A Cheesy Kind of Day!

This week's 'make and bake' theme seems to be going reasonably well and the children have more-or-less embraced their creative sides!

A recap so far

Monday ~

In the morning Paul & I had to take my Nan to an Outpatients appointment 'out of town'. We took the four smallest with us. Taz, Minnie and TP stayed home and played Monopoly City together for the morning (Bugs was away in Cardiff - again).

We didn't get back until lunchtime (long wait!), so that meant a short day to fill :D

Lilo did some sequin art (from last Christmas, still not finished ~ she doesn't have the patience for lots at once) which DD joined in with for a bit.

Then she, DD & TP did some drawing and colouring. They are all particularly enjoying some little ''stained glass' colouring books I have, of birds and baby animals. Today was birds. I believe Minnie was doing some drawing then too. 

At some point DD, Lilo and Stitch decided they wanted to paint a 'giant gingerbread man', which Taz drew for them and they duly got busy on, but when Chip decided to join in (with their permission I might add) the littler boys struggled to cope with him not playing by their rules! With a little reassurance that Mr Ginger could be rescued, they carried on nicely for a little while. He had to wait to be dried, and is still waiting for more 'decoration' ~ maybe tomorrow morning's project... DD eventually couldn't cope any longer and removed himself to go and paint his own little gingerbread man, which he did quite nicely, but had failed to stick to my 'rule' about water pots on trays, etc... and you can guess the rest! I was none too happy, but miraculously nothing was actually ruined with the spillage - only my fuse!

Taz did some work on a Pivot animation (he's really good at these) and then went off to drum for a bit.

Not really quite sure what else the children did tbh! I know there was some computer work/play somewhere along the line..

Tuesday ~

Definitely more drawing was being done by everyone in the morning. 

Taz did a great picture of a whale (can't remember what sort of whale, sorry).

I helped DD finish of his 'crazy cat' (that blog will follow some-time soon), which had been waiting a little while. He did a lot of it, but then needed to add a bit more pastel to one part, but lunchtime sprang up on us. He didn't come back to it later and instead had a go at it today (Weds), but he used the wrong colour and rushed it, rather spoiling what, up until then, was an excellent piece of art. I have spent some time 'rescuing' it for him ~ pondering how teachers have the patience for primary art, and wondering how much time they spend rescuing children's art, so as to not have devastated children on their hands!!

TP did some Benderoos ~ and made a Christmas tree. They enjoy these and they've really come down in price ~ might have to get some more!!

Lilo played with the Geomag a bit, but I didn't see what she made.

I'm sure there was some Moshi Monstering and at some point a game of 'Yes/No' going on.

I'm getting old ~ my memory escapes as to what exactly I did all morning, but I know I was busy (like busy enough to not even really go on my phone or computer) and I know it did NOT involve that pile of marking I've still not done!!

After lunch, having given up hope of getting any in the post from OTP ;-), we did some baking and made some Cranberry & Chocolate Snow Cookies. They are absolutely delicious, but might have to be eaten by Minnie & myself, as my ridiculously fussy lot moaned they don't like the cranberries (even Paul!). Just as well we have guest coming on Thursday ~ it was a big batch!

Bugs arrived home in the evening ~ it's nice to have him home and he's had a great time :D

Today ~ 

Minnie started the day with a bit of craft from a cardboard box ~ she's making this.  She got half way through, before she got a phone call from her best friend R, asking her round for the day/night ~ so off she went about 11ish.

The others did yet more drawing, animating, Tux-painting, computer gaming, played Cranium Cadoo, drumming, sleeping (Bugs)...

Then just before lunch TP, & Lilo decided to do some baking. They've never really attempted anything without Minnie before (or me), but they did a fabulous job making Welsh Rarebit Muffins entirely by themselves ~ and they are scrumptions!

Whilst they were busy doing that I took the time to rearrange (and clean) our kitchen food cupboards. I wanted to move the bread products & chocolate snack-bars out of the pantry, because I am sick of throwing away food the mice have found first (sorry ~ we practically live in a field - and it's winter...). So now they will have to try and nibble their way through tin cans! I just hope they don't find where I've put the bread and chocolate! Just need to decide where to put the potatoes now ~ or whether just to resign myself to them feasting on those and leave them to it, whilst keeping a separate stash more 'secure' for our use! I'm sort of of the opinion that if I remove their food source they will find another ~ and removing THEM (which is what I would really dearly love to do) is probably not very realistic in the long term!!

