just another morning here

My half term is always too short. The children, jammy things, have two weeks, so are revelling in their second week off while normal people are back at school.

We didn’t do much during the week, but it was nice to have a break. On Monday it chucked with rain all day, so it didn’t really matter that I worked during the day, at school. Josiah chose to come with me and finished off a fair bit of homework that he’d left during the week before half term. We left the girls here supposedly to do homework, but I don’t think they were very productive. Fitted in some haircuts at lunchtime too.

Tuesday started early at the dentist’s, then Josiah had a laserquest birthday party to go to. I worked a bit more at school, and took the girls and their homework with me this time! In the afternoon I collected Joe from the party for a violin lesson, then deposited him back at the party again! We went out to see the Sound of Music in Exmouth with Abbie plus a friend in the evening; Anna was playing cello in the pit orchestra, and a couple of people that we know through orchestra were in the production, so that was an enjoyable evening.

Wednesday was cupboard-sorting day; the rest of the family had been promised dinner out if they helped me sort the cupboard in my classroom. It was in a terrible state, after not really having been sorted well when I ‘moved in’, and having had a year of people chucking things back in it quickly and not necessarily tidily (I’m the worst culprit!) so it desperately needed doing. Now it is very tidy and I am very proud of it, no longer will I be throwing things into it willy nilly! We went out for Chinese down the road before the girls went off to Panto rehearsal.

On Thursday I caught up with a friend and her lovely baby; the children slept in! We took Suzie to the vet to get weighed … made an appointment for the all important spaying/chipping, too – Suzie is desperate to get outside a bit more so she will be very pleased when we can let her go. She is quite a lovely cat and often waits on the lounge windowsill for us to get home, etc – we all love her to bits
I digress. Thursday afternoon was yet more sorting out; this time sorting out boxes and boxes of ECO’s music at Richard’s house. Anna had another evening playing in Exmouth after that.

Friday was about the only nice day weatherwise, and we had to spend it driving Anna and a friend to Harrow House in Swanage for a SWMS residential. When we got home we lazed around for a bit, and then in the evening we went out for a nightcache, which was fun as usual. We met another cacher and his dog at the start of the trail and did the whole thing together. Hot chocolate and an early night after that.

On Saturday we had orchestra as usual. In the afternoon we carved our pumpkin. Not sure whose idea it was to make it into a Cyberman but it became a bit of a serious project, with heated discussions about how best to do it! Steve ended up in charge and went for the simplistic approach – it turned out fairly well

I was just concerned about getting as much flesh out of it as possible, for pumpkin pancakes (they were delicious) and pumpkin pies as well! Then Abbie went off to a party at a friend’s house, and I helped Josiah to pack.

Sunday morning started early – we had to take Josiah to Plymouth for 7am to catch a ferry for his French trip. He’s gone to Chateau de la Baudonierre with around 60 other children from his school. Haven’t heard a dicky bird so far – no news is good news though! The rest of Sunday was spent with Abbie after we picked her up from her friend’s house. We ended up having lunch at BSRS and then also ended up agreeing to her having an early birthday present in the form of a three day course this week. Not entirely sure how that happened! Anna came home in the evening having had a fabulous time at her residential, but I haven’t seen her since …

And then it was back to school for me today. The girls had most of the day at home before going over to/out with friends for Halloween activities. The rest of their week will be pretty much taken up at the stables (Abbie) and with maths revision and music practice (Anna). Josiah will be back on Saturday

The girls went to a halloween party with their panto society friends … Anna’s dress from 4 years ago is still looking fairly respectable, while Abbie nicked my red cape and Anna made her up as a soothsayer from Dr Who.

Josiah had been to a birthday party during the day so he had an early night after lighting his pumpkin

Monday to Friday of our half term was spent at Helmsley Youth Hostel with a bunch of home ed friends. Steve came as well, after realising that he wouldn’t see the children at all if he didn’t! We were due to be camping in the van outside the hostel but in the end we had a room as one family couldn’t make it.

It was generally a lovely week, highlight for us probably being the day spent at Eden Camp (cunningly fitting in with Anna’s history project at school this term), despite the fact that Josiah was ill so he and Steve spent the afternoon in the van not in the museum, but anyway. Joe just had a high temperature and was back to normal the next day, thankfully.

The children really enjoyed spending time with their friends, as did we. In fact they were annoyed with us for dragging them to York one day rather than leaving them behind to play, but we had a nice walk around the city walls and wandered around (the outside of) the Minster as well as some birthday present shopping in the city centre.

The last full day of camp included a Halloween party, which mainly involved lots of food and some apple bobbing. Kids spent all day dressed up and generally had a ball I think Steve and I even managed to escape on our own that day and walked around the castle which was nice despite the drizzle.

Other things well worth a mention were definitely the food (Nic’s cooking really was fab) and the company generally. Note to self though, do not rely on husband for photos! Lots of fun had by all, anyway, even Steve

Three things I need to keep me going tonight!

We’ve had a good day so I’m blogging quickly, then off to nurse my sore throat and make some wedding tiaras. Steve worked my day at the office today (phew!), although still not sure who got the easier day, but I was pleased to be at home anyway.

Morning started with loads of tidying up/sorting out/gaming … followed by Joe’s violin lesson at 10am. Violin is a moveable feast, thankfully Mr Featherstone is flexible as we’ve moved lessons for one reason and another over the past five weeks now!

Despite not wanting to go and throwing a wobbly about it beforehand, Joe pulled himself together, changed his attitude, and did really well in his lesson, so he got to choose cookies in Sainsbury’s for elevenses While he and I were at violin, the girls sat in the van – I’d filled their bookbags with activity stuff of one kind or another and asked them to do whatever they wanted, my only request was that they had something to show for their time.

When I got back to the van I was really pleased; they were sitting together doing a sticker flag atlas thing but they’d also spent most of their time writing and illustrating a poem together. Nothing earth-shatteringly amazing in terms of poetry, but they’d had the idea together and carried it through, and obviously made loads of effort, all of which is relatively unusual, so I was thrilled. The handwriting (Anna was the scribe) wasn’t bad, and spellings were pretty good all round. And they were pleased with themselves; they’re now going to write more poems this week apparently!

Went to Sainsbury’s and stocked up for the week, then came home for lunch, more sorting out, music practise for the girls, etc.

The afternoon was completely taken up with swimming and hanging around waiting, but again, it was productive. I did some work with Anna on percentages/fractions, and rotational symmetry, just from one of her workbooks. Abbie did a bit of addition practise which was fairly simple and easy. Joe and I read some Flying Boot books together, and we generally had a nice relaxed time as well as the swimming lessons – chatted to their teacher for a bit as well, and she is pleased with all of their progress, so that was good.

Got home at 7pm to find Mollie and Ruby from our close trick-or-treating, Ruby looked absolutely gorgeous dressed as a pumpkin with matching orange & green stripy socks, irresistable. Chatted to them and their mum for a while, which was nice too, haven’t seen Emma properly for ages.

Baked potatoes and various bits for dinner, kids are just in bed (Monday is such a late night!) and I’m trying to make a list of stuff to do this week – house exchange (this weekend coming) is a great idea but it does mean you have to go away and leave a tidy house, which feels like a bit of a pressure. Still, I’m glad in a strange sadistic sort of a way, as otherwise we’d never tidy it up properly! Feeling fairly naff still, sore throat is a killer, but never mind. Must fit some Animal Crossing into my evening too, as Halloween is a special occasion there I think!