My new racket arrived yesterday (thank you ebay! Only £1.30) and you will be amazed to learn that my game has not improved. Guess a swish new (to me anyway)racket does not automatically play better. Still, Sam and I had fun-and he is improving which is the whole point of the excercise. The courts are always completely empty when we go, it is like having our own private court. The benefits of home ed!! I am sure that if we were to go on a weekend they would be packed.
More normals and david attenborough the last two days. While watching yesterday's dvd Sam suddenly remarked that david attenborough looked very similar to the grandfather in jurassic park. Talk about powers of observation-even knowing that david and richard attenborough are brothers I struggle to find the resemblance-he made a connection between them and didn't even know that they were related. He was interested to learn that the brothers spent quite a bit of time here in leicester as their father was dean of the university.
The weather has been so glorious the last two days that we have spent our afternoons outdoors. Today we played some long complicated game involving invisible pteradons, the gang from scooby doo and two hot wheels cars. I love it that he is developing a good imagination-even if it does involve dangerous reptiles and goofy teenagers.
Today was the award ceremony at the library for all those children who completed the summer reading scheme. Sam was chuffed with his certificate but even more pleased with his spy pen. It is one of those ones where you write the message in one color ink -which appears to be invisible, then when you rub over it with the other side of the pen your message magically appears. He has spent all evening writing out messages to me.
A quiet morning tomorrow and then french in the afternoon. If it is nice again we may try and fit in a game of tennis on our way home.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Too much of a good thing..
I should be grateful that sam is starting to embrace reading, that he feels confident to try his hand at reading most anything and when he does try he is usually right. I am not that happy however, because he has discovered that he can read-on his own-two children's joke books that we have recently acquired. I thought that I would read a couple of jokes a week to him and that would be that.. Oh no!! He spent all of yesterday following me reading out joke after joke, I wouldn't have minded so much but they jokes were truely unfunny. I am happy that it least it did not contain knock knock jokes as after reading a few real ones he goes on to make up his own and then insists on telling it over and over again! It wouldn't be so bad if he would vary the punch line but he doesn't. All joking aside I am a very proud mommy that he can read his own joke books, even if the jokes aren't that funny and some of them don't make sense. He is gaining in confidence everyday and I am sure that it won't be long until he is on to books with funnier jokes. He loves telling the jokes and M and I make sure that we laugh at every single one. I feel like we have crossed our first major hurdle. My next major one is to get him to love numbers and math. It is such an important part of everyday life and I don't want him to grow up numberphobic.
We had a fairly laid back weekend and didn't really do anything of note. We spent most of yesterday out in the backyard as the weather was so nice. We played lots of games and then went on to junk modeling to build a race course for sam's hotwheels. I even managed to sit and read for a while. I just finished Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky and it was fantastic. I can not recommend it highly enough. It is about life in occupied france and what makes it more captivating is that it was written without the benefit of hindsight. The author lived through the first part of the occupation and had great plans for a novel on the scale of war and peace but unfortuantely was sent to the camps and died there. It is about people getting on with life despite what was going on around them and the author had the chance to finish the book I am sure that it would have been even more unputdownable.
We had a fairly laid back weekend and didn't really do anything of note. We spent most of yesterday out in the backyard as the weather was so nice. We played lots of games and then went on to junk modeling to build a race course for sam's hotwheels. I even managed to sit and read for a while. I just finished Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky and it was fantastic. I can not recommend it highly enough. It is about life in occupied france and what makes it more captivating is that it was written without the benefit of hindsight. The author lived through the first part of the occupation and had great plans for a novel on the scale of war and peace but unfortuantely was sent to the camps and died there. It is about people getting on with life despite what was going on around them and the author had the chance to finish the book I am sure that it would have been even more unputdownable.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Into the groove
We have certainly gotten back into the habit of a more structured approach to our day-hence the lack of blogging. We are busy all morning and early afternoon with school type stuff and then playing or out for the rest of the day. Sam certainly seems happier to be doing stuff and there have been no tears over math lately. ( shouldn't have written that should I? now there are bound to be tears on monday!) His reading is coming on in leaps and bounds as his his general comprehension. He will now drop facts into conversation-things that we may have covered days before or not at all and he has picked them up on his own. He seems to have boundless energy at the moment so am trying to keep him active in the afternoons. We played tennis on monday-he is definately improving, though the same can't be said for me. We hope to fit in a trip to the pool tomorrow and he has tennis lessons on sunday morning so it should be a pretty active weekend.
