Home Educating the Puddle Girls…

We went to Milton Keynes today - we went there and we DIDN’T go to the new IKEA!

Josie kindly woke Max and i up at about 5am, in that odd time where you haven’t really had enough sleep, but you’ve had too much to actually get BACK to sleep. Max got up with her, i dozed and finished off listening to A Christmas Carol. Do LOVE my iPod So that meant that Max also had us all in the car and on our way before 9am

Shopping was not actually that successful as the House of Frazer there didn’t have household stuff and we’d got vouchers; Amelie threw a perpetual tantrum about wanting to spend her Xmas money again (she spent it yesterday) and Fran had some bizarre itchy foot thing going on. Maddy and Josie (who the girls seem to have renamed Joey) were good though. Eventually managed to get Amelie some new shoes, Maddy bought a Barbie and we toddled off to grandads.

Amid much Leapster-ing, Gameboying and general humbug, we had lunch and a not very peaceful visit. Auntie L taught Fran to knit. Then we came home via Northampton, stopping on the way at a BETTER HoF to spend vouchers on a digital radio. Yum yum.

And now it is the last day of the Year. I have a final resolution, which is that i need to more proactively sort out Amelie’s health this year, as she is fast degenerating into the kind of child who got sent away to The Chalet School because she was a frail child. I’m concerned about her, she looks dreadful; her skin is raw, her eyes are dark circles, she coughs and scratches and whines all the time. Something has to be done. It is bad enough i am considering wheat-free and flower remedies - and it takes some doing to have me considering dietary difference, i can tell you.

On another note, i’m kicking back off on a Charlotte Mason style reading list. But having given Ambleside a go and found it too old-fashioned and American, not to mention too Christian for my tastes, i’ve decided to make up my own. I’m blogging it and i’m hoping i might pick up some people on the Early Years List who might help me create it. Worth a go anyway. The girls liked doing it last year, i just want it to be more relevant and accessible. I’m hoping that this way, it will actually encourage Fran to do some of the reading herself now.

A very Happy New Year everyone.

If anyone has good tips on this craft, i’d appreciate them. Brothers girfriend needs some help

The slightly less pleasant side of winter is having to go out in the post-snow freezing, driving wind and rain. It was -2C when i went out this morning, with a distinctly less that impressed Amelie in tow. First stop was for cheap-o bookshelves which are nonetheless perfectly good enough for a bathroom book/toiletries shelf and a paperback bookshelf for our room. Then on to Toys R Us where Amelie spent Xmas money on another Dora outfit I wouldn’t mind but she then yells because she can’t get the gloves/shoes/tiara on properly and goes mental. I tried to talk to her today about the way she is being; she just smirked and wouldn’t look at me. She is doing that “I want what you’ve got until i’ve made you cry and got it and then i don’t want it, so long as by then you are emotionally incapable of having a nice time with it” thing. Just delightful. Ah well…

Home for a variety of further present playing, though Fran was very into Animal Crossing today. Maddy has um.. not sure Fran and i did make a finger puppet from a set, but i got wound up as she’d lost half the templates and then totally failed to use any intelligence about following the instructions. Ooops. We did end up with quite a cute panda though.

Shortly after this the Beans arrived to fill the house with mirth, merriment and much tea and cake consumption. The children managed to play a game, eat popcorn, create havoc and generally have a nice time. Even a SB can be out-princessed here, so it all mucks down rather nicely.

I think i impressed Chris and Heleln with my utter inability to wait for my birthday to open my Nano, which appeared via a nice man in a Lynx van while they were here. We all stroked it admiringly It’s very pretty.

Now, must do something useful. Education anyone?

***You Passed 8th Grade Math***
Congratulations, you got 9/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Admittedly, i guessed at the median/mode one, had to ask what the silly hat arrow was and got the percentages one wrong (so Max tells me) but hey! lots of equations there - before you know it i’ll be “good” at maths!

Another day in the familiar winter close down chez Raymond. So far everyone seems to have come through remarkably well, although Amelie is being a royal pain in the arse. Everything is a face off at the moment, she can’t do a single thing without a fight and argument. Oh well, another year and she’ll be 4 1/2 (all being well) and we’ll be friends again. Right now, boarding school is attractive.

Today has been a huge tidy, sort and clean day. We’ve de-junked the living room, i’ve skimmed off some toys and learning materials for ebay and chuicked paperwork i’ve not looked at in a year. Ma helped me shift the bulk of my tax return last night. Need to finish off the ependiture but it’s nearly there. The shelves are clean and tidy and the presents have homes; Max did a tip run and cleared away a heap of junk and went to Sainsbury’s, only to return with a new microwave and new duvets all round. I’d been having a major attack of the frugals so was slightly shocked to discover he’d taken on my spending mantle!

My beads are sorted and counted, my room and washing is done, the books are pruned and nearly where they need to be (new shelves tomorrow), my accounts are sorted out, i’ve cut back on a heap of things i was subscribed to and cut £40 a month out of my spending already. Max is being a total love and has taken it upon himself to devise us a calorie counted diet; being Max he is now the proud owner of lists of the calories in everything we eat and is reducing out intake by about half! I’m definitely going to lose that weight this year. I want to be thinner.

