The rain is back! We had some lovely days of beautiful sunshine butunfortunately not long enough! It really feels like Autumn up here now, the evenings are getting colder and darker and we desperately need to re-stock our wood pile to get through the winter.
This weekend has felt hectic in a kind of nice way. Saturday we were off doing our two cottages, then took the kids to a park in Kendal to ride their bikes. Eilidh had been given a new (to us!) bike by our next door neighbours and she was desperate to give it a good run. We ended up having to put her stabilisers back on as she can't get the hang of cycling without them. Mind you, the hospital had said a while ago that she may find peddling hard anyway with her shorter leg so I think she's doing fine!
After her last trip to the hospital, it seems her leg is now 18mm shorter on her right so she had some new trainers sorted out with a block again and given some exercises to do and it's a case of wait and see what they say next time. Fortunately she no longer needs the night splint (which we kept forgetting to put on anyway!) It doesn't seem to affect her too much, other than not being able to hop on her right leg!
Sunday was a really nice day, after church in the morning we took the kids and their bikes down to Grange-Over-Sands to have a look at 'Prom-Art' which has been running once a month all summer. They have any local artist or craftspeople who want to join in with stalls along the prom where they have little displays of their work which they can sell. It was really good, and it was interesting to see other peoples work and get some inspiration. They had a gorgeous sunny day for it. The kids cycled along the prom until we got to the first stall and then abandoned their bikes to have a stroll along with the promise of an ice-cream at the end! As we were in Grange we popped in to see our friends for a coffee on the way home and ended up chatting for a couple of hours.
Today was meant to be a day to sort out and tidy the house before mum and dad get here on Wednesday but I don't seem to have got anything done. My energy levels and motivation were not playing ball today (sorry Mum, you will have to put up with our messy house!!) The kids are very excited about seeing Grandma, Grandpa and Jock (the dog).
Monday 29 September 2008
Friday 26 September 2008
We had a Felt Workshop for the kids today instead of our usual art group. One of the mums had organised for a lady to come in and show us all how to make felt pictures. It was brilliant,there was quite a crowd that turned up and everyone listened carefully and then happily got on with their pictures. Eilidh decided to do hers of the stable where Jesus was born (her idea!) and I did an undersea picture. Ben had decided before we got there that he didn't want to do any felting and played with his cars and did a puzzle instead. Just as we were getting near the end of the workshop he then decided he did want to make one so a rather hurried picture of Thomas was made (surprise, surprise!)
The end results were great and everyone was really pleased with their efforts.!
I felt shattered again as I normally do after these groups. I'm finding it really tough with Ben at the moment as whenever he goes to these groups he starts playing up, chasing around, throwing cars and 'fighting'. I think I was feeling a bit peeved today anyway about something someone had said about Ben which was really niggling at me. I won't go into detail but it was probably not said the way I took it, but when it's a sensitive subject it always seems so much worse. I'm very conscious of the fact that he gets carried away and doesn't really understand when to stop play fighting and as most of the boys are older than him they find it quite funny to wind him up. Anyway, sometimes I just have to remind myself what a gorgeous little boy he is when he wants to be (unfortunately not everyone sees this side of him!!) Gripe over!!
The end results were great and everyone was really pleased with their efforts.!
I felt shattered again as I normally do after these groups. I'm finding it really tough with Ben at the moment as whenever he goes to these groups he starts playing up, chasing around, throwing cars and 'fighting'. I think I was feeling a bit peeved today anyway about something someone had said about Ben which was really niggling at me. I won't go into detail but it was probably not said the way I took it, but when it's a sensitive subject it always seems so much worse. I'm very conscious of the fact that he gets carried away and doesn't really understand when to stop play fighting and as most of the boys are older than him they find it quite funny to wind him up. Anyway, sometimes I just have to remind myself what a gorgeous little boy he is when he wants to be (unfortunately not everyone sees this side of him!!) Gripe over!!
Thursday 25 September 2008
We now have another car on the road, our big Toyota that has stood doing nothing for about three years as we could never afford to fix it has now got a new lease of life! It's really only temporarily as we are hoping to sell it and get something smaller and cheaper to run but it's so nice to have it back. The kids were so excited as they can sit right at the back, up nice and high!
