Finding inspiration...

...And running with it.

It is hard sometimes.
What?
Well, just everything sometimes!

Keeping momentum, keeping encouraging, keeping from being a deranged harridan.
Not that this is an "argh, everything is too bloomin' tough, give me a cup of tea and let me have a lie down" moment. Just that it is a bit tricky.

Pounce on something with too much enthusiasm and you scare them off. Let them get on with it by ignoring them and they play pokemon allllllll day. How much is too autonomous? To a true autonomously home ed-ing family that is of course an oxymoron. But I guess thats the trouble. Wanting it and letting it actually happen are two different things. So we tread a fine line, a little dance, letting them  choose whilst guiding them. Not pushing them to pick up one of those reading books you thought would be ace but they barely looked at when they came, but spotting and being there to help when they do. Not putting them off when they want to build or experiment even though you have just started making tea.

And so today I am all ready to pounce upon an idea mentioned in passing, an inspired idea and something that could grow. But, this time I shall take it slow. We shall walk with it and see how far it goes, I am then surely much less likely to trip and fall flat n my face.

Bits and pieces.

The shows over for another year.
Sleep is being caught up on again.
As are other bits and pieces.

dress done!

First "Thank yous" written

Wire stripping

Battery building

It works!

caterpilar spotting

Blueberry frozen yoghurt

Pizza making

Its a boiling hot day so we are going to tackle the meadow (lawn mower broke, rain came, grass grew) in the back garden so that we can have some garden camping fun! Fingers crossed for a clear evening and a good camp fire.

In the words of Jay Z....

I got 99 problems, but to stitch aint one.

I'm sure he said something like that.
Maybe a little bit more sweary!
And maybe he wasn't talking about all the sewing, crochet and homely craft projects he has on the go?
Anyway, I don't have a problem, just need a few more hours in the day to get it done!

This one is done! pretty snuggly quilt

New B'day pattern, neeeeed to make now!

Holiday dress for Ellie (Jersey is tricksy)

Holiday nightie for Ellie (just needs hemming)

Lovely stash (the blue at the top is high on my list)

B'day stash- Gotta love Liberty!

Crazy, Giant Granny square blanket- almost done!

Birthday Lunch

What does a Mummy really want to do on her birthday?

Hmmn, shopping spree? Curl up with a good book? Eight hours sat uninterupted time in front of her sewing machine? Sat surrounded by lots of lovely yarn and her crochet hooks?

All of the above if you're me!

I hadn't figured home Ed roller skating into the equation, but we did! Followed by lunch with 7 kids from three families (okay most were mine!) aged from just turned 7 to almost 15 who chatted, coloured, debated and were all round brilliant while we had a lovely leisurely lunch.

Even big boys like colouring!

Pottering

It's Monday, we're pottering.

Ideas are being hatched, priorities thought about.

I can hear someone playing guitar and I know they're not yet dressed. I think we can safely assume their priority! Maths has been studied and a poem recorded, all before 10am. The T.V turned off for the third time by me (really getting serious about being one of those crazy no T.V families!)

We have "Thank you's" that must be written and washing that is piling up and dog hair rolling like tumble weed down the hall. But instead we have been talking about heroes and inspirations, looking up the word derogatory and writing this blog!

So we are pottering, skipping around the bits and prices that must be done, while doing the things we love to do.

Now must walk the dogs and hang some washing before sitting and finishing my crochet!

{This Moment}

A special moment from the week, inspired by soulemama.com.

Happy birthday to me!

Made for me (stand and cakes) by my beautiful Ellie. How lucky am I?

Cornwall, Cornwall, Cornwall (we love it)

A bit more from our crazy, birthday camping trip.

Picture the scene.....

An early start, 6.30 a.m, the sky is blue and everyone is cheery.
On the road counting through counties, stopping in Gloucestershire on the way. The rain has started. The car is now rammed (camping Grandma has tried to pack light - no straighteners) and we have a trailer too.

The rain is battering the car as we pass Bristol and we are now being buffeted by the wind too. Checking the trailer can be spotted bumping along behind every five minutes. The games have now begun to pass the time. Thinking of an animal is a favourite, but always check at the start that the animal is not a mythical creature or extinct and to remind them not to change their minds half way through. Lengthy debates start when the correct categorisation is questioned, because how can a mammal have four legs and two arms?

We reach exeter before I notice, my concentration being on crochet and not being drawn into any more of the above! One of my favourite bits of our journey as the M5 splits and ends and we carry on round onto the A30 in a fabulous long swoop and we start on a series of wonderful ups and downs making our way into Cornwall. We look out for the trees. In times gone this would mean we were 5 mins from home or to put the kettle on as Daddy/Grandmas/granddads/any happy visitor were nearly here and we had just recieved a text saying "Trees" and knowing exactly where they were and what they had just seen. We then hit our first sign that reads "Cornwall" but we don't count it until we have crossed the bridge and the Tamar and a cheer goes up.