We have had two playdates this week L and M who live in the next village and V and I who live right around the corner. I is a bit younger than Sam but the two got on really well and it is nice to know that we have friends within walking distance. Sam and M and tons of fun when we went round there to play and L and I got to catch up on what had been happening all summer. Haven't yet made it to the local home ed group, forces keep conspiring against us. We will make it there though this side of halloween.
We have been collecting the David Attenborough DVDs in the paper this week and sam has been mesmorized. We all have learned so much and been so entertained that we are considering getting the box set of all the series for xmas. By the way it is only 100 days until xmas so time to start panicing about the shopping. Have already bought sam two things but that is all I have done so far.
We have had two playdates this week L and M who live in the next village and V and I who live right around the corner. I is a bit younger than Sam but the two got on really well and it is nice to know that we have friends within walking distance. Sam and M and tons of fun when we went round there to play and L and I got to catch up on what had been happening all summer. Haven't yet made it to the local home ed group, forces keep conspiring against us. We will make it there though this side of halloween.
We have been collecting the David Attenborough DVDs in the paper this week and sam has been mesmorized. We all have learned so much and been so entertained that we are considering getting the box set of all the series for xmas. By the way it is only 100 days until xmas so time to start panicing about the shopping. Have already bought sam two things but that is all I have done so far.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Pretty good week so far..
All in all it has been a pretty good week so far. We are back on track with normals thanks to a new updated timetable-that offers lots of science and make and do for sam and written work to satisfy me. He had lots of fun with latin this morning-we had to make up sentences describing people we knew. thankfully they were all nice descriptive words-like clever and pretty. He really enjoys languages and math-he must have a very ordered mind.
There have been three highlights of the week for the young master-the first was receiving a treckker microscope from my aunt. It is a hand held field microscope and is very cool. He has spent the last few days collecting things to look at. The website is www.looksmall.co.uk. I can really recomend the microscope-just don't take it out on a walk if you are in a hurry to get somewhere-chances are your journey will take twice as long!!
The second exciting thing from sam's pov was the grand openning of starbucks in the shopping center that is 5 minutes walk from us. It openned on monday and he insisted that we be there at 8, just incase they were giving away free muffins. He didn't have to twist my arm too hard it has to be said. While they weren't giving away free muffins we did get our whole order free (including a bag of ground coffee and a newspaper) because the chip and pin machines weren't working yet!!! The manager was very apologetic and insisted on giving us the order. What a way to start a monday!
The day only got better too as the third highlight of the week was getting together with all the boys. As usual it was complete bedlam but a good time was had by all. We haven't seem much of them over the summer and now I don't expect we will get to see anyone until half term. A is the exception to this as he is now home educated much to sam's delight.
Yesterday was sam's first swimming lesson of the term. He has to wear a yellow swimming cap which pleases him not at all but I expect he will soon get used to it. He seemed to enjoy himself and I chatted to one of the other moms so it looks promising.
There have been three highlights of the week for the young master-the first was receiving a treckker microscope from my aunt. It is a hand held field microscope and is very cool. He has spent the last few days collecting things to look at. The website is www.looksmall.co.uk. I can really recomend the microscope-just don't take it out on a walk if you are in a hurry to get somewhere-chances are your journey will take twice as long!!
The second exciting thing from sam's pov was the grand openning of starbucks in the shopping center that is 5 minutes walk from us. It openned on monday and he insisted that we be there at 8, just incase they were giving away free muffins. He didn't have to twist my arm too hard it has to be said. While they weren't giving away free muffins we did get our whole order free (including a bag of ground coffee and a newspaper) because the chip and pin machines weren't working yet!!! The manager was very apologetic and insisted on giving us the order. What a way to start a monday!