Once I'd finished that major chore, loaded up the dishwasher (2nd load), Bugs and I started on lunch ~ Easy Cheesy Bake ~ more cheese! We doubled the quantities, which of course meant double the cooking time, which I forgot to take into account, and we had a VERY late lunch!! However, it did generally go down well-ish with most of the children. I personally thought it was absolutely delicious ~ but my tastes and my family's are not quite always on a level!!

Pretty much as soon as 'lunch' was swallowed it was time to for Paul to take various kids to gym and dance etc... TP  went for a 'trial' in the development group tonight and then on to the cinema with a friend to see Madagascar 3. Both seem to have been a success :D

When Paul came home with DD from gym he was looking rather glum. They were sent with a letter to say there is a competition on Dec 2nd (a Sunday) but fees have to be paid by tomorrow ~ sorry for the short notice! No details of times ~ only that it is in 'Bury' (miles away) and that it is a 'important grading competition'. DD understandably really wants to do it. He loves his gym and works hard at it, but Sundays are really difficult for us. I don't drive, or it would be less of an issue, but for Paul, as a pastor, he can't just 'drop' a Sunday to take the children to places. It's really tough on them. More warning and more details might make it slightly easier to work with, but still not always. I'm not sure how we are going to address this going into the future. Also, gym digs a VERY big hole in our monthly outgoings and adding competition fees into that... It's not that we would WANT to hold them back at all, and we would dearly LOVE to see them reaching their full potential in WHATEVER sport they chose, but sometimes our circumstances hold us back, regardless of our wishes :(. I promised DD I'd ring the gym to find out times and chat to Paul tomorrow lunchtime to see if it is at all doable ~ which I sadly fear it won't be  ~ poor DD :(

In case you haven't noticed ~ we don't 'do' Halloween. Today we have nicely avoided it and tomorrow it will all go away and everyone will start talking about Christmas instead :D

If I get chance over the next couple of days I will update this post with the relevant pictures, although I haven't really had my camera out this week much. I so want my portrait lens back now!! 

Tomorrow ~ we have friends arriving for a couple of nights, so if I don't blog you'll know why!

Half Term Holidays

October Half Term always includes Taz's birthday, which I have already blogged, so I won't do that again! I had planned to make really good use of the week 'catching' up on things I just can't do when an education demands to be had in the house! I have achieved some of my goals, but I have also quite successfully procrastinated enough over other things to mean that we may just have to have a 'Make & Bake' week next week :) ...which is in fact another way of saying another week off!! In all fairness though, many of the children's friends are off until Wednesday, and some don't have half/term until this week, so I anticipate a few 'phone calls that will take them out of home, or mean extras around anyway - I may as well just embrace it ;)

Achieved: 

• Cleared out my wardrobe & chest-of-drawers ~ two big bin bags of clothes taken out. One went to charity shops and rag bags, the other to the loft just-in-case I ever do succeed in losing some of my excess weight. I won't be able to afford a new wardrobe then, so I have a few 'favourites' in reserve :). I also realised that Minnie was now big enough to inherit some special things I'd hung on to for rather a long time ~ namely the tops from my 'going away' outfit! They haven't dated (being bought on the Indian street stalls outside The London hospital) and she looks gorgeous in it :D. I'll post a pic next time she wears them.
• I wanted to take the children out for a walk and a 'fungus hunt' one day, so we achieved that Wednesday afternoon (Taz's birthday) by having a jaunt in Delamere forest. Taz loves it there ~ it's brilliant for biking :D
• Getting the children's clothes washed and put away ~ until the tumble dryer packed up on Friday, and now I'm behind again!
• A catch-up with my online photography course ~ which obviously means taking and editing lots of pictures ;) 
• Took Minnie charity shop shopping for a stash of winter tops. She doesn't get hand-me-downs any more, as she's taller than all her friends! And she was lacking in a winter wardrobe, so charity shops it had to be. But we did really well and she got some gorgeous clothes for a tiny fraction of what I'd have paid new. And as an added bonus we found here a great winter coat, that is trendy and she looks amazing in ~ for £6!! :D
• Enjoy having some lay-ins and easy mornings :)

Failed:

