just another morning here

Another busy day here, and it’s only lunchtime! Think I’m giving up for the day though

Started off with Joe re-discovering Reader Rabbit – he played on the Y2 Maths one very briefly, then changed to the general Year 2 game (some maths, english, and science, maths and science bits far too easy for him but he was challenged by the literacy side of it). By the time I’d had the usual arguments with the girls over getting ready and leaving for school he was utterly engrossed so I left him to it, and actually went up and sat on his bed so that I could watch

I got bored well before he did, he eventually came down a couple of hours later having completed the game. Tick literacy, maths, IT, and a bit of science.

We had elevenses and then did violin practice and piano practice together. Tick music.

It was pretty much lunchtime at that point but we waited for Steve, so while we were waiting we made chocolate mousse. Two avocados had turned up in my Riverford box this week so I had to try the recipe, it just sounded too weird not to give it a go! Tick cookery and some practical maths through the measuring.

Put that in the fridge and got the fraction tower set out, which Joe enjoyed playing with for a good half an hour until Steve appeared. Tick more maths.

For some reason (can’t think why?!) Steve was hugely suspicious when I produced dessert – but he ate it – and Joe liked it as well.

Perhaps I was just rubbish at keeping a straight face – it’s really nice, but isn’t quite moussey enough to pass for a real chocolate mousse. Still, great for dairy free diet people! Erm, there is plenty left for the girls though, it’s very rich – can’t believe Jo & Olivia managed all that just between the two of them!!!

Think I might head off to find some Valentine’s day crafty stuff for this afternoon, I wonder if Joe could be persuaded that he loves his sisters enough to make them a card …

Got up relatively early (for a Saturday ) and headed down to my extremely local garden centre marquee. Sainsbury’s have this tent up in part of the car park at the moment with garden centre basics, which is pretty cool imo, as it means I don’t have to trek any further. The children all wanted sunglasses (£2 each so not too bad, Anna inherited a nice pair which were found in a car!) and we needed bread and milk etc.

So anyway, bought a *huge* planter for the avocado tree which now seems tiny, but it should give it plenty of space to grow a bit more. The one that I saw at the Eden Project was taller than me, so I’m expecting it to grow just a little bit more, although granted my conservatory is a far cry from the Eden Project!! I am very proud of that avocado tree, or of having kept it alive for three years now, pretty good for someone with my track record with plants
Photos are from April 04, July 04, July 05, and the last two from today.

The children got inspired and started planting flower seeds in pots, I wasn’t really watching what they were doing so we’ll see what happens in those. I said I’d pay them to weed the driveway as well, but they got half way through then gave up!

It’s a beautiful morning and they played out for most of it, then came inside, at which point I insisted that they put their bikes back in the garage before coming in, and they’ve gone outside and started playing again! Plans for the rest of the day include lunch, baking, piano lessons, a friend coming round for tea, Dr Who, and I don’t know what else. I purposely haven’t looked at the state of their rooms, there’s always another day for tidying …

We have had another extraordinarily busy but really nice day … it’s all been too much for Joe, who fell asleep before teatime and hasn’t managed to surface since – I feel much the same way!

Anna and Josiah went off to Laser again this morning; Abbie decided to stay at home with me.  They were only going to do a half-day anyway as my family came down this afternoon – so Abigail chose breadmaking and cleaning rather than Laser (strange child!).  It was lovely to have her on her own though, we had a nice morning pottering around.  
 
One of the things we did was to trim back our avocado shoot.  This picture shows how far it had got, but following a muddle of instructions here and here, we cut a couple of inches off the top of it.  I hope it works ;o)  While I was surfing I also found this very weird site which I think I might have to try the next time we have avocados!!!  How random can you get?!

Around noon my parents, sister, two brothers and a sister in law, plus our 15mo nephew arrived!  We now have another exciting plant, as Mark & Heidi bought us a carnivorous pitcher plant as a pressie – we all got so excited when a fly came into the room and we got to feed it (Steve has a good knack of stunning flies and then grabbing them)!!  Don’t know how long it will last though, apparently they’re difficult to look after, which doesn’t bode well in this household. 

It was really lovely to have everyone here, we had lunch together (just about fitting all the grown-ups and Caleb into the conservatory while our three children sat at the breakfast bar), then pottered around – the kids and I made crazy hats for the Laser competition tomorrow (will endeavour to provide a photo in the morning), we went to the park with bikes, then most of us sat and watched School of Rock together.   I’m kicking myself that I forgot to get the camera out all day long; there were some lovely moments with cousins playing together, and different uncles & aunts with different nieces and nephews – Caleb is very gorgeous.

After tea they all left, and we breathed a sigh of relief that we now have a dishwasher!  Mind you, we did well on the food front, I think between them they left behind 2 cakes, a couple of packets of scones with cream & jam, some salad, yoghurts … and hardly any of the stuff I’d made for the day got eaten!  We will have to return the favour sometime in the not too distant future

All of last year we talked about doing this but never got round to it, so as I was feeling inspired on the gardening front today we got it sorted out after hunting on the net for some instructions, we’ll use both these cobbled together:

Grow an Avocado Tree and Growing avocado trees from seed

So here’s ours – apparently it takes a long time, but I’ll update as and when we see anything. Has anyone else ever tried it?