The day only got better too as the third highlight of the week was getting together with all the boys. As usual it was complete bedlam but a good time was had by all. We haven't seem much of them over the summer and now I don't expect we will get to see anyone until half term. A is the exception to this as he is now home educated much to sam's delight.
Yesterday was sam's first swimming lesson of the term. He has to wear a yellow swimming cap which pleases him not at all but I expect he will soon get used to it. He seemed to enjoy himself and I chatted to one of the other moms so it looks promising.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Low key..
that about sums up our weekend. M was on nights so sam and I pottered while he slept and then we had a family trip to the pool.
Saturday and and I ventured out in the wind and rain to sign him up for tennis lessons. We went to one of the local clubs who was having an open day. He starts on sunday and his coach is the same man he had earlier in the summer. The lessons will be indoors thank goodness but are at 9am on sundays! Oh well, at least starbucks will be open he finishes and we can do up there for a sunday morning treat. We also joined our local tennis club so that we can go along and practice while everyone else is at work and school. Even managed to find myself a racket on ebay for only £1.31!! he is very keen to get going and can't wait for his first lesson.
This morning we organised all our school books and now I feel almost ready to start the new school year. I also did lots of planning for craft activities and art projects so short of finding all the supplies we are pretty much there. It is so nice to have the books in some sort of order, they were just dumped on the shelves when we moved in and not organised. Just hope that I am able to make this year fun for him, it disheartens me when he says he doesn't like doing this or that because I feel that I have failed. He needs to learn but above all I want him to enjoy himself while he is doing it. I console myself with the thought that at least he is having more fun here than if he were at school.
All of his lessons, swimming, tennis and french start this week so it should be a good chance for us both to start making more local friends. I also have the schedule for the local home ed group so we will go along to an event very soon. the french class is run by the local home ed group so that will be a good start to getting to know the local scene.
Saturday and and I ventured out in the wind and rain to sign him up for tennis lessons. We went to one of the local clubs who was having an open day. He starts on sunday and his coach is the same man he had earlier in the summer. The lessons will be indoors thank goodness but are at 9am on sundays! Oh well, at least starbucks will be open he finishes and we can do up there for a sunday morning treat. We also joined our local tennis club so that we can go along and practice while everyone else is at work and school. Even managed to find myself a racket on ebay for only £1.31!! he is very keen to get going and can't wait for his first lesson.
This morning we organised all our school books and now I feel almost ready to start the new school year. I also did lots of planning for craft activities and art projects so short of finding all the supplies we are pretty much there. It is so nice to have the books in some sort of order, they were just dumped on the shelves when we moved in and not organised. Just hope that I am able to make this year fun for him, it disheartens me when he says he doesn't like doing this or that because I feel that I have failed. He needs to learn but above all I want him to enjoy himself while he is doing it. I console myself with the thought that at least he is having more fun here than if he were at school.
All of his lessons, swimming, tennis and french start this week so it should be a good chance for us both to start making more local friends. I also have the schedule for the local home ed group so we will go along to an event very soon. the french class is run by the local home ed group so that will be a good start to getting to know the local scene.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Books
Thank you Elle at Ellesfuntimes for tagging me-sorry it has taken me so long to post.
ONE BOOK THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE: The FountainHead by Ayn Rand. I read it my senior year in high school and it helped me to make sense of the world around me.
ONE BOOK THAT YOU’VE READ MORE THAN ONCE: a Traveller in Time by Allison Uttely-one of my all time favorite books, I love the romance of it and I would love to be able to travel in time like the main character.
TWO BOOKS YOU’D WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and an omibus edition of all the paddington books by michael bond. Bewteen the two of them I would have all the reading material I need.
ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU LAUGH: The growing pains of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend. I laughed all the way from Boston to Florida by train while reading this.
ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY: My Best Friend's Girl. Not many books make me cry but this one made me tear up in places.