• I have a stack of marking to get through, but I have only managed to work through one and a half boy's worth! Admittedly this was the older boys work, which takes longer to mark and requires a lot more brain-power, but it is nowhere near as prolific as the girls! This leaves me with a mountain still to climb!  I'm not sure why I put it off so much. I actually don't mind it and I quite enjoy reading their work ~ it often brings a smile to my face! I need to find a way of motivating myself to do little and often, instead of letting it mount up so much. One child a night should do it, but most nights I just can't face it at the end of the day. I love teaching my kids, but I like to stop teaching them too (in a formal sense). 'School' is brought to an abrupt end three days of the week when someone has to be out and about somewhere, be it gym, swimming, prayer group, dance... Chip is often napping at this time too, so I usually take the opportunity to breath a little (usually I hit the study and catch up on the virtual world!!) ~ marking is not at the top of my 'wish list' of things to do!!
• To sort out DD's Leapfrog Explorer and try to get it synching with SOMETHING! It's a major headache ~ great toy, rubbish software ~ same old!
• To do any gardening ~ I'm woos when it comes to the cold! Paul & a friend have chopped up a lot of wood (mostly for kindling so far) and have another pile to do & he has also taken down the old trampoline frame at last, so despite no actual gardening it does look a little bit better out the back anyway. All the same ~ the overgrown shrubs at the front need hacking back for winter and I must do it soon!
• Finding the bottom of the wash-bin (for reasons already explained).

I REALLY MUST put the marking FIRST next week. It's important to me, but more than that, it is important to the CHILDREN. Taz is desperate for me to read a certain piece of work he's done!

BUT... tomorrow morning is already planned out as I need to accompany my Nanna to a hospital appointment. She hasn't been well for about three months now. She is in constant 'pain/discomfort', is gradually losing weight and her appetite is definitely not what it was. Her toilet habits have recently changed too  ~ and that is worrying her possibly the most.

She is happy in her new home, settled in and making friends, but right now she doesn't feel well enough to join in with many of the activities and is staying in her flat more than either she or I are happy with. She admits she is feeling quite 'down' but says that it's because she is fed up with feeling unwell.

She's had all sorts of blood tests since she's been up here (so in the last year), which have all been fine. But my/her GP is not happy with her symptoms, and I am glad about that, because upping pain-killers does not get to the root of the problem, plus Nan avoids taking them because they upset her tummy even more! So she's been referred to the gastroenterologist, and we have her first O.P. appointment in the morning.

The rest of the week I think we are going to, as I said, do lots of making and baking! I fancy having some kitchen sessions with the children and getting some goodies in the cupboard! Any kid-friendly recipes to recommend anyone? :) I quite fancy trying some of OTP's Cranberry and Chocolate Cookies ~ they sound mouthwatering! This baking plan does also serves a dual purpose - we have a cake-sale on Saturday to cook for, so we might do some double, double batches!!
The making will consist of some of those craft-kits we have lying around in drawers, lego, Knex, etc... Might even suggest a lego project or two ~ that tends to keep them busy for a few hours when I do!

OK ~ I'm posting now ~ it's time for Downton!!!!

To see a little extra fun/learning we did this week see here; 
http://www.frog-photoblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/autumn-on-farm.html

Birthday in the Forest

Yesterday my number 2 turned 

(those dates aren't right, just ignore them!)

He's a bit camera shy...

so he usually pulls a silly when he sees me coming!

All the same ~ this is who he is...

silly, sensitive, stroppy (well he is 14!) - and just a little bit wild!

We went to Delamere Forest in the afternoon and you should have seen (which you won't because my camera missed it) the EPIC dive he did ~ hurtling VERY fast down a steep slope ~ over his handlebars! He looked like Superman! HOW his head missed the tree (whose roots he hit) I will never know, although I am very thankful it did!

Once his bike had been carried back to the car, where we just so happened to have the right spanner to refit his wheel into its correct position, we carried on on with our walk.

Nothing stops this kid!

And as we were in a forest, we did a bit of fungus hunting too :D

Having read on NinnyNoodleNoo all about their adventures in the woods, this had made it's way onto my 'to-do' list for half-term!

Happy Birthday (for yesterday) Taz!

On the way home it was decided that instead of nipping into Tesco for pizza toppings we would just do KFC instead. It was getting late admittedly, but KFC is not my favourite and they almost always miss something off our humongous order. Last night was no exception, only it was only something small (two dips) that Bugs failed to notice (or mention) until the chicken was all but gone! Other than that it was quite an enjoyable meal ~ as it goes. We were all full at least!  We did still pop into Tesco though for pudding ~ Taz wanted a cheesecake, and had I had cream in the fridge I'd have made one, but I didn't so bought it was. It was tasty enough though (orange, mango and passionfruit ~ nice choice Taz!) :D

Books for Sale!!

