Rebounding

We got a mini trampoline (rebounder) before Christmas. My plan was to rebound for 10 mins morning and night. I think I manage about 2 minutes :) Hopefully this will increase.... Martha loves jumping on it and it's great on any odd days that we don't get out much or she is bundled up in the pram. 

Reading right now...

I found this book via a blog (I forget which one) and after "looking inside" on Amazon decided to order it. It is HUGE!! but I am enjoying it so far. I didn't consider Classical Education at all so now I am including it in my consideration of home-school. Well worth reading!

Gingerbread Hearts

We had fun with decorating these over Valentine's :)

A little dish

At the swing park in Balsall Common

Visiting

Went to see friends for dinner on Sunday, Martha just loves their dogs and named her first 2 dolls after them (chosen herself, no prompting) We had a beautiful meal cooked for us and then a walk where we saw some horses...many are expecting foals so Martha was intrigued by this. 

The stallion

Books for Children - Bats

Martha loves animals and after seeing a (huge!) fruit bat at the wildlife park she has been quite keen on bats! We have read these batty books lately which were fun. The Bat Loves the Night was informative and the other two were just good stories. 

We also have a bat cookie cutter so will make some of those soon I think. 

Red & Rose

For the first time I bought us each a bottle of wine for Valentine's dinner - normally we would share a red but I do like to start with a glass of white or rose and then it becomes too much...so I had a mini sparkling rose which is lighter and Mike had a mini red - it really was the perfect solution. 
It cost as much as a full bottle but was less wasteful or soporific :)

The other book I got for Christmas (SJ Watson was the first) was Sister by Rosamund Lupton which I did like and it took a longer time to work out the "baddie" which is always a bonus. I did enjoy it, unusual perspective as the main character is trying to understand what has happened to her sister. 
I liked the characters much more that the SJ Watson book (I really didn't care about any of the characters in that book which is a big negative for me - they were neither interesting nor likeable in any sense) The characters in Lupton's book were both intriguing - sisters but very different. 

Valentine's 2012

I really love celebrating Valentine's Day - for the first time, Martha celebrated with us!! We had steak, fries, veggies followed by chocolate dip and heart marshmallows, strawberries and chocolate ladybirds - she had a lot of fun with the dipping! 
Mike and I gave cards to each other and I also had a rose and a plant from Mike and Martha sent a card to her (great) uncle Douglas and also she delivered some chocolate ladybirds to the lady next door so she has enjoyed the experience. 

Dessert!

Home Ed thoughts...

“True learning – learning that is permanent and useful, that leads to intelligent action and further learning — can arise only out of the experience, interest, and concerns of the learner”

“It is as true now as it was then that no matter what tests show, very little of what is taught in school is learned, very little of what is learned is remembered, and very little of what is remembered is used. The things we learn, remember, and use are the things we seek out or meet in the daily, serious, nonschool parts of our lives.”

John Holt, ex-teacher, writer, speaker & supporter of education reform

Staying warm

The woodburner stays on ALL day

We start our day with porridge, fruit, sultanas and manuka honey. 

Snow Day

Fun together in our garden

Nature Tots :: Animal Shelters

We found hidden animals this week, made a shelter for our animal (a hedgehog) and we all made a hedgehog collage together. Fun times as always followed by a trip the the cafe at Brandon Marsh. 

Grandma's Teddies

Just a few from Grandma's collection

Cafe at The Tate

An apple, a banana and pecan muffin and a choc and hazelnut brownie

Liverpool Loveliness

We had one day in Liverpool which didn't quite work out as planned...we were late leaving home, the yellow duck-marine was fully booked and the Tate family room was closed which was a shame but it was a fabulous sunny day and we enjoyed walking round Albert Dock, coffee and cake at the Tate cafe and then a lovely B&B near Ness Gardens. On the Sunday we met with family for a celebration at their church.