Well, the big news here is that Daddy is finally home from Afganistan! Yea!! Tim got home on Wednesday, 21 July, in the afternoon, just in time to pick the kids up from school. We decorated the house with a home-made sign saying 'Welcome Home Daddy', plus decorated the outside with lots of 'Welcome Home' signs, flags, and stars. I made him one of his favorite meals -meat loaf, potatoes, runner beans, carrots, beetroot - and for dessert, chocolate brownies with a cherry sauce, made with cherries from a nearby tree. We also gave him a toy Lancaster airplane we bought at Penvensy Castle at Easter, and a mug that says 'World's Greatest Dad' (that was one of those purchase where I had no idea why I did it five minutes after the fact).
It's been geat to have him home, but he was certainly put in the deep end the minute he arrived. Imogen had a leaving/birthday sleepover the next night (Thursday), which party continued on into the next day (Friday), when a whole new set of friends arrived at 10am and stayed until 3pm. Then Abigail had a leaving sleepover party, which started at 4pm (on Friday), and ended the next day around noon. Soon after Abigail's friends departed, we were off to a party at Alice and Paul Hearne's house, friends of ours from the High Wycombe ward, which was an hour and a half drive away. We got home late Saturday night. So, it was more than 48 hours of straight partying - or, more than 48 hours of constant food preparation, clean up, and babysitting - when he got home.
We celebrated his homecoming today by taking the children to the cinema. Tim, Imogen, Samuel, Georgiana, Eleanor and Verity all went to see Toy Story 3. Abigail and I went with her friends Lucy and Sophie to go see Eclipse. I think Tim got the better end of the deal!
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Sunday, 23 May 2010
This has been a massive weekend for our family. It's all been in the diary for at least six months so we knew it was coming - just a matter of executing it. Abigail and Imogen had a big concert in the Ely Cathedral on Saturday night. They sing in a choir called The Ely Imps, and this was their summer concert, called 'Mad Dogs and Englishman: A Celebration in Words and Music of All Things English.' It was a combination of various readings on Englishness and traditional and perhaps not-so-traditional English songs. The songs they sang included 'I vow to thee my country', 'Devon, O Devon', 'King Jesus hath a garden', 'English Country Gardens', 'Hail, Poetry', 'Dance a cachucha', 'Yesterday', 'Jerusalem', and Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance'. It was a great evening - very patriotic for Brits.
They've had rehersals for the concert on both Friday night and Saturday afternoon, so Margaret took the three little girls on Friday afternoon and took them for the weekend - such a help! On Friday night after the rehersal I was able to have a girly night with my older girls in the first time in maybe a year? We watched 'Julie and Julia', about a girl named Julie who takes on the challenge of cooking through Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' in one year. I have to say that the movie reminded me alot of my life, and I've been pondering about it's themes all weekend. One good aspect about it is that it was very pro-marriage - not something you see alot these days in films.
On Saturday after the girls' rehersal Grandma and Grandpa Bleakley came and took us out for Chinese food - a new experience for the girls! And I used the few spare hours to get my hair cut, which ended up as a mini-disaster. I said I wanted my hair shoulder length, and it is definitely, definitely not shoulder length. Let's just say, it's shorter than that.
Samuel had an exciting schedule, too, this weekend, as it was father and son's camp on Friday night. Daddy isn't here, of course, but Matt Holman from the ward offered to take Samuel, and he had a blast. Lots of sports, from what I can gather. As I put Samuel in Matt's car and gave him the homemade chocolate cake I had made especially for him to take to father and son's camp, I asked him 'Do you want to take a book to read?', and he didn't even hesitate or contemplate the answer: 'no', he said.