Last Friday was cookery group where we managed to persuade both of the kids to make a swiss roll each rather than playing all day. I'm not quite sure they came home with the actual ones they made but they were quite yummy anyway.
Saturday was cottage day and after church on Sunday we went down to the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal as I had got it into my head that they were having an open day for a textiles exhibition thats running. Unfortunately I got the week wrong and it's next Sunday! Still, we decided to have some lunch sat outside in the gorgeous sunshine and it felt like we were on holiday for the afternoon. The Brewery is a great place with a small cinema, theatre, art studios, music rooms etc where they run quite a few courses and exhibitions. Our friend from the Home Ed groups, Jayne had signed up for a few courses and asked if I wanted to go along with her to do Feltmaking and some Embroidery courses. Of course I jumped at the idea!! Dave also decided to get back into his drawing and painting and signed up for some as well so we are going to be busy for the next few months!
Dave went off to his drawing class on Monday evening which he seemed to enjoy and me and Jayne went to our first Feltmaking course on Tuesday which was great. I've been trying out making felt at home already but it was a really relaxed evening where I could start from the very beginning and get loads of tips. I can't wait until next week when we will be making felt scarves.
Yesterday Dave was working at our friends, Steve's house again strimming his 'wild' garden! We took him some lunch and ended up sitting all afternoon in the sunshine drinking coffee (Steve makes the best coffee!!) and chatting while the kids drove Joel up the wall making him watch Thomas the Tank Engine on You Tube!!
Dave was back at Steve's today and the kids had decided they wanted to go on a 'Fungi' walk which they had heard about on the radio in the car. This was one of the 'walking you way to health' walks which is run by the British Heart Foundation. They are all free, short walks which I think are running all over the place for anyone who wants to go. Some friends from the Home Ed group came along too and there was quite a crowd of people who turned up to join in, mostly older ladies but they all seemed quite chuffed to have some children along too! We walked from the middle of Kendal up to Serpentine Woods and had a good forage for any Fungi we could find. The kids turned out to be the best foragers and had the poor guide dotting around all over the place telling us all about the different varieties. Eilidh really enjoyed it and came home with a few prize specimens to cut up and have a look at! The fungi expert had actually brought a load of different ones with her which she let Eilidh take and it was a lovely walk, we discovered bits of Kendal I never even knew existed! We will definately go on some more walks.
The kids have been really tired so after some lunch they were made to go and have a lie-down for half an hour. This was a secret ploy to try and get Ben to sleep as he was getting a bit wild again which he does when he is over-tired. Unfortunately when I went back in to get them half an hour later, Eilidh was fast asleep and Ben was singing merrily, playing on his bed with some lego...I give up!! At least Eilidh had a much needed snooze! We then went off to see their friends in Kendal, Dennis and Florence and headed back home for tea.
Last Friday was cookery group where we managed to persuade both of the kids to make a swiss roll each rather than playing all day. I'm not quite sure they came home with the actual ones they made but they were quite yummy anyway.
Saturday was cottage day and after church on Sunday we went down to the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal as I had got it into my head that they were having an open day for a textiles exhibition thats running. Unfortunately I got the week wrong and it's next Sunday! Still, we decided to have some lunch sat outside in the gorgeous sunshine and it felt like we were on holiday for the afternoon. The Brewery is a great place with a small cinema, theatre, art studios, music rooms etc where they run quite a few courses and exhibitions. Our friend from the Home Ed groups, Jayne had signed up for a few courses and asked if I wanted to go along with her to do Feltmaking and some Embroidery courses. Of course I jumped at the idea!! Dave also decided to get back into his drawing and painting and signed up for some as well so we are going to be busy for the next few months!
Dave went off to his drawing class on Monday evening which he seemed to enjoy and me and Jayne went to our first Feltmaking course on Tuesday which was great. I've been trying out making felt at home already but it was a really relaxed evening where I could start from the very beginning and get loads of tips. I can't wait until next week when we will be making felt scarves.
Yesterday Dave was working at our friends, Steve's house again strimming his 'wild' garden! We took him some lunch and ended up sitting all afternoon in the sunshine drinking coffee (Steve makes the best coffee!!) and chatting while the kids drove Joel up the wall making him watch Thomas the Tank Engine on You Tube!!
