Weekly round-up

Short week? It looks like it... but it wasn't really! I'm sure we've done loads... just not much that was worth taking a picture of!

... it's been a beautiful week, weather-wise, and for once we got to appreciate it... here, up in the Clent Hills... Dad, me and Spike...

... followed by a free cuppa (thanks Webbs!) in Webbs garden centre, and the collection of a prize that Spike had won in the Birds of Prey trail that we did at half-term... we never seem to win anything, so a nice surprise this was!

... too good to stay indoors... back to the Clent hills... Mum, Dad, me, Bubs & Spike this time... followed by another free cuppa at Webbs on the way home (they had given us vouchers in February, and we absolutely had to use them up!) and icecream for the kids!

... I actually ventured out and put clothes on the line this week... ahhh... it smelt so very lovely when I brought it in, even if it wasn't completely dry... and Bubs gave me a cuddle later and told me that I smelt of 'outside' and that was a lovely thing to say... as I do so love the 'outside' on days like this...

... the dreaded eye exam... (dreaded only by grown ups... because if their prescription has changed it's big money to get new glasses!)... both Bubs and I have to get new glasses... Bubs was delighted to have the opportunity to change her frames... me, well... I'm not entirely sure what I picked as as soon as I started browsing, Spike said he needed the toilet, so we had to move quickly after that and I just sort of grabbed something off the shelf... we'll have to see what they look like next week, not much I can do about it now!

... Saturday, though not so bright and clear, felt like a day to try and sort the garden! My hands and arms are sore! I pruned bushes (and hid the budlia through the hedge and over the fence behind!... it was too big for the bin or for the huge pile of clippings now adorning the side of the garden!) and dug a huge bush out... on my last legs of strength, the kids came out to give a helping hand and we felt like we were part of the story of 'The enormous turnip'!... it really was a very big root ball, and boy am I glad it's out... I should have taken a picture, but my hands were too sore! I think I probably did too much on my own, but I wanted to prove that I could actually do these things myself! Just one other bush to dig out... but it wouldn't budge when I tried and I didn't have any strength left... another day...

... a pleasant Sunday afternoon stroll to watch the steam trains from the bridge...

Weekly round-up

... a bracing walk in the Wyre Forest at the beginning of the week... where it started to snow quite heavily... and the tea shop wasn't open :o( O well! It was good to get out in the fresh air...

... a much needed trip to the Library to return books, and gather new ones...

... our 'potatoes for schools' came... so that's a start for our garden this year...

... 'chess' pieces... made while discovering Sweden in Geography through Art...

... a trip to Ikea! we miss not going so often, but don't like the drive to this one very much, so don't go too often... 

... cheery Geberra, forced spring leaves, and cress...

... a chinese take-away, and a McDonalds drive-thru...

... baking bread again... I have been doing it for a couple of weeks now, and the kids have adjusted well... they had got used to the shop-bought bread and I thought the transition back to more wholesome would be a difficult one, but it wasn't really...

... Home Ed group at Beckford... they had a drama teacher and the kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves...

... History Club at Hartlebury... and a chance to catch up with friends over cake and juice afterward...

... spring haircut for Spike!...

... Easter sewing...

... a little birthday party for a special soft toy... any excuse to play party games and have cake!...

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY,  Monday 22nd February 2010...

Outside my window... I can't see anything... the curtains are closed!


I am thinking... I don't think I am actually! My head is a bit 'fuzzy' this week!...


I am Remembering... the peacefulness of the weekend...


I am thankful for... the signs of spring...


From the learning rooms... Bible study: Adventures in Odyssey; Literature, selections; History: Hannurabi, Israelites in slavery, China + Shang Dynasty; Science: pre-flood climate + types of bones; Geography: weekly world pictures, Sweeden; no Fine Arts this week as we usually do them on a Friday and we have Home Ed group this week; usual 3 Rs...


From the kitchen... today, baked potatoes, salad, cheese/tuna mayo; tues, veggie fried rice, fried egg; wed, chicken casserole, green veg, mashed potato; thurs, ikea meal; fri, spag bol, veg; sat, sausage + potato hotpot, veg; sun, frozen of choice


I am wearing... jammies, dressing-gown...


I am creating... the odd bit of crochet and sewing... I really intend to spend some time on it this week... I just need some of that ever-elusive 'time'...


I am going... to get to bed at a decent time!...


I am reading... Praying the Names of God, Praying for the Persecuted Church in Lent...


I am hoping... this tiredness shifts soon, it's pulling me down...


I am hearing... the tv in the background, hum of fan on computer, ticking clock...


Around the house... all ship-shape... well, I can dream can't I?!...


One of my favorite things... managing to get up before the kids in the morning and having a coffee in the early morning quiet... hasn't happened much lately, in this 'season' of life that is upon us... but maybe once the Spring is here...


A few plans for the rest of the week... a walk in the Wyre Forest, visit the Library, go to Ikea, visit Beckford Silk, Home Ed group...


A Scripture... "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you..." Col 3:16

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

... new life pushing through...

Click here to read more from "The Simple Woman Daybooks" posts for today.

Weekly round-up

A tale of our going's on... we haven't actually been out much, partly because of the weather, partly because I've made the kids do a small amount of "school" this week... ok, I wasn't totally mean, I did let them off the 3 Rs...

 ... though you'd never guess it from this image... but Bubs *voluntairily* did this writing! She has decided she wants to know how to write cursive, so I printed her off some worksheets to copy from... I really did NOT expect her to dig it out this week... wonders will never cease!

... we much enjoyed our pancakes on Tuesday... always a nice treat here... and then to the start of Lent and our Lent Jar (which seems to have been nick-named the 'Lentil Jar' for some odd reason!) with an 'activity' to fish out each day - something to focus us on the meaning of Easter...

... and my reading pile...

... we've only managed one actual half-term activity this week (which is quite good going for us, as we tend to avoid the crowds and shy away from doing anything in the school holidays!)... the trail at the Birds of Prey centre in Webbs garden centre on the Birmingham Road... it was wet... but not *too* wet when we started out... but when we went back later to watch the birds flying it was very wet and cold too... so we went back to my mum and dad's house to watch a film and get cosy...

... cake making is always a good way to pass some time!... and licking the bowl is always the best part of it!...

... another trip to Occupational Therapy for Spike brought us a trial run of a 'slope' thing for the table to prop his school work on, and a wedge-shaped, air-filled seat cushion to... I'm not entirely sure what that's for! I think it helps the posture a bit, but because it makes him want to move around on it it will hopefully help him feel less lethargic when he's doing his work!... although all these assessments that Spike has been through have been very tedious for him, I think this OT assessment has brought the most practical help for us...

... some slushy snow falling... it settled on the grass mostly... definitely not the 4 inch predicted though!

... a rare night out took me and my 2 friends to a very nice chinese restaurant in Bewdley... it was a lovely treat...

... and Bubs insisted on trying to eat her breakfast with the chopsticks I brought home!...

... finally a lovely day appeared, and we headed off early to Trimpley Reservoir to have a wee walk, feed the ducks, and see the odd train or two..

... I've never much appreciated winter... the trees look so very barren and stark... and everything around about looks so open and bare and gloomy... yet, with dad's help, I am finally starting to see that there *is* a beauty in the winter scenery... you see the actual shape of the trees while they are not hidden beneath their leaves, and the openness of places not shrouded in foilage affords some magnificant views...

... tending to the birds, making sure they have enough to eat... and, yes, Spike really *is* wearing shorts in weather that is little above freezing!