Wild Flowers

Sooooooo, lots to catch up and I can’t be bothered . I have loads of half written blogs that I haven’t posted and that now seem very long ago but, to sum up, I ‘d been having a bit of a poo time prior to half term and have even contemplated school for them and running away to join the circus for me but we’re all feeling back on an even keel now and raring to attack the new term - that’s probably why the car went to car heaven as everything else was just getting right again .Although, to be fair, if it had happened before half-term it would have probably tipped me over the edge so a good job it waited .
‘School holidays’ for us always end up more hectic than ‘term time’ as the Peas have loads of schoolfriends that they want to meet up with and lots of cool activities seem to be offered everywhere that we like to join in with.
In the first week we attended the museum’s invertebrates workshop. Pea 1 and 2 amused themselves with colouring in and SweetP did a lovely snail collage (will put pictures later if I can remember how). All the Peas were fascinated when using the magnifying glass (acting as if they’d never seen anything like it before )but enjoyed catching beasties and peering at them for ages. Played with a bug building game (a beetledrive with different bugs) and headed off to the library. SweetP received her 50 badge for her booktrack (half way through now) and Pea 1 received her 60 sticker so smiles all round . Pea 2 has also started to attempt bigger books and is really enjoying some historical storybooks at the moment- though I’ve just picked up this for bedtime reading to them (bit of a change from the Ambleside) and she has declared that she is going to read it herself. I think she may find that it’s a leap too far from these but if she wants to give it a go then who am I to put a damper on her enthusiasm .
On the Tuesday, we intended to head here but it looked rainy so, after our Ambleside, I cleaned the house and the Peas played.
Wednesday, we were off to the museum again for a toy-tastic activity day. Mr Potato heads were sculpted from clay and the obvious . Pea 2 and SweetP made Easter cards and great fun was had designing stick on clothes for cardboard dolls they had made. I found it quite amusing that, no matter what age the child was that was making clothes(from 4 - 12 ?) ,nearly all dolls had VERY short skirts and knee high boots- I blame her very long legs though as the cutout was a bit supermodel proportioned .
Thursday, we were up at the crack of dawn (well 7:30) and out of the house well groomed to go to this. A fab experience I thought (though not a cat’s chance in hell of getting it-as Lyra’s 11 and the Peas are a very young looking 9) and we did all have a lovely time. It didn’t rain and the Peas really bonded with the girl in front of us in the queue and I spent the time chatting to her mum (who was lovely and popped off to get us both coffee after an hour and wouldn’t let me pay ). They had come all the way from Plymouth and the dad and daughter behind us (who were lovely too)had come all the way from Dorset!! After 2 1/2 hours, our little group was separated from us (apart from SweetP who was too young to audition )and we all waited nervously in the coffee bar as they all trooped upstairs -after some warm up (and calm down nerves) exercises in the foyer- them not us . After about 5 mins they all came down again to report that they had been asked their names and whether they were twins and that was it . Good news for the girl behind us though as she was asked more questions and then asked to stay behind for a photo session Yay! I wish her loads of luck as she was lovely and it would be cool to say we were that close to Lyra if she gets it . After all the excitement, I offered the lady who’d bought me coffee a lift into town and then we drove home for lunch. I did mean to pop back in for another museum workshop but settled for housework and letting the Peas play. The experience has fired the enthusiasm of Pea 2 and SweetP ( she wants a chance to try for something) and they are both keen to audition again but Exeter isn’t exactly ripe with opportunities so I doubt anything will come of it. I think that they would love Stagecoach or stage-by-stage but it’s beyond me at the moment pricewise. They have just given up drama, as it wasn’t stretching them enough ,as they wanted to practise plays and the group was more focused on learning songs(to help with learning lines I suppose) and basic acting techniques of expression etc so there is some money in the kitty but SweetP wants violin lessons and they all want ballet and I’d like them to attend the Spanish class near us and I’m barely affording stuff as it is. Giving them a life is sucking my social life clean away from me . I think DEP is going to have to stick his hand in his pocket . Trouble is, he thinks that if they went to school they would get all this provided ( ).
Anyway, Friday they all headed off with DEP and Pea 1 and 2 were bought new bikes by their Grandparents. I heard so much about these new bikes on Saturday that I threatened to tell DEP to take them back if I had to hear that they were ‘proper grown-up’ bikes one more time - I’m all for enthusiasm but hearing the same description about 25 times drives me insane
On Monday, we made easter biscuits and had a spelling test - they are still really excited about these, though to be fair, it is probably the sweetie reward that keeps this going
SweetP has also become very interested in algebra and has taken to asking for pages of it to do .
We went for a walk on Tuesday with Julia, Tom and their children which was lovely and certainly beat the last walk we had with them, which had woodants which terrify me. All the children paddled in a stream (though it was freezing!) and we had a warm up tea at Julia’s before heading home late for bed and catch up reading of this.
Wednesday, we were off to, go on guess,yep, the museum again for ‘pictograms and pictures’ a Da Vinci workshop (here’s a link apparently it’s free ) First of all we headed upstairs to have a look at the originals and then concentrated on our own works of art. Pea 1 had to be told off for teasing Pea 2 about her spelling as part of her pictogram but the concept had clearly gone over Pea 1’s head as she’d just drawn jungle animals again . Will try and pop a picture of their stunning Mona Lisa copies on here soon as they all worked really hard at them. They all enjoyed attempting to draw with quills and ink as well-Pea 1’s was predictably a jungle scene .Was lovely to see Alison, Sarah and all in the workshop too,really nice to catch up and realise, in conversation, that Pea 1’s stroppy, pre-teen behaviour is normal . Pea 1 had this picture taken and was very chuffed when it appeared in the paper though they had spelt her surname wrong and had put that she was 7 !?! even though they didn’t ask her age . I think it’s a nice photo but Pea 1 thought he was crazy to want a picture of her ‘ looking through pens’ . Off to the library after that to add more books on our booktrack and to pick up some books about playing the piano. I’ve decided to learn with the Peas as I think it would be fun and maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks Managed to find a book on rainforest crafts for Pea 1- I figure I should just go with her interests for a while and hope that makes her happier workwise.Then off to the E.O meeting in the park, where it was quiet but nice to catch up and have a cuppa. Rushed off to pay my bills after group before heading home as I’d promised to babysit for a friend for a few hours. Phew, that was a busy day
On Thursday, we arranged to meet Lin and boys for, you’ve guessed it, another museum workshop . This one was Leonardo day-heads and horses. Most of the children spent ages perfecting beautiful clay models of horses (some just enjoyed themselves with the clay ) and, I think, they all enjoyed themselves immensely. The Peas then made horse mobiles and drew pictures with chalks before we headed off. We’d already done the library first, and I’ve just remembered the lovely lunch we all had together yum, so I went for the car and drove back closer to the museum so Lin could grab all the works of art and I could take them safely home. Swopped kids as mine seem to enjoy bus rides for some strange reason and swopped back later over a cuppa at Lin’s ( I’m sure I must have stopped for a cuppa but I can’t remember ).
Will have to catch up last Friday to this weekend soon but I need sleep now