Elberry Cove

Wow a blog post on the day it happened. 

Today we met up with a few of the families from the local home-ed group and went to Elberry Cove. It was a beautiful day and even though the schools are now on holiday the beach wasn’t too busy. The Children amused themselves for hours by the ruins of the old bath-house throwing stones, exploring, paddling, rock climbing, playing with seaweed and watching the Beadlet Anemones open up as the tide came in and covered them with water.

It was such a relaxing day but we were tired out by the time we came home and Maisie fell asleep on the sofa.

This evening while watering my raspberries the sky looked like this

sounded like this (swifts flying about)

and smelled of this (nextdoor's Jasmine growing over our hedge)…………….beautiful.

Cockington

A lovely picnic with friends at Cockington Court.   To see more info pop over to Vic's blog at "The Liberty Tree"

Legoland and Stonehenge

After saving up our Tesco points we cashed them in for tickets to Legoland, Windsor. Everyone had a great day. 




We didn’t realise that on the way to Legoland we passed Stonehenge so stopped on the way back to take some photos.  The week before Fraser, Kirsty and I had been talking about Stonehenge possibly being used as a calendar in days of old.

A day out at Decoy with Dad

Concert, Compass and certificate

Some highlights from our last couple of weeks.



Also I passed my food hygiene course with 100% score.  It’s been a while since I’ve sat any kind of test so was rather pleased with myself.

Fruit picking

On a rare dry June afternoon we went fruit picking with some other home-ed families. Afterwards some of us went to a very quiet and beautiful playing field by the Teign Estuary to eat our picnics and strawberries.
Victoria very kindly let me use some of her photos.

Norman Feast

After a few hiccups we managed to have our Norman Feast. The girls dressed up while the boys carried swords (my old highland dancing swords) and shields made from dustbin lids. When we arrived Fraser announced that he was Saxon and not a Norman. We had medieval food (with a bit of modern thrown in for good luck), music and costumes. Some of the children drew their own version of the Bayeux tapestry while others rehearsed their medieval play. It was a good day and we even had a bit of “Normans got talent”.

Mum's visit

At the end of April we had a long anticipated visit of about 2 weeks by my Mum. The day after she arrived was beautiful and sunny so we decided to make the most of it and go out especially since it had been like winter back home for Mum and Dad. We went to Dartington Hall for a walk round the gardens then finished it off with hot chocolate and cake.
The second day of Mum’s holiday (if you can call it a holiday) was the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Maisie decided to wear her dress up wedding dress and wanted to arrange a Royal Wedding afternoon tea. Everyone was banished from the dining room while Maisie, with a little assistance from me, arranged the Royal Wedding tea. Paul woke up from his nightshift just in time for the tea but missed the wedding ……..hmm not sure if this was a coincidence.

We also managed to fit in some shopping with the occasional ice-cream and coconut ice pit stop.

Spring walk

Here are some photos of our walks in April.

Canonteign Falls

Towards the end of April we had a home-ed outing to Canonteign Falls. It states that it is the highest waterfall in England but in fact Cautley Spout (Yorkshire) is the highest in England. The UK’s highest is Eas a' Chual Aluinn near Kylesku, Scotland. I never knew this until I posted this blog and I’ve been to Kylesku a few times as we had friends who used to live there.

English Civil War re-enactment day

Eeek it’s been a while since I’ve posted, so much for at least once a month.
Way back at the beginning of April there was a Civil War re-enactment day in Exeter. It was nice to have something that the boys could really join in with, handling pistols, marching in formation and ending with sword fights. They also learnt about the daily life in the time of the Stuarts.

Wii, weaving and weather

On Sunday we had the joint Cubs, Brownies and Rainbows church parade which involved all of us, except Paul and Cameron. It was a good turn out which is encouraging.

After a bit of home-edding on Monday morning we went shopping for bits and pieces to make a dog costume for Fraser, who's playing Dug from “Up” in his theatre club show. This was his last day of rehearsing before the show next Monday. Maisie borrowed “Dance Junior” for the Wii and in the evening she made a “show” that we all ended up joining in.