 Hi Everyone!

I have an eclectic mix of books that we no longer need or want. A lot of them I've been given and not used. Some I bought brand new, but haven't used. I've uploaded pictures here;  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ls2qfjwza3t2ddm/HQ8eroiPCE       so you can have a look. It's worth viewing the album BACKWARDS (don't ask!!)

If there's anything you want just shout in the comment box (or email me ~ pcjjap at gmail dot com)

All prices exclusive of postage. 

SCIENCE:

• Primary Science - Knowledge & Understanding. This is more of a primary teachers 'guidebook'. £2
• 'Science Plus' (KS4 supporting text). £1
• 'Singapore' Start-Up Science ~ books 3 & 4 (KS1) ~ unused. £3
• 'Singapore' EPB i-Science Textbook 2 ~ unused. £2
• CGP KS1 Science ~ Study book & Question book ~ unused. £3
• CGP KS1 Science ~ Question book (duplicate) ~ a few pencilled in answers. £1
• Carol Vordermann KS1 Bk3 (5-7) ~ about 12 pages have pencilled in answers. Some stars already used. £1
• Lonsdale Science Textbook (KS2). £1

MATHS:

• GP ~ So You Really Want to Learn Maths ~ book 2 - textbook & answer book. £4
• Fun with Maths (Kingfisher). £2
• Inspiration for Maths (teachers book). £1.50
• MPH Maths 3B textbook ~ the mice got at this whilst in storage and ate the bottom of the first few pages (see pics). Seems we have some clever mice in our house! It doesn't affect any of the text though. £1
• SPMG Heinemann Maths 5 (textbook). £2
• Calculator Maths ~ quite a lot of pencilled in answers. £1

OTHER:

• Art Basics for children (unused) ~ has a slight mark on the back cover. £1
• 'How to be Top' Grammar ~ has some pencil work in, which could be erased. 50p
• Around the World in 80 Days (Geography) ~ 2 bk set ~ BRAND NEW! Bought, but not a good fit for us, so not used. Cost £25.  Stayed in shipping box for over a year now! £15
• Spelling Power ~ spelling program (?Sonlight) ~ in a binder ~ heavy! £5
• Spanish storybook (multilingual) ~ x-library book. £1

If you are coming to Christmas Camp I can bring with me what's not already sold, or anything you 'reserve' for you to choose and filter! That'll save you postage :D

Struck through books are already reserved for Kfish, but if you're at camp and she decides against them, they will be available there!

Give a Boy (II) ...

... A Stick!

and it can be so many things...

Maybe a thrashing instrument..?

but on this occasion mostly a javelin!

The Olympics lives on :D

Give a Boy...

... A Camera... 

It's Paul's very old phone, but when I convinced him to get it, 

it wasn't for the phone, it was for the camera!

The phone is now pretty much defunked, as the buttons are quite unresponsive, 

some don't work at all, and the screen is cracked,

but the camera is still brilliant.

DD has been NAGGING for a camera for sometime.

We bought him one for his Leapfrog Explorer, but it ceased to function (for whatever reason).

So, I gave him TP's little Vivitar hand-me-down, but he got SO frustrated with it, 

as it really requires the most steady of hands (never bother with Vivitar!).

Eventually, I bought a new battery for the Cybershot, found the charger and handed him it.

He is now one very happy boy, and has been clicking away ever since!

(his)

This was his first 'shoot' ~ outside in the almost-dark 

~ shooting birds!

(his)

No challenge there then!

(mine)

A little bit of Gym ~ in the park

Lightening Fast Blog

It's late and I'm way too tired to even contemplate the day ahead tomorrow...
but here's a little precise of today :D

The luxury of no-one going anywhere (due to lack of any transport) afforded me the luxury of a long lie in, albeit not entirely asleep, and I made the most of it! The kids were up - some dressed, all breakfasted, playing noisily, but leaving me be :D 

After making a quick banana & strawberry smoothie (my breakfast) I headed straight into the study to start work on a PowerPoint for Youth Church tomorrow. Not being wonderfully adept at using PP, and not having Paul to call on in time of need, that took me WAY longer than I intended it too (way past lunchtime in fact), but I'm pleased with it in the end.  I think it was almost 3 by the time I was done. It felt like a bit of a wasted day, but the children were wonderful and played nicely together all that time. I reminded myself that there were about three more hours of daylight and to make the most of them!