Then, today, I had to teach our adult Sunday School class, which is always a challenge and takes time and thought and energy. Lesson on the book of Joshua - being strong and courageous in choosing the right. After church, Abigail and Imogen had their second big event of the weekend: a violin concert, where they perform in their groups in which they have been playing all year. They play in both the Suzuki Book 2 group and the Suzuki Book 3 group. They played 'Waltz' by Brahms, 'Gavotte', by Gossec, 'Bouree', by Handel, and for the Book 3 group, they played 'Rhumba' by Michael McClean. They played really well, as did all the performers. The final number in the concert was the Bach Double, which almost made me cry. It's so touching to see young musicians perform advanced pieces, and that is what the Suzuki method makes possible. It's a method that changes ordinary kids into really capable musicians. Goes to show that education, rather than inborn traits, is the main factor in what skills and talents a person achieves in life. Bad teaching = little or no skills.
It was so sunny this whole weekend, and today was just perfect - the girls played in a lovely auditorium at Fitzwilliam College, and we had refreshments afterwards in an area that was surrounded by huge windows, so everything was light and airy and you could see the gardens at Fitzwilliam perfectly - all the green and all the white blossoms everywhere that are characterisitic of May.
Then it was off to Margaret's to be reunited with Samuel, Georgiana, Eleanor and Verity, and to have a lovely Sunday lunch. It really was a near-perfect day. I can't think of anything I want to add to it, except having Tim here to share it with me.
They've had rehersals for the concert on both Friday night and Saturday afternoon, so Margaret took the three little girls on Friday afternoon and took them for the weekend - such a help! On Friday night after the rehersal I was able to have a girly night with my older girls in the first time in maybe a year? We watched 'Julie and Julia', about a girl named Julie who takes on the challenge of cooking through Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' in one year. I have to say that the movie reminded me alot of my life, and I've been pondering about it's themes all weekend. One good aspect about it is that it was very pro-marriage - not something you see alot these days in films.
On Saturday after the girls' rehersal Grandma and Grandpa Bleakley came and took us out for Chinese food - a new experience for the girls! And I used the few spare hours to get my hair cut, which ended up as a mini-disaster. I said I wanted my hair shoulder length, and it is definitely, definitely not shoulder length. Let's just say, it's shorter than that.
Samuel had an exciting schedule, too, this weekend, as it was father and son's camp on Friday night. Daddy isn't here, of course, but Matt Holman from the ward offered to take Samuel, and he had a blast. Lots of sports, from what I can gather. As I put Samuel in Matt's car and gave him the homemade chocolate cake I had made especially for him to take to father and son's camp, I asked him 'Do you want to take a book to read?', and he didn't even hesitate or contemplate the answer: 'no', he said.
Then, today, I had to teach our adult Sunday School class, which is always a challenge and takes time and thought and energy. Lesson on the book of Joshua - being strong and courageous in choosing the right. After church, Abigail and Imogen had their second big event of the weekend: a violin concert, where they perform in their groups in which they have been playing all year. They play in both the Suzuki Book 2 group and the Suzuki Book 3 group. They played 'Waltz' by Brahms, 'Gavotte', by Gossec, 'Bouree', by Handel, and for the Book 3 group, they played 'Rhumba' by Michael McClean. They played really well, as did all the performers. The final number in the concert was the Bach Double, which almost made me cry. It's so touching to see young musicians perform advanced pieces, and that is what the Suzuki method makes possible. It's a method that changes ordinary kids into really capable musicians. Goes to show that education, rather than inborn traits, is the main factor in what skills and talents a person achieves in life. Bad teaching = little or no skills.
It was so sunny this whole weekend, and today was just perfect - the girls played in a lovely auditorium at Fitzwilliam College, and we had refreshments afterwards in an area that was surrounded by huge windows, so everything was light and airy and you could see the gardens at Fitzwilliam perfectly - all the green and all the white blossoms everywhere that are characterisitic of May.
