Briefly we had the house to ourselves today...Simon used the time to clear some scout stuff out of the garage & take some rubbish to the tip - not very exciting!
After the kids got back from N's we went out for lunch at Frankie & Benny's then decided on the spur of the moment to go see Tintin, while J met M to see Johnny English (again for him - he & I saw it in October half term) & then go to Pizza Hut to celebrate their first anniversary. Tintin was very good indeed. I love that 3D movies are more about depth than in your face tricks now.
J came home from his date with chocolate from M. I had a "told-you-so" moment as I'd said he should get her something - he'd argued that she'd said she didn't want anything...rooky mistake!
All in all, a quiet but fun day.
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Friday, 18 November 2011
Children in Need today so work was pretty insane. It is always combined with preparations for the Christmas Bazaar which makes an already crazy day even worse. We tried hard to simplify things for lower school this year which helped somewhat but there is still sooo much going on: bring in a gift for the bazaar in return for non-uniform, bring in money for CinN & to take part in competitions, a mad whole school assembly & costume judging. Also because we did our own thing in lower school (read: less than they did in upper school) we had some confused children asking for things that we were not having. It's pretty frustrating too when you are trying to raise funds for the school & some parents think it's ok to not bother....ummmm, hello, it's YOUR children we're doing it for.
The impromptu fire drill in the afternoon did not help the day be any calmer either!
Ok....rant over...
Sitting here watching Children in Need is making me feel a little tearful & very, very grateful. We are so fortunate to have happy, healthy children. We are so often grateful & proud of the extraordinary things they achieve that we forget to be grateful for the simpler things - we had 2 pregnancies & 2 perfect babies who have grown into healthy children, even a teenager!
F helped me prepare a Rogan Josh last night which spent today in the slow oven. It was DELICIOUS (F even had seconds!) but the real reason for mentioning it is that while we were talking about cooking we discussed marinating which F defined as "when a boy & a girl meet & start to get to know each other" :)
In other F news, she is currently planning to be a part time actress & part time waitress when she grows up. She says she likes cooking but she doesn't want to be a chef because there's too much to do & when you stir stuff you get "hot in all that steam" I guess it's good to have a dream.
The impromptu fire drill in the afternoon did not help the day be any calmer either!
Ok....rant over...
Sitting here watching Children in Need is making me feel a little tearful & very, very grateful. We are so fortunate to have happy, healthy children. We are so often grateful & proud of the extraordinary things they achieve that we forget to be grateful for the simpler things - we had 2 pregnancies & 2 perfect babies who have grown into healthy children, even a teenager!
F helped me prepare a Rogan Josh last night which spent today in the slow oven. It was DELICIOUS (F even had seconds!) but the real reason for mentioning it is that while we were talking about cooking we discussed marinating which F defined as "when a boy & a girl meet & start to get to know each other" :)
In other F news, she is currently planning to be a part time actress & part time waitress when she grows up. She says she likes cooking but she doesn't want to be a chef because there's too much to do & when you stir stuff you get "hot in all that steam" I guess it's good to have a dream.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
J's trip went without hitches this year. He is currently slumped on the sofa because although their focus was Volcanoes & Earthquakes, they did the whole museum. Anyone who as ever been to the Natural History Museum knows that this is no mean feat!
After returning from the trip he had rehearsals, then less than an hour at home before I took him back to school for a meeting about next week's trip, to Lille. I predict more slumping on the sofa after that one, and not just from him...they need to be at school at 445am! They should be back around 11pm. Good job it's on a Friday, shame we have places to be on the Saturday...
Did the Sainsbury's run today & bought the cutest navy blue shoes, just the sort I've been looking for for ages. They're pumps with flowers on them, really comfy too. Unfortunately they weren't the sort of shoes I was meant to be buying...
S & I are going to a function next month for which S had assumed I would buy a new dress, instead I have been "wardrobe shopping" & will be wearing a dress that I've had about 12 years, I think. I declared that my dressy shoes are past it, one pair is either 19 or 22 years old, the other is over 16 so I think that's fair enough, but I could probably wear some boots of which I have plenty. We then had a bizarre conversation where he tried to convince me to buy a dress, I refused, he then insisted that I NEED new shoes...surely this is not normal.
