Hail, Thunder, Scorching Hot and lots of snot

Last weekend saw the last of our rugby events for this season with a Memorial Match being played for Charity.  As my brother used to play for this team, and knew the man that it was in memory of, he came down for the weekend to play, and also had a game of touch rugby alongside D.

There was also the usual ice cream vans, cuddly toy tombola,, face painting  and bouncy castles to keep the younger kids entertained - for at least five minutes

This week we carried on with our Home School routine and the end of the week has seen J and myself with a horrible cold, and also some horrendous weather - thunder and lightening, hail and also cold enough to have to put the fire on for ten minutes to warm the place up!

This morning I gave the house a good clean, then popped over to the Farmers Market with J and my parents, had a lovely Cherry Milkshake at the cafe, then home for a Bacon Sarnie.

In the afternoon I sat outside for a while and it was boiling - the weather just cannot make its mind up - this flipping jet stream palaver is starting to get on my nerves a bit now, but still hoping it will be flip flop weather again tomorrow :-)

HE W/C 12th May 2013

We started this week back in full swing - as we have had a few disrupted weeks as far as home ed has been concerned.

The older two are now buckling down to some hard work for the next two months before breaking up for the summer (although there will still be one study day a week during the holidays).

Maths - have been setting this for three times a week  for one to two hours (one in the morning, one in the afternoon).

This week studies have included:-

Angles - both
Long Multiplication - B
Year 8 Test - D
Year 9 Test - B
Foundation GCSE past paper - B

English Assignments for both.

B - questions on:-
‘
Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen (1920)

D questions on:-
Extract 1 from
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Also have just purchased several books from a recommended English reading list:-

Of Mice and Men

An Inspector Calls

Great Expectations 

A Christmas Carol 

Othello

Romeo and Juliet

Pride and Prejudice

Notes from a Small Island Bill Bryson

The Kindness of Strangers Kate Adie

Charlotte Grey Sebastian Faulks

The Color Purple  Alice Walker

I Know why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou

The Hobbit

The Lord of the Rings Series

Rudyard Kipling

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Enigma Robert Harris

B is starting with The Color Purple and D The Hobbit.

English also included copy writing, reading and spelling.

Biology - from GCSE revision book.

J

I found a Little Red Riding Hood Activity Pack at 123 Homeschool 4 me. and we have been concentrating on the letter R this week.

We also made a trip into our local Home Ed Group for the first time in ages, happened to be a nice afternoon weatherwise, and we will try and make a bit more of an effort in the future to make these meetings.

Sunshine at last, rugby, football, bike rides, BBQ's and Beach Rugby

Continuing from my last post,which was almost a month ago!


We were originally scheduled to go to a rugby festival, but because of flooding in the car parking fields it was cancelled.  Most of the families of the team were all packed up, so we opted for a day of beach rugby.

Now we did get some rather funny looks from passers by who were walking their dogs along the sea front in the wind and rain, as we setting up a beach tent, laying out blankets and trying to light a stove for hot cup of tea.  Eventually though, the sun did come out, and a good, but a little cold, day was had by all.

The next week passed by with a flurry of tour preparation, but still managing to get the children to stick to their education routines,I am pleased to say.

The tour to Gloucestershire went extremely well, named "Pretty in Pink" as the team decided to wear very loud tour shirts with bright pink socks, playing a game on the Saturday morning.  The parents got into the spirit of things by all wearing something pink.

Back to the Scout activity Centre afterwards to unpack while the boys went abseiling and rifle shooting.

D opted for the rifle range

Later the boys and dads,plus a couple of mums played football and tag rugby.

After our meal, we all went outside where there was a fire going and had some of our local  cider.

Thankfully I had Marshmallows with me

Next day we played a team from Bristol. less said about the score the better, and the back home, totally exhausted.

Monday was a write off, as we were very tired, but we did get back into a normal route, probably by Wednesday, and then the sun came out, first time in ages, so the children decided to sit outside and study.