ONE BOOK YOU WISH HAD BEEN WRITTEN: Harry Potter
ONE BOOK YOU WISH HAD NEVER BEEN WRITTEN: Can't think of any-every book has its merrit even it you don't believe in its message.
ONE BOOK THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING: The Man of my dreams by Curtis Sittenfield. Really good so far-I can really relate to the main characters college experience.
ONE BOOK YOU HAVE BEEN MEANING TO READ: Suite Francais
FIVE PEOPLE YOU TAG:
MK
Merry
Helen
Fiona
ONE BOOK THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE: The FountainHead by Ayn Rand. I read it my senior year in high school and it helped me to make sense of the world around me.
ONE BOOK THAT YOU’VE READ MORE THAN ONCE: a Traveller in Time by Allison Uttely-one of my all time favorite books, I love the romance of it and I would love to be able to travel in time like the main character.
TWO BOOKS YOU’D WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and an omibus edition of all the paddington books by michael bond. Bewteen the two of them I would have all the reading material I need.
ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU LAUGH: The growing pains of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend. I laughed all the way from Boston to Florida by train while reading this.
ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY: My Best Friend's Girl. Not many books make me cry but this one made me tear up in places.
ONE BOOK YOU WISH HAD BEEN WRITTEN: Harry Potter
ONE BOOK YOU WISH HAD NEVER BEEN WRITTEN: Can't think of any-every book has its merrit even it you don't believe in its message.
ONE BOOK THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING: The Man of my dreams by Curtis Sittenfield. Really good so far-I can really relate to the main characters college experience.
ONE BOOK YOU HAVE BEEN MEANING TO READ: Suite Francais
FIVE PEOPLE YOU TAG:
MK
Merry
Helen
Fiona
sam cubed
Not only do we have one new neighbor with a son called sam but now we have two!! That brings the total of boys named sam to 3 in oliver close. Not bad considering that there are only 7 children in to total here. One sam is 9 and lives in the house attached to ours, the other lives in the big house at the end and looks as if he is about 17/18. My sam is over the moon with sam next door and sam next door for his part seems very happy to play with my sam despite their age difference. They have been in and out of the two houses all week and sam falls into bed exhausted each night with all the bike riding and soccer they have been playing. It is such a novelty to have a playmate living next door-sam is so delighted. For my part I have had some time to me while they have been playing-managed to start a new knitting project and do paper work all in the middle of the day. My sam can't understand why sam next door wants to go to school and thinks he should stay home and be home educated so they can play together.
A bit of a non descript week-we did normals, we sorted things out for the new school year, we explored leicester and we spent time with M. Have been in a funk most of the week-it is the end of summer blues. The nice weather has just about gone and it is time to turn my attention to more serious matters other than having fun and exploring. We are pretty sorted for the new school year-just have to sort out all the crafty bits for the first month.
We expect to have a low key weekend as M is on nights but hope to get out to the local tennis club who are having an open day tomorrow. Sam is very keen to join and as they haven't answered any of my emails this seems the perfect chance to find out more about them.
A bit of a non descript week-we did normals, we sorted things out for the new school year, we explored leicester and we spent time with M. Have been in a funk most of the week-it is the end of summer blues. The nice weather has just about gone and it is time to turn my attention to more serious matters other than having fun and exploring. We are pretty sorted for the new school year-just have to sort out all the crafty bits for the first month.
We expect to have a low key weekend as M is on nights but hope to get out to the local tennis club who are having an open day tomorrow. Sam is very keen to join and as they haven't answered any of my emails this seems the perfect chance to find out more about them.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Tennis anyone??
Today was sam's third day of tennis and while the novelty is wearing off slightly he is still enjoying it. He is so eager and keen to try but he still only managed to get it over the net once today. It hasn't discouraged him though, he still marches up when it is his turn full of confince. I am a bit disapointed that the instructors have not been more hands on. This is a beginners class, not once have they been shown how to hold a racket or swing properly. I have tried my best to show my but has many of you out there know my tennis abilities are severely lacking. We had a go when we got home with a tennis ball and the rackets from his swing ball set and I think he is starting to catch on. I am very proud that he hasn't given up (because I know that I would have) and that he is still keen to joing a tennis club and do it on a regular basis. I have emailed the local tennis club about classes and hopefully they will have a spot for him.