Watch this space to see if I manage to go on a posh night out without buying anything new!
After returning from the trip he had rehearsals, then less than an hour at home before I took him back to school for a meeting about next week's trip, to Lille. I predict more slumping on the sofa after that one, and not just from him...they need to be at school at 445am! They should be back around 11pm. Good job it's on a Friday, shame we have places to be on the Saturday...
Did the Sainsbury's run today & bought the cutest navy blue shoes, just the sort I've been looking for for ages. They're pumps with flowers on them, really comfy too. Unfortunately they weren't the sort of shoes I was meant to be buying...
S & I are going to a function next month for which S had assumed I would buy a new dress, instead I have been "wardrobe shopping" & will be wearing a dress that I've had about 12 years, I think. I declared that my dressy shoes are past it, one pair is either 19 or 22 years old, the other is over 16 so I think that's fair enough, but I could probably wear some boots of which I have plenty. We then had a bizarre conversation where he tried to convince me to buy a dress, I refused, he then insisted that I NEED new shoes...surely this is not normal.
Watch this space to see if I manage to go on a posh night out without buying anything new!
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
F had her "new" friend home for tea yesterday - roll out the pizza & extra special chocolate mousse, which I only make when she has friends over (heaven help me when she finds out it's only Angel Delight with spray cream on top....in fact, it isn't even Angel Delight, it's the own brand version from whichever shop I'm in!). They seemed to have fun.
Today was choir - nearly 60 children attended again which is fab & they are really coming along nicely. Got a text from J during choir practice to say his Latin lessons had started today (no notice at all!) so after choir we drove down to his school to wait for him.
He has a Geography field trip tomorrow to the Natural History Museum - hope he has more luck than last year when the coach broke down & they spent most of the day stuck in a layby!
Today was choir - nearly 60 children attended again which is fab & they are really coming along nicely. Got a text from J during choir practice to say his Latin lessons had started today (no notice at all!) so after choir we drove down to his school to wait for him.
He has a Geography field trip tomorrow to the Natural History Museum - hope he has more luck than last year when the coach broke down & they spent most of the day stuck in a layby!
Monday, 14 November 2011
Another proud Mum moment...
J's turn! He came home with a letter offering him the chance to take Latin as an extra-curricular, this was pretty impressive I thought. They don't just study the language but the culture & traditions of Ancient Rome, "many of which form the basis of modern civilisation & society". However, what really jumped out at us was the fact that apparently he got this offer because he is on the gifted & talented register! Ummmm...shouldn't somebody have told us this?
J jumped at the chance & the permission slip is in :)
J jumped at the chance & the permission slip is in :)
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Church Parade
12 cubs turned out for parade this morning: out of a total of 17 that's a pretty good showing. S had 17 out of 23 scouts & 2 out of 3 explorers so he was very happy as well. They all looked very smart & were very well behaved so we were very proud of them all.
It was the warmest Remembrance Day I can ever remember. I got a new thermal top (thanks Mum!) to wear under my uniform & genuinely didn't need it.
Mum & Dad came to the church service & were really pleased with the welcome they received there. They saw the end part of the parade move off after the service & certainly enjoyed the spectacle.
We had a quieter afternoon - F had rehearsals from 230 so S & I took her & then went out for coffee (mmmm Gingerbread Latte) & to Longacres for a Christmas browse. J got picked up by A at 330, then S picked them all up in time to come home for a yummy roast pork dinner. Mum had said we had 13 veg - we claimed false advertising when we found it was only 11!
Another busy week ahead...
It was the warmest Remembrance Day I can ever remember. I got a new thermal top (thanks Mum!) to wear under my uniform & genuinely didn't need it.
Mum & Dad came to the church service & were really pleased with the welcome they received there. They saw the end part of the parade move off after the service & certainly enjoyed the spectacle.
We had a quieter afternoon - F had rehearsals from 230 so S & I took her & then went out for coffee (mmmm Gingerbread Latte) & to Longacres for a Christmas browse. J got picked up by A at 330, then S picked them all up in time to come home for a yummy roast pork dinner. Mum had said we had 13 veg - we claimed false advertising when we found it was only 11!
