Blog of the Pies

2 Concerts and other things

2011-11-21T11:49:00.001Z

The Pies have been music practising this morning and are now playing - I could do the ironing or catch up on last week!

On Tuesday we met up with friends in the park. It was sunny - and almost warm for mid November. Both Li and I thought that it might be the last time we meet in the park though. The children were charging round and keeping themselves warm - Kpie even took her coat and jumper off at one point! Now that the pies are older going to the park is less appealing. When they were little I could keep warm when I was swinging them or chasing them on the climbing frame (or rescuing them from the climbing frame when they got stuck). Standing around and watching is not so much fun in the cold - even with a friend to talk to - we just kept reminding each other how cold it was. Much better it will be to go to each other's houses and sit in a drink coffee while the children play in the garden!

In the evening I went out with the girls! Moving to Watford has been lovely for so many reasons. I have lots of family here - my sister and cousins and I decided that we would get together on the 15th of every month. The day varies so it means that most of us should be able to make it most of the time. Some of us have invited other friends so there are currently 9 of us. 6 of us could make Tuesday so we went out to the pub. I was worried that it might be busy because there was a football match on. It obviously wasn't an important one because the pub was almost empty when we arrived! It's so lovely to catch up with everyone and I am very much looking forward to 15th December.

Wednesday is our music day. Violin lessons had been cancelled so we had an unexpected morning off. I didnt manage to get anything useful done though. We all (not Rich) have recorder lessons in the afternoon so we headed off to London for that. Children started learning their pieces for the Royal Festival Hall performance. - we really need to get some practice in of those pieces before Wednesday next!

We always visit grandad on the way home from Recorder. It is a good time to go because the children have their instruments so we can have a little concert for him before he stuffs us all with cake and ice cream!!
Didn't stay as long as usual at G's because Jackie had invited us to tea and I said that I would go to Ru's concert. Only took KPie to the concert because it was a bit late and I thought JPie and Cpie would be bored. I had thought it was just the choir concert but actually it was Watford Band and the choir were guest appearing. The Band were fantastic. I hadn't really been a fan of brass instruments before but I suppose the whole point of playing one is so that you can play in a Brass Band. I must take the other Pies next time - I think they would enjoy it. Kpie certainly did!
Ru's choir were good too. I think community choirs are such a good thing! Ru's singing has improved so much since she joined the choir. They all looked like they were enjoying themselves so much.

On Thurs we had planned to go to a HE meet but the weather was terrible so we gave up on the way there and drove home again. I was out again in the evening - babysitting this time.

Friday was the day of the second concert. I have been trying to arrange some Pyjama Concerts for the HE group here and the first one was last Friday. Spent most of the day panicking and tidying! The concert started at 6.30. I made some popcorn, fruit and biscuit snacks for the children which they had as they arrived. Ch has agreed to play Keyboard for the children so he played 5 pieces which the children really enjoyed. I had some lovely feedback and I am hoping to organise some more.
After the concert Ki Ch and children stayed over for the night. It's always nice to have visitors.

Saturday was lazy. We had a camp meeting in the morning. Fr and Al dropped the pips off and the children played - Rich took them to Green Park for a play. CPie went over to Avie's with the Pips and I collected her once the Co had gone home with KPie. JPie had To for a sleepover.

We ahad a quick swap of children on Sunday morning so that I could take the girls to Violin School. Went straight to Mumbe's after Violin School and helped prep for Ma's Quiz. We had a lucky dip to decide teams and the lovely Green Team - Me Ch Im and An won!! Hurrah!!!

So worn out after quiz that I went straight to bed when we got in!! Such a busy week!!

Monday at MaFr and MaCa

2011-11-15T09:48:00.001Z

Yesterday morning we had a slow start. The boiler man was due to arrive early - we had a leak a week or so ago and have had 2 plumbers come round already - I'm not sure what was taking so long to sort out. The plumber was very chatty!! Really I am happy to leave workmen too it and maybe bring them a cup of tea if they want it but this man insisted on telling me every detail about the boiler and what he was about to do - I have learnt so much!! I let the children watch Frozen Planet on iPlayer while he was here - although I think the plumber would have been quite happy to give them a crash course in boiler repair!
Rich's laptop has a HDMI (or whatever) port so we can watch BBC iPlayer on the television - who needs a TV license! I don't really miss having the license - although I would be happy to pay it if the rules change and we need one for watching catchup TV. Rich misses it a little for the football but we have never had Sky so it is only really a few games that he is missing out on.
The children enjoyed Frozen Planet - I wish I could have watched it with them but I think will have to find a time to watch it with Rich instead.
When the plumber had finally finished his ~~lecture~~ work we didnt have much time before we needed to head out to MaFr's house. I did a little ironing because there wasnt really enough time to get any decent work done!
We arrived at MaFr in time to walk to mass. We walked over to mass with them last week too. The walk really does us some good and it's good to get to weekday mass too. The children can follow what is going on so much more - without the distractions of the family mass!
Walked back to MaFr for lunch and then the children had a play together while MaFr and I hatched plans for starting up a Little Flowers group at church - more on this another time!
We worked on chapter 3 of our Chemistry book. The children did really well and I felt more organised than usual! MaCa had tennis so we had to finish at 4 and head home.
I need to take more pictures!

My Lovely Weekend

2011-11-13T23:58:00.001Z

Started on Friday evening.
Should have been going to a wedding but the timing just didn't work out. I had my nephew in the afternoon and we were really late driving back from Art Club. I don't know why the traffic was so bad.
The pies were due to go to Mumbe for a sleepover so they still wanted to go. Rich went to the wedding party - which was in London to say hello to everyone but then left at the disco part.
Ki and Ch had asked us out for the evening but we hadn't been able to take them up on it because of the wedding. Rich got back early enough and we arranged to meet up for a curry. It was a great start to the weekend.
On Saturday, Rich collected the pies in the afternoon and took them straight over to Ki and Ch so that they could have a play with their cousins. Fr dropped Lu and Do off with me and I met up with the Cos and Nu, Ro and Li. Children had such a good time playing together. They did a very funny talent show. I thought I would break my ribs with laughter!
We took the Pies and Pips home and did our usual monthly Cooking Club. We use recipes ideas from this book (Friday Night Bites) but usually adapt them a little. The children made the usual mess that children make when cooking!! Fr and Al arrived back and we were all super stuffed with food!

This morning we managed to leave in plenty of time for mass. 9.30 mass hadn't quite finished so Kpie and I stood in the sunshine outside which was lovely. Rich popped into the parish centre with the little 2. We went in to church for the Last Post and then back out again and nipped to the side door so that we could see Avie and Grandad coming out! They were on their way after mass to the remembrance service in town.
After mass I spent ages chatting in the parish centre and getting an extra couple of sign ups for the (mostly) home ed Jesse Tree swap that I am coordinating.
After mass we had lunch at Mumbe and Mumbe and Rich went to the blessing of graves. We all went to Ja's for Sunday tea and another catchup with the cousins.
Didn't arrive home until after 8 so have spent all evening emailing people about the Jesse Tree swap and trying to organise some HE meet ups with local Lego boys!

October

2011-11-03T23:03:00.001Z

October was a great month. We did so many lovely things which I should have blogged about at the time but didn't.

Today was also good, friends came over and we did some Gravitas Chemistry together. We did this before when we were in Sheffield still but it was a while ago and I think the children are happy to do it again and their friend enjoyed it too. We are planning to get together every week. I hope we can make it happen!

