Sunday, 1 October 2017

A Summer with Five Children

We took an extended Summer Holidays while Sunbaby grew. She is much loved. We've been busy but not over-busy as we've adjusted to new routines, or lack thereof.

Here's Sunbaby enjoying the sunshine while big brother played cricket with a local club for the summer.

Star-gazing. We saw one of Jupiter's moons through the binoculars. Amazing!

A Harry Potter potion day




Ballet Girl and Monkey Girl went to the Area Combined Regatta...

...where Monkey Girl and her buddy made it through to Nationals in the Kayak Sprint.

This Brilliant Boy and his big sister, Panda Girl, finished a year's worth of swimming lessons and they are now fully-fledged fish. :)

These three attended an intensive Summer Dance School and performed in a musical at the end of the week.

My favourite Boy in the whole wide world picked blackberries with me - my first real walk in a long time after almost half a year on crutches due to pregnancy complications.

Sunbaby continues to grow her beautiful hair.

 We dealt with the repercussions of the London and Manchester bombings by talking things through and love-bombing some neighbours and friends.



Beloved Papas are for helping pre-teens with long division.

The Boy spent two days taking an old bike apart, bit by bit.

The Boy is showing interest in reading properly now. I've allowed him to come to this point himself as there really is no rush. He's coming on beautifully :)




My family!

The garden gave us strawberries again. I love Summer.


Uncle T is a carpenter / photographer. The Boy and he spent a whole day making a cool ramp.




We had a garden party for Monkey Girl's birthday.






Juicing a water melon



Every now and again we get the sewing machine out and everyone makes a million things.







Papa had a birthday...


Ballet Girl is continuing her American High School Diploma...

...and Monkey Girl is joining her in the new term...

I love you both, my Darlings. Good luck in your studies. x

We had our annual catch up with our friends from the Carribean


We made watermelon jelly...

... because it's ridiculous and fun.

The Boy followed his 'I Can Cook' dvd.





And his 'Mister Maker' dvd.










The Boy and Panda Girl attended a Magic Trick Workshop.

Monkey Girl made crystals

Making juice



English Heritage fun


More experimenting


Hanging out with friends...

...and cousins


Board games...

...and gardens

Papa, Monkey Girl and Ballet Girl went to eight days worth of Royal Marine Camp where Monkey Girl won Most Improved Cadet. Proud Mummy!


The rest of us stayed home and kept busy :)















And Panda Girl has decided she's pretty awesome at drawing :)



 Cadet  qualifications

Panda Girl achieved her Commodore's Pennant - the ultimate achievement as a Junior Cadet. Good girl :)


She got to spend a day doing this.

Monkey Girl went to London to represent the Eastern Area at Nationals (England, N. Ireland, Scotland, Wales) in the Kayak Sprint - where she came 5th! So, so proud. 





We love Harry Potter in this house.

Fun with friends

Sunbaby is on solids!


And she managed to get pigtails before getting any teeth. :)

English Heritage + friends = perfect

The lake season finished for the cadets in the family









The final day on the lake was the Dawn til Dusk fundraiser. We had exhausted kiddies after a whole day on the water from sun up to sun down, but it meant The Boy and a beloved cousin could come help out Papa on the lake too.






Wetsuits away 'til the Spring

When the rest of mankind went back to school, we took a holiday. Haha!

I love these children.

Sunbaby had her first swim in a pool.


Panda Girl and The Boy had a go at aqua-jetting


And Monkey Girl had segway trip around the forest.















There was a bit of washing when we got home.

Ballet Girl has started a childminding job to fit around her studies and her dance classes.

We hung out a bit more with cousins


And my wonderful husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with family, in the garden, with fire, wine and marshmallows.





Here's to our 13th homeschooling year!

Celtic Harmony Day

Panda Girl and The Boy were accompanied by Papa to a brilliant day at Celtic Harmony. They learnt Celtic weaving, bread making, how they planted their herb gardens, designed their homes, and how they lived within social settings.