J has started football sessions, which he thoroughly enjoys.  He also, in one match, made two brilliant rugby tackles, hoping that he soon stops confusing the two games!

James t\king his first corner

The weather then deteriorated, just in time for a rugby festival, right on the edge of the moor.  Our team did go on to win the Shield having gone into extra time in the final!

Into the next week which M had to have as leave, which ended up being a very good thing as summer hit the UK, well, the South West anyway.

Every morning the sun was streaming into our bedroom, making the DIY that M had planned more difficult to do, so we opted for sorting out our little garden area out. Making trips to the local garden centre, and of course having to stop in their cafe for a latte and a piece of cake.

The good weather  continued well into the weekend, and we even got a tan. It was lovely to be able to sit outside and have my morning coffee in the warm sunshine.

It bade well for our "fun day" at the rugby club, hosting touring sides, including cooking breakfast for over 100 people.

Had a great day, and even had a go at the women's tug of war, along with B,which we won, but oh do my knees know it!

Bank Holiday Monday - lovely sunny day, made a trip to the park and then had a BBQ inviting my parents along too.

This week M was back at work, B and D  continued to study for their iGCSE's, and I have made a start, small though it may be, but its a start, on giving our house a bit of TLC, as it has been neglected this last few weeks as we have been quite busy.

 I also have been helping  J learn to ride his bike without stabilisers, so lots of trips to the park. Unfortunately he fell of his bike and hurt is knee, which he wanted me to take a photo of

We then sat and watched a bowling competition,and one of the bowlers talked to James about the game, and let him feel how heavy the bowling ball weighs

James convinced me that the only way his knee would feel better was if he had a milkshake at the local cafe - he picked cherry flavour



Friday it was Presentation Evening at the Rugby Club, and I managed to get a photo of D with Chiefs Players Sam Hill and Jack Yeandle

So the end of the rugby season is nigh, although I love it, I am looking forward to the break.  But it doesn't end just yet - there is a charity match tomorrow which my brother has come down to play in, and D is also playing in a touch rugby match alongside my brother - both have shoulder injuries, so hoping that both will get through it without adding to their injuries.

Our Wedding Anniversary

Yes, we may be heading off early to go on an Under 13 rugby tour to Gloucestershire - but today is very special - our Wedding Anniversary

17 years and still going strong

We ended last week with a great day out at the beach.  Not your normal sit on deckchairs type day, but of course, a rugby type beachey day.

Our festival was cancelled early in the morning due to flooded pitches, so as we were all packed with picnics, stoves and blankets, we decided to have a rugby session on Exmouth beach.

Have to say that when we first got there I thought maybe it had been a bad idea.  M set up our little pop up tent, and the stove, but the wind was howling and it started to rain.  All three of of children stayed in the car for about half an hour before they ventured out.

Anyway, as I predicted with my old weather lore fascination, "rain before 7, fine by 11", the sun did come out and it was indeed fine.

Spent the day there, with not a mention of the nearby amusements.  J had a lovely time making sandcastles and covering  his sister with sand

And himself

While Danyny in between rugby matches, jumped from the sand dunes with his team mates

Onto this week.  On Monday and Tuesday it was M's day's off.  We went into Exeter on Monday, bought few things for the tour, and also went to my not so favourite take away outlet, KFC.

We are back into the new term, and both the older two studied Math on Monday before we went out, and put in a few hours on Tuesday, Geography, English and Maths for B, Chemistry, English and Maths for D.

J has been having great fun playing games that I found in the Charity shops. Falling Monkeys, which is like Ker Plunk, but with monkeys instead of marbles, and also Mr and Mrs Potato head play dough board game - sounds complicated - it is. Involves lots of chopping off of heads and other body parts.  I also bought a game which I played with my grandparents when I was younger, called Tell Me.  Its quite simple, but fun, and J had a go at playing that too.

It was also nice at the beginning of the week to sit out in our little garden in the sunshine.  Also went over to the park and library, J on his scooter, and sat in the late afternoon sun.

