The Boy loves scissors - just trying to teach him what he can and can't actually cut...

Farm Shop

 Books for the Boy and Panda Girl

The Farm that Grandad made

The kiddies each bought something fun from our local Farm Shop this morning.  Monkey Girl spent the day munching through carrots.

 February: a week after the snow melted, and suddenly we're apparently talking no coats and a pic-nic lunch.  True Brits (with a bit o' French :)

Making butter with Uncle Anthony.   A good excuse for some loud music and a bit of jumping.

Shrove Tuesday = Pancakes!!  And when Mummy's brother is visiting it's just completely awesome :)

I have 3 exhausted daughters after they completed 12 hours of rehearsals on Thursday and Friday and then 4 full ballets and 4 tap dancing shows over the week end.  I witnessed some of the back-stage frantic costume changes, including my Panda Girl changing from Fairy to Christmas Tree in seconds and my two eldest changing from tap-dancing Pyjama-ed Girls into Rockin' Robins  - and with over 60 children performing, the organisation and production was no mean feat.  They performed beautifully and I was a very proud Mummy.

Today my gorgeous ballerinas/tap dancers spent 6 hours rehearsing with their dance school, for their forthcoming ballet and tap&modern shows this weekend....

...while The Boy helped Nanny Mo feed her ducks and chickens...

...and brought an old nest home for our nature table.

This morning we shopped for new ballet shoes and The Boy bought himself a plastic snake with some money I gave him.  He later demonstrated to his sisters how to 'eat' it a la Bear Grylls much to their amusement.  This afternoon  he watched the plumber at work and napped a much needed nap before we had friends over for dinner.

Craft time

Watching/helping Papa gut a rainbow trout.

So far, half term has consisted of...

...playing with cousins...

...a craft session at the Forest Centre...

...story-telling...

...and a visit to the safari park.

St Valentine's Day / Jesus Love Me

Panda Girl and The Boy celebrated our week-long St Valentine's project making strawberry and banana trifles, while Ballet Girl and Monkey Girl went to a Musical Mayhem workshop.

The two babies made heart biscuits with Papa while the two eldest attended a music theory workshop.

Piano lessons first thing this morning, a few errands run and then the kiddies made heart and flower-shaped jam on toast for an early lunch. Yum.

This afternoon consisted of phonics and genealogy, thematic worksheets and learning about tracking and trailing.  And then 3 hours of Modern Dance, Tap Dance and Gym classes for Ballet Girl and Monkey Girl; Gym class for Panda Girl and Swimming for the Boy.

Today the Boy did some colouring, water play, and had fun with his tools, cars, bugs and  train set.

While the girls delved into their work this morning, the Boy had a bottle of milk and read some books to his beloved Blankey Blue. 

 He joined in when we made some fun Valentine gifts of lollies wrapped in Bible quotes.  I found this idea on the net and they loved it.

 We decorated a box for the lollies, ready to hand out.

The girls changed their 'Feelings' Chart to 'shocked' and 'surprised' because Mummy NEVER lets them have lollies!!

The girls each made a countdown to St.Valentine's Day with a heart paper chain containing a psalm or a Bible quote.  Each day they take off a heart and read their quote.  I got this cool idea from www.catholicicing.com.  

Lunch break:  Monkey Girl made a mini snowman.

 Tuesdays we focus on Picture Study.  We looked at work by Wassily Kandinsky and Victor Vasarely.  and for our follow-up art work the girls did some symmetry painting.

No after-school clubs on Tuesdays so we get to spend time with friends.  This is especially awesome when friends have electric motorbikes :)

The Boy did some bug investigation before bedtime, complete with important goggles and magnifying glass :)

This started out as a heart-snake craft I created for  the Boy's Playgroup, but the girls got carried away with it and made some awesome stuff :)

 I thought a week long countdown to St. Valentine's Day would be fun.  I plan to do lots of 'Jesus loves me' type work and talk about feelings and emotions, the importance of love and (nearly!) all that goes with it.  I collated lots and lots of fun printables and made 3 workbooks each, for them to do over the coming week for whenever they feel like some sit-down time.  We started the week with some craft.  I gave them instructions to make a 'love plant' and here's what they came up with :)