A good start to the day

2011-10-11T07:13:00.003Z

Went to mass yesterday morning. It was my dad's anniversary - 8 years. It was a good way to start the day in the end. The pies were really well behaved and it was quiet and when we got home we were straight into some work! I think we will try and make weekday mass again.

All 3 worked on 2 world map jigsaw puzzles. Jpie and Cpie much more focussed than Kpie who spent ages sorting the pieces out in a random fashion while the other 2 just got on with it.

At 11am we met up with some other home ed parents in local woods. We went for a walk and picnic - i left our picnic in the car and the pies moaned that they were hungry :( but they could wait - we weren't that long walking.

Came home and finished puzzles, finished music practise and did some maths with the girls. Jpie worked a little on English.

Today we are going to friends for some science.

What happened to Blogger this morning?

2011-10-05T08:29:00.001Z

Everything looks different!

Yesterday managed to tick 7 things of the to do list.
Today's to do list has 23 things on it. (some of yesterday's things are not applicable to today - Wednesdays we are always out for most of the day so I have had to move some of yesterdays todos onto tomorrow's list).

Good things about yesterday:
Kpie went to Chatterbooks at the local library. It's a book group for 8-12ish children. There were about 10 children in the group. Kezia really enjoyed it. Jpie and Cpie chose some books and hared around the library for an hour. Next time I will take them somewhere else I think.

Not so good things:
While I was in the library Avie came over - she works very nearby and said that Grandad was in hospital and could I go in and wait with him in A&E because she had an evening meeting.

Went in at about 6.30 and waited and waited and waited and then he was taken to AAE because his sodium levels were a little low - although not surprised after the pints and pints and pints of water they made him drink because he was dehydrated. Hopefully he will be home today!

To do list

2011-10-04T07:19:00.002Z

Yesterday it had 39 things on it and I ticked off 8.

Today it has 38 things on it.

I think the super sunny October is finishing. It is looking grey today.

but they weren't good ones today

2011-10-03T07:55:00.003Z

The photos. I did take some but they are all rubbish!
The girls had violin school first thing today. I do love violin school. Cpie has 3, and Kpie 4, 40 minute lessons. Cpie has movement (Dalcroze), choir (Kodaly) and then violin. Kpie has Kodaly, Dalcroze, theory and violin. Cpie took a photo of Kpie during her violin class - it is the only photo you are getting today!

We met up with Grandad, Avie, Er, Ja, 1/2 of the Squelliots and 3/4 of the pips, Li, Ma, Be, Pe & Em for a meal at Olivio's I wish I could have said it was lovely because we have had good times there before. But, since it has rebranded as a pizzeria the service is not as good. The same staff own the place and it used to be lovely and friendly and welcoming to children but now it is not and some members of our party were not made to feel welcome. So I am not recommending it!!

It was lovely seeing family. It was Oma's anniversary and after the meal we went back to the lounge room at Grandad's and the children had a good (if noisy) play! 8 children can be noisy! Looking forward to having 10 (10!!!!!!) early next year!

After leaving Grandad's Rich took the pies and Fr to Janet's where we met up with Rich's family for tea.

Did I say I LOVE living near family!!!

I left after and hour or so and popped in to see Ca and Ro for a coffee, then came home and didn't blog.

Blogging - not a catch up

2011-10-02T07:27:00.006Z

I have been meaning to start blogging again for a while. It is really difficult to know where to start and whether I should try and catch up from last time I blogged. But, now, last time is too long ago and I can't really remember what we have been doing since then. Lots of lovely things that really I would like to write about but too much to write about!
So I am having a new start for October. I have an phone with a camera now!!! So I can take photographs each day and my blog might look a bit more exciting! I will try to take photos everyday.
I love living back in Watford. On Friday Rich and I had planned to go to a quiz with 3 other couples that we are related to in some way or another - cousins/brothers/sisters. We had all arranged babysitters but the quiz was cancelled so we went for a drink at the pub. It was such a lovely catchup. We need to do it more often but 2 babies are due in December & January so we need to be organised this autumn!

Yesterday we took the pies to Chorleywood Community Orchard for the apple day. We tried some different apple juices, the pies and Rich tried out some locally grown apples. We met up with Avie, Er, Ja and Grandad. It was very hot. The girls had some face painting

Avie had some apples from her garden identified by a 'nationally qualified apple expert' - who knew there was such a person!!!

They were both eating apples! For almost 20 years we thought one was a cooker. Well worth going.

We went back to Mumbe and had a barbecue in the garden with An, Je, Fi, Ga, Im and Ru too. A bonus last one of the year, probably.

Here is my home

2011-06-26T22:24:00.002Z

I haven't blogged for over a year. It's been a busy year but I didn't really feel like blogging any of it.

We moved house at the beginning of June. We moved home, nearer to our families and we are all very happy!

Here is my home:

it is too messy still - we have been here for weeks so really I should be starting to get more organised but my days are filled with nearby relatives and not so much tidying yet.

Good things are having my mum and my sister and her family and Rich's mum and his brother and family and his sisters and my grandad and aunts and uncles and old friends all close by. We have lived away for a long time but we knew we would come back and... here we are.

Bad things are how long it takes to get unpacked!

Good things are going to our beautiful church and making new friends and fitting right back in with people we have known for a long long time.

Now I feel like blogging all of my life again.

Tea and Muesli bookmark

2010-05-19T08:28:00.002Z

It snowed!

2010-01-05T20:19:00.009Z

Children played outside

Then it started snowing too heavily and we had to go inside. Orange bucket in above picture now completely covered over with snow.

Home!!!

2010-01-04T21:38:00.001Z

Coffee time!!!!

D's Baptism

2010-01-04T21:34:00.001Z

Post Christmas family meet up

2010-01-03T09:49:00.003Z

The cousins:

New Year at F&A's

2010-01-02T10:18:00.001Z

Shelves

2010-01-02T10:09:00.002Z

makeover for Cpie's bedroom

Bed Makeover

2010-01-02T09:58:00.004Z

Christmas

2010-01-02T09:43:00.005Z

Baby

Children

Grandparents

Last week

2009-12-15T09:29:00.004Z

making bird feeder

Victorian kitchen day

Made Marmalade

2009-11-19T16:23:00.000Z

Apple Wreath

2009-11-17T19:38:00.001Z

Jpie dot-to-dotting

2009-11-16T20:51:00.001Z

Cpie as some sort of pirate

2009-11-15T16:43:00.003Z

Hastily costumed but she liked the balloon that she was given at the party!

Cpie set up a tea party

2009-11-12T23:04:00.001Z

and invited her sister and Selly

October Postcrossing

2009-11-02T14:08:00.002Z

27 cards from 17 countries

Halloween Wreath

2009-10-29T19:08:00.002Z

Hyacinths

2009-10-20T21:19:00.003Z

Jpie wanted to go to Hill Top

2009-10-15T19:29:00.002Z

Cpie's bead art.

2009-10-12T18:20:00.002Z

Kpie's boat picture

2009-10-09T18:35:00.002Z

Cpie made a puppet

2009-10-08T19:51:00.002Z

Flowers

2009-10-06T19:35:00.005Z

Grow

Eat

Yum!!

Conkers

2009-10-05T15:00:00.002Z

Collect these:

Make this:

A postcrosser sent us some chiyogami paper. Kpie & I made these:

2009-09-29T15:28:00.004Z

DO NOT LEAVE 3 YEAR OLD UNATTENDED WITH CRAFT MATERIALS!!!