He has really enjoyed the activies we have done through the council so will be on the look out for them at half term and the xmas break. We haven't gotten to know anyone new but at least he has had the opportunity to play lots of sports and meet a few new faces.
He has really enjoyed the activies we have done through the council so will be on the look out for them at half term and the xmas break. We haven't gotten to know anyone new but at least he has had the opportunity to play lots of sports and meet a few new faces.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Sportsman of the week..
goes to young sam who has now played cricket, rugby, badminton and golf with tennis to come next week. Not to mention is weekly swimming lesson. So far he has enjoyed badminton the best, which surprised me as I thought he would really like ruby. I think he was put off by the fact it was tag rugby and he couldn't just go around tackling people at will. Once he has finished tennis next week we have said that he can choose one other activity (other than swimming) to do on a weekly basis. We have managed to find swimming lessons, though not sadly at the pool he is currently at. There the waiting list is about a year long! He will have to wear a swimming cap at these new lessons which he is not that keen on but he has no choice.
The week disapeared in a haze of sporting activities and thunderstorms. Managed to get caught in the bad one on thursday as we went into the sports hall for cricket. When we left two hours later my jeans were still soaking wet! Friday we went back to pborough for the dentist and to get the car serviced-luckily both had reasonable out comes. Managed to meet up with two of the boys which was delightful. Sam played for all he was worth and was on such a high that he didn't stop nattering the whole way home. With any luck we should be seeing all the boys at the beginning of sept before they go back to school.
A quiet weekend-we popped into the city centre yesterday to look for fil's bday present. Spent some time wandering aroundthe lanes-could be a very dangerous place to go shopping! lots of lovely stores-so mustn't go there without a sam escort. He is my voice of reason and will say "mummy you are not supposed to buy anything remember" So young and so wise. The boys bought an airfix model of the stealth bomber and spent the evening putting it together. I think all they have to do now is paint it.
Just pottered today-had a very lazy start to the day with a magic school bus marathon on dvd while we all snuggled under the duvet.
Busy week next week with tennis 4 out of the 5 days. It is in the afternoon though so no rushing out the door at the crack of dawn thankfully. Plan to spend the morning doing normals and the afternoon wearing sam out. sounds like a good combination.
The week disapeared in a haze of sporting activities and thunderstorms. Managed to get caught in the bad one on thursday as we went into the sports hall for cricket. When we left two hours later my jeans were still soaking wet! Friday we went back to pborough for the dentist and to get the car serviced-luckily both had reasonable out comes. Managed to meet up with two of the boys which was delightful. Sam played for all he was worth and was on such a high that he didn't stop nattering the whole way home. With any luck we should be seeing all the boys at the beginning of sept before they go back to school.
A quiet weekend-we popped into the city centre yesterday to look for fil's bday present. Spent some time wandering aroundthe lanes-could be a very dangerous place to go shopping! lots of lovely stores-so mustn't go there without a sam escort. He is my voice of reason and will say "mummy you are not supposed to buy anything remember" So young and so wise. The boys bought an airfix model of the stealth bomber and spent the evening putting it together. I think all they have to do now is paint it.
Just pottered today-had a very lazy start to the day with a magic school bus marathon on dvd while we all snuggled under the duvet.
Busy week next week with tennis 4 out of the 5 days. It is in the afternoon though so no rushing out the door at the crack of dawn thankfully. Plan to spend the morning doing normals and the afternoon wearing sam out. sounds like a good combination.
Tagged by Merry
1. One home schooling book you have enjoyed. Any of john holt's books. They really made me stop and think about the way children learn and the education system.