Fraser as Dug



The girls, friends and I went to Coldharbour woollen mill on Tuesday while Paul on his only day off took the boys golfing. The girls had a go at carding, spinning and weaving. We all had a tour of the mill, it made me feel nostalgic seeing the bobbins and Hattersley loom then hearing the clickety clack of loom weaving. Funny how I really didn’t like filling the "eachahan" bobbins (not sure of spelling) when I was a child but now look back on it fondly, glad I had the chance to experience it. It was a beautiful day so we ate our lunch outside by the river. After arriving back home it was a quick turn around for Rainbows and Brownies who were making pipe cleaner tiaras and hama beads Royal Wedding souvenirs. I was rather tired at the end of the day.



Maisie carding



Kirsty spinning

Maisie spinning

Maisie weaving

Maisie weaving

Kirsty weaving

Kirsty weaving

Wednesday morning the children had computer club at the library, I had a look at some books, drank coffee and chatted with another home-ed Mum/friend. After computer club we went home did a bit of tidying in the back garden and stopped to watched a couple of ladybirds go about their day (hope they stay for the summer and eat any aphids we get). We took out the garden tables and chairs and had lunch outside in the lovely sunshine hmmm……………….. Later on we studied a bit more about the Normans then the children did their own thing while I prepared dinner. Fraser had Cubs after dinner and since it was a lovely evening we walked him there, coming back via the beach.

Another lovely day on Thursday, late morning we took a donder down to the beach, met up with some friends, played, did a bit of dog spotting then back to our house for more playing, chatting, drinking tea/coffee and eating cake. Mid way through our tea/coffee and chatting we were entertained by the girls singing some Christmas Carols…………….different but very nice.

singing Christmas Carols

 
Yesterday was wet and rainy so a day indoors catching up, chilling out and Kirsty made “cookies and cream chocolate brownies” in the afternoon.


making chocolate brownies

 

 

Today we decided not to go to film club and have a lazy morning at home.  It's a glorious day so who knows what the rest of the day holds.

sleepovers, searching, sewing and shopping

Ooh another update within the month............ (note to self, don’t get too excited it may only be a one off)

On the 1st Cameron and Fraser were over at their friends as I was at Rainbows and Brownies with the girls and Paul was working. It was decided that the boys would sleepover at their friends and I’d have the girls. This was the first time Cameron and Fraser had been for a sleepover (having never really wanted to go before then). I think I was more nervous than them and it seemed strange not having them in the house, but all had a good time. The next morning was Computer club and then we went swimming. The following day we were supposed to go to an anniversary picnic but we were all wiped out.

Last Saturday the children had film club in the morning, and then the girls went to a birthday party at Bygones, which they really enjoyed. Kirsty kept asking lots of questions. In the evening we all went to friends for a Chinese takeaway.

On Sunday our church sermon was about what it means to be a follower of Christ. When we go home I created a Bible treasure hunt for the children. They loved it and now want to have one every Sunday.

Monday we met up with our local home-ed group at Goodrington beach but we didn’t stay long as it was a bit too cold.

Tuesday was a quiet day at home until it was time for Rainbows and Brownies.

Paul’s only day off this week was Wednesday so the children had computer club in the morning, and the rest of the day was spent at home as family time together. Fraser had Cubs in the evening.

Thursday we were supposed to get together with other home-ed families to plan for our Norman feast at the end of the month. I just didn’t feel too good so we stayed home. We read about the Normans from “Our Island Story”. The kids love this book and studied old maps to see where all the battles and invasions took place. I made a start on Kirsty’s Norman dress.  Paul started helping the boys to make shields out of dustbin lids the day before.

Yesterday we went to visit friends in Tavistock, we’d never been to Tavistock before so another Devon town to tick of our “to visit list” ( we don’t literally have a “Devon towns to visit list”). Tavistock is a lovely town on the edge of Dartmoor. We had a lovely day with our friends playing with the DS’s, toys, drinking tea, chatting and had a trip to the local park.

Today while Cameron, Fraser and Kirsty were at film club this morning, while Maisie and I went looking round the charity shops for material for her Norman dress. We also found a pair of red/pink curtains that she wanted made into a dress. After lunch the children’s friends came round to play.