2009-09-29T15:00:00.005Z

Yesterday - felt tip.

Today - paint.

Wedding!! Congratulations lovely Lizzie & Matt xxx

2009-09-29T14:59:00.002Z

Kpie went to Beaver camp, little pies sat in the sun, I drove into a ditch

2009-09-24T10:12:00.006Z

Kpie made a badge

2009-09-16T23:00:00.002Z

Not back to school picnic

2009-09-15T13:19:00.005Z

Number 10 (hopefully it will help the delivery people!)

2009-09-14T17:29:00.002Z

Rosettes (Cpie is wearing her skirt round her neck & Jpie has just dropped his)

2009-09-12T10:01:00.002Z

Can't get good ballet related pictures

New flower bed

2009-09-11T13:45:00.002Z

Holiday & Home

2009-09-08T20:01:00.003Z

Ballet & tap exam day

2009-07-18T17:16:00.002Z

Slightly scruffy pies

I tidied the craft boxes

2009-07-14T06:53:00.002Z

and Cpie found the googly eyes

We went to the Luminarium

2009-07-09T14:50:00.001Z

An explanation of the post below

2009-07-01T09:44:00.002Z

(since I had to explain it Rich)

The exercise was 'draw a story from the Old Testament'
My picture is (obviously) of Moses parting the Red Sea. The blue is the sea and the tiny brown bit is Moses' stick.

The children do not get their artistic talent from me

2009-06-30T19:48:00.002Z

- Stella W. (6)

Cpie Plays Drums

2009-06-28T21:39:00.003Z

& Jpie plays gamecube

& Kpie removes old patio

Baby Budin Goes to Market

2009-05-28T11:44:00.002Z

Kid Bupp stays at home.

Budin takes a rest

2009-05-25T08:06:00.004Z

Work still going on in the garden. Rich and Kpie spent most of yesterday outside and Jpie and Cpie went out in the afternoon. Children were banned from coming in again because they were too muddy.

Budin fell asleep in a picnic basket and Kpie drank his coffee for him.

You can tell it's Budin because he is shy and always covers his eyes with his hands/wings. Bupp is usually found in heap on the floor somewhere.

Peanut Day

2009-05-07T21:34:00.002Z

No blogging for ages but I feel like blogging the Nut Challenge while it is fresh in my mind.

Kpie has been sensitive to nuts for a long time. Since 2005 she has had no scary reactions.
At her last appointment - in April - she had a skin reaction to peanut still but only a minor reaction to almond.

She was happy to have a food challenge to see if she no longer had a true allergy (rather than just a skin reaction - the size of the swelling was borderline). I thought she might worry a bit more but she was fine yesterday when we went to buy some nuts to take.

We arrived at the hospital at 9.30 this morning and she had EMLA on both hands. After talking to loads and loads of staff members and repeating her allergy history loads and loads of times she was finally taken off to have a cannula inserted in her hand. Doctor inserted in one hand, missed vein. Then in other hand, missed other vein. Kpie by this time getting a little bothered and was sent back to ward for a rest. Seconds after arriving back at her bed doctor 2 turned up and tried to put cannula in hand 1 & missed. Doctor 2 decided veins not looking good on back of hand but brilliant veins on arm. She hadn't had any anaesthetic on her arm but he was sure her veins were good and "100% will get it in" missed. Poor Kpie :( - she said it hurt, but she is tough and allowed him to try her other arm. Finally worked! But other arm was her right arm which then made it difficult for her to bend her arm to do any craft or drawing which had been entertaining her for the first couple of hours in the morning.

Nut Challenge finally began at 12. She managed the first crumbs okay but had a bit of an itchy tongue after 2 larger crumbs - which went away after she had some juice. After 2 large crumbs she started to get a bit dozy and wanted to lie down and sleep. She then had 1/8 of a peanut. I read to her for a bit, but when I had finished the story noticed that her eye was swollen. She hadn't handled any of the nut and so challenge continued with 1/4 of peanut. After 1/4 peanut she started to say her tummy hurt then sat up and vomited, vomited, vomited, vomited lots and lots and lots all over the ward. Challenge stopped.

After 20-30 minutes she was still feeling tired and she had started to swell up on her stomach and back, arms & neck. She was given piriton for swelling. She also started to get wheezy & was given salbutamol. After another 15 minutes she was given steroids. She almost immediately perked up and went back to playroom.

We stayed for another 4 hours while she was observed & observed & observed. She seemed fine when we left and she slept well last night.

Would I do it again? Absolutely yes. It was a bit frightening for her but I am glad she had that frightening experience somewhere where it could be dealt with immediately. She now knows exactly what will happen if she eats nuts - and it isn't nice :(. Before she only had a vague recollction of travelling in an ambulance when she was 2. She also knows what peanuts taste like & look like (we have avoided them so much that I'm not sure she did know what they looked like before). I am glad that we have avoided nuts successfully so far.

The little 2 have skin prick tests coming up soon. If they have any borderline skin reactions to nut I will consider having a food challenge for them in a few years. We were offered a food challenge for Kpie last year but 5 seemed too little. This year she understood what it would be happening and she wasn't too anxious while the challenge was happening.

She now will have an epipen - before her reactions were classed as mild because she hadn't had any breathing dfficulties but now they are moderate because she had a wheezy chest. Hopefully she won't need it.

March & April - in brief!

2009-04-20T20:33:00.002Z

It's so long since I've written any blog & blogger looks different!

March was busy - we had lots of birthdays & lots of visitors.
April we have been away for lots of weekends.

Garden is getting there!

Some pictures coming soon!

Melrose

2009-02-15T20:54:00.002Z

Made it safely to Melrose and back.
Arrived late - I hate being late anywhere.
I had thought I might struggle this year without Rich or Barbara to look after me! but I was fine. Didn't get in as much socialising as I would have liked, Cpie didn't go to sleep as well as I might have hoped in the first half of the week. Did finally manage to get some games played by the end though! There were plenty of people I hadn't seen since last Melrose that I would have liked to talk to more but didn't find an opportunity to. Hopefully will get more chance at summer camp - if it happens.
Children had great week. Jpie especially - there really were a lot of 4 year olds! Cpie keeps talking about her new friend. Kpie enjoyed felting and playing her violin. All 3 enjoyed the snow. Bumpable Cpie shows off her sledging injuries to everyone. Jpie really loved sledging. Kpie complained about the cold but was very excited to watch the snow from inside.

This weekend we measured the garden and drew up an ambitious Garden Plan. We also bought a fork and spade, work starts next week! Hoping to pop into O&Gs at some point to raid their shed for tools!

More snow!!

2009-02-05T22:05:00.002Z

More snow today. We stayed in for most of it. It is too hard to remember what we did without photos.
Little pies had a good watch of Cbeebies. Jpie wanted to do more worksheets. Kpie did not want to get out of her pyjamas all day. Cpie played with Selly and Tutu and Ballalina.
Jpie told me that 4+4 is the same as 4 lots of 2s. Cpie told us that there is only one Tutu and that Tutu is not 4.

Cpie and Jpie helped cook dinner.

Pies all went to bed.

Frankie phoned and we did an over the phone comparison of my Welcome to Ocado pack and her Welcome to the Baptists pack. We also swapped snow stories.

I hope that it is clearer tomorrow so that we can get to violin. People were skidding all over our road but I suppose that once I hit the main road things will be better! Not so sure about ballet. It is so high and I used to slip all the way up when we lived near there!

