First Week Back

Monday started off with all of us moaning and groaning but by the end of the day we had accomplished a fair amount including a batch of banana muffins 

Our Tuesday treat was a visit to the Flower Bowl cinema to see the " Horrible Histories" film and it did not disappoint!  Plenty of humour, gory facts and the usual historical sing along :-)  Since the viewing was bang on lunch time we ate an early lunch at Barton Grange courtesy of Aunty Judith's Christmas gift card and would you believe it true to form they were working on the Christmas displays!!

   

Pip finished this weighty tome the following day, she literally couldn't put the book down :-)

Wednesday was Pip's usual football training session at the YMCA.  Since the library closes at lunch time on that day I sat and knitted in the car whilst she was charging up and down the gym.

Thursday was our mammoth busy day with a trip to the Civic Centre at Oswaldwhistle.  A friend had mentioned that her son was working towards an Arts Award and after having read her blog post our local district home ed group was advertising the class.  Pip really loved her art sessions with Erika when she was small so it seemed a no brainer.  We met a lovely bunch of mums and their home schooled kids, three exisiting kids and three new attendees.

 The lady running the group talked about the different art award levels beginning with bronze through to gold.  As a newbie Pip will be working towards a bronze award.  The group worked on a simple activity of making templates that would then become small boxes.  The girl next to Pip also had an impulse to draw and inspired by her Pip worked on her own pencil drawing:

The older girl's drawings inspired Pip's free from face.

Completed Boxes.

After the session had finished we just had time to head home and then within an hour back out again!  This time we were heading to UCLAN sports centre in Preston so that Pip could attend a training session with Preston North End girls squad.  This was her first time actually playing a football game and she did really well.  Since she still has a bit of catching up to do she has been placed in the development squad which also includes goal keeper training.  As from next Thursday she will attend a two hour training session from 6-8pm.

Today has been a very productive day.  In addition to an English comprehension session and the usual maths sheets, Pip worked on her Arts Award.  Using the computer she wrote an 'about me' page as well as a commentary on yesterday's session.  Her big interest at the moment is Pokemon so she drew an image of Ash the trainer and then adapted an image of Picachu and made a 3-D Lego version of this Pokemon:

All in all a reasonable week but I am glad it is the weekend :-)

Hexham Abbey :: Pantasaph Shrine :: Clitheroe Castle

I am late posting some of these photos but as usual life seems to run away with me.  When evening comes all I want to do is sit and knit and I find any computer work messes with my bedtime. However Pip is currently working through a Maths paper and I am making use of the non teaching time :-)

Hexham Abbey

On our way home from Jarrow we decided to extend the holiday and made a visit to Hexham Abbey.  Last time we called they were in the throes of building work for the cafe and so this time we were able to enjoy a welcome bowl of leek and potato soup with oat cakes.  Before entering the Abbey cafe we took part in a #stopbrexit rally and added our dot, the kids were also given stick on badges with the #bollockstobrexit and it sparked one fruitful conversation in the cafe!  

In addition to the cafe the Abbey also boasts a really interesting and informative hands on display that delves into the history of this beautiful building.  Pip had loads of fun dressing up and we both enjoyed having a go at calligraphy, she faired way better than me since I was sent to the turnip patch!

 " Off with her head!"

I do love brass rubbings! 

  

Almost recreating this scene from way back when, missing the ice creams though!

Pantasaph Shrine

Dave and I had the bank holiday weekend to ourselves, Pip stopped with Dave's Mum and Dad and Ben stayed with Sara and Tom.  Our original Saturday plans fell through at the last minute so we did a hare brained thing and travelled to North Wales!  The journey going was 3 hours but returning home was thankfully half the time!  We had a most welcome lunch in the shrine cafe accompanied by a mega cafetiere of coffee, it was sorely needed for the driver! We also managed to spend some quiet time in the Padre Pio garden and attended mass in St David's church.  The shrine shop had some lovely prayer cards and a marvellous second hand book shop, I came home with a stack of reading material just for me :-)

Clitheroe Castle

Mary stopped with us last week.  The girls attended Beacon Fell Adventures forest school camp on the first two days, we had a day at Fleetwood shopping centre to buy art supplies, jumpers and wellies and our last day was at Clitheroe.  It was definitely the best day for an indoor activity as the rain was teeming!

 Pip not sure about the 'feely cupboard'

 An animal height chart.

 Making a finger puppet.

 Listening to  a story about the littlest knight.

Just before leaving the sun came out and we climbed to the top to look out over the town and it's surrounding hills and dales, it was pretty impressive. 

" Hello from up here, to you Dad down there!"

It's our first week back in the home school classroom and all I can say is, " Lord, deliver us!!!"