Journey into Unschooling » Big house

Weekend

becki — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 17:55:29 +0000

A busy but fantastic weekend.

On Saturday we met Steve and Andy at Stowe Landscape Gardens. The place is gorgeous – even in the rain LOL! The kids had a great time, and Uncle Steve was as popular as ever We shower dodged in the woods, admired the temples and statues, picnicked and nature spotted – Daddy and the children even managed a race around the running track The last picture of Alfie shows him drinking leftover milk from the jug after we had tea

Today we did some essential gardening – weeding, feeding and, in Alfie’s case, raspberry eating, before an early lunch on the picnic bench. We then spent a pleasant afternoon at Soho House, home of Matthew Boulton and the Lunar Society. Unfortunately, due to lack of staff, the house was guided tour only which was a disaster with Holly who shouted and screeched the whole time LOL. The gallery and nature spotting garden trail were very popular with both of them though It all really appealed to Alfie’s current obsession with machinery. The Lego produced some varied machines, including a meat machine from Alfie (who is vegetarian!) and a slug house from Holly The minerals and rocks that could be studied with a magnifier were also popular

This is Holly cutting up an old magazine, before helping me make vegetable kebabs with some of the organic box contents

Weekend

becki — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:39:55 +0000

Yesterday a lovely sunny day at Charlecote Park National Trust. The children played croquet, Alfie got to try out a pestle and mortar in the Victorian kitchens, we walked in the woodland garden, admired the Sunbeam Talbots in the rally, sniffed the flowers on the parterre, admired the peaches, apples and figs growing in the courtyard, looked for fish in the river and picnicked in the shade of a tree

Alfie's favourite fungus

This morning, a trip to the recycling centre with old electrical appliances, a breakfast and shopping in Asda then Lauren’s fairy hunt birthday party at Brueton Park followed by bubble blowing and playing with Jasmine in the garden.

Holly in her party dress

Building a fairy house in the woods

Picking flowers to decorate the house

Weekend

becki — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 17:50:26 +0000

A lovely day yesterday at Canons Ashby with Steve and Andy. Great weather, gorgeous gardens, wonderful company Rolling down the hill, hide and seek with Uncle Steve, croquet and quoits were the favoured pastimes of the smaller people.

Today, Mom and Dad took the children to Sutton Park and I went for a lovely, long child free lunch and shop with Michelle and Charlotte. Great to catch up with two of my favourite girls and have lunch at a normal speed (instead of choking yourself before the kids get fed-up LOL!)

Weekend

becki — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:57:06 +0000

On Friday I attempted to go to aquanatal but the class was cancelled :-/ Grandad and Alfie concreted the washing line in in the rain in the afternoon. Alfie worked very hard

Yesterday we had a day of household chores and sorting the garden out – weeding, pressure washing the patio, trimming back bushes etc. After Rich had washed the patio I was in shock! I’d forgotten it was pale orange not black LOL! Alfie demonstrated his improved counting skills with his Numberjacks magazine, and H let us know just how many letters she knows with her magnetic letters

A lovely day out today meeting Nanny and Grandad at Coughton Court. The kids loved the house – loads to spot and a tower to climb. The staff were really friendly and showed them the priest holes, carved animals and secret drawers It’s a lovely garden too, with riverside and lakeside walks, play area, vegetable garden and orchards (where we spent a good while looking at all the different varieties of apple, pear and quince trees). Gorgeously sunny too. I forgot my camera but will hopefully get some photos off Dad’s camera soon.

Aston Hall

becki — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:52:33 +0000

Yesterday we met Harriet, Josh, Archie and Olivia at Melbicks for a play on the playground and kidz zone, to look at all the plants and animals, and to do the Easter chick trail (which was surprisingly tricky!) Alfie bought a Venus fly trap too

Today we headed to Aston Hall. A fab day – playing in the park with the rocket and ball, picnicking, admiring the flowers, doing the Easter trail around the house, carrying out construction experiments, visiting the fab new interactive gallery- and all in bright, warm sunshine too Today also involved lots of garden play and reading books

Witley Court

becki — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:47:37 +0000

Yesterday was a quiet day with lots of play with toys, new and old. We all went to the dentist. Alfie sat himself on the chair and opened wide, but Holly screamed hysterically and wouldn’t go near the dentist so he decided not to bother He said if her teeth were as good as Alfie’s she’d be fine After dropping Rich off at home, we went to Sainsburys. When we got home Alfie made a strawberry flan (after entertaining the old women in Sainsburys by reciting the recipe out loud to everyone lol!)

H doing her ITNG stickers!!!!

Today was glorious sunshine so we headed to Witley Court. We did the Easter trail where we had to find 7 bunnies and solve the clues (earning the kids a chocolate rabbit each!), picnicked, poked in the mud with sticks, explored the house ruins, searched for bugs, watched the Perseus fountain, relaxed on the grass…. A tiring but fantastic day

Weekend

becki — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:34:07 +0000

A lovely break on Saturday. Lunch in Ask and a shop with the gorgeous Charlotte whilst Daddy and children planted more seeds and generally had fun in the garden.

Today Croome Court and landscape park in the glorious sunshine. Bliss

Outside the Temple Greenhouse

A close-up view of the amazing ceiling in the Long Gallery.

Who lives in here??

The grotto

Being artistic

Having fun

Packwood House

becki — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:38:10 +0000

The children loved Packwood House today with Nanny and I. Making dens in the yew hedges, looking for water boatmen in the sunken garden, climbing to the top of the sermon on the mount, admiring the tapestries, doing jigsaws (H) and practicing writing (A) in the activity room. It was freezing cold, especially during the picnic, but fresh air is always good. Alfie was thrilled to find a thick carpet of snowdrops in the spinney

Alfie was very tired when we got back and chilled watching CBeebies for a while, giving me some girl time with H to read books and do jigsaws

Calke Abbey

becki — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:50:08 +0000

Picnic, playground, deer, completing the Eye Spy sheet in the big house, cellars, tunnel, gardens, wildlife photographs in the riding school, tea and cake. Fantastic day

Mums Club Meet

becki — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:40:11 +0000

A lovely day today at Kedleston Hall with some of the Mums Club April’06 gang – Kinza with Erin and Elliot, Joanne with Zac and Ethan, Gayle with Amy, Jill with Joey and Cath with Julian. I started posting on this board back in July 2005 when I was first pregnant with Alfie and still post on there now. We’ve all known each other for 4.5 years but have never met up. These ladies have been very important to me throughout my pregnancy and Alfie’s childhood. Yes, my parenting has gone down a different path from a lot of others on there and I’ve drifted away from my other boards onto Green Parent forum (via attachment parenting board which has now become far too mainstream for me!). Despite the differences though we’ve always all got on so well, and today was no different. We were covered in mud and freezing cold but had a lovely picnic (thanks Cath!), the kids all got on great and it was a great day Holly was grumpy all day and needed carrying, apart from when there were muddy puddles to jump in, which was a shame. I wanted people to see her usual sunny personality, but the last few weeks have been pretty grumpy due to teeth and tiredness. She enjoyed herself in her own little way though. Alfie was so shy at first, hiding behind me, but before long he was sword fighting with Cath with sticks (!), running round with the other kids and chatting to everyone! He said he wants to meet all his new friends again, especially Amy lol! He was also very excited to discover snowdrops, his favourite flowers

Jo took lots of pix so I’ll try and pinch some to put up here

Alfie told me tonight that he was very happy at the reduced numbers of tantrums in recent days and said that his body was turning his tantrum brain into a non-tantrum brain