Green and Purple deliveries

2009-02-04T21:25:00.008Z

We had our Tesco delivery cancelled on Monday - due to snow. Which was fine - we weren't really expecting the driver to come out in the snow. I am cross that there is no system for emailing customers - or even phoning them. We were called at 9.50pm - the delivery was due between 7-9.
I am also cross that 2 lots of payments were taken out of my bank account and then the wrong amount was refunded - twice - first an underpayment and then an over payment.

I decided not to reorder from Tesco. Asda and Sainsbury's didn't have a suitable delivery slot. Morrisons don't seem to deliver. So I went to Ocado where delivery cost £0.00 if you choose the right slot!

I lke the website - searching for items is easy and it looks pretty. They don't seem to have the range of products that Tesco does and I couldn't work out how to 'browse aisles' like you can on tesco website. I could get the same shopping list that I had for my Tesco shop though for almost the same price.

That was last night - more about Ocado later.

Today I mostly did learnings with the pies - but not before veg man arrived with a box of purple and green vegetables.

I should have cancelled delivery really, but in all my Tesco crossness on Monday I missed the deadline! Rich will eat it all when we are away.

Learnings:
Kpie really wanted to paint a 'paint it yourself moneybox' that she had been given for Christmas

She got cross after a little while because she realised it wasn't going to look like the picture on the box!
Jpie wanted to do some handwriting worksheets and Cpie wanted to sing along to her nursery rhyme CD.

Cpie had a little nap and Kpie and Jpie and I made block crayons from some stick crayons.

Before:

After:

Jpie making sure he doesn't pass up the opportunity to be in a funny photo!

My phone beeped and Ocado had texted to say that Jessica would be arriving in Strawberry van between 8.30 and 9.30 (Hurrah for one hour delivery slots and Strawberry vans! How much more exciting is Strawberry van than Cabbage van - probably not much actually, only time will tell!) and that all items were onboard (this is useful!)

Cpie woke up and drew with the crayons for a while and then helped me make some bread.

She is covered in ketchup - from a ketchup and bread snack - we were still out of food!

After dinner big 2 pies went to sleep and Cpie stayed in the kitchen singing along to her nursery rhyme CD.

Oma phoned to see how I was getting on with the sewing machine, she wanted to check I knew how to change the length of the stitches :)

Jessica from Ocado phoned to check if she could come a bit early!! She arrived in the right place! and delivered the shopping in colour coded bags:

- and orange too for 'fridge' but that doesnt match the veg box deliveries (the carrots were at the bottom!). It really *did* deserve a picture!

I like Ocado. I like the text message. I like the van names. I like the newspaper that came with the order. I like that I can do refunds online. I like the colour coded bags. I like the free bottle of wine voucher on the receipt. I like having food in my house!
I am going to order from Ocado again :)

I forgot the rules!

2009-02-04T15:10:00.002Z

1. Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

5. For the recipients, leave a comment for the person who tagged you, so they can go and read your answers.

I'm tagging 6 people:

Barbara (restart your blog!)

8 random things about me

2009-02-03T23:10:00.002Z

I was tagged by Clare ages ago.

1. I really hate being late - especially when I means I have to go through a door I have never been through before, or park in a new place.

2. I have only taken 1 driving test. It was on 24th October 1997 and I was 17. I passed. That night I went to see The Full Monty with my school friends.

3. I wish I saw more of my sister. She lives too far away. We spend about 8 hours a week phoning each other - it is not enough chatting time.

4. My favourite month is September.

5. I'm not a vegetarian.

6. My children often call me Stella. For some reason this seems to bother a lot of people - I'm not sure why. I don't mind.

7. I love Taransay. I would choose the Western Isles over any other holiday destination.

8. I work for AQA (the question answering service – not the exam board). I spend too much time answering questions when I should be going to sleep!

Some recent pictures

2009-02-02T11:47:00.006Z

Cpie and Jpie in the snow this morning

Cpie with her cousins:

Kpie reading

Look at me blogging all the time!

2009-01-21T19:10:00.002Z

I am trying to keep my blog up to date! Today we had a visit from Kirsty & co., which was lovely since we haven't seen each other for ages and ages. So nice to have a good catch up over coffee :). Children all seemed to be getting on OK too.

Had another look at Cherry Menlove's blog - Avie showed me it at the weekend. Am not sure if it is getting a bit late to think of my word for the year - but decided it seemed like a good idea. I'm going for decorate. Something I don't seem to be getting around to yet. Will try and decorate the house a bit more this year. Below is a picture of my first bit of decorate:

Pictures are so difficult to take through the viewer thing - I don't even know the terminology! The bulbs we grew this year for Christmas presents - we have a few left and they are dotted around our house. They smell lovely when we come into the house.
My new curtain fabric also arrived today & need to collect Oma's sewing machine soon so I can start making them!!

I could do with a camera

2009-01-20T22:00:00.001Z

My poor blog looks uninteresting with no photos at all.
I do have a camera but it has no longer a backlight on the viewing thing so I am finding it too much effort to take photos. :(

It is on my things to buy list.

Avie Weekend

2009-01-19T19:56:00.003Z

We had our usual busy Friday - violin in the morning and dancing in the afternoon. We went to Ki and Ch after dancing for a curry start to the weekend from my new favourite take away. Had a lovely time with An and Ri there too - you don't need board games for a fab evening (I had almost forgotten....(!))

Whizzed back home mid morning because -
Avie visited this weekend. We didn't do much but had a lovely coffee drinking time :). Avie brought her cooking brains and made a yum chicken dinner for us on Saturday. The pies, as always, were delighted to see her. I did plenty of ironing - Kpie informed Avie that it is 'non-stop washing and ironing in our house' !!

Avie left after lunch today. I took Jpie to Coffee Ladies. He ate lots of marshmallows and had a little play. I drank more coffee and we started to plan Ju's babyshower for Friday!!!

Playgroup with R&R

2009-01-15T17:47:00.002Z

Pies are all upstairs watching Secret Show on iPlayer.

I woke up far too grumpy as a result of being up too late last night. Glad that I had arranged to collect R&R at 9.30 or I can't imagine I would have woken up at all!

Put Jpie and Cpie in the car and drove round to try and find Ra and Ru - it was cold this morning so hoped they weren't going to be waiting too long. Luckily we arrived at collection place at the same time! Drove into Sheffield to get to the FreeRange playgroup which meant I had a good chance to talk to Ra in the car. Cpie and Ru tickled Jpie till he got cross!

Playgroup was really good - just wish it was a bit nearer - or that we could implement a similar setup in our local group - we have a lot of preschoolers there too! I think next time I will take Kpie too - she will be the oldest by quite a way but I think she will be OK if I take some craft along (she is usually happy to play with littles for a bit too). It is nice to go to something for Cpie, who seems to be dragged along with the others most all the time. Hopefully will be able to go again in 2 weeks.

I then had a bunch of things that needed doing in town, which took up the rest of the afternoon.

Need to think about making something to eat. Rich is out at football & I forgot to get the frozen stuff out yesterday/earlier :(.

Too late to be awake

2009-01-15T01:07:00.002Z

and not very flylady.
Got up and dressed earlyish. Earlier than yesterday at least. Pies were up, dressed, breakfasted and out in the garden far too early. I ironed in the living room where I could see them playing. Cpie spilled the bubbles she was playing with, felt too cold and came inside again. The bigger two weren't far behind.
They all decided to play with kerplunk. Kpie gave up trying to put the sticks in after one go though and so they shoved them all in the middle instead. Then they were playing some trading game where they were swapping the marbles and sticks around.
Jpie and Cpie then played Dotty Dinosaurs for a bit.