Another busy week ahead...
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Remembrance & friendships
We marked Armistice Day with the traditional 2 minute silence. Years 2-6 met for assembly & watched a 20 slide presentation throughout the silence where I learnt something new: did you know that the correct way to wear your poppy is with the leaf pointing to 11 o'clock? It was a poignant morning. On Sunday we will parade for Remembrance Sunday.
Last night I met a friend for drinks and had a lovely, long evening gossiping away about everything & nothing. As we were leaving she dropped something of a bombshell: she is leaving her significant other in the New Year & moving. I am glad for her that she is able to make this change but so, so sad for me that I am losing a 'local' friend. Is that selfish?
F has just gone off to the birthday party of her new best friend. She is struggling with friendships & some newly-mean-girls right now, trying to find out where she fits into this pre-pubescent society & I ache for her. The party is a disco & although I suggested she wear leggings, a skirt & a top she was determined she wanted to wear a dress & picked one out of her wardrobe. I was concerned that it was a bit young (gorgeous but something you'd go out with your parents wearing, not your friends) so I took her out & navigated that fine line between 'grown-up' & 'you-look-like-a-trollop'.
She found a lovely black dress & some silver shoes, chose a fancy for her hair & some very grown-up tights. She looked soooo grown up & gorgeous when she got ready, I even applied a little make up & took this mature vision to the disco, where she immediately looked like a little girl as everyone else (that I saw, which admittedy wasn't everyone) was wearing jeans/leggings/tops etc... Please let her feel amazing & grown-up, please don't let anybody say anything horrid to her, please let her known how fab she is.
And please, let me figure out how to help her fit into this phase without losing my little girl, without compromising who she is & without too much trauma. If I could MAKE this girl be the kind of friend she longs for that would help too.
We had a deep & meaningful conversation the other night about friendships with me reassuring her that this is often a tough time, heck I was miserable at her age, having moved a year before I didn't feel like I made real friendships again until I went to senior school (aside from one, which seemed like the perfect friendship for a while, we did things & went places together, then not long after we started senior school I was majorly dumped...and heartbroken...I need not to forget how that felt) I reassured her that even if this new friendship isn't all she hoped I made my proper, lasting friendships at secondary school & it looks like J has too.
Anybody have a manual for all this?
Last night I met a friend for drinks and had a lovely, long evening gossiping away about everything & nothing. As we were leaving she dropped something of a bombshell: she is leaving her significant other in the New Year & moving. I am glad for her that she is able to make this change but so, so sad for me that I am losing a 'local' friend. Is that selfish?
F has just gone off to the birthday party of her new best friend. She is struggling with friendships & some newly-mean-girls right now, trying to find out where she fits into this pre-pubescent society & I ache for her. The party is a disco & although I suggested she wear leggings, a skirt & a top she was determined she wanted to wear a dress & picked one out of her wardrobe. I was concerned that it was a bit young (gorgeous but something you'd go out with your parents wearing, not your friends) so I took her out & navigated that fine line between 'grown-up' & 'you-look-like-a-trollop'.
She found a lovely black dress & some silver shoes, chose a fancy for her hair & some very grown-up tights. She looked soooo grown up & gorgeous when she got ready, I even applied a little make up & took this mature vision to the disco, where she immediately looked like a little girl as everyone else (that I saw, which admittedy wasn't everyone) was wearing jeans/leggings/tops etc... Please let her feel amazing & grown-up, please don't let anybody say anything horrid to her, please let her known how fab she is.
And please, let me figure out how to help her fit into this phase without losing my little girl, without compromising who she is & without too much trauma. If I could MAKE this girl be the kind of friend she longs for that would help too.
We had a deep & meaningful conversation the other night about friendships with me reassuring her that this is often a tough time, heck I was miserable at her age, having moved a year before I didn't feel like I made real friendships again until I went to senior school (aside from one, which seemed like the perfect friendship for a while, we did things & went places together, then not long after we started senior school I was majorly dumped...and heartbroken...I need not to forget how that felt) I reassured her that even if this new friendship isn't all she hoped I made my proper, lasting friendships at secondary school & it looks like J has too.
Anybody have a manual for all this?
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