2. One resource you wouldn't be without: The Internet without a doubt.
3. One resource you wish you hadn't bought: Easy-Muzzy. To expensive, too dull and not at all fun.
4. One reasource you enjoyed last year: Young Scientist Club. A firm favorite with us all.
5. One resource you will be using next year: sonlight core 1.
6. One resouce you would like to buy: The entire inventory of amazon! Would like to buy a proper microscope and the set of minimus story books.
7. One resouce you wish exsisted: Friend in a box. For those times when sam is desparate to play with someone and I am not good enough.
8. One catalogue you like reading: Sonlight and Rainbow Resouces
9. One website you use: Google! We goole whenever we have a question we can't answer-which is a lot!
I tag:
Chris/Helen
Elaine
Jax
2. One resource you wouldn't be without: The Internet without a doubt.
3. One resource you wish you hadn't bought: Easy-Muzzy. To expensive, too dull and not at all fun.
4. One reasource you enjoyed last year: Young Scientist Club. A firm favorite with us all.
5. One resource you will be using next year: sonlight core 1.
6. One resouce you would like to buy: The entire inventory of amazon! Would like to buy a proper microscope and the set of minimus story books.
7. One resouce you wish exsisted: Friend in a box. For those times when sam is desparate to play with someone and I am not good enough.
8. One catalogue you like reading: Sonlight and Rainbow Resouces
9. One website you use: Google! We goole whenever we have a question we can't answer-which is a lot!
I tag:
Chris/Helen
Elaine
Jax
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
All round sportsman
that's my boy-or maybe not. Today he went to a tag rugby session and from where I sat it looked like he was having fun but when I asked him afterword if he had enjoyed himself he wasn't sure. I think he enjoyed the running around and the throwing and catching the ball, what I think he can't get his head around is being part of a team. He played well with the other boys and wasn't shy or subduded, he just hasn't grasped the concept of working together for a common goal-at least not in this context. We do team work at home all the time-but not in a sports context. Maybe the whole competitive thing is throwing him-he wants the ball and to do the running and doesn't quite get that he is there to help the other members of his team not work against them. I know it will come in time. Tomorrow is cricket so it will be interesting to see if he is starting to develop a bit more of a team spirit. Next week is tennis so it will be interesting to see which he prefers-team sports or solitary ones.
The last few days have been nice-way back on saturday my friend M and her family came to spend the day with us. The children spent their time alternating between lego and playmobil while the grown ups got to have a good gossip and I got lots of cuddles with my goddaughter. We had a wonderful time with them, we just wished that they were closer so we could see more of them. Despite only being in touch sporadically over the last 15 years we seem to have been able to pick up right where we left off which is so nice. I hope that sam is able to keep up with all his friends in the years to come as good friends are so important in life.
Tuesday we met my sil and nephews in pborough for some quality play time at activity world-everyone including the grown ups were well pooped by the time we left! After leaving them we met up with Fiona and her children at the maize maze near oundle. it was so tricky!! Even with a map I was afraid that we were going to have to set up camp there for the night! thanks to fiona's good map reading we managed to make it out. It was really good fun and there is one by the same designer near to leicester so i think we will have to have a family trip there soon. I will send the boys in while I settle down with a good book. should be worth at least an hour of mommy time!
Can't remember if I posted that our new books from sonlight have arrived. Sam was so excited you would have thought it was xmas. The read alouds and science books look great as does everything really. He will be working at a first grade level for most things, except for sciecne where we are already up to second grade. Can't believe how fast our first official year has flown by. We have accomplished just about everything that we set out to do and hopefully have had fun along the way. Today we finished 1st grade science, so it is just as well that the books arrived when they did.
The last few days have been nice-way back on saturday my friend M and her family came to spend the day with us. The children spent their time alternating between lego and playmobil while the grown ups got to have a good gossip and I got lots of cuddles with my goddaughter. We had a wonderful time with them, we just wished that they were closer so we could see more of them. Despite only being in touch sporadically over the last 15 years we seem to have been able to pick up right where we left off which is so nice. I hope that sam is able to keep up with all his friends in the years to come as good friends are so important in life.
