w/e Sat. 15th April 2006

Still taking a break from "official" work this week and I've been amazed at how the kids have been able to amuse themselves and learn in their own way! Lots of socialising too this week, friends and cousins, so a busy but happy week all round (and the weather is finally warming up so we can get on with sowing our veg. seeds soon (once I get round to buying the compost, that is)).

Friends from the HE group came round on Tuesday afternoon and lots was accomplished. Doing scoubies, cooking delicious choccie biscuits (courtesy of Jamie Oliver), playing music on the keyboard, playing bowling on the PC, lots of chatting and a fabulous cushion fight. B went to his cousins house on Wednesday afternoon while K and I looked round a lovely 7 bed showhouse for decorating inspiration (didn't work, just ended up wanting the house!), visiting cute bunnies at the local garden centre and meeting three beautiful Hafflinger ponies and having a tour of a new stud and possible riding school just outside our area. On Friday, K visited another HE friend for more scoubi making and lots of playing with dogs, cats and rabbits! While she was there, B, P and I had a looked around a water garden centre (as B loves anything water based) with lovely tropical gardens, ponds, mini rivers and waterfalls. There was also three King Charles spaniels two of which took a shine to B and followed him around the centre (as B in also into dogs, this mini outing ticked all the boxes!).

B has been reading all about trains and drew out a mini track for one of his model trains. We may expand on this next week and add some paper mache hills etc., to add some interest. He's also into his PC bowling game and used old liquid yoghurt bottles and a large marble to simulate a real bowling alley. He seems to enjoy using this ("thud, thud" as the marble hits the skirting board) together with his punch bag ("doof, doof") early in the morning to not only wake us up, but probably the neighbours too! B's also continuing with his Easter project of making a poster about caring for guinea pigs. We found a lovely child friendly guinea pig site to help him along with lovely drawings and little stories too.

K has been making small dioramas for her models as well as some lovely medieval tack. She's also got back into making scoobies and has followed instructions to make a helicopter and mouse and designed her own scoubi rabbit this morning too. K's started a new website now all about making scoubies with step by step pictures and instructions to make the helicopter. K also made a cute short film on Billy the rabbit to put up on her forum for all the view!








K's scoubi helicopters.


Another warm day today, and my parents came to visit which is always lovely. Kids enjoyed the extra attention. Went to a garden centre to look at the small animals and see some rather famous sheep that had been on a film set yesterday for the forthcoming TV drama of Jane Eyre.

Have a good week!