Then it was off to Margaret's to be reunited with Samuel, Georgiana, Eleanor and Verity, and to have a lovely Sunday lunch. It really was a near-perfect day. I can't think of anything I want to add to it, except having Tim here to share it with me.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
School has been in for a few weeks now. Abigail, Imogen, Samuel and now Georgiana are all in school. Abigail started in year 7 this year - a big move up to secondary school, Hinchingbrooke. She cycles to school every day, which is 2 miles from our house, so she's getting some good exercise. So far she's been very happy with school. She likes her teachers for the most part, and her subjects, which include English, Math, Science, French and History, where they are learning about ancient Rome! Yea! Abigail has been reading the Roman Mystery books by Caroline Lawrance, so she knows quite a bit about ancient Rome and has been able to participate to a great extent in class discussions. The school has good systems in place to make sure the children are responsible with parent communication and with homework, and so far we're pleased with the school.
Imogen started year 5 this year, and has two teachers, Mrs. Kommerfield and Mrs. Driss. She's made an excellent start by being very punctual in her work and making sure she's got what homework she needs, etc. She has lots of friends at school and seems very happy there.
Samuel is now in year 2, and also has two teachers, Mrs. Leach and Ms. Vass. He has a really good attitude about school and seems to be enjoying it. He has a good attitude about getting himself ready for school and doing all the things he needs to do before school, like his practicing and his job.
Georgiana has started big school this year, and has been going full days to reception for just over a week now. So far she loves going to school and is excited to share with me what she has learned. Her teacher is called Mrs. Cole.
Eleanor and Verity are at home with me. Eleanor hates going to anyone but me or Tim, and screams whenever either one of us leave, so she's very much at home with me these days. I just take her with me whereever I go - it's just easier that way. But it's not that bad, not like I remember taking Abigail and Imogen places when they were 2. Eleanor doesn't tend to run away from me, and she's pretty quiet when she's with me, so I can get a few things done. The point is that we have fun at home while the kids are at school.
Imogen started year 5 this year, and has two teachers, Mrs. Kommerfield and Mrs. Driss. She's made an excellent start by being very punctual in her work and making sure she's got what homework she needs, etc. She has lots of friends at school and seems very happy there.
Samuel is now in year 2, and also has two teachers, Mrs. Leach and Ms. Vass. He has a really good attitude about school and seems to be enjoying it. He has a good attitude about getting himself ready for school and doing all the things he needs to do before school, like his practicing and his job.
Georgiana has started big school this year, and has been going full days to reception for just over a week now. So far she loves going to school and is excited to share with me what she has learned. Her teacher is called Mrs. Cole.
Eleanor and Verity are at home with me. Eleanor hates going to anyone but me or Tim, and screams whenever either one of us leave, so she's very much at home with me these days. I just take her with me whereever I go - it's just easier that way. But it's not that bad, not like I remember taking Abigail and Imogen places when they were 2. Eleanor doesn't tend to run away from me, and she's pretty quiet when she's with me, so I can get a few things done. The point is that we have fun at home while the kids are at school.
Monday, 24 August 2009
Today we went shopping for shoes for the new school year. Five kids surrounding a pram holding a baby, marching the streets and mallways on a mission to find four pairs of the most practical, comfortable and stylish shoes. All the kids were really good for the most part, except for Eleanor, but that's just because she's two. She refused to get in the pram, insisted on walking and on pushing the pram on her own, climbed all over the benches where the children needed to sit to be fitted for their shoes, ran around the shoe stores, seemed to be perpetually climbing on those stools that they use when they are measuring your feet. Anyway, we survived.
I am beginning finally to fulfill my many-year ambition of teaching my children ancient Greek and Latin. For the past few weeks this summer we have been working in the Cambridge Latin Course I book, and even Georgiana is paying attention and enjoying it. We're also reading the Caroline Lawrence books together as a family, which educates the children in all sorts of ways on the world of ancient Rome.
I am beginning finally to fulfill my many-year ambition of teaching my children ancient Greek and Latin. For the past few weeks this summer we have been working in the Cambridge Latin Course I book, and even Georgiana is paying attention and enjoying it. We're also reading the Caroline Lawrence books together as a family, which educates the children in all sorts of ways on the world of ancient Rome.
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