The new bike.

Hee, hee. Poor Henry. He is quite a clever little lad. By the age of three he was riding a bike without stabilisers. Yes, it IS true! However, he's not had much luck with the bikes he's had. They've been someone's cast offs and usually end up at the dump so he has been without a bike for about a year now. The old man down the road told him a few months ago that he had one that he could have but we waited a long time for it to materialise. Anyway, this morning it did. Pretty isn't it?

Henry's response was a little ungrateful. Nevertheless, he is, as I write, bombing up and down the path outside on it, having great fun.

Good for you Henry. Beggars can't be choosers.

And many thanks to our thoughtful neighbour, too.

On my Sunday Soapbox.

This could be a regular feature... or maybe not. This blog is, or has developed into a place to document what we do as a family, probably focussing more on the children and to share ideas/links with anyone else who may be interested. However, now and again I may have a little rant/ talk out loud about what's on my mind. I don't want to do this too often. I think Ben Elton and Russell Brand do it brilliantly and so I'll leave it to them. But I think I can be forgiven for doing it occasionally.

I don't know if anyone else finds this but I mostly find that when I've talked to other Mums, colleagues, etc about something, say for instance one of the kids struggling with maths, other people seem very reluctant, even downright secretive about sharing any useful information about what they might know or have experienced. Perhaps it is just me. I can't think of anyone, in real life, that said 'oh there is a good website/book you might like to look at' or ' we tried...'

Actually, I know this happens to Hubby from time to time, though he's more nonchalant about it. I have seen it happen when he is about to embark upon some diy project at home and he is talking to someone about what he is planning to do. Of course, his audience at the time has little practical advice to offer. But then later, oh yes, later when the job is over and done, the aforementioned audience calls round for a look and then guess what happens...
S'right! 'You should have done it like this', or ' Oh, I have a such n such gizmo you could have borrowed that would have made your job easier!'
Frustrating, isn't it?
It seems if you want to know something or get help you really have to dig.
But that's one of the things I love about the blogs I read. That there are some people out there who are more than willing to share and support other people, total strangers.
I got thinking about this post because today I visited my favourite blog Sarah Sellers.
http://www.sarahsellers.co.uk/blog/
I've got more help/info/links from this blog than I have from any colleague, training course etc.
Today she was, again, highlighting the success her daughter is achieving from an on-line programme called Conquer Maths. They are offering a discount at the moment. I have asked her previously about this programme because I was interested in it for Honor but at the time it covered Key stages 3 and 4. But now they are introducing lessons for years 5 and 6. Hats off to her for taking the trouble to draw my attention to it.
Anyway.
I shall continue writing my blog as usual. And I hope any readers will get something useful out of it every now and then.
http://www.conquermaths.com/free/index.php

More from the Easter holidays

Here are Honor and Henry stroking the piglets at The Rare Breeds Centre at Woodchurch, Kent. We met up with our friends again and Lisa treated us to this. I usually prefer for the kids to find free or very cheap entertainment in the holidays but it is nice, now and again, to go somewhere like this and there was certainly loads to keep them entertained.

Various fun adventure play areas and zip wires!

Even Hope enjoyed a turn on the swing.

And loads of animals to look at. Particularly baby ones. Lambs, fluffy chicks, piglets, tiny kid goats. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I carried Hope in the Moby Sling which was excellent in that she had a really good view of everything. However I was walking around with her for five hours and later that evening I was actually in tears from back pain. I know. Bad backs are boring. So I'll just briefly mention that I have been suffering for a few years now with pain mainly from the coccyx which seems to be a war wound from childbirth. After seeing the doctor after my first child he recommended that I sit on a rubber ring. This certainly seems to be good advice and has made a difference. However, Henry got his hands on it yesterday and burst it. So I need a new one, now. I also think I shall avoid the sling for a few days. Hope seems to be enjoying the pushchair anyway.

Honor has decided to write a blog of her own. So we are in the process of setting this up. I found an interesting link to a site of kids blogs so she is reading these for inspiration and I have given her an exercise book for her to make blog notes in, write poems and stories etc to be included. I was thinking of taking the kids to see Clash of the Titans later this week so I think I'll get Honor looking at film reviews and then she can write her own.

http://http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/homeschool-blogs.html

More mucky pups.

Another whirlwind of a day gone, though all we did was some messy stuff at home. This morning the elder two made these volcanoes out of playdough and then very half-heartedly added some bits of bark and leaves to make them more realistic. They enjoyed moulding the playdough but were then more keen to get onto the exploding bit! I left them with the bicarbonate of soda, food colouring and vinegar and left them to get on with it to 'til it was all gone.

Meanwhile the baby who was due to have her morning nap was very contentedly crawling about exploring the mud and bark chips. She was happy doing this for a long time so again, I let her get on with it. She was very good at obeying the 'not-in-your-mouth' command! After that, I brought her into the kitchen and laid a towel and bowl of soapy water on the floor and she very happily played with that while I prepared an egg salad for lunch.

Other business included hiding from the Jehovas Witnesses (which didn't work 'cos the kids were playing in the garden and gave the game away), a trip into town to the bank with Honor (it was nice to just be with her for a little while) and then I took all three to the park where they found some other children to play with.

Just waiting for my turkey leg to cook now.

Camps and cows.

Wow! Today has gone really fast. One minute I was unpacking the shopping that had just been delivered and trying to find somewhere to put it all , while Lisa and her nieces arrived, and the next I was collapsing on the sofa with sore feet and gagging for a cup of tea.

I packed up the four children a little picnic lunch, Dick Whittington style and we headed into the countryside to set up these little camps.... one for Henry and one for the girls! Boooooo.

After lunch we went for a super muddy walk to the nearby dairy farm. Of course, the highlight of the adventure was not the cows but these fabulously deep puddles. Not sure that I'll be too popular with these girls' mummy though! One of them did eventually lose one of her wellies and ended up with an extremely muddy sock.

Still, all good fun though... and didn't cost a penny.

Happy Birthday to you!

There she is, having her first cake at her birthday party. What a lovely day it has been especially to see family and close friends again. Not that she appreciated it to start with. It was all a bit too overwhelming at first and she kept hyperventilating and went unconscious. Eventually I put my Moby Wrap on and put her in that. She must feel secure in that because it seemed to work and she gradually got used to the extra company and settled down enough to eat her cake. By the time everyone left, she was really in the party mood!

Now the clearing up is done and Hubby and I are finishing off the quiche while we enjoy the start of the new series of Ashes to Ashes. I've been looking forward to this and the new series of Doctor Who starting tomorrow... but will I still like it now that David Tennant has gone?

Busy bees

Yes! It is certainly a hive of activity at 'Little House on the Lees' at the moment. Easter bonnet decorating took place on Wednesday while trying to juggle the baby who kept having her breath holding attacks and turning a horrible grey colour. This frightened Honor and made her cry. But we got there in the end! We glued sweets and lollipops to Henry's and made playdough cupcakes for the top. I don't know why I expected him to come out of school with the sweets still intact! I joined the school church service. Lots of jolly hats there. One child had a hat made to look like a Cadbury's Creme Egg.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

And today, as well as being Good Friday it is Hope's birthday. The big kids and I made these little bee honey cakes for her tea party later on. I got the idea from the free Morrisons magazine.