Very tired today!

Ive woken up with a bad back and very tired today, hopefully it will have gone by tomorrow and its just a 24 hour bug thing.

Paul and Mark are bringing round the playhouse this evening...I can't wait, It sounds as if it will need a good creosoting on the outside, hopefully the children will love it though!

I can't seem to get any enthusiasm up for anything today, maybe I will just leave it and do a better blog tomorrow!

Interesting observations

Although it is half term, its amazing how my new HE mindset is carrying through to the children. The children have been busy doing all sorts today, Kyle and Tyler played on their PS2 this morning and the littlies were watching Dora in fact Brooke can count to five in spanish bless her, Bailey has been saying loads of new words today and I did a bit of reading with him from his Oxford Reading Tree series, which he loves! The older boys went off with their dad this afternoon and he took them to the dentist, while Bailey and Brooke stayed here and we pottered around in the garden and played with the hamster and other things, Bailey was playing with his Georello Jungle and Brooke and I made faces with Mr Potato Head!

This evening Tyler played with the Digicolour and Kyle and I built a windmill out of k'nex, and I was really impressed with myself! When Tyler went up to bed Kyle and I got out the puzzle of Europe and made a start on that, while watching "Beat your Body Clock" I think it was called, where one woman was trying to reverse all the damage her lifestyle had done to her body, it was really interesting and we saw what a human healthy and diseased liver looked like.

At the moment Kyle is having a turn at Digicolour trying to beat his time on the clock and Paul has popped round to watch football on my tv (Ive told him he is honoured!!! I hate football), think I might have a little browse online for a while and Im kicking him out home and Im going to bed!!!

Excellent news, Paul has been offered a wooden childrens playhouse on a building site he is working on, and he is giving it to me as his children are a little too old for one, what a wonderful addition to our garden! It is really coming along now!

A new addition!!!

Today we bought a hamster! He has been named Harry. Original eh? Harry the hamster is now happy in his new rotastak home on our dining room dresser. The kids adore him, Tyler wrote a sign to stick up next to Harrys cage, it reads "wash your hands after touching Harry" (health and safety) the cage came with a free package which included some vitamins, bedding, sawdust, choccy drops and a book. The boys have been reading the book so they know how to handle Harry properly (reading) it took quite a bit of time to put together Harrys cage (construction) but we got there in the end! Hey, im really getting the hang of seeing education in everything they do!

Kyle was watching one of the kids channels this evening and asked me what duelling was, which was a wonderful excuse to look up on the internet and have a natter about history!

Ordered the Book of London from Amazon this evening (thanks ruth for the link) it looks great and a nice way of bringing history into the kids lives by me reading them stories from it.

Read some more articles today on autonomous education, which were really interesting, i love the idea personally, not sure quite how it would work with my kids though!

I got quite a lot of OU study done last night. Im really pleased with how I am getting through the work.

Bailey went up to bed with his huge dinosaur again this evening, he totally adores him! He has been good so far this weekend, no smearing episodes so far (touch wood) as it usually happens every evening on the school holidays. And he actually did a wee in the toilet today!!!! Momentous occasion, first time EVER!!! Maybe toilet training wont be as far away as I think although I dont like to count my chickens.

Brooke has been so funny today, she was out in the garden again, "helping" with the plants and got covered in mud (again!) bless her. She is speaking so well and really clearly now, mummys little angel!

Busy weekend!

We had a lovely weekend. My friend Paul came round Friday evening with his youngest boy and we just sat, drank loads of tea and coffee and chatted loads and did a puzzle of Europe. We have arranged an evening out next Saturday, a whole group of us so should be a real laugh, I am really looking forward to it! Saturday afternoon Paul turned up again, this time with both his boys, so after Bailey and Brooke went to bed, we all settled down in the front room and watched Cheaper By The Dozen 2. I liked it as much as the first one, which is unusual with sequels.

