to a sick friend, board games and activity books, lots and lots of reading. Good times

On Christmas Eve we walked into Boldmere to buy a few last minute bits and to take our library books back.  We bought the Xmas Big Issue from our favourite vendor, chose some new library books to read, put all our used stamps and milk bottle tops in the charity boxes, bought bath bombs from Daisey Chain for the kids’ special Xmas baths, walked round to Michelle’s to deliver some cards, then home to ready the house for the festivities. There was a lot of work to do, but it was still a lovely festive day, with mulled apple juice, Xmas baths and the smell of spiced red cabbage cooking Alfie was so proud of himself for writing all the guests names for Xmas lunch on their Hotel Chocolat place name crackers H took the pictures below

We had a lovely Christmas Day. A fine feast of a lunch with Nanny, Grandad and Matt. A buffet tea with Uncle Martin. Lots of laughter, present opening and a nice walk to get some fresh air. We were fortunate that most people respected our wishes not to buy too much and to avoid plastic, garish, character branded junk. The children had some lovely, useful books, toys and clothes (plus, of course, lots of Lush bath bombs, their favourites!).

Two beautiful girls in their Christmas dresses.

A proud big brother in his Christmas top.

Boxing Day was spent tidying and sorting and playing with presents. I read endless books to them. Alfie spent ages playing with his geomag kit off Martin (he took the picture of his one creation himself). H made her kaleidoscope kit bought by Uncle Steve and Aunty Andy.

Yesterday we went to Robots Live at Snibston Discovery Centre with Mom, Dad and Matt. Alfie took Rich off to watch the antweight fighting robots and has now asked to build one, so a new project has been born H was not at all enamoured with the lifesize daleks, especially when they were chasing people and exterminating them. I still have the image of a pair of pink furry boots sticking out of the bottom of Rich’s full length coat as she shuffled outside whilst hiding from them

After seeing all the robots we went around the museum. As usual, the kids had a fantastic day. The favourites are always the weaving looms in the fashion gallery, the coal mine, the interactive floor and making fire with two sticks and bellows

The “children” playing on the seesaws with different fulcrums on the science playground….

Today we met Sally, Evie and baby Finn at Sandwell Valley for hours of fun if chilly play on the various playgrounds. Unfortunately the farm and cafe were closed so we descended on Mom and Dad for pizza and garlic bread Alfie enjoyed seeing Matt’s photos from his trip to Costa Rica, especially the tarantula and monkeys

And we are so not ready

Still, a great week

On Tuesday we went to the Tuesday Club Xmas party at Walsall Wood with Nanny. The children had great fun with all their friends and loved the festive games. I had a hospital appointment in the afternoon so the kids had a fun time with Nanny and Grandad

On Wednesday we iced our home-made Xmas cake. Well, when I say we, I mean Alfie and Holly did all the work, I “supervised” (ie broke up any fights and passed what they required) and Amber observed and ate any scraps 

Apricot jam “glue”. Big brother has got distracted – can you spot him?

Marzipan!

Icing and stars and balls Notice big brother has even come off the computer to help by now

Ta-da!

In the evening I had a solstice curry with the lovely Bex at Mother India – tasty food, awful service!

On Thursday we met Caroline, Lauren, Tom and Martha at Think Tank. It was fairly quiet, which was fantastic. I think everyone must have been shopping! They had lots of extra activities on as well so we made hairy caterpillars and did science experiments as well as all the usual fun. Alfie did all the trails downstairs too – transport, machines and engines. He already knows enough about steam engines and machines to not even need the clues The kids had great fun with their friends too Amber even forgot her quest to be my latest walker (Alfie was 13 months, Holly 10 months) and took 10 steps unaided in her haste to reach the digger ball pool! Back home for choccie logs to celebrate Yule

Today we met my April 2006 Mums Club at Conkers. Holly was the official photographer, hence the blurry and embarrassing pictures hee hee

Sorry Gayle!

Five April 06 babies plus their 6 siblings – chaotic but fun.

I have now known these women for over 6 years and our lives are so different, yet we have all stayed friends and shared so much. Priceless.

Happy Christmas everyone

It is so so cold! Yesterday we met the lovely Steve, Andy and Toby at East Lake Harvester in Milton Keynes for lunch and Xmas pressie exchange. We decided to go for a walk round Willen Lake afterwards and it was FREEZING! I just couldn’t warm up afterwards and had to have a bath with JUST HOT water before I stopped feeling chilled to the bone. It is ridiculously cold. I hate the cold! Still, it was great to meet up with my gorgeous nephew (and his Mommy and Daddy of course!)

So what else has been happening?

Today has featured a crazy amount of THIS for an unschooling family

Alfie has suddenly got really into learning to tell the time. He has been asking me about times constantly and was playing a game on the PC about learning the time. When I was in Wilko with H on Saturday I spotted a telling the time workbook and got it for him and he loves it. He completed two thirds of it today before I suggested he have a break as he was showing the first signs of brain exhustion The other detritus on the table is from H’s cutting out of fairy princesses

We went to Forge Mill Farm with Daddy on Saturday, followed by lunch in Pizza Express

Feeding the chickens

Swing!

Greedy goats

We went to botanical gardens with Nanny on Thursday, but I totally failed to take any photos! It was lovely though. Amber loved the fish and birds. I kept trying to walk on and found I couldn’t because she was holding onto the railings or cage from the sling The playground and gardens were “refreshing”, the glasshouses lovely and the cafe even nicer for soup, mince pie and coffee Alfie liked the Xmas trees with sprouts and baby carrots instead of baubles

What else? A walk down to Boldmere, lots more Xmas card making by the kids. Book reading, crafting, playing board games with H. Making plans with friends, reading about Yule, cooking and playing. Lots of moments to treasure.

Ooh, and Amber’s first shoes came today – lovely soft moccasins