Tuesday we met my sil and nephews in pborough for some quality play time at activity world-everyone including the grown ups were well pooped by the time we left! After leaving them we met up with Fiona and her children at the maize maze near oundle. it was so tricky!! Even with a map I was afraid that we were going to have to set up camp there for the night! thanks to fiona's good map reading we managed to make it out. It was really good fun and there is one by the same designer near to leicester so i think we will have to have a family trip there soon. I will send the boys in while I settle down with a good book. should be worth at least an hour of mommy time!
Can't remember if I posted that our new books from sonlight have arrived. Sam was so excited you would have thought it was xmas. The read alouds and science books look great as does everything really. He will be working at a first grade level for most things, except for sciecne where we are already up to second grade. Can't believe how fast our first official year has flown by. We have accomplished just about everything that we set out to do and hopefully have had fun along the way. Today we finished 1st grade science, so it is just as well that the books arrived when they did.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Out of the mouth of babes..
We went to pborough this afternoon for a mudpud picnic. It was great to see everyone and to meet a new family-they have a 6 yo son so sam was delighted. While in the park we ran into three other people we knew and in the end several of the mudpud children ended up playing cricket with sam's friend peter and his familly. What made it so nice was that we were in a place that we know and love with friends we know and care about-everything and everyone was familiar. It felt comfortable and relaxed. On the way home sam said exactly what i was thinking "It was like old times mommy" and it was. We love our new home and our new life here but we are sorely missing our friends and all our old familiar places. It isn't as if we saw our friends everyday or even every week but the idea that they were only a few minutes away was a comfort. We could ring someone up for an impromptu play where as now it involves lots of planning and a full day out. I know that in time things will be as familiar and comfortable here I don't think I realised though just how hard a process it was going to be. I should have, we lived in pborough for 13 years, these friends and familiarity did not happen over night.
All in all it has been a good week. Sam has enjoyed the two badminton classes and doesn't appear to have inherited by lack of coordination! He is all excited about cricket and rugby next week-though I imagine that he will be disapointed when he learns that it is tag rugby rather than full body tackling.
I think that his reading confidence is growing. He has always loved books but now he is actually starting to read them to himself rather than just looking at the pictures. He called down night before last to let me know that he had read a book all by himself. It was a ladybird-peter and jane book and I was amazed. Although he can read harder things and he does during our daily reading sessions he doesn't usually read to himself. Tonight he volunteered to read me some Dick and Jane stories (the american version of peter and jane)-he even went and got the book! As his confidence grows hopefully he will start to pick up more challenging things-things I know that he is capable of but wouldn't try on his own.
Tomorrow is the big day-H &F are comming and we are both excited. Playmobil world is awaiting their arrival, though it may need a few last minute adjustments as a tornado swept through there is morning. You will all be relieved to here though that the cats, rabbits and mice are okay as they drove off on the bus to go and shelter in the recycle truck! Hope the weather is better tomorrow.
All in all it has been a good week. Sam has enjoyed the two badminton classes and doesn't appear to have inherited by lack of coordination! He is all excited about cricket and rugby next week-though I imagine that he will be disapointed when he learns that it is tag rugby rather than full body tackling.
I think that his reading confidence is growing. He has always loved books but now he is actually starting to read them to himself rather than just looking at the pictures. He called down night before last to let me know that he had read a book all by himself. It was a ladybird-peter and jane book and I was amazed. Although he can read harder things and he does during our daily reading sessions he doesn't usually read to himself. Tonight he volunteered to read me some Dick and Jane stories (the american version of peter and jane)-he even went and got the book! As his confidence grows hopefully he will start to pick up more challenging things-things I know that he is capable of but wouldn't try on his own.
Tomorrow is the big day-H &F are comming and we are both excited. Playmobil world is awaiting their arrival, though it may need a few last minute adjustments as a tornado swept through there is morning. You will all be relieved to here though that the cats, rabbits and mice are okay as they drove off on the bus to go and shelter in the recycle truck! Hope the weather is better tomorrow.
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