Yesterday morning Paul rang to say put the kettle on he was on his way round. When he and the boys turned up they were carrying a HUGE dinosaur for bailey! They had found it in a charity shop it is massive and Bailey took it to bed with him last night it took up half the bed! Belinda turned up in the afternoon and we all got out into the garden and potted on some beetroot and lettuce. Pauls kids had great fun chasing the chickens round the garden! My other friend Mark turned up too, it was a hectic afternoon! Last night Paul turned up again, but I let him have one cup of coffee and then kicked him out so I could have a bath and I really wanted to do some OU study. I managed to do quite a bit in the end last night, the course still doesnt start until Thursday so I am getting a nice head start.

We are now officially on half term as Tyler and Bailey have broken up from school until the 6th June.

I havent got anything planned for today on this bank holiday Monday. I think a chilled day is in order! If it stays nice I will let the kids just play in the back garden while I plant some more potatoes. Must get some more compost this week.

At the moment Kyle and Bailey are still asleep but Tyler and Brooke are downstairs with me watching Gordon the Garden Gnome and playing with Kyles "experiment glasses". I know that they will be requesting breakfast any second so I better finish here!

Its going OK!!!

Yesterday was a good day, Kyle did some spellings from an online course I found, I noticed his spelling was not great the other day. We have been looking at the words everyday this week and he got them all right yesterday...he was really pleased with himself!!! (good for self esteem!), we have been making a papier mache volcano this week, and doing exploding experiments which kyle had a fantastic time with yesterday!! he was exploding film cannisters all around the house!

Bailey hasnt settled back into school very well after his week off with chicken pox, he has been aggressive with the other children in his class, he really doesnt cope well with change.

Tyler has barely had his nose out of his suduko book all week, I bought him a large print version which he finds easier to use.

Kyle has asked if he can do some maths today (his favourite subject) he has a maths workbook we picked up from WHSmith so that will do, not sure of what maths schemes are out there for HE families so will have to check that out.

My OU study will need cracking on with this week, so I am planning on doing an hour this evening and an hour saturday evening.

The Home Front...

Yesterday I asked Kyle to pick two things he would like to find out more about and do a project on....he chose World War Two and Planets (he is a boy...space and war it figures lol). So last night and today I have been finding activities and information on those two subjects....blimey im exhausted although it was really interesting, thats why i didnt get a chance to post yesterday.

Bailey is going back to school tomorrow, his spots are now all scabs and he is running around the house like a nutter because he is bored stiff.

The rain is still going here......

How weird......

Today I got an email from a friend I havent seen in 5 years. She asked if I was still home educating. To explain, when Kyle was five he hated school so much and was so upset about going I withdrew him and started to teach him at home. Six months later Tyler reached "school age" and wanted to go to school, Kyle asked to go back too, so I spoke to the LEA and registered them in a different school to the one Kyle had gone to before and they have both been in school until this week. Which was why the email was so weird.....she thought I was still home educating when in fact I had only re-started this week! Anyway, we arranged for her to come and see me on Monday, she is thinking of removing her eldest who is 12 because she is suffering at school. I am really looking forward to seeing her and catching up!

I popped into town this afternoon and a friend sat for the children. I got another copy of "The very hungry caterpillar" and couldn't resist " The Gingerbread Man" Im a sucker for books! Once in a bookshop you usually wont see me for hours!

I've just read some more of Tylers romans book to him before bed, he is looking at the different types of citizens, I found it interesting as I cant even remember doing romans at school!....hang on a mo......I cant remember anything much from school!

Bailey was on top form today! I caught him pouring washing up liquid in the sink...he was covered in it! I have now hidden the bottle in the food cupboard. He can't reach it without a chair, which I will hear in an instant the second the chair scrapes along the floor like fingers down a blackboard....the perfect alarm system, *insert wicked cunning plan type laugh*

Have succummed to the subliminal advertising of famous moes tonight and am currently tucking into a ham, pineapple and meatball pizza with purple coleslaw...delish....on that note Im off!

Fun in the kitchen

Today Kyle made chocolate mousse from his new cookery book, he was very proud of himself and is busy looking in the book for something else to cook tomorrow. I had to go to Staples today and get some new printer paper and pens, I took Kyle, Bailey and Brooke with me as Bailey is now over the worst of his chicken pox and could do with some fresh air and a bit of a runaround.

I planted my strawberry plants today, have given them a good watering and hopefully they will be happy in their new home! I also potted on some beetroot. Tomato plants are coming along and that few days of rain with some sun today has given my hanging baskets the boost they needed....I love the spring!

