Grass clippings and all...

Today our back lawn was mowed for the first time. This may sound very insignificant but to think that in March 'gardening' consisted of hiring a guy with a huge JCB to effect some improvements I think we have come a hell of a long way! I sat and looked round tonight at the vibrant green lawn and the veg patch and I just felt so happy and content - as if one phase of the whole relocation/renovation thing is almost complete.

I was quite surprised at Hermione's enthusiasm this morning as she picked up an Explode the Code workbook and did a couple of pages not long after breakfast. I hadn't said anything - she just did it. There certainly is a love/hate thing going on with the workbooks. She then went on to add to the map which she started yesterday.

Hermione went to the TVHE meeting today. The theme was percussion. She made a shaker which she seemed quite pleased with. She had also spent quite some time there playing a game called 'Tumbling Monkeys' which is apparently like 'KerPlunk'. Talking of games, I thought I would try to pick up a 'Pass the Pigs' cheap on Ebay the other day. No such luck. They are not cheap and they sell fast. I'll have to keep looking.

This afternoon they headed off to Rainbows. I know I say this almost every week but it really is a big hit with both Hermione and Lily. They love it. I never get to hear much about what they have actually done but they always come home in high spirits and full of joy - which is great to see.

Miles is really busy these days too. He still prefers pottering at home to going out and about but I'm fine with that most of the time - apart from occasions like this afternoon when he tried to get into the rain water butt - that wasn't good! He's forever after the girls felt tip pens so I decided to buy him some big chubby crayons of his own and leave them accessible on the dining room floor with some paper. He's spending quite a bit of time 'drawing'. He's still very much into The Little Red Hen ladybird book too.

I mentioned yesterday that we played a new maths game with ladybirds. Well, basically it consists of two boards with leaves on, ten big mummy ladybird cards with 1 - 10 spots on and ten small baby ladybird cards with 1 - 10 spots on. Essentially the mummies and babies have to be matched up to make a total of ten.