SO... I gathered in the washing, that had been on the line overnight and was now dry, and then gathered up the children, despite a slightly ominous looking sky. We went out in the garden and gleaned all the remaining elderberries off the bushes (and trees) and ended up with a sizeable stash to make some syrup with. I'd intended to do it today, but I've run out of day, so that'll keep me busy tomorrow afternoon! I know they won't keep, so I need to get on and do it.

The sun was still shining and no-one wanted to go back inside, so I grabbed my camera and took the children down to the maize field just up the lane, for a quick photo session. I can't say it was my most successful set of pictures ever taken, but the children enjoyed seeing the maize growing and while we were there, a large rainbow arced across the sky ~ even though it wasn't actually raining! It was good to have a stomp about in the fresh air, even if only for half hour or so. Chip thoroughly enjoyed himself! And afterwards the middle three all ran back off up the lane and spent another ten minutes or so thrashing down ferns and playing in the fern field. The ferns are just changing colour atm and looking quite pretty, but soon that'll be our winter football pitch again!

I set to, making Toad-in-the-Hole; something we NEVER have because Paul hates it, so it was treat for me and an experiment for the kids. All but Stitch liked it and even he ate it in the end ~ avec a large quantity of red sauce! I had made a rather yummy onion gravy too, but only myself and TP had any of that.

Then the day was almost done ~ tidy-up, showers and baths and it was time for the weekly torture that is X-factor. But tonight I was glad of it ~ it works as the most excellent of motivators to get 'stuff' done on a Saturday night! They watched half, but it's ridiculously long and late these days, so then I packaged them off to bed. TP asked if she could share my bed tonight ~ to which I agreed ~ I hate having the double to myself strangely, especially on these colder nights!

Once everyone was settled in bed, and X-Factor finished (I had to watch the end!) I've been back in the study finishing of bits for the morning. I STILL haven't tackled that mountain of marking, but one more week and then it's half term (yeah!!) ~ I SHOULD be able to get it done with a whole week to do it in!!

And now it's 1am and I am flying solo in the morning ~ our lift for church arrives at 9.30am , so I am heading off to bed RIGHT NOW!

Night all!

Once Round...

Yup ~ I made it all the way around the Blogring :D If I didn't comment I did read, but I think I commented on most too! Feeling pleased with myself, but am wondering how often it's going to be possible ~ it's taken me a while!! Evenso, it's been a good read and nice to touch base with a few familiar names and faces :D

Bedtime now I think! I'll write my own post sometime over the weekend. 

But while I'm here... can anyone confirm to me that this is a hare (rather than a very large grey rabbit)? We have had two hanging about, munching the overgrown grass in our garden.  I think they are a pair, as one is quite a bit larger than the other, but the last couple of days I've only seen the smaller one...

50 THINGS to do before you're 11 3/4...

 Ok ~ so here's the list form here; 50things.org.uk

 Climb a tree
 Roll down a really big hill
 Camp out in the wild
 Build a den
 Skim a stone
 Run around in the rain
 Fly a kite
 Catch a fish with a net
 Eat an apple straight from a tree
 Play conkers
 Throw some snow
 Hunt for treasure on the beach
 Make a mud pie
 Dam a stream
 Go sledging
 Bury someone in the sand
 Set up a snail race
 Balance on a fallen tree
 Swing on a rope swing
 Make a mud slide
 Eat blackberries growing in the wild
 Take a look inside a tree
 Visit an island
 Feel like you're flying in the wind
 Make a grass trumpet
 Hunt for fossils and bones
 Watch the sun wake up
 Climb a huge hill
 Get behind a waterfall
 Feed a bird from your hand
 Hunt for bugs
 Find some frogspawn
 Catch a butterfly in a net
 Track wild animals
 Discover what’s in a pond
 Call an owl
 Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool
 Bring up a butterfly
 Catch a crab
 Go on a nature walk at night
Plant it, grow it, eat it
Go wild swimming
Go rafting
 Light a fire without matches
 Find your way with a map and compass
 Try bouldering
 Cook on a campfire
 Try abseiling
 Find a geocache
 Canoe down a river

Thanking Petitsharicots for the inspiration to do this post :D

Please feel free to copy the list and get going on your very own mega-post :D

I've had to do this all-inclusively or I'd be here FOREVER!!