Kpie had a good long violin practice. She is really hoping to move on to something new at her lesson this week and has been practising lots!
Bigger two went for a walk to the post box with Rich. Cpie helped me cook. We read some stories too.

And I really should be asleep because we have new group tomorrow.

Day turned out OK

2009-01-13T21:58:00.002Z

Kpie was upset that we didn't go to Highfields. I am fed up with driving in to Sheffield to get to groups all the time and we are going to a group on Thursday - really didn't want to drive in twice - and we were expecting visitors.
She still had a fun time with the visitors though. Ry is growing up too quickly!! Ri came too. Rich and Ri looked at the computer for ages & I think fixed it. Pies played playdough and did beading and played with the recycling lorry.
When they left I tidied up the living room. Came accross lots of tiny stickers of animals which Jpie had been given in his stocking. Yesterday the pies had been 'cleaning' - they told me this a few times - and, it turns out, sticking the tiny animals on everything that was clean - so that they could remember. I expect I will be finding them for weeks!

Keeping up to date

2009-01-13T12:47:00.001Z

Pies have all been a bit grumpy this morning. I have persuaded C and K to have a little nap. Jpie is playing with Playmobile.
We are waiting for An and her littles to come over this afternoon so Rich can do laptop fixing. An and I can drink tea and the littles can play!

Ablett visit

2009-01-12T20:19:00.002Z

We had the Abletts over at the weekend - we had had to rearrange from last November due to illnesses, so we were all looking forward to them coming over. E and O had grown AGAIN - they are the quickest growing children!
I managed to make some food - despite having nothing planned - Rich and George went shopping for supplies at the last minute! Children all settled to sleep pretty quickly. The big girls shared a room and managed not to stay up talking all night. We introduced Anne-Marie and George to Settlers and Carcassonne and they introduced us to Bohnanza. We stayed up too late trying to fit in just one more game of Carcassonne.
I regretted staying up so late when children woke up far too early!
After breakfast we put on Sound of Music for children and got in the East wind round of Mah Jongg. Have saved scores so we can play again next time we see them.

The rest of last week was good too. On Wednesday we went to Shirebrook for the first time. I really enjoyed the morning, but we needed to leave early because the planned afternoon activity was bird feeders & we didn't want to take a risk with K.
It's nice to be back to normal after Christmas. Ballet and violin started back up too.

Tomorrow I am going to remember to blog again. I really want to keep up to date with what we are doing! I also need to start the beginner babysteps of FlyLady again. The house is getting all out of order.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T22:05:00.002Z

Have had the loveliest Christmas holiday! we put the tree down today which was a bit sad. Cpie won't let me put away the noisy snowmen that O&G gave her though!

We were just the five of us on Christmas Day. It is the first time we have had not other bits of either side family with us. For ages and ages we were away at Christmas & last year was funny because we were so tired after FA wedding.
Had a great day. Children were so excited that Santa had been! They came up to open their stockings in our room & we had breakfast before church.
I had been more organised than usual on Christmas Eve and had made some sausage rolls & sandwiches to eat while opening presents. Pies got crumbs all over the room so we had a break to hoover and I put capon in oven!
Had lovely afternoon playing with new things and reading new books. We ate latish and then the pies were all tired and went early to bed.

Went over to family on Boxing day. Pies got to see their cousins. They were all sad about missing Janet's though :( Mumbe and Janet and Brian came up at the weekend. We were pleased to have some visitors. Pies were keen to show off the tree!
Brian brought Jpie and enormous recycling lorry which all three have played with constantly since!

BaCh & co. came over the day before new year eve to play their new game (and see us!).
On NY eve we went to KiCh again and had lovely Aagrah (my new favourite takeaway - I wish there was one a bit nearer!).

Whizzed to Watford on New Year's day. For once didn't get much visiting done but had a lovely time at panto. All children loved it and were very good. It so nice to see so many cousins in one place.

Back now and need to get back to some schooling - Kpie wants to do lots learning, she was given a new encyclopedia and it is her bedtime reading! Lots of questions about everything!

Little Pip comes to stay

2008-12-23T14:55:00.002Z

We had my lovely niece staying at the weekend. She is a year younger than Cpie but fits in so well with all 3 pies. They had such fun playing together :) . She talks - a lot and trots around trying on all the dressing up clothes!
We put the tree up and it smells lovely. I don't know what would convince me to get a fake - although Chesks assures me hers is lovely!

We cooked some mince pies yesterday. Am still trying to decide if it was worth the effort.

Cpie and Jpie are having a little sleep and Kpie is watching Cbeebies - might go and see if she would like to do some violining.

Blog Activated!

2008-12-16T10:22:00.002Z

I feel like I need to write something now that my blog is on the blogring again - for the first time in ages.
Rest of last week wasn't so busy. I'm not sure what we did - lots of steaming puddings I guess. I got a huge slow cooker from Freecycle so did them in that & they smell good!
Had a really good weekend. Rich and I went to the Coffee Ladies casino party which was the best night out/night out I have had for a long time. It was really fun to all dress up - and to finally get the hang of (ie win!) poker.
Ba & Ch looked after the pies. They are the best babysitters! Ba gave us a lift to the party and back which solved the who drinks /who drives argument or meant we didn't have to get the tram back.
When we got back to theirs we played more puerto rico. Also got round to playing the new buildings on Saturday which I enjoyed.
Went to Journey to Bethlehem again - which was great but the link doesn't seem to work. We went last year too & they really do put a huge amount of work into it. Cpie loved the little baby!

Kpie's report

2008-12-08T19:46:00.003Z

A report arrived from the EHE person at the council. We had a visit a few weeks ago. The inspector was very nice and Kpie enjoyed showing off her examples of work and telling him which Cbeebies programmes she likes the best. We had a lovely report back from him. It is always good to have other people writing nice things about my children :)

On Saturday we went to find a geocache at a reservoir we have walked round lots of times in the past. We knew there was a geocache there but had never found it - although we hadn't taken the gps before. With the gps we discovered it - we had been walking over it every time since it was stuffed under a bridge!

We went out again yesterday too - to Nostell Priory, which is a NT place near to us. It was really Christmassy there. They had a choir singing carols in one of the rooms and it sounded amazing. Last night stayed up far too late playing online settlers with Ba & Ch & Rich. Was tired this morning.

Made Christmas puddings with the pies this morning - I know it is a bit late really! The mixture is all mixed ready for steaming tomorrow. Kpie was interested in how they were made - the best way to find out is to make some! Rich loves Christmas pudding but only realised today that it wasn't vegetarian (or that - our one isn't!)

This afternoon went to Coffee Ladies with Jpie and Cpie. They mostly behaved! Am hoping Ju from CL comes to the Home ed Christmas party on Wednesday.

Pies are all in bed and asleep now - I am looking forward to an evening of filing (yay! - no really!!)

EDIT their!!! - I hope no one read that already!!!

Winter

2008-12-06T00:30:00.002Z

It really is cold!! When I did the garage unpacking I wore a thin jumper and a fleece and a hoodie and a coat - and didn't notice it too much but yesterday I only had one of the three and a coat and I noticed!

