Blue Tattoos...!

I couldn't think of a title for today!!

I've had lots of comments about my word tree, so if any of you want me to send it to you as an attachment (it's a Word file) then shout WITH your email address and I'll be happy to oblige!

Today has been...today! A usual schooly day, but I tried to involve my smaller ones a little more today. Boo (that's Abbie's nickname) was fabulous and impressed me with what she could do and how much she was willing to put in. I've got 'write 'n' wipe' books for her and Phoebe which is great for re-use, but oh, sooo messy! By the time Beef (that's Phoebe) was finished she looked like she (and her clothing I might add) had been given an elaborate blue tattoo!!:) The girls were then fed noodles for lunch and when Phoebe put her hands in them...they too turned blue - yummy!! Not quite relishing the thought of my entire home becoming decorated with blue ink the girls duly found themselves having a lengthy midday bath. This confused Boo somewhat as she followed it up with a request for stories and prayers - bless!! Anyway my now clean girls are presently napping peacefully...aaah!

Joel (5yo) had a bit of a reluctant day today, but we plodded through slowly. Four new leaves were added to the tree!

Jacob was doing really well to begin today, but then about 10 mins from the end of his maths he lost it and those last ten minutes of work took him more than an hour! Bear in mind that this wasn't solid working because he took 'breaks' that he wasn't supposed to (that is he got down and played when I wasn't looking!). I was a tad cross. He knows the wrap - that once the work is done he gets to play - officially - and he gets rewards for working well and snacks and longer times to play, etc... but no, he'd rather 'steal' time and hence misses out on his bonuses! It's such a shame that in two whole years of schooling he hasn't grasped that there are so many perks to be had from home-school, if he'd just 'get-on' for the little while that is required of him! Ho-hum!! Bang the same old drum!!

And then in the middle of everything a lady turned up from the council to assess our rent allowance. We were expecting her tomorrow (our mistake), so I didn't have anything ready for her and Paul was out. We were in the middle of school and the house looked like a bomb-site (nothing unusual about that though!). I had to try and run around looking for bits of financial information that were buried under the piles of paper rubble that is our desk and much to no avail (we were planning on sorting it out today ready for tomorrow)! In the end I turned on the computer and accessed our Money files there, as I knew they would be reasonably up-to-date. What a life-save the PC can be sometimes!! Fortunately she was really nice and patient, but I felt she really didn't go away with any more information than she came with!! Of course the children had taken major advantage of my being occupied elsewhere and caused even more havoc than was already reigning before the lady came!!

Top all that with the fact that I feel like I might be brewing a throat infection and that Paul has been out for most of the day (he was fortunately around to help with noodles and bath episode)... I am TIRED - and it's only 4.30pm!

Oh! I forgot to add - the baby has been really restless all afternoon too. We had Spag-Bol' last night - a kiddy fav! - but we think Ellie (baby) might have some intolerance to fatty foods. If I ate mince in pregnancy I always felt REALLY sick. If I ate it when she was first born she would scream the whole of the next day. Now it still seems to affect her even at almost 6 months old, both in my milk and her own food. She also seems to get 'upset' by foods with high milk content (like fromage frais), and I think that's to do with the high fat content of f/c milk. Anyone any ideas on that one?

Oh well, what was I saying about sleeping girls?... - they're awake again!!:(
Aaah, but Paul's home...:)