The girls helped lots today including getting their room sorted and vacuuming the house. As a reward i took them to see The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I know it has had mixed reviews but we loved it; I’m such a Narniaphile that it was going to have to work hard to annoy me but i was swept away and the girls were all spellbound. Fran just sat with a shining face throughout and at the end Maddy was on the edge of her seat and glowing with pleasure. I particularly like Aslan and Mr Tumnus and enjoyed the battle lots. I wasn’t oversold on the Witch, she wasn’t how i imagined her and Mr Beaver annoyed me slightly, but otherwise i found the changes much less offensive than in LOTR. Thought the kids were all great, particularly the younger two but like know i’d have fancied Peter if i had still been at school!

Was kind of exciting to go to the cinema through mist and snow, skate in the (ungritted) carpark and eventually get pulled over by a slipping Amelie. I do love the British public; i’m on the floor, my stuff everywhere, 3 children upset and fretting while i un-wind myself and not one person even asks if i’m okay. Charming

Home to a lovely tea and a version of Swan Lake - i do love this time of year.

How on earth has one photo clocked up 846 views?

I only just even added its tags, so it can’t be that.

Brrrr…. it takes quite a bit before Max leaves the heating on high all day - but that is where it has been today! It is SO cold! We’ve had snow showers for a fair bit of the day, just on and off ones, after maybe 5cm of snow last night. For the first time ever, the girls spent a long time out in it, building a “snowman” who seems somewhat triangular in shape. They had a nice time though. Just looking through my blog today, we had snow in February too, so that counts as a 2 snowfall year; not bad!

I’ve been finishing off our Educational Report 2005 today, it’s listed in the pages on the side of the blog. Impossible to fit it all in really, nor can i be bothered to try, so its all a bit perfunctory. Maybe i’ll just start meeting him instead… funny to be doing one for Maddy too, though i’ve done most of it rolled up into one anyway. Kind of compound the feeling of suddenly having a second “big girl” that has just come on me; she has suddenly got a wobbly tooth. *shriek*

Anyway, that is done, bar the couple of picture diaries i tend to add to it; i’m going to do “Practical Maths” and “Ancient Britain” as they’ll be nice and easy. I do quite like having these, if we weren’t known, i’d probably do them anyway, but increasingly i resent having to do anything, just to avoid getting hassle. When we move, i shall take more steps to stay hidden i think.

While the girls were playing i went for a walk; managed retrieve one card but no parcel from the old house and got gibberish that i *know* was a lie from the owners, who live next door. Never mind. Was fun to be out though and see all the snowmen under construction and kids having fun - must get back into walking now; i’ve found a decent new route, not as convenient as the old one, but less scary.

Mainly today has involved lots more castle play for Fran, Lincoln Log play by everyone, tidying, hieroglyphs with Maddy, Little Shop of Horrors (which they moan ceaselessly about while it’s on but profess to “love it” when it isn’t!) and a load more Leapster and Dora laptop-ing. I’ve just spent my impending birthday money on an engraved Nano and there stops the spending. I’m going for a very frugal year Josie is toddling about with a variety of cuddly ducks she adores and i am off to tidy my bead cupboard. It is blissfully harmonious at the moment; wonder how long that will last.

I bought Max an MP3 player for Xmas, one with an FM radio, which was what he really wanted, so it’s not an iPod. I only, in my limited understanding of anytihng of this sort, understand iTunes and iPods, so i didn’t really realise that iTunes will not download music into anything that isn’t an iPod.

Now i can get round this in a haphaard sort of a way by making a cd of his music and then loading that on to his MP3 player via Windows Media Player but it means it doesn’t have titles etc which sort of means the point is lost, i guess.

So could anyone who knows (Chris, Chris, Simon… Tim… erm.. Sarah?) tell me the most sensible place to sign Max up to so he can download music of his choosing (and on his card!) that isn’t ‘encoded for havoc’ by the meglomania that is Apple?

I’d be most grateful

And we have got snow!

Spent last night at my parents, which was great as usual in so many ways, not least that Max and i do less child entertaining Unfortunately he and i were both down with mild stomach lurgy so feeling a bit delicate; probably good that we ate less though! I’m sickened with myself that i’ve put on so much more weight again. Really furious. It all changes now.

My parents had bought very thoughtful Science museum stuff which will both educate, entertain and alieviate the clutter issues, so i was v grateful - and the kids love them. Fran has an illusions kit and Maddy a finger-printing one. Amelie did get a Dora suitcase, which predictably she adores Was also lovely to spend time with Rowan, who is a great little kiddy; i like her a lot! There were more presents from my nana and sister and brother which were all immensely thoughtful too.

Kids had a ball playing with relatives; Maddy showed my nana the Leapster and was heard to say that she was “giving nana some one-to-one time” :LOL: They’ve all played loads with the Leapster, it’s a huge hit. Fran goes nowhere without Olivia; in fact, she mothers her beautifully and listening to her speaking to her as we speak, has made me so grateful to Josie. Josie has made me end up as a kinder, gentler, more thoughtful mother and for that i am so grateful. It was a tremendous gift that she gave me - my abiding memory of mothering babies will be of being someone who was good at it. It wouldn’t have been had i stopped earlier.