We went to see Santa. It is the first time we have ever been. We didn't really do the whole Santa thing before. This year we went with the other E's to see him arrive at his workshop at the local garden centre and Kpie really wanted to see him but there was a big queue and I also think they charge too much! Kpie was so keen to go she decided to pay with her pocket money - which she has been getting since her 5th birthday but hardly ever spends. We talked about how many weeks worth a visit was and she still decided she wanted to. I decided that if she was prepared to pay for herself I would pay for the little two. He had a nice little workshop although Mary Christmas (ha!) did most of the talking. Cpie didn't want to talk to him but the other two wittered on like they always do.

Afterwards we went to the lovely Christmas shop and they each chose a special bauble for this year - they are building up little collections for when they leave home :) Rich and I chose one each too because we don't want to be left tree decorationless when they are all grown!

Today we had the usual Friday busy. Kpie had a marathon violin lesson it seemed. We always get there a little early so she can have a short individual lesson before the rest of the group. She finally got to start the next piece today - which was quite exciting, but also meant she stayed afterwards for another 30 mins to have more practice and play the it on the chime bars a few times.

Barbara etc came for lunch and coffee. Then we all went to ballet. I hate it when it has to be in the scout hut. Cpie tried to join in the tap class. It is much better when I can keep her in a different room! Sometimes she does go in and watch and join in at the side in the big hall but the scout hut is just too small for that.

Garage Clearout

2008-12-02T23:51:00.002Z

Took advantage of our free weekend to get started on re organising the garage. It was full of boxes from when we moved. The boxes are now mostly in the kitchen - I have unpacked about half of them and taken a car load of stuff to the waste centre - but the garage is much better! We could do with more shelves though.
Today I have spent lots of time unpacking boxes. Had a really good violin practice with Kpie. We tend to get it done every day in bits and with distractions from the little two but today took some time to do it when the other two were asleep, which was great!
Rich took the pies to see their cousins in the afternoon so I could get more unpacking done but I phoned Frankie instead and we chatted for ages. There is nothing like a good phone call to a favourite sister!

Library day

2008-11-29T20:35:00.002Z

Today our weekend visitors cancelled :( (but rearranged for January! - yay!) so we went to the library instead. Have not been to the central library before but our local library is only open until lunch time on Saturday.
Got out another 6 Christmas story books and have wrapped them up, along with the others we got from our local library earlier in the week & some we already owned, to make a kind of book Advent calendar - just need to number them all - or maybe the children can pick one at random each day, which would save numbering. We are starting our advent tomorrow since it will be the first Sunday of Advent at church.

KPie has also done some learnings today and Jpie was keen to do a writing worksheet. CPie has been a bit teary today and yesterday so she got lots of cuddles.

Farm

2008-10-08T20:29:00.001Z

Took all the pies to the farm today for a home ed visit. Kpie really enjoyed it - she said that she wanted to be a farmer when we were driving home. Jpie also like it but he says he still wants to be a nurse.
CPie fell over while we were there - nothing new!

A party

2008-10-05T20:29:00.002Z

C&J were both ill this morning when they woke up. This meant that I decided not to take them to the party. They were looking a bit brighter when I came back from mass but I didn't want to risk passing on any bug to anyone else.
Took just Kpie - she enjoyed herself. Playmania very good at providing nut free food for K.
Jpie very upset when he realised he missed out - we left when he was asleep, but happy after some cuddles and XFactor.

Bulb planting

2008-10-04T20:32:00.002Z

Jpie and Cpie both slept in until 9 this morning - very out of character for Jpie!
After breakfast Kpie did a writing worksheet. Jpie coloured in some of his hungry caterpillar colouring book and Cpie played with playdough and did some drawing too.
Rich & I got on with the reorganising of the study.
Kpie then did a self portrait and we stuck it on the magnetic wall.
After lunch we all went to the garden centre and bought bulbs. Too rainy today to play in the playground or look at deer so we went to Morrisons instead to buy glasses. Arrived home and filled the glasses with aquatic gravel and glass beads that we found in the garage and put the bulbs on them and then away in a dark place.
Cooked lots of things for the freezer - just waiting for them to cool down so I can put them in.

Back

2008-10-03T19:14:00.000Z

It has been a long summer and it feels like we have spent very few nights at home.
back now though.
Took K to violin today and K & J to ballet and tap.

Need to blog a tiny bit every day to get back into it!

I have managed to buy a laptop with my AQA earnings, so I now don't need to fight with R over computer time.

Home Alone

2008-08-17T12:29:00.002Z

Rich has taken the pies to Watford for a few days, so I can sort out the study and the home ed shelves and get more organised - the LEA man is visiting in September and I want to date Kpie's work a bit better than I have been. And blog more - it helps me remember what we do.

I have about 5 "since the beginning of october posts"

2008-03-19T21:38:00.002Z

saved as drafts, but I don't think I will ever finish any of them.

So just going to start from now.

Today the pies mostly played in the garden. The vegetable man brought vegetables and Cpie helped put them away. She is talking all the time now - in longer and longer sentences every day. Her longest today was, "I done a poo on Kezzy Budin" - she hadn't (thankfully). I tried to build her a bed on Monday - got all the bits of wood out of the garage (it is half a bunk bed) but couldn't find the screws etc. So now there is a pile of wood on Jpie's bedroom floor :(

We got a new car! After I got crashed by a lorry and wrote off the old one. I am just learning to drive it properly (ie change lanes on the motorway smoothly without hitting the catseyes) I think the wheels must be further apart.

New House

2007-09-11T17:25:00.001Z

we are now properly into our new house, which is great - although there are still a lot of boxes in the garage which could maybe get unpacked one day!
we were without internet for ages and ages but now it is back and I have been looking at other things than my blog! erm... mainly facebook.

have been camping twice - to parish camp, which was fantastic this year - really enjoyed being with everyone. The children all enjoyed it too.

Went camping again at the weekend, which was very relaxing, and lovely to see 3/4 of the pies cousins - we missed Lpip very much. F and Cpie look like they will be good friends - they were very cute together.

Birthdays, weddings, friends, moving house, facebook

2007-07-18T20:59:00.000Z

Last Saturday was Jpie's third birthday. We were at Avia's and had a little party for him.

In the evening it was Aalia's wedding. Actually Allia's wedding had been going on for a few days. I had seen her at her Mendhi party the day before but just Kpie and I went. I have a photo of Kpie's henna hand, she is very pleased with it :)

The wedding was great, pies were tired though and very grumpy by the end. Cpie grabbed a handful of curry to eat and then needed to drink lots of water! Up till then we had just been feeding her bread.

Was also lovely to see Fiona, Fionna and Anne-Marie again. We are only seeing each other at weddings :( I hope to try and catch up with people before Fiona's wedding this time! I think the last three times I have seen Aalia are her wedding, Anne-Marie's wedding and my wedding.

Drove back up north without the children on Sunday to start moving into our new house. We hired a huge (it is the biggest thing I have driven!) van. I am very proud of myself parallel parking outside our house!

Joined facebook at request of friends I was at wedding with. What's with the stalking though?
Within two hours of joining my cousin had requested me as a friend, the next day a long lost university friend had added me and today another person from my past sent me a message.
It is nice to know what people are up to I suppose... And Lizzie did invite me to a BBQ via it, so it must have its uses!
If you use it I don't at all mind being added. I am presently a bit of a billy notmanyfacebookmates.

A short blog.

