Fishfingers and custard, trains, and lavender soap

Well its been an eventful week round here. We were treated to a fantastic day out on Sunday at the Leatherhead Miniature Railway, where there was a fantastic funday. Lots of families having a day of train rides, picnicing, eating cake and enjoying the sunshine together. We went with Pete's parents and our friends Dave and Janine with their children.

This week I also ran an organic soap-making workshop for a couple of fellow home educating families. I was a bit panicky about the wisdom of doing such a 'dangerous' activity with children as every soap book says don't do this with kids! I needn't have worried as they were really great, very sensible, and we had no mishaps at all - in fact it was loads of fun :-) We're doing another one next Wednesday. I think this activity is going to become seriously addictive!!!

Our lovely smelling lavender soap! How exciting! It will be cured in time for Christmas.

We have also been doing some table activities, messing around with the 'hot dots' set that we bought ages ago and rarely use, playing with lacing cards, and plasticine. Our last playdough batch was a sticky gloopy mess but we played with it anyway. Thank goodness we finally chucked it, I was getting tired of washing up the dreaded stuff!

Herb astounded me by getting Henry Hoover out all by himself, and tidying Finn's bedroom with him, without being prompted. I took some photos but they came out too dark. The whole room was arranged and sorted unbelievably neatly, bed made, even the pillows and cushioned were symetrically arranged and placed just so ! Who abducted my kids and replaced them with these ones?!!!

Finn wanted to make apple pancakes, so we did. He also made some top notch smoothies, and served everyone brekkie. Bless him.

We watched THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR DVD three times in one morning, on repeat play. Normally this would bother me, but this dvd is really special. I may have to do a 'Motherfunker's Guide' of the best children's DVD's sometime. This would be up there. I won't praise it too much for now. But it is FAB!

The boys play a lot of chess (and beat me!!!) , and just lately they have discovered Yahtzee. I guess it's a more gentle way of learning multiplication than robotically memorizing them the old fashioned way.

Indie made a rainbow card for someone very dear to us, and the children sang the song ROY G BIV by They Might Be Giants to help remember the order of the colours.

Generally we don't use schoolbooks in our daily learning in this household but every now and then they can be a nice way of complementing and consolidating all the organic freesyle learning they do. When they're adults they'll no doubt need to fill forms and may choose to study in this way so best prepare
them a bit for that now.

We have also been enjoying our new decking area, which is a nice change from the pile of rubble thats been there for the last year! 

 

 

 

Mummy having a relax for once!

Last night, Pete made a delicious soup made with all the different veg we've been harvesting from our garden. Yum!

 

And finally, here is Herbie trying out fishfingers and custard.....it's a Doctor Who thing!!! 

See you soon!

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