Gooby

I cannot believe it has been so long since I was last here!
Things have moved on apace since I last blogged.
I have finished my first novel and am in the process of doing the red pen mark up. As a former teacher it is quite ironic that I am now scribbling comments on my own work reflecting improvements to be made, and the red lines through things rather then being discouraging are spurring me on as I want the book to be the best it can be. I am hoping it will be available towards the end of the year but as with all things that are good, they come to she who waits...and waits...and waits.

The kids have all been ill and grotty, timing it just right for Heather's half term. Still a week to go and now they are feeling better the weather is on the turn. Heather is coming on in leaps and bounds with her reading and writing and I am constantly amazed at the child's ability to learn. She made my heart melt the other day when after spending some time bent over a piece of her favourite pink paper she sidles up to me and gives me a card, She has folded it herself, drawn two flowers and two butterflies and written the word mum all by herself as well as her own name. Bless

I have also decided they have invented a new word 'gooby. It came about when Heather misheard me say gloopy, and now she seems to have passes it on to Matthew and so every night in the bath when we squirt the lovely lavender soap onto their hands they delight in rubbing them together and yelling 'look gooby' at the tops of their voices. I wonder what words you have invented?

Harvest Vegetable

It has been a busy week. I passed a delightful breakfast morning on Tuesday and then on Wednesday Heather had a friend to play and we made Rice Crispie cakes, with raisins to add some nutritional value. Today was special as well it was the schools annual harvest festival and the children were encouraged to take food items into school which were to be donated to a local homeless shelter for the young.
I had remembered to buy some items for Heather to donate on Wednesday and stowed them on top of the fridge, being lovely food items I was worried they wouldn't survive until today had they been accessible, so of course when we arrived at school today the donation was still on top of the fridge.

I felt very guilty, it is the first, but alas, I doubt the last, time I had forgotten an essential item. I rushed to pre-school and deposited Matthew and then dashed home. Lucy had with luck decided it was time for a nap so we returned to Heather's school, donation in hand and handed it over to the secretary, she smiled as soon as she saw me with my carrier bag and I knew that she had probably been inundated with lots of Mums dropping off their forgotten goods.

When I picked Heather up I asked her if she had given the food in during assembly and she assured me that she had.

'A man came and took them though' she said 'for poorer people. He said we were all very nice giving them such nice things to eat.'

'That's good' I say pleased she has understood the general idea.

'It's a special time' she continues 'harvest vegetable.' Priceless!

Heather 1, Mummy O

'He's pushing me' Heather whines as she and Matthew push one another in the race to get through the front door.
I retrieve Lucy from the car while Heather and Matthew continue to shove one another in an effort to be first.
'Ouch' cries Heather, she is giving as good as she gets. Due to all the pushing one or the other's head is in the way so I can't actually open the door.
'Mummy go in' says Matthew giving Heather a forceful shove which she duly returns.
'I'm pushing Matthew because he's pushing me' she explains helpfully.
Finally managing to get the key in the door I being to open it until one of them lands against the door shutting it again.
'Look you two, we don't push, what are you animals?'
Quick as a wink Heather replies 'Yes Mummy we're cheeky monkeys.'
Laughing too hard to remonstrate further I get the door open and Matthew elbows his way in first, not very gentleman like, but for him a small victory.

Black Box

If you scroll down far enough, paying attention to the sidebar, you will notice a new widget -black boxes.
You click a few choices and it will take you to a shiny new mystery blog, chosen randomly from your responses.
If you have made it here from the black box widget then please make yourself comfortable, introduce yourself and say hello. Incidentally if you remember your route to my page it would be great if you could give me some details of your answers.

Injury time

I am sure Matthew is going for the record number of injuries in one day:
Grabbing a cup of tea and pouring over himself (Luckily it was mine and therefore cold otherwise it could have been nasty.)
Scaling Lucy's high chair and falling off,
Trying to sit in the crumb catcher of the high chair and falling through,
Playing with his fire engine and following it head first off the sofa,
Standing under the breakfast bar and attempting to jump despite the face that his head brushes the top.
Miraculously no major injuries and when he gets a kiss to the injured part he shouts 'all better' at the top of his voice.

Heather says 'Mummy look at this' and I know I have to brace myself.
I look at the foot thrust towards me and follow her finger to where it is pointing - her big toe with a small piece of loose skin attached. She is yanking to no avail.
'I think it's a bogey' she says 'It had to stay there forever because I ate it earlier and now it's on my foot forever.'
I just smile and wonder why she feels she needs to share such pieces of information with me.

Lucy is teething and it is not pretty, wailing for an hour takes us all by surprise being as she is usually such a happy baby, I hope the little pegs pop through soon.