Dave was back at Steve's today and the kids had decided they wanted to go on a 'Fungi' walk which they had heard about on the radio in the car. This was one of the 'walking you way to health' walks which is run by the British Heart Foundation. They are all free, short walks which I think are running all over the place for anyone who wants to go. Some friends from the Home Ed group came along too and there was quite a crowd of people who turned up to join in, mostly older ladies but they all seemed quite chuffed to have some children along too! We walked from the middle of Kendal up to Serpentine Woods and had a good forage for any Fungi we could find. The kids turned out to be the best foragers and had the poor guide dotting around all over the place telling us all about the different varieties. Eilidh really enjoyed it and came home with a few prize specimens to cut up and have a look at! The fungi expert had actually brought a load of different ones with her which she let Eilidh take and it was a lovely walk, we discovered bits of Kendal I never even knew existed! We will definately go on some more walks.
The kids have been really tired so after some lunch they were made to go and have a lie-down for half an hour. This was a secret ploy to try and get Ben to sleep as he was getting a bit wild again which he does when he is over-tired. Unfortunately when I went back in to get them half an hour later, Eilidh was fast asleep and Ben was singing merrily, playing on his bed with some lego...I give up!! At least Eilidh had a much needed snooze! We then went off to see their friends in Kendal, Dennis and Florence and headed back home for tea.
Friday 19 September 2008
Well, I am up really early after another restless night. I think the only way I will get a decent nights sleep is to leave home!!
Anyway... we had the kids friends, Zeph and Isaac over for the day on Wednesday as their dad Chas had loads of stuff to sort out and Dawn (their mum) has been in hospital for over a week now. They are having a tough time with Chas's business going under and Dawn not being well at all. The boys were fine and quite happily stayed here all day playing with Eilidh and Ben and Chas surprised them by bringing Dawn back out of hospital with him when he came to pick them up.
Yesterday the kids did a few pages of workbooks each and then decided to do some painting and sticking with tissue paper. They made some really nice pictures and while I sorted out some finances in the afternoon they helped Dave with the garden.
Anyway... we had the kids friends, Zeph and Isaac over for the day on Wednesday as their dad Chas had loads of stuff to sort out and Dawn (their mum) has been in hospital for over a week now. They are having a tough time with Chas's business going under and Dawn not being well at all. The boys were fine and quite happily stayed here all day playing with Eilidh and Ben and Chas surprised them by bringing Dawn back out of hospital with him when he came to pick them up.
Yesterday the kids did a few pages of workbooks each and then decided to do some painting and sticking with tissue paper. They made some really nice pictures and while I sorted out some finances in the afternoon they helped Dave with the garden.
Tuesday 16 September 2008
Catch up time again.....
On Thursday we headed off to the Westmorland Show, meeting some friends from our Home Ed group on the way. The weather was really good, it stayed dry and even had sunny spots until about 4pm and then the heavens opened. By that time we were almost ready to go anyway. It was a good, very tiring day. The show is huge with hundreds of trade stands, craft marquees, schools marquees, animal shows and pens and loads more. We decided to head straight for all the animals as that is what all the kids wanted to see so we had a good look around all the pens, saw some gorgeous Alpacas, Highland Cows (my favourite) and Eilidh got to watch the heavy horses which she was desperate to see. Ben and Dave went off to see the John Deere stand with all the tractors and machinery as Ben was asking all the way around if we could go. He has just been given a new 'Skidsteer' tractor type thing by his uncle and aunt and really wanted to see if John Deere made a real one. He was very excited to see that they had an exact same one at the show!!
Friday was our home ed group where the kids played while we attempted to organise what is happening in the next couple of months in our Science, Cookery and Art Groups.
We had two cottages to do on Saturday and then had a lazy afternoon before heading out in the evening to the Kendal Torchlight Procession,a carnival which goes all around the centre of Kendal. It was an extremely late night for the kids with a lot of waiting around but they enjoyed it all. The floats are mainly made up by local businesses, schools and groups and they all did a great job (not as good as the Burnham Carnival though, Frances and co will know what I mean!!)
We have had a quiet couple of days since then as Ben has been shattered and has come down with the sniffles again. He still manages to get up really early though. Both him and Eilidh have spent most of their time doing Hama bead pictures. I'm sure there is some educational value in there somewhere (art, design, maths, citizenship etc etc!!!!) Anyway they had fun doing them and they all look really good. They also managed to squeeze in some pages of workbooks and filling in their scrapbooks with bits and peices from the Westmorland show and making me play schools (ha, ha!!) Ben is actually starting to want to do 'work' things and his attention span seems to have got a lot better in the last few weeks.
