Meet Poppy

After eight years of being without a feline friend, we relented and this sweet gal came to live with us on the weekend.  Poppy has wasted no time in settling in well and she is a constant source of amusement and fun, just what we all needed:-)

 All photo credits go to Dave :-)

Round Up

I am actually managing to upload a post before the end of the week :-)  In the good old days I used to post on an almost daily basis but at the moment a weekly post is about my limit.  It has been another busy week:

On Monday Benedict had his first ever sleepover.  He stopped with Connie and co and she very kindly took both him and her son Sam to a woodturning group in our home town in Cumbria. Connie was a superstar as the diabetes did not play fair that day and Benedict's blood sugars were rebounding all over the place, whacky highs with crashing lows, one of which occured in the middle of the night!  Thankfully he woke up and was able to treat the hypo himself and then settle back to sleep.  

 Catching up over a cup of coffee on the Tuesday morning.

 Benedict giving himself insulin, he holds that pump just like a gaming keypad!

 A little bit of "steam up" for Dave :-)

Montessori Maths

 A fun hands on way of reinforcing place value.  Pip works really well with hands on activities and she gleaned the information much quicker than using a stand alone text book.  She is making steady progress with her maths and has almost finished Singapore 2A.  She was showing some weakness in place value but this hands on task soon sorted that problem ;-)  We are dovetailing with Galore Park maths especially for the topic on money which is based on the UK currency.

On Wednesday I made my way "back home" to the Bernadine sisters at Hyning and stepped foot into the icon studio.  It has been a year since I graced these walls but I am remembered with love and welcomed:

The prayer that we always say before beginning to paint.  We paint in silence save for the background accompaniment of some classical music and the occasional request for "help" regarding a painting connundrum.  I did not have time to stop and paint but I did catch up with Sr Stella and attended the midday prayers in the chapel.  I have recovered my painting paraphernalia from the caravan and will joining the group once more on a Wednesday afternoon :-)

Another Aestlight Shawl

 I hand dyed the yarn and as soon as it was dry the garment was cast on, knitted and cast off within the week.  I am currently working on Benedict's socks and already have my next project in mind.  I can see that if I don't have something on the needles I will suffer from withdrawal symptoms!

Random Stuff

 Pip has worked really hard on her science topic this week and enjoyed placing the food items into the relevant groups.

 Benedict had fun using up the left over mincemeat and making mince pies.  There is an online food course run by Jamie Oliver and you can gain a recognised qualification at the end.  We are currently investigating the possibility of Benedict taking part because he has a real skill in the kitchen.

 On a cold dreary day when I thought the cupboard was bare I still managed to rustle up a feast, lentil bolognese, gluten free spaghetti and baked apples for dessert.

A well deserved computer break with some online friends who blog over at pyjama school  their mum Sarah has set up Christian Home Ed (CHED) minecraft.  The kids have really enjoyed making some new friends and it is good to see them working together as a team.

Sunday Snippets

The days and weeks seem to be whizzing by, February already, eep!  I have been bitten by the knitting bug hence my absence from here :-)  I have finished the first sock for my February socks and they are a mahoosive size seven and intended for Benedict.  He is a very knit worthy young fellow and is long overdue some yarn love from his mum.  The brown aestlight shawl is off the needles and waiting to be blocked and I have started shawl number six with another of my hand dyed by me yarns!

The kids have been busy with meet ups, home school work and helping around the home.  Pip stayed with friends in Liverpool last week for three days, she stopped with homeschool friends ( we holidayed with them last year in Walsingham) and had a fab time.  Benedict is going on his very first sleep over with another home school family tomorrow and will also be attending his first ever woodturning class, needless to say he is super excited :-)

Here are some pictures of our days this past week:

Benedetto's Restaurant

 

 Benedict has been responsible for some rather tasty treats from the kitchen this past week.  Not only does he make delicious food he is "epic" when it comes to the post food prep and post meal clean up.  That boy is "King Cuisine" :-)

Junior Science ~ Our Bodies

Did you know that an adult intestine is 10 metres long?  

 

 Measuring using Dad's old metre rule from his civils days with the railway :-)

 Mum's intestine started in the conservatory ...

 ... through the lounge ...

 ... down the hallway and up the stairs and ...

 ... landing in Pip's bedroom.  Blimey no wonder I have stomach ache!

Our next lesson was demonstrating "peristalsis" and the proof that you can actually eat whilst standing on your head :-)

It has been a very loong time since I did one of these!  Pip thought it hilarious :-)  The last shot albeit red faced is me eating a rice cake, lol!

Our last practical experiment for the day was to make a plastic lung and the Usborne 1000 science experiments book was a great help:

Left to right, deflated and inflated.

A Dad and Son Day

On Thursday Pip was away staying with friends for a few days and I attended an away day at Rydal Hall, so it was the lads in charge :-)  A surprise trip to Benedict's favourite eating place was planned:

 Benedict's favourite.

 Dave's lunch.

Yarn Tales

 Summer Stripes, kool aid dyed yarn, aestlight shawl. 

I guess you could say, "that's a wrap!"  I really must pop by on a regular basis thus sparing you dear reader from an epic photo fest!

Be Blessed xx