2007-07-08T23:24:00.000Z

it is raining today
STILL raining!!!!
We didn't get flooded. It doesn't feel so great though to walk to the next street and see ruined furniture piled in front yards :-(, It's very sad. We just had no power for a bit. Lots of people don't have lots of stuff anymore.

We do have lots of stuff. So much stuff. I completely underestimated how much stuff we have, we have to pack it all in the next few days because we are moving in a week and we have a wedding to go to next weekend which will take a few packing days away from me.

My Family/The Counting (Part 2)

2007-06-25T09:22:00.000Z

As reported elsewhere; we had a family get together at Oma and Grandad's house on Saturday. Photos of most people are on Avie's blog (see the link!) but here are the missing people (Alex, Lizzie and James - and Avie!)

Lizzie, Alex, Matt and Frankie:

Peter, James and Rich

Cat, Freddie, Grandad, Eric, Kpie, Avie, Oma and Imy

Sleepy F and Budin - I think he has a similar look to Cpie

It's so nice to have everyone together. It's great for the children too. Rich's family have a get together on Boxing Day too and I really love that the pies get to see their extended families on both sides.

I was supposed to be going to Kessingland this week but I'm not sure I can face camping in this weather :(

A picture of Great Aunty Janet

2007-06-20T12:41:00.001Z

Party Weekend

2007-06-18T07:48:00.000Z

The Dangerous School for Boys is on tonight on Channel 4. One of my best friends at university helped to get it set up and she still teaches Latin and English there. I'm hoping that it will be positive because she works really hard there and is very passionate about the school and also her faith. But, given that the school is very unusual I think it will come across as bit bonkers!

We had a lovely party weekend. R's birthday party was on Saturday and NCT BBQ on Sunday.
Cpie is very good at climbing now. She got to the top of J&J's climbing frame by herself just after this photo was taken!

edit - I can't believe I forgot this! We left the car at Da & Da last night and walked home and early this morning I ran there to pick it up. Yay me! I was exhausted and it's only a mile but still proud of myself!!

Photot Update

2007-06-16T08:21:00.000Z

I am trying to use the computer less. That means I have less time for the blog.

Here are some photos of things we have been doing this month:

Bekonscot with cousins

Taking Jpie on the train to London:

Going for a walk:

Cpie's Words

2007-06-07T07:28:00.000Z

Cpie has started to say words.

Some words that she can say:
Up
Down
Jump
Shoe
Door
Milk
Yes
No
Spoon
Mama
Daddy
Kpie

And she tries to sing Wind the Bobbin Up.
She says "bobobob pull pull ap ap"

Ecclesall Woods

2007-05-13T15:43:00.000Z

Went for a walk in Ecclesall Woods yesterday. We had originally planned on Stanage Edge but Ka phoned in the morning to say there were dark looking clouds in that direction and it might have been a bit windy for littles.

Ecclesall woods were great though. There were lots of logs to climb on and the stream to play in. I didn't take my camera and the photos on my phone are not that great.

Cpie is not good in the Mei Tei I have. Jpie used to be really comfortably carried in it but Cpie jsut wriggles about too much and it pulls on my shoulders. I need an Ergo I think. I tried out Cat's with Cpie when were in Watford a while back and it was really comfy. I had tried out Sarah's once before with Jpie and didnt get on with it. But maybe different babies suit different slings.

Ch brought E,B & R over to our house for the afternoon.

Rich put EyeToy Groove on for them all. E made up very difficult dance routines to challenge Rich with!

I worried that they might get bored of playing PS2. It was raining so we couldn't go over to the park so decided that we could make biscuits, which was less chaotic than it might have been and also took about an hour which was good. The biscuits needed chilling for an hour. Kpie wanted the Hama out but I thought it would be too messy and Cpie might eat them all so gave them the Cuisinaire rods instead:

Jpie and R played with them for ages!

After eating Cpie was getting grumpy and tired so Rich put her down to sleep and I put The Incredibles on for everyone else and fed them biscuits:

Jpie also fell asleep about 15 minutes into the film and I returned borrowed children when it had finished.

Today we have not been very busy.
Rich made flags with big two pies. Kpie and I also fitted in 100EL.

I went to Tesco which I don't do very often - usually we get groceries online or in Hillsborough. -but I quite like occasionally because I get to judge other people based on the contents of their shopping baskets.

Stella needs....

2007-05-13T09:54:00.000Z

As seen elsewhere on the blogring. Google your name with needs...
I chose pages from the UK. There were too many new homes to wade through otherwise.

"Stella needs"

Stella needs a new home.
Stella needs a new mum.
Stella needs to leave immediately.
Stella needs to unravel her past.
Stella needs more than just food.
Stella needs urgent medical attention.
Stella needs to ride in the bus.
Stella needs to watch out.
Stella needs an alibi.
Stella needs kicking down the stairs just to get her moving.

Some photos of my lovely children :)

2007-05-11T20:00:00.000Z

Now I have my camera back....

Two Pies.....

Three pies.....

Cpie and Tiny

All Ill

2007-05-09T19:28:00.000Z

Well, that may be an exaggeration.
Cpie had a bit of a temperature last night but was sorted after some Calpol and cuddles.
Kpie fell asleep on the sofa this afternoon, which is out of character but doesn't necessarily mean she is ill.
Jpie ate 1/4 of a tube of children's toothpaste. I was cross with him. Not even sure how he got hold of it as it is usually out of reach.

Pies had a lazy day

Rich is tired.

I think they are all recovering from camping still!
I am fine!!

Didn't take any photos today.

Going to see Tiny tomorrow. I am very excited!!

I found my camera!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-05-08T20:25:00.000Z

Although I wish I had found it before we went away for the weekend because there were some lovely photo moments.

Got back yesterday from a weekend camping near Edale. I had the most fantastic time. There were moments when I was just really enjoying being happy. I especially loved it when all 15 of us were sheltered out of the rain in Barbara's tent eating the BBQd food. And I also enjoyed the long walks and views from Lose Hill.
Really wish I had photos.

Back home to a load of laundry...

Will take lots of photos this week :)

2 Great Grandparents + 5 Great grandchildren =

2007-04-28T23:08:00.000Z

CHAOS (apparently........)

What else are we doing?

2007-04-27T09:20:00.000Z

Can't think where the week has gone to. Keep meaning to blog but have been spending my evenings chatting on the phone....
Bestest news is, that we met the exchange contracts deadline. YAY! Now we just need them to finish building it.....
Have had lots of friends round. Lizzie and Dr. Bob came over for a BBQ on Wednesday and Kirsty and M&A came over yesterday. We've been out visiting too - big pies spent the night at Kirsty&Chris at the weekend and we went over there for a BBQ when we picked them up. I am really looking forward to living a bit nearer to them.
Went to Sa's on Monday. Haven't seen her since NCT at mine last.
Havent made it to Tues NCT for ages - it's moved to Thurs and I keep forgetting....

Kpie is still 100ELing. Jpie tries to join in a Kpie gets cross.
Cpie is starting to say a few words.

Twitter and MapMyName

2007-04-27T09:14:00.000Z

why am I doing it?
Spie

Map My Name

I don't really live in the middle of Hillsborough Park :D

2007-04-20T20:20:00.000Z

Just got back from youth group, which was surprisingly good :)
Although I have the feeling it needs just a little more structure if it is going to become a weekly thing. But for a one off it was great.