On Thursday we headed off to the Westmorland Show, meeting some friends from our Home Ed group on the way. The weather was really good, it stayed dry and even had sunny spots until about 4pm and then the heavens opened. By that time we were almost ready to go anyway. It was a good, very tiring day. The show is huge with hundreds of trade stands, craft marquees, schools marquees, animal shows and pens and loads more. We decided to head straight for all the animals as that is what all the kids wanted to see so we had a good look around all the pens, saw some gorgeous Alpacas, Highland Cows (my favourite) and Eilidh got to watch the heavy horses which she was desperate to see. Ben and Dave went off to see the John Deere stand with all the tractors and machinery as Ben was asking all the way around if we could go. He has just been given a new 'Skidsteer' tractor type thing by his uncle and aunt and really wanted to see if John Deere made a real one. He was very excited to see that they had an exact same one at the show!!
Friday was our home ed group where the kids played while we attempted to organise what is happening in the next couple of months in our Science, Cookery and Art Groups.
We had two cottages to do on Saturday and then had a lazy afternoon before heading out in the evening to the Kendal Torchlight Procession,a carnival which goes all around the centre of Kendal. It was an extremely late night for the kids with a lot of waiting around but they enjoyed it all. The floats are mainly made up by local businesses, schools and groups and they all did a great job (not as good as the Burnham Carnival though, Frances and co will know what I mean!!)
We have had a quiet couple of days since then as Ben has been shattered and has come down with the sniffles again. He still manages to get up really early though. Both him and Eilidh have spent most of their time doing Hama bead pictures. I'm sure there is some educational value in there somewhere (art, design, maths, citizenship etc etc!!!!) Anyway they had fun doing them and they all look really good. They also managed to squeeze in some pages of workbooks and filling in their scrapbooks with bits and peices from the Westmorland show and making me play schools (ha, ha!!) Ben is actually starting to want to do 'work' things and his attention span seems to have got a lot better in the last few weeks.
Wednesday 10 September 2008
Dave went off today to get a job done which has been bugging him for weeks. He has being trying to get a shed base dug out, hardcored and slabs laid but the weather has just been hopeless. It wasn't helped by the fact that the peoples garden was like a bog and it was in Sedbergh which is a bit of a drive away. BUT it's finished....Hooray!! Never again, he is aching all over tonight after laying 43 big, heavy slabs, poor baby!!
We stayed at home and the rain held off for most of the day, so I was manically washing while the kids played. In between the piles of laundry, Eilidh got on with some nature science, making a mini wormery to see how worms work in the soil, mixing up mud, sand and gravel to see how the different things seperate in water and spotting bugs in some soil!! We got this great book yesterday with loads of experiments about nature in so she has been really keen to get some done!!
Yesterday we went up to Hawkshead to meet up with some of Dave's family. His brother and sister-in-law were over from America so his mum and sister and her family came over for a day out with them. It was pouring all day but we went on up to Grizedale Forest and the kids played on the adventure playground in the rain and then we went on for a short walk around the sculpture trail. Eilidh and Ben were busy talking the ears off Auntie Barbara (American one!) all the way around and were given loads of lovely presents which off course they were very happy about!! Dave and his brother don't always get on (slight understatement!!) but there were no arguments and not too much stress so it was good!!! It was really nice to see everyone despite the rain!
Tomorrow we are off to the Westmorland County Show, a huge agricultural show up here so we are praying for good weather. Last year it was a complete mud bath!!
We stayed at home and the rain held off for most of the day, so I was manically washing while the kids played. In between the piles of laundry, Eilidh got on with some nature science, making a mini wormery to see how worms work in the soil, mixing up mud, sand and gravel to see how the different things seperate in water and spotting bugs in some soil!! We got this great book yesterday with loads of experiments about nature in so she has been really keen to get some done!!