Woke up to snow, there is more snow now we are home and i’m glad to be tucked up at home. Amelie is sat next to me working on her laptop, Maddy is playing with Lincoln Logs and we’ve had a film fest of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Little Shop of Horrors and The Polar Express, and a cold meats tea, courtesy of the left overs of Max’s fabulous Xmas lunch. (What a lucky girl am i )

Plus i got birthday pledges of money for an iPod, so i’m happy

Magic dust footprints by the fireplace.

Fran reading out a letter from Santa telling them that their Santa presents this year were ones for them to share and that he had brought one of them specially from friends of ours who wanted to pass it on.

Cair Paravel.

A plethora of new dollies!

Dress up Dora and the Nosie Farm are a big hit.

As is the Olivia doll Fran had coveted for months.

Maddy recovered herself well and enjoyed all her presents, especially her Belle dress.

Dora laptop is a big favourite too and will hopefully relieve the computer time pressure a bit.

Fran has had lots of fun pinging out music on this; what a good introduction to written music.

And the Leapster has gone down a storm with Maddy. (Thank you Amanda - realised i forgot to put postage money in box; will sort that out!) This is just perfect for her; no fuss of other stuff on a computer, she can retreat quietly to a space she is happy in and she has been absorbed in it for a lot of the afternoon.

Fairy girl.

A very happy day indeed.

…from Dennis the Menace.

“The best thing you can do is get good at being you.”

“… and all through the house, All the siblings were stirring, And the parents were soused.”

Another day of familiar traditions; tracking Santa on the NORAD site from Midday onwards being a particular favourite. Narrowly avoided turning this into a Geography lesson as i was hit by a sudden overwhelming desire to print out maps for them to plot him on, with stick on inflated maps of the featured countries and a pin chart on the wall to keep us up to date. Settled for just using the globe and embarrassed myself by not knowing which way the world turned!

I had to do some final flying about this morning for some bits and bobs we needed; took blooming ages to find some kernals of corn suitable for popping.

This afternoon we went over to Max’s Aunt’s where Maddy collapsed in suitably seasonal fashion over a present, thereby completely embarrassing me and Max for apparent ungratefulness for a really lovely present. She just got overwhelmed really by needing something to do instantly and couldn’t hold it in; irony was it was a lovely set of posters to colour and she’ll adore doing it but she had a bit of a moment and cried, because Fran and Amelie had instantly accessible pink stuff. I was really cross with her, though Auntie S was very lovely about it, saved the day with a Teddy and Maddy pulled herself together remarkably quickly, realised her gaff and went overboard trying to put it right by enthusing about the posters. I forget she’s only 5 at times, but at other times i know i musn’t let her away with things just “because”. Ho hum.

Went to the Blessing of the Crib service at our local church (where we do our MuddlePuddle group) which was lovely as usual. It’s a very welcoming church and i do love carolling and familiar ritual; wish there was more of it really. came home, had a nice tea together, set up mince pie, carrot, milk (?) and stockings by the fire and then read a Nativity story to them. Ever since i was little, i’ve been struck by how much of that story isn’t told. Really, you could write a novel about the story of Jesus’s birth; there is so much untold, so much that has been lost to time, editing, lost scripts, whatever. It has so many fascinating holes, so much imagery and hidden meaning where the stories aren’t finished. Who were the wisemen? What happened to the gifts? Why did they come? What did Mary feel like during all that desperate time, when they were all in so much danger? Just so much dying to be told but lost forever. The historian in me aches for all those lost narratives and sources.

Finished off with The Night before Christmas, which i do love. Max and i feel like we need to detox already. Must get out and walk tomorrow!

Have a really lovely Christmas everyone; Amanda, i hope the babe comes soon. It’s bad enough going into a different month being overdue, a different year would just suck! Carolyn, hope K continues to improve. Everyone else, have a lovely one

5 Personal Goals for this Year.
*Finish my Nano, rewrite it and send it to at least 2 agents.
*Lose 3lbs a month for a year (which would actually get me to my goal weight)
*Make living somewhere new a reality.
*Get Josie’s labour notes, write up her birth story and move on.
*Finish my Big Read challenge.

5 Work Goals for this Year.
*Be up to date with my tax figures all year.
*Do one set of new patterns for the site each month.
*Do 4 new kits.
*DO one worthwhile newsletter a month.
*Completely rethink the way i do my finances, so i live within last months profit, not within what i hope this months will be!

5 Home Ed Goals for this Year.
*Offer more science.
*Offer more art, both appreciation and actual.
*Offer more with music. both playing and listening.
*Have 2 and maybe 3 readers by the end of the year.
*Do more general exercise together, walks and stuff.

And my general goal is to be a little more merry, and a little more Merry than i feel i have been recently. I miss me.

Anyone want to join it? Consider yourself tagged.