Nice Day

We've had a really lovely day here today. The boys went out to play with Scalectrix at a friend's this morning, which left me time to spend with the girls. Abbie wanted to do some drawing and decided she'd like to try her hand at some copy-drawing from some little books I have called 'I can Doodle'. With some guidance from me as to how to copy the picture step by step, she draw a pretty good pencil, , then with less help a fantastic ladybird. Then the phone rang and alone she drew a racing car and a cup-cake. The car was quite amazing for a three year old. Next I decided we mght try our hand at some of the Zoo worksheets. I gave Phoebe a picture of an Ape to colour (Gorilla to us English folk!) while Abbie devoured 11 worksheets, with a variety of tasks, from matching Mums to babies, colouring top hippo red, middle hippo green, bottom hippo yellow, left-right exercises, shape and colour identification, etc... She breezed through it. I could tell she'd had enough when she began to take less care (although she thought she wanted to do more), so we finished off colouring a kangaroo - she chose to do it black, which was a shame, but she had been itching to get her hands on that black pencil, so I let her and then she wrote over the greyed-out word Kangaroo with quite some skill for her age. She often says 'I can't do it' and then achieves a really good result when she has a go. I can see already that she is going to need a gently, gently encouraging approach when I start school with her.So that was a really nice morning together and Phoebe was happily chatting and joining in a her way.

Then the girls went for a nap and the boys went out to a 'trailblazers' party (that our church kids-club). so I tackled a bit more in the shed, while the cellar was busy filling up again with more monsoon rain! When the girls woke up I was still in the shed, so they donned their wellies and joined me in the garage (Phoebe had been for a wee and came out in just her T-shirt and wellies!). I sent them in again to play for a bit which they did quite nicely. I finished off what I could and came in. After I had cleaned myself up the girls both asked for a story. Phoebe trotted over with the same old picture book and Abbie chose a book we've read a million times. I thought it was about time I read them something a little more interesting! So I ventured into the boys' room, where all the better books are, and rooted out some of the realy nice books I used to read to Jacob at their age. Books that are full of bright, colourful picture AND good stories, and 'The Baby Catalogue' which is a much nicer point-&-say book for Phoebe. We then spent a very pleasent hour reading together on the sofa - sadly a rarity in this house, while Ellie listened, played and kicked me in the kidneys a lot! :)

Paul came home (he had been helping at the party) and cooked the girls tea - the boys having eaten at the party. I had read so much that I had lulled myself into a sleepy-state so I dozed off for half an hour where I was. :)

I woke up to read the boys their stories. 'Robin Hood' (1st two chapters of an abridged book I bought from someone) for Joel and the last chapter of 'The Treasure Tree' for Jacob. So they were nice books too. :)

Tucked them all into bed, kissed them goodnight and now I'm off to have a curry and watch 'Return of the King' with my Hubby. :)

So all in all a VERY happy day and the children haven't hardly bickered at all, which is an absolute miracle!