Wednesday

I thought I would get everything organised for the weekend, and give the house a good clean.  B and D got on with their English, and thanks to Animal Crossing keeping J occupied, I got quite a lot done.

Today

Well, not so productive, and I am grateful that I got lots done yesterday.J was awake during the night, not feeling well, He couldn't get back to sleep so we watched the end of The Empire Strikes Back and then almost to the end of a Harry Potter Film.  So now he is fast asleep.  M is at work on a 12 hour shift, but thankfully my lovely teen, pre-teen have just bought me toast, tea and orange juice.

Sunny out there today - make most of it.

Just a quick post

Following on from my last post - (we were off to a Plate Final), it ended in a draw,and both teams decided that they would like to share the Trophy, which was really sporting of all the players. So the team are now Joint Winners of the Devon Under 13's Plate Competition!

So mainly a lot of rugby stuff going on in the past week. Had the trophies presented to them at the club, J got one too as the teams official mascot. It was my Dads birthday on the same day and  B made him a lovely cake.

We have still been on our Easter Holidays coinciding with the schools, and I have been busy planning for next term, update here

That's about it for this last week -  very short post indeed.

Up and out early today - another rugby event to go to - hoping the weather is good today.

x

Easter Break, freezing temperatures and spring like weather

Good Friday

M had to work until 2pm, so had a quick clean up in the morning, and made a quick visit to my parents place.  Wasn't feeling too good first thing, bit coldified and bunged up.

Had fish for lunch of course, and had invited my parents over to have a big roast for our evening meal, but I went downhill in the afternoon and ended up laying on the sofa sneezing and coughing.  Typical.

Saturday felt a bit better, but still not 100%. 

I helped  J make his Easter Garden which he throuroughly enjoyed.  I managed to stop him adding people to the garden, and by people I think he meant his toy soldiers as he reckoned that the garden set looked good enough for a battlefield!

Easter Sunday

Lots of Easter eggs of course, and after Church we went into Exeter to visit M's parents - more Easter eggs.

In the afternoon we went over to the park so James could play football, very very cold. 

Easter Monday

Really really really cold. We had thought about going to the Zoo, but with freezing temperatures we decided against it, especially as we would want to get our moneys worth as it is quite expensive.

Instead we, along with my parents, went to The Waie Inn, which has a great outdoor play area, and inside you can play skittles, pool, darts, chess and it also does quite food food.

I was ace at skittles, but M whipped my ass at Pool. (My mother beat D at Pool too, but I wasn't supposed to mention that)!

Tuesday - M still off, so he painted the living room, B painted the fireplace in her bedroom and I continued to Spring Clean (will be Autumn by the time I am finished.

Wednesday -M off again, this time for the Devon District Festival.  Bit of a weird day, as D was not playing alongside all of his home team, but his team won one, lost one and drew one, so not too bad.

Thursday - M back to work on a 12 hour shift. J and I decided to go for a walk, and while we were out it snowed.

Friday - I took J into Exeter to do a bit of shopping, mainly bras for myself.  It has been a long time since I have been able to buy a bra without having to think about whether it is suitable for breastfeeding.

Anyway, over to good old M&S for a decent bra, and one sexy black number I found in the sale too ;-)

We then popped into the museum where they were holding a craft session for kids "Whacky Animals".  J made a "Dalek Bird" which he was really chuffed with, and I didn't have my camera to take a photo, and by the time I got round to it, the "Dalek Bird" had been destroyed in battle.

M and D went to fitness and training in the evening, I went to the Club and had a drink before coming home for a meaner than mean curry that I had stuck in the slow cooker earlier in the day.

Saturday

The sun was shining, and when it wasn't behind a cloud it really did feel warm.So I cleared up the garden.  When I say garden, it is a small space of decking, enough for a bench and patio table and chairs.  Lots of pots ready for flowers to be planted though, and great views of the countryside as we are quite high up.  As J said, its nice having a garden up in the air.

Today

Up early and feeling nervous for my boys.  The team M coaches and D plays in are in their first ever final today.

Hoping desperately for a win.

Come on boys!

X