just another morning here

Joe and I spent a while on pentominoes this morning, Josiah had obviously been inspired by activities while he was away last week … we printed some out to play with but they were deemed ‘not as good as Gaffer’s wooden ones’, so then we downloaded this Polyominoes program and played on that for a while. Then came violin practice and some more Romans bits and bobs before lunch, interspersed with a few games of Scrabulous on Facebook – really enjoying that at the moment even if I am fairly rubbish at it.

After lunch we went into school for more momo-making … the third week out of five, so we’re over half way. One day I will get round to making some at home too, including the sweet version!

Abbie’s class are apparently going to see one of the free films for schools next week. This has left me wondering what the point is, really. They’ve chosen ‘Night at the Museum’, which has been out on DVD for ages and my kids have already seen it twice. They sent home a letter all excited about the free film then asked for contributions of £2.30 towards a coach. Call me Mrs Silly, but wouldn’t it have been cheaper and easier to rent the DVD and show it in the hall on the school projector? Honestly, I don’t think going to the cinema with the class is that much of an educational experience; I only ever did it as a HEor because it was free – and this time round Joe and I aren’t going to see any of them as they’re all films we’ve seen before anyway! The educational activities that follow may well be based on the film but don’t need the cinema experience as well, really – the class will just annoy the HEors there, watch out anyone local who’s going to see that film! Don’t know why I’m getting uppity as £2.30 isn’t that much and I’m sure they’ll all have lots of fun but it just seems a bit daft, all things considered.

Anyway, other stuff happened – cello lesson for Anna, while she was there we went and bought a new washing machine as on further investigation ours is well and truly broken, dinner, then I went over to do washing at a friend’s while having a church small group mtg. Now more scrabulous … and some sleep …

LOVEFiLM, that is. If anyone out there is thinking of signing up to a postal DVD rental service soon, we can recommend Lovefilm. Please use this lovely link and if/when you subscribe we’ll get some freebie or other.

Right, now that’s out of the way. It’s been busy here as usual over the last few days. On Wednesday and Thursday we spent some time looking around the two secondary schools we were considering, so that was interesting. Thankfully Anna and I agreed on which one we preferred, so our first choice on the routine application form is decided. Home education again may yet be an option but we’re all unsure at the moment so we’re applying for a high school place and we’ll make a final decision about taking it up or not nearer the time.

On Wednesday Josiah and I went to home ed group; Joe played with a bunch of boys which was good. Thursday saw us back in school making more momos with another group of children from a different class as the school didn’t get enough volunteer helpers. On Friday we had a trip to Creative Stitches with some friends, who then came back for lunch/chatting/playing, so that was a lovely day. The boys especially enjoyed the sugarcraft penguin they made – Josiah ate his before we even got out of the exhibition hall!

Today has been Orchestra for Anna (can see why she likes it, looked like loads of fun, I was jealous!), a trip into town for the rest of us, Kids’ Club film at the Picture House for Abbie, and a Happy Meal for Joe (compensation for my mistake in thinking over 5s could stay at the Picture House, then finding out it was only over 8s). Got home to do the uusal Saturday chores which aren’t finished yet so I must get back to them.

Today was pretty much the same as yesterday; Josiah and I were at work for most of the morning, holding the fort there and getting the usual stuff done while we were at it.

At lunchtime we went home for something to eat, and I threw a casserole together for tea (extra brownie points there) while Joe did some Wii Boxing (always good for burning a bit of energy!). Then we walked round to school as we’ve offered to help out with some cooking in Abbie’s class over the next few weeks.

The class are studying the Himalayas in Geography; as it happens the teacher who is taking these classes actually went trekking in the Himalayas over the summer, so it sounds as if they are getting loads of first hand knowledge passed on to them, and the activities they’re doing are really fun too. Last week this teacher showed me and another couple of mums how to make Momos and today was our first try with a group of children. Ours were filled with tuna – although I fancy trying the sweet version! Anyway, it went pretty well and they all tried and enjoyed the Momos afterwards.

After school we came home and packed up Anna’s cello – took her to her lesson then went back to the office while Steve dashed back to the workshop to sort ‘end of day’ stuff there. Really praying that Terry gets better quickly!

Think this has got to be the worst website I’ve seen in a while, but the product is really cool! It’s an air gun thing that shoots soft balls, simple, but lots of fun!

Josiah and I got some work (workbooks for him, housework for me) out of the way first thing, then we went off to Crealy for the afternoon, where they have opened a new Dinosaur themed barn, including a square area with four Air-Joe guns in it and loads of soft balls – it looked like great fun, if I hadn’t been in the middle of a book I would have joined in (next time I will!). And hopefully next time we go I’ll have my camera back!

I took him on the log flume, and then he was thrilled to realise that he’s now tall enough for the squirty boat ride, so he went on that by himself, and because it was quiet he got to stay on for ages.

Meanwhile Abbie was skiving school, haven’t quite worked out why yet, if there was a reason at all, it actually sounded like an over-zealous teaching assistant covering her back more than Abbie actually feeling sick! And she often says she feels ‘funny’ when actually she feels hungry, or tired, or if she needs the toilet … anyway, Steve got called to pick her up shortly after lunch so he gave her the benefit of the doubt this time, but I was quite annoyed with school for being so silly about it as she was perfectly fine. We put her to bed really really early, just to make sure ‘her body had plenty of time to sort itself out before tomorrow’, and have told her that we’d rather have the truth about anything going on than random episodes of feeling sick and then making miraculous recoveries at home. Hmmmm.

Anna had a good day and has gone out to ballet feeling grown up due to being in the top year of school, and having a Facebook profile of her own.