Typed out and printed Kyles deregistration letter today and we popped it into school on our way to Staples. Phew!

I will be making an appointment next week with our doctor. Three years ago Kyle and Tyler went for an assessment at the Child Development Centre (after Bailey was diagnosed with autism), we were told that they had some autistic tendencies and that unless it was affecting their lives to a big degree, not to push for a diagnosis. I feel with Kyle, maybe that time has come. I hate it that he is labled a "naughty child" when there could be a medical reason for the behaviours that he displays. Tyler is very similar to Kyle but has a different temperment, a very placid child, whereas Kyle is more feisty.

Im still feeling the strain of little sleep and lots of stress, although fortunately I have good friends around me, who offer fantastic moral support and a shoulder to lean on.....they are truly wonderful people.

No specific plans for tomorrow so far. Probably more cooking for Kyle. Now Bailey is feeling better I want to get him out in the garden a bit more, dependant on the weather of course.

Brooke has been very clingy today, I think she senses that my mind is elsewhere at the moment and its just her way of being close to me. When we drove back from staples this afternoon, she wound down her window and threw her books out one at a time.....unfortunately we were on a dual carriageway at the time so I couldnt stop her, or stop the car, aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I will have to replace "The very hungry caterpillar" which is a particular favorite of Baileys! Thank goodness it wasnt "That's not my dinosaur!" otherwise all hell would have broken loose!!!
I will have to spend lots of tomorrow just giving her cuddles and reassuring her that everything is ok.

Tyler has read more of his Romans book although he is struggling with some of the big words and the Latin names. I was thinking of getting him a mosaic kit to do as I thought he would really enjoy it. We are looking at some on ebay.

Its blowing a gale outside this evening, it almost seems autumny, assuring me that curled up in my chair with the computer balancing on my lap and a hot cuppa is totally the best place to be!

Schools out!

Baileys spots are getting better, he is finally on the mend! I have noticed that he is gradually getting back to his normal self.

Today has been exhausting. I got a phonecall from the school at lunchtime from the head, apparently Kyle had been teased by another child repeatedly and in the end Kyle hit him. This was seen by a teacher, both the teasing and the thump! After speaking with his dad, we decided to pull him out of school this afternoon as they were on the verge of excluding him again (he only went back on Monday!!!). This evening I have typed out the deregistration letter to post to the school tomorrow. I feel an amazing sense of relief....

The boys books came from amazon today, Tools of the ancient romans for Tyler and Cooking up a storm for Kyle. I will probably get Brooke another book next week...I have my eye on a few that I think she will enjoy. I read her "HUG" this evening before she went to sleep and also read some of Tylers romans book to him.

Kyle is watching Kim Possible this evening, with brief looks through his new cookbook when the breaks come on.

I must get to the garden centre this week and get some troughs for my strawberry plants which arrived this morning.....another thing on the list to do! This evening I intend on pushing on with my OU study after a nice hot bath.......bliss!!!

What A Day!

Bailey's chicken pox is no better today. His face is still very sore, when the doctor came out last night he said it was one of the worst cases he had seen. Bless him, he has barely moved out of the chair all day just watching tv. Poor thing was looking at his face in the mirror this morning wailing at the spots. I cant explain to him what they are or that they will go eventually. Its times like this that his autism is hard to bear.

I have spoken to Kyle again this evening about home education. After his exclusion last week I feel that it is the way forward for him. He is worried about missing his friends though. I have explained that he will still get to see them as much.

I am tired this evening, my toothache has almost gone but after the stresses of the last week or so I am feeling pretty exhausted. I think I am going to leave my OU study for this evening as I am not in the right frame of mind and an early night will do me the world of good.

Brooke made me laugh in the garden today. I planted some seed potatos in a bucket and turned my back for two minutes and she had "unplanted" them for me. Bless, I guess at two years old she doesnt quite understand gardening yet!

Tyler spent a good couple of hours on Spark Island trying to get as many points as possible so he could buy a virtual lava lamp for his virtual bedroom. At least its educational and not another kill,kill,die,die game.

Well, Im off to bed, my cold pillow is calling me!