I've added pictures to this post!! The pictures are smaller than my usual size, due to sheer quantity, but if you click on any one you see it bigger (in a lightbox), with a strip of the others at the bottom.  I'll add the rest if/when we do them (with a date probably). I'm very pleased to see though that the children may not have done all of the 'prescribed' 50, but they have done 50 exciting outdoor-y things, when including a couple of my own add-ins! :D

So here we go...

 Climb a tree

or two

 Roll down a really big hill

I know they have, but I don't think I have pictures. Might have to remedy that!

 Camp out in the wild
This was our VERY FIRST camping trip ~ on a campsite that was basically a field. 
I think that's about as wild as we can get in this tent, unless you count OTP's field of course.
 Our own garden get's pretty wild at times too & they've camped there in little tents too.

 Build a den
usually with sheets and blankets in various rooms ~ so yes inside.
Outside ~ built various 'wigwams' at times in woods here and there!

 Skim a stone

Well yes ~ just a FEW times!

 Run around in the rain
check! In fact TP is my rain-lover, but I haven't got a picture of her so doing :(
Instead I have Taz, getting drenched DESPITE the brolly!

 Fly a kite

 Catch a fish with a net
Yup ~ this year we caught some & a couple of years ago we didn't, but the pictures were better!

 Eat an apple straight from a tree
Do plums count? Done that lots of times in our garden. But also these apples from a friend's tree. She has pears too!

.

 Play conkers
I know the boys did when they were small (no pictures). Maybe it's time to give the girls a turn :D

 Throw some snow
...maybe a FEW times!

 Hunt for treasure on the beach

 Make a mud pie

Don't think they've ever done this ~ maybe Chip might break the mould. I've never stopped them, but it's not any of their style ~ unless you count playing in sludgy sand. Chip and Stitch definitely have done that!

Dam a stream

 Go sledging

 Bury someone in the sand

I have a bit of a fear of this, but still...

 Set up a snail race
nope ~ fail!

 Balance (sit your whole family) on a fallen tree

 Swing on a rope swing

 Make a mud slide
Slid in mud that was already a slide ~ does that count?

 Eat blackberries growing in the wild
YES ~ and billberries (OTP) and tasted honeysuckle sap...

 Take a look inside a tree
and climbed in!

 Visit an island
We live on one! Other than that I don't think so.

 Feel like you're flying in the wind

 Make a grass trumpet
No pictures, but definitely YES!

 Hunt for fossils and bones

 Watch the sun wake up

and go down?

 Climb a huge hill

 Get behind a waterfall
Don't think we've done this, other than in a swimming pool!

 Feed a bird from your hand

Also hold a wild fledgling bird IN your hands 

 Hunt for bugs

 Find some frogspawn

collected, watched and well, they erm... hopped away!

Catch a butterfly in a net
Don't think I actually want the children to do this, but we've watched butterflies often on the Buddleia in the garden.

Track wild animals
No, but we've spotted their homes many times

Discover what’s in a pond
We spent ages beside this pond in the summer, looking at pond creatures and dragonflies...

Call an owl
nope

 Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool
We found lots in these at Nothe beach this year.

 Bring up a butterfly
On my MUST DO with the children list, but not done so far.

 Catch a crab

 Go on a nature walk at night
Boys have been for night walks, but not girls. Too many midges for me!

Plant it, grow it, eat it

Go wild swimming
Does the sea count for this one?, Or the local brook? If so sort-of!

Go rafting
nope!

 Light a fire without matches
Boys in scouts ~ yup. Girls ~ not yet!

 Find your way with a map and compass
Boys in scouts ~ yup. Girls ~ only alongside me. We're working on it...

 Try bouldering
If that involves climbing over big rocks ~ whenever they get the chance!

 Cook on a campfire

Boys have at Scouts. I'll have to get the girls up to speed!

 Try abseiling

 Find a geocache

 Canoe down a (in) river

(that's Bugs in the yellow canoe)

Things I'D like to add to the list that rate right 'up there' for me...

Feed a squirrel from your hand

Create something with wood

Play in a hay barn/loft

Do a 'barfus' walk (preferably involving lots of mud)

Jump waves

Walk threw a field of anything taller than you

Find a four-leafed clover

If you want to add the thumbnails to your blog, just ask me for the html code :D