Summer reading challenge and national trust .

We have been biking around again these past couple of days.

Yesterday we rode into the village to ask local hairdressers and bar and cafe staff to display my business cards and leaflets in there shops,we also needed a few bits from the shop and to visit the library (bearing more catalogues and business card's) and heritage centre .

Eva and summer both signed up for the library's Summer Reading Challenge. They need to read 6 books over the next 6 weeks .collecting sticker and prizes at each library visit. . This years theam is record breakers.

Charlie and Eva love the heritage centre. We were lucky this visit to have a lovely chatty lady who was the volunteer. She answered lots and lots of questions from a certain inquisitive eight year old.About the second world war,maps, weapons and much more.

We cycled through the lanes home and took a detoure down to the green at Lane End Beach and along the sea wall.

Today Jasmine whent straight from her paper round and out for the day to help my mum in my brothers shop.
She was quite proud that she was left in charge for a few moments whilst mum nipped out to get them some lunch.

Summer ,Eva and I walked just round the corner for a craft fair. There were many beautiful hand made items .My girls were happy with there apple flavour candy floss and we chose to bring home some that was banana flavour for Gypsie, Jasmine and Charlie.

We had a little browse in the charity shop and found a bargain or two before strolling back.

Summer suggested we all go out on another bike ride and take a pic-nic.
I was happy to oblige and with sandwiches made and a quick stop off to buy drinks and snacks we headed to the windmill.  (Gypsie decided to stay home and enjoy some peace and quiet...a rarity in our home)

We explored the fields and watched a few aeroplanes take off and come in to land (I pretended to enjoy it....read, scared to death!) Then enjoyed our lunch before going in to the mill.
The national trust staff member had issued us with 50 things to do before your 11 3/4 scrapbooks and a hunt the millers activity leaflet. Hidden inside the mill were six members of the  miller family ,upon finding them you had to write down their names ( i think Mill I Am and Miller King Tyre were my favourites )and summer entered a competition to design your own Miller we decided to call hers Mill-ificent !

Robbie made light work of climbing all three sets of narrow stairs to the top of the mill and fortunately for me a very kind man offered to carry him back down to the ground floor for me whilst I helped Eva who over dramatically insisted she was going to fall and die.

Charlie Eva and summer really liked useing a hand quern to make flour.They loved the process of grinding the wheat several times to get it to finer and finer particles.

We took a walk through the woods where we were we were chased by imaginary tigers and cheetahs and picked up leaves and sticks and stones.

We rode back home and were all pretty much happily worn out (Robbie was actually out for the count in the bike trailor pretty much as soon as I'd strapped him in)

I wonder what fun tomorrow will bring !

chemistry , maths, piggy, parks, beaches and bunnies !

This is just a quick catch up post before I forget all we have been up to.

Our main lesson on Wednesday was based upon what plants take as they grow and how they give back to the earth when they are burnt.

Our main lesson on Thursday morning was spent studying a candle flame, looking at the different colours and drawing a diagram. We discussed the different reactions taking part and how that resulted in diffrence of colour and different heats within the flame. I learnt equal as much as the girls.

That afternoon Jasmine and Gypsie cycled to the harbour , I'm glad they enjoyed afternoon together of finding beautiful shells and climbing rocks and I'm glad we live in a quiet village were I feel able to give them the amount of freedom they now desire.

Charlies maths lesson on Thursday was about odd and even numbers ...he flew through this with no trouble!

Friday morning was spent enjoying some treats , the grocery delivery came that morning along with new coloured roller ball pens as requested by Gypsie, icing and kit-Kate biscuits as requested by Summer and the"sweet treats " magazine that Jasmine has been wanting .I surprised Evie with a peppa  pig cup cake mix and Charlie with a DK lego super hero sticker book.

Summer made a fantastic "piggy in mud" cake with the supplies she had requested.

That afternoon we went to the library to return some books , renew a couple id forgotten about and borrow lots more. The evening was spent reading Eva all the books she had chosen .

This weekend seems to have flown by. summer had her dance lessons on Saturday morning and while Paul spent that time playing chauffeur I stayed at home with the others and spent all morning baking.

We went for a stroll down to the beach with my brother and sister in law and mum dog in the afternoon . It was beautiful down there . Crabs were found, rocks examined and stones thrown .

Jasmine been out most of the weekend with my sister and their friends .cycling, playing on the beach and walking. Only coming home for money and to eat..... She's growing up too fast !!!!

Today I had planned on a big spring clean .Alas iv been out all day. we popped to mum this morning to take a birthday gift to my sister and anniversary gift to mum and dad. we ended up in the garden looking at their hens, the very gorgeous cockeral , the ducks and bunnies . Dad was planting his first early potatoes and he kindly gave us a few to bring home for our garden. A long while ago Charlie planted a mangos stone and when it got too big for the noodles pot we had placed in a bigger plant pot that no longer fitted on the window sill. Since then Grandma had been looking after it in his green house.
Now that we have our own little greenhouse Charlie was able to bring it home to take back.over the care!

This afternoon we went to the park with my sister to continue enjoying the beautiful weather. once home and Robbie was settled I got too spend some quality time with Charlie outside in the garden . He has created a leprechaun tea party. With it being st patricks day tomorrow we are hoping to lure some leprichorn s in to our garden.

As you can see from the photos once they enter the rock circle through the evergreen archway they will be very comfy on the moss sofa or the rock chairs whilst they enjoy the grass and bud salad from the shell plates upon the tree stump table.

We can't wait to see if the gold treasure has lured them in!