Normal service will be resumed ......

.....as soon as the weather turns. Lots has been happening here and some serious conversations have been in the offing. Mostly though we have been enjoying the weather as much as possible x

blog ring

wow...my first technical gadgetry....and it worked. Yes I am now a proud member of the learning under the trees blog ring and managed to load the gadget. Go me....now if I could just pretty up the site with some more gadgets/buttons and fully get to grips with this technology I would be even happier.

:-)

The sun has got his hat on........

This morning I a up and attem and determined to have a good day. Yesterday was not so great...I woke up fairly early as usual so got up and did a fair bit of housework, then got bored waiting for everyone else to get up. Baby up first so I sorted her breakfast and got her dresses (on a side note the explosive D&V bug appears to be on the wane at last...phew) We watched some Octonauts while we waited for DD2 and the ginger ninja to get up. I got bored by late morning and headed of to a local DIY store to grab several large bags of compost to make a start on a veg patch that has been seriously neglected. The girls 'helped' me plant lots of lovely veggie,s which hopefully I will manage not to kill off, and are now happily sitting in our lean to until the risk of frost has passed.

Oh yeah...all done with no water as there was a problem further up the road and it seemed like half the town was without water for 12hours....on mother's day...when we have several restaurants and a leisure centre within walking distance...all without water..hmmmm. On the plus side if you could walk several hundred yards up the road they were giving out free bottles of water...2 per household...with 4 adults (2 of whom constantly have a cup full of tea/coffee) and 2 children (1 of which is only just beginning to recover from gastroenteritis and needs plenty of fluids.) So 2 bottles did not go far as you can imagine, hardly worth the walk up there. Yet another reason why I want a cabin/ hobbit hole in the woods. Compost toilet, rain water shower (what a luxury) and generally space so I can see the sun and feel the seasons. We never truly appreciate how privileged we are to have access to so much clean water. Something I think we all take for granted.

I experimented with a new to me recipe for lunch....home made KFC using a packet of stuffing. I am told it was good (I am gluten free so tried it with rushed cornflakes and a few spices which worked well) will definitely be doing it again soon.

Yes it was me doing a load of housework and cooking and generally running around feeling very put upon again. It is getting to a point i am seriously considering moving out...definitely considering and if I had any money at all I would be off. I am not happy here, I feel judged and put upon and have to pick up after everybody....yet if some else actually does something and I don't that day they get annoyed. I can't even go on strike because I give in before anyone else and then just have to clear it all up again anyway. So many little things which make all the difference. I realise our cash flow is pretty bad at mo ( well it flows just in the wrong direction ) but not even a happy mothers day or anything. I realise I was up way before everyone else and don't really like breakfast in bed anyway but it is the thought that counts. I even made my own coffee all day and did lots of housework. The ninja did say that he bought a card but forgot to get the kids to sign it.......

Anyway...the sun is shining and we are out of here...after several exciting experiments in the kitchen yesterday vis a vie pack-up/picnic items I am off to put the finishing touches to some fruit kebabs before Forest-School...yay for the woods. :-)

:(

The sickness bug is back with a vengeance. Poor little tinkerbell is very poorly again, on top of a terrible cold that is making her very unhappy. The ninja also has stinking cold making his usual health issues more prominent and Munch appears to be coming down with a cold. Not so good.

This week has mostly consisted of gentle, calming days, trying to enjoy the weather as much as possible and playing in the garden as we have been fairly housebound. Also trying to catch up on some housework...lol...like that is going to happen with a toddler who refuses to be put down at all and has explosive sickness and diarrhoea which results in several baths and cloth changes. Poor hubby really had a day of it yesterday as I was at work and could not take day off (it is the only day I do and as off 2 weeks ago because bubs was ill) he asked his mum to take eldest with her as he was feeling rough (she and SIL live with us and were off to visit family) but she didn't want to. Is it just me or is that mean? Munch is no trouble and would have quite happily taken a book or some drawing and sat in garden at relatives house...or been quite happy to watch some trashy TV so I don't see why they couldn't have helped out. I know it was her day off but really? Is it too much to ask? I am constantly trying to find a way to improve our financial situation so that we can get our place gain. In recent months I have been feeling very claustrophobic and a bit put upon to be honest and it is getting me down...a lot.

Sorry this has turned into a winge again....wasn't supposed to be, still you just have to keep swimming.....

:-(

Well, so much for the happy ray of sunshine...I am back to my moody old self...really stressing about some serious money issues right now as well as fighting the claustrophobia induced by too cooks in the kitchen. Still I will be okay tomorrow. Would be even better if some one bought and insured a lovely diesel estate car for us ...MIL lives with us and walks to work, thereby giving us full access to her car but it is very juicy although it is lovely to drive and I am getting paranoid about denting it or something. How much is a kidney worth these days???

sun shine !!!!

Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine......and blue sky makes me a happy little bunny. I love how much my mood changes with just a little bit of sunshine and more hints that spring is on its way. (It technically begins on my birthday every year so maybe that is why I love it so much) Spring sunshine fills me with enthusiasm and makes me want to do stuff. I find myself energised and full of ideas. So the mission for today is try and get some more done in the garden. I am very keen to get going on the home grown front but need to raise some beds and somehow acquire some compost when the piggy bank is completely empty :-( Still there are plenty of jobs to do. I also need to find a new home for the season table...The girls and I have been busy making a few little bits for it and we were using the unused fire place but it feels a bit like it is caged in...will put up a photo later to show you what I mean. Must remember that we are all of to lunch for the GMIL's birthday this afternoon as well.

Busy doing nothing?

So this week has consisted of Grace being poorly at the weekend, Forest school at Trosley on Monday and then line dancing for me in the evening.
 Tuesday....well I can't actually remember...no wait scrap that, I met up with my lovely friend Theresa and went to a soft play centre with the littlies, which after the long drive to get there, turned out to be closed for maintenance that day so we had to go to Bluewater for coffee and a mooch instead. Such a hardship....not. lol. Munch was at home with her daddy getting to grips with her early birthday present...a pc tablet which she loves and we have installed lots of cool apps for her (shhh they are educational as well as fun)
Wednesday I had my course in the morning and then tried to wear the children out at a soft play centre with my sister in law and her 2 littlies plus one that was borrowed.
Thursday Munch and daddy did some maths and English comprehension as we had an Amazon delivery of new work books that we had ordered. I was at my volunteer job and then met up with them at a relatives house in the afternoon. We came home and experimented with some vegan recipes which turned out pretty well and whilst they were cooking we worked on a couple of pages of a geography work book and learnt about maps and grid references.
Friday we had an at home morning and worked on some science. We looked at plants and cells etc and were introduced to the 7 seven life processes. In the afternoon we walked 1.7 miles to a hall meet where Munch met up with one of her friends. The meet was fairly quiet as most of the group were on a trip to a local wildlife centre. After walking home again we sorted out dinner and then I took MIL for an xray and CJ took munch to cubs.

Today we are having a relaxing morning...trying to recharge our batteries before helping out at the jumble sale where I volunteer and then tomorrow we are out for a big family lunch as it is my GMIL's birthday. I am also desperately trying to get over to my dad as it was his birthday yesterday and Munch made him a card. Added to this are all the usual toddler tantrums, housework and SIL issues (don't go there). Still the sun is shining...sort of and the moon is full so I just have to remember things could always be worse.

Gosh I am exhausted just writing about our busy week. I must remember to blog more regularly so I don't have to sit here and try and remember everything at once. It is not very exciting to read a long list of things, especially without any photographic evidence.lol. So what has everyone else been up to this week?  

Frantic Friday

The plan was to pop and see my pops after lunch, check in with the grandparents and then ...well we would take it from there. We ended up walking into town with pops and both the girls, one of whom was in the new babyhawk on its maiden voyage. All went well considering it was such a long walk around town and back up a long, long hill. Still it was cool, if a little back breaking lol. We then had to rush back for Munch to get to her Cubs group...and of course we got stuck in traffic so only just made it. When I picked her up it turns out the time had changed as it was the AGM and we should have been there 6-7:30 instead of the usual 6:30 until 8...red faces all round I think...poor little mite had been waiting with Baloo for about 15 mins after the other kids had left :(

 Was nice to actually see my dad for  bit, something I have missed more as I get older and especially since home edding. There are so many memories I have of my childhood just walking, exploring and learning with my dad and brother. To me it is what home ed is all about, family and fun. We have many skills in my family and I really want my children to learn them while they have the chance. For instance my amazing dad is a self taught photographer, mechanic of (most) things with 2 wheels and many with 4..a keen ornithologist and astronomer...(he has oodles of kit and know how) I don't know how he fits so much information in his head. He is my inspiration in many things especially home ed. I learnt more from him than I ever did at school. My grandparents are very crafty in that they weave baskets, sow, knit etc as well as paint beautiful barge art and can grow almost anything. As no one knows what tomorrow may bring I think it is important for the girls to have the opportunities I did, although I must confess I did not appreciate them as much as I should at the time.

The rest of this damp dismal weekend has been spent lounging on the sofa and cuddling 2 poorly little girls with the dreaded D&V bug. Apart from last night when we had to go food shopping and on the way back we helped a chap who had come off his motorbike. Thankfully he seemed ok and the bike only looked to have minor damage...apart from the fairing which is unfortunately the expensive plastic bit.

Wow a week already since last post. Didn't mean to leave it so long, should not leave it so long, is hard to remember what we have got up to all week. Mostly we have been enjoying the early spring sunshine (apparently we could more snow so must make the most of it while we can). lots of long walks in the park and playing in the garden.

We are also making a start on introducing a little bit of structure as sadly I feel Grace is not getting the hang of autonomous...she gets bored and then bickers with her sister and dad. So I figured a set period, say an hour or so in the morning to investigate a subject of her choice (although she struggles to even think of anything when i ask her so I may have to introduce her to a few ideas to start with until she gets the hang of it) would be helpful at this period of our home ed journey. I have also set up work boxes for english, maths, history, geography and a nature study box so that she can just help her self when ever she likes. Each box contains some reference books and work sheets or work books based on each subject so that she can get on with something when ever she feels the urge.

Today we are off to see my pops...yay for daddies everywhere. x