We know we are nearly there but the next 45mins feel like much longer. As we cut across country, around the lanes and shortcuts we know, the trees are bent double. We keep glancing at each other with half crazed smiles thinking about the massive tent we have to try and pitch atop a cliff, with four (excited) kids and what is likely to be a very wet, reluctant to camp, Grandma. The rain comes and goes a bit, maybe it looks a bit brighter towards the sea? Ironically it had stopped as we drove past Okehampton, one of the wettest towns in the world. Surely that can't be a good sign! But the weather here is always changeable.

At last we spot the sea, between hedges and dips. Round the corner and down the hill we park on the beach. A spot of lunch (pasty of course) and we decide to risk it. It's gusting and the rain comes and goes. Proper big drops and then soaking mizzle. We have no pictures. It was all hands on tent. At one point it really did feel like it might blow away. But the wind and rain paused just enough to get it up and pegged so beds could be made and the car could be emptied. We were here and sorted for just two nights. Was it all worth it? I think the pictures of our first day say it all!

Tents up, it is still raining and blowing a gale- lets go surf!

Have rocks, must climb.

9pm and the rain has stopped

look- rock pools

running to the rocks

"I promise not to get cold, wet and sandy just before bed"

Best catalogue pose

Strike a pose

Happy Birthday!

Look at those sleepy smiling faces! Just woken up in a tent on the top of a cliff in Cornwall. About to open a pile of presents each that were somehow squeezed into car and trailer. And the sun was shining!
As displaced children of Cornwall (how dare their parents move them to Northamptonshire to make a living!) there was no place else they would rather be. As newborn babies their first trips were to the beach swaddled in blankets and tucked into slings and they still love to ask "which was the first beach I ever went to?" or "where did I first see the sea?"!!!

This was the view yesterday morning! Four surfers in the water at about 6am, glorious sunshine and the tide as far out as it can go.

Others were less inclined to rise at such an early hour! And sunny skies make for a colder start to the day. But birthday croissants and hot chocolate were consumed and squeals of delight heard across the campsite as gifts were unwrapped. Before one last trip to the beach was made, this time in beautiful sunshine, with gentle rolling waves and happy faces.

2 sleeps

2 sleeps to go.
What shall we do?
Looking at maps.
Planning.
Sea, surf and sky!

Only 2 sleeps before we have just 2 sleeps in one of our favourite places.
But it doesn't matter.
We can see the roads that will take us there.
Picture the cliffs.
We're excited.

Taste the salt, feel the sun and squish the sand.

Tired and catchy uppy

Tired from my hours spent with Uncle Stephen and friends. Boy do they work hard for a 1/2 hour show!

A moment of panic, but it was okay they just had the wrong stamp!

So excitement over for one year on again with life. Oh, but the glamour!  *sigh*

Now, when I say glamour I mean numb bums and 3 hours waiting to see if we would actually get in and who knew so many people would want the 11pm train to Northampton on a tuesday evening? But it was totally fab and worth it!

Now of course back to the what have those little home educated urchins been up to?

Learning to cook a roast dinner

Tackling the crossword

Watching the brilliant Egypts lost cities

Ooo, I've been making a quilt

Doodling and playing passing pictures

Being in a local paper

Playing word games

Loving the Flower Fairies

losing that wobbly tooth!

Will and David have been "Conquering Maths" with their new online program which seems to be suiting them well and makes me feel good too. Playing games has helped Ollie feel better about tackling numbers, so we feel like we're on a maths winner at the moment with Mia getting the hang of money and  counting it to help with tables work. 

So with tired head, I'm happy to be having a pootling kind of day, reading here, chatting there and hoping for an early night!

QI

QI, QI, QI!

I'm super excited.
A whole lot of me time.
Watching a taping of QI!
The wonderful Uncle Stephen.
The lovely Alan.
Fingers crossed Clarkson isn't on the panel.
Crocheting on the train.
Chatting with a friend.

To all involved (like a dodgy Oscars speech), Those who made it possible.
Thank you!

I'm sure I shall return a better home Ed mummy, or completely knackered for days.
We'll see!

QI, QI, QI, QI, QI, QI.........

19!

Birthday brownies for breakfast.
YO! Sushi for lunch.
A look at the fabric in John Lewis.
Whizz round Ikea.
Buy meatballs for the freezer.
All in time to be back home for a quick change and a nice meal out!

Perhaps not your normal 19 year olds birthday itinerary, but it is our 19 year olds choice of a good day out.