This lunchtime we had Sheffield homebirth support group at our house. A few people came which was great. I had had an enquiry earlier in the week from someone planning to have twins at home - she has had two home births with her other children and is (luckily!) living in Crookes and getting some support from the one2one team (Melinda delivered one of her children - aaahh). Although the team are trying to get funding so that she can also be attended by an independent midwife experienced in twin homebirth, which would be really great -although seems unlikely to actually happen. I had invited another mum with twins who were born at home- and they had loads to talk about :). I am so glad we are getting the group going now, it feels great when you can help someone out by putting them in contact with others.

Busy doing something

2007-04-18T22:33:00.000Z

It took an age to get the pies out of the house this morning, although at least we had keys ;)

The phone just kept ringing.

Eventually we made it out of the house to Magna. Where it was sunny but cold.

My lovely friend Anne-Marie texted the arrival of her new baby :D .

Shouldnt have stayed up so late. Another busy day tomorrow.....

Sunshine!

2007-04-15T20:50:00.000Z

It's been lovely to be outside in the sunshine most of today. I'm tired now though.
Thought I was going to go to bed but have decided to blog the last few days instead.

I need to find my camera :'( Keep seeing the pies being lovely - today is the first day I have really reallt missed it - and not being able to take photos - I'm going to have a good look this week.

THURSDAY
Ju and Is came over in the morning, which was lovely. Can't remember what we did in the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Ka and her three littles went swimming at the pool near us and came round for lunch. Ch dropped them off but then came back for some lunch too. Rich was here - he had gone into work early in the morning but his lab was still smelling badly of formalin so he came home instead.
It was nice to have everyone here. Kpie was really really pleased to see Em again. Ka and I drank tea (we have no coffee!!!!).
Had a quiet afternoon. Ki was planning to come over but had emailed in the morning to cancel.

SATURDAY
Woke up fairly early. After breakfast made some cakes with Pies, they were a disaster really. We don't makes cakes very often - I think we need lots more practice, they just didnt' look like the picture at all! Rich iced them with Kpie and they tasted lovely :D
Mumbe and Ru arrived mid morning for a visit. They got to try the disaster cakes at lunchtime.
Rich remembered his friend was having a leaving Sheffield party so he took Kpie over to meet his friends at Hardwick Hall. Cpie had a short nap and then, after lunch I went to show Mumbe and Ru the progress on the house and we had a short walk in the woods.
Arrived back home at the same time as Rich. We watched Watford getting trashed by Manchester United :( and I cooked dinner. Mumbe and Ru had a long journey back home

SUNDAY
Today I had a meeting of the Children's Liturgy group before mass, so I walked across the park to get there and realised what a lovely day it was :). I'm not on the liturgy rota but Janina had invited me as an "interested user"!
The liturgy is really squashed at the moment. There are loads of parents and children squashed into the priest's dining room and hall and it is just ridiculous when we have a perfectly good hall to use. It has got much much worse since attendance is now one of the things taken into account for admission to the primary school.
There now has to be a register of attendance so that we know who is coming each week. I am really uncomfortable about it because it has meant that there are a lot of new parents who come each week to the preschool group but don't really join in and sit and chat which is totally disruptive - especially when the room is so small.
The solutions that people are proposing just seem to be much more trouble than they need to be. There are currently two groups (pre-school - who come with parents and school age -who don't), firstly they were thinking that the preschool group could go in the hall but that the school age could go into the presbytery but people with children in both groups were unhappy about leaving their older children too far away. So I suggested having both groups in the hall. This is too difficult because children have to go on a tiny tiny bit of pavement outside the church grounds to get to the hall from church, but it is a very quiet one way street,so I don't imagine it being a huge problem and, anyway, there are loads of parents who will be there with the preschool group to help escort the children back into the hall afterwards.
But NO!! apparently we need a rota of the school age parents to make sure that they come out of mass to escort the children. I just can't understand why. There are an average of 40 children so someone at the meeting was saying - oh it won't be too much they would only have to do about 2 a year, which would mean you would only have to ask 2/3 each week. I just don't understand how an extra three parents will make a difference when there are already at least 20 adults (preschool parents + liturgy leaders). I'm sure they will realise once it gets started!
Anyway, we managed to get 1/4 way through the agenda before mass started - so there is still lots to do!
After mass we went for coffee and then decided to pick up some stuff from home and head over to Clumber Park for the afternoon.
Clumber Park was the most packed I had ever seen it (although we do usually go in the week - I had forgotten!) but we managed to park and have a picnic before Jpie had an accident (In the car!) and I had to put some of Kpie's pink pants on him and rinse his trousers out with bottled water.
About 10 minutes later he had another messier accident (again in the car! - which they were not supposed to be playing anwhere near!) and we almost gave up and went home. I put a nappy on him this time - his trousers had dried in the lovely sun so we went for a walk instead.
By 6.30 we were all tired and so headed for home. All pies had a long long bath and I sat down to write this blog, then got distracted by The Importance of Being Ernest and saved to draft!

.....continued

So I now also need to remember what I did today and yesterday to finish filling in.

MONDAY
Had planned to meet Ka at soft play. Had everyone ready to leave by 10 but spent about 15 minutes looking for my keys. Eventually was so stressed I phoned Rich who had taken both sets. And asked if I could use the back door. Yes, that was possible but I wouldnt be able to use the car and the tram doesnt go to Heeley.
Rich got the tram back. Put pies in car and drove Rich back to work and then on to soft play. Arrived just seconds behind Ka - she was unloading children as we parked. Was so pleased because I had been stressing that she might have left already. Jpie managed to stay out of nappies all day!
After soft play I went to NCT, Rich's lab still smelling of formalin :( so picked him up again on the way (he had got some work done in a different lab) and he had the littles (who had fallen asleep in the car) while I took Kpie to NCT. Drank lots of coffee - Ro always has decaff which is good because I am trying to give up proper coffee (again!) and chatted - mainly to Da about the childrens liturgy meeting (she is a leader for it).
Took Kpie home and Rich sorted out food for us all. I played with Cpie for a while - until she was falling asleep and I took her to bed.
Left bigger pies with Rich and went to Janina's for a meeting about Spinkhill next Sunday. Judy was there two - the pair of them are bonkers - they now want to make cardboard cutout hearts for the youth group teenagers to take home (with their name written on) after the art day on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooo glad I opened it up to younger children too! At the end of the evening Judy almost forced me to play Othello with her despite my protests that I hadn't played before. It was very simple and I completely Othelloed her - despite my best efforts to politely lose to "the pro" to be polite on my first go of playing. oops. Goodness knows the ego damage I may have caused if I was really feeling competitive!

TUESDAY
Today for the most part has been quiet. We had planned to go to Highfields but JPie wanted "an upstairs rest please" so I put him in bed and also Cpie - both of them promptly fell asleep. Kpie decided she would have a Cbeebies rest and promply went into total meltdown when it didn't work. I made her go upstairs and lie down in my bed for a bit and went up with her to read her some stories. She was still a bit cross but then fell asleep and didn't wake up till 4.30 when Rich came home.
Cpie and Jpie were playing some game that involved lots of giggling when they woke up so I left them for a bit for some good bonding (and so I could spy on them being cute!).
When Rich was home and Kpie finally up again we all went over to the park because Kpie wanted to learn how to play "Crispee" (the rest of us would say Frisbee!) since she found our one in the loft.
We had lots of fun! Cpie just ambled around. Pies found it hard to throw.Might see if we can find them a smaller one.

Have spent all evening on the computer, ordering Hama for Saturday and updating blog.