Yesterday we went up to Hawkshead to meet up with some of Dave's family. His brother and sister-in-law were over from America so his mum and sister and her family came over for a day out with them. It was pouring all day but we went on up to Grizedale Forest and the kids played on the adventure playground in the rain and then we went on for a short walk around the sculpture trail. Eilidh and Ben were busy talking the ears off Auntie Barbara (American one!) all the way around and were given loads of lovely presents which off course they were very happy about!! Dave and his brother don't always get on (slight understatement!!) but there were no arguments and not too much stress so it was good!!! It was really nice to see everyone despite the rain!
Tomorrow we are off to the Westmorland County Show, a huge agricultural show up here so we are praying for good weather. Last year it was a complete mud bath!!
Monday 8 September 2008
It's not raining!!!! I know.... amazing but I think we may get through a whole day with no rain. The kids have gone to play at Phoebe's house (2 doors down) so I thought I would catch up on blogging. This week has felt like a really weird week, I have been working down at the church, cleaning every day for a couple of hours. This was meant to be early mornings but as I am hopeless in the mornings, they let me come in at night when everyone had packed up and gone home. Considering I was on my own in a big empty church, (one night in a rain storm) it was actually not spooky at all, quite nice actually! I'm usually quite sensitive to 'spooky' things but I was happily singing away while mopping the floor, just as well no-one else was there!!!
We also had a church party yesterday to celebrate their 'new church' building, they have just had the main area redecorated and all the pews ripped out to put in chairs instead. They decided to invite all the local people to a party so that everyone can see what has been happening. There was face-painting, bouncy castle, games, table tennis,cakes, coffee, bubble machines etc.........and loads of people came in which was great. They also had a great band playing, one of them being our friend Steve's son, although you could see they were just itching to turn the volume up and really play but had to keep it as background music to keep everyone happy!!
Apart from that we have had quiet days in. Ben has decided he wants to write and walks around with his notebook asking how to write his letters. This is the first time he's shown any interest in sitting and working, so long may it last!! Both him and Eilidh spent nearly all day on Friday going through workbooks and a pile of worksheets I was given by an ex-teacher.Although Ben says he can't read he can actually work out loads of small words if he thinks about it, although he still prefers to snuggle up and listen!
We also had a church party yesterday to celebrate their 'new church' building, they have just had the main area redecorated and all the pews ripped out to put in chairs instead. They decided to invite all the local people to a party so that everyone can see what has been happening. There was face-painting, bouncy castle, games, table tennis,cakes, coffee, bubble machines etc.........and loads of people came in which was great. They also had a great band playing, one of them being our friend Steve's son, although you could see they were just itching to turn the volume up and really play but had to keep it as background music to keep everyone happy!!
Apart from that we have had quiet days in. Ben has decided he wants to write and walks around with his notebook asking how to write his letters. This is the first time he's shown any interest in sitting and working, so long may it last!! Both him and Eilidh spent nearly all day on Friday going through workbooks and a pile of worksheets I was given by an ex-teacher.Although Ben says he can't read he can actually work out loads of small words if he thinks about it, although he still prefers to snuggle up and listen!
Tuesday 2 September 2008
Dave took the kids out on Sunday to give me a break, they went off to church and then down to Mintfest in Kendal which is a street festival with acts, music and Yesterday my friend Kate and her two kids, Dennis and Florence came over and picked me and the kids up and we all went off to Eden Ostrich World near Penrith for the day. We actually had lovely weather all the time we were there and it's a really nice place. It's a bit like these farm parks but obviously they have Ostriches as well. It's really nicely layed out and there is lots for everyone to do and plenty of different animals not just all play areas like some others!
Boys will be boys!
Even Kate decided to join in.
Just lazing around enjoying the sunshine.
mmmm...chocolate cake!
Thanks goodness they're not 17 yet!
This is a cross between a Zebra and a pony. Can you make out the stripes?
This week I am working down at the church, cleaning each day just while someone else is away. I had to get up really early (6am) to go down and have decided I am definitely not a morning person!!
Eilidh decided she wanted to do some 'work' today as some of her friends have gone back to school now so we sat down and looked through some workbooks on times tables. Ben also did some workbooks but I think he didn't quite get the right idea!! (or maybe this is!!!)
I also managed to finish a jumper for Ben with some lovely soft wool I was given off Freecycle. Unfortunately I don't think it will fit it for long. I'm really not that in to knitting jumpers as they usually take so long but I managed to get this finished within a week and the wool was too nice to put away. Isn't he gorgeous?
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