Pinch me

Hello.. Remember me.

I'm just going to step right on in to what we got up to last week and pretend like there hasn't been a massive four month gap in my blog. That's OK right?

We had a busy week even though due to Robbie being unwell we didn't really leave the house very much.

Since early spring is here and we have changed up our nature table I thought it may be fun to take a closer look at daffodils with some dissection. Summer, Charlie, Eva and Robbie all decided they wanted to join in with this activity. We followed directions I found on line and learnt about each part of the daffodil and its purpose. I actually learnt a lot myself in the process and Charlie especially enjoyed learning how and where new seeds are made and about the male and female part of the flower. He laid all the pieces out on a piece of paper and labeled them as you can see in the photo below.
I also pulled out a couple of daffodil related crafts that I had stashed away.

Gypsie and summer have completed there citizen maths course.And we are now looking for other online courses that they can do independently. Gypsies keen to do an art course and summer hasn't really expressed any preference in a course of any type yet.

Summers spent a lot of time this week making YouTube videos and trying to sort out whatever it is that's happened to her old account. For some reason now people have to pay to view her videos and she is desperate to have it reverted back to free viewing.
Gypsies mostly been painting and drawing at the moment she's working on a large batman painting.
Jasmine been keeping on top of her maths and English courses and has been doing a lot of baking.
Wednesday was my sisters birthday and she made her this awesome pigs in mud cake. (bonus... It was vegan!!!)

Thursday was a bit of a stressful day. We woke up to water dripping through the kitchen ceiling and after many phone calls we had various workmen in and out all day and by about two in the afternoon after cutting a hole in the kitchen ceiling and taking up the laminate floor in the landing and the vinyl from the bathroom one had determined there was a leak under the bath! We were looking after my nephew that morning which passed the time but the afternoon was a long one which was spent awkwardly trying to avoid getting it the plumbers way and of course we were all stuck down stairs and couldn't use the loo!!!
The pipes fixed now and we will be getting the floors and ceiling fixed soon.

With Friday being St Patrick's day Eva set up a very beautiful leprechaun trap. She spent a long time setting up and rearranging the elements of her trap. The idea was that the leprechaun would use the ladder to climb in to the glass jar in order to get the gold (sequins, bells, gem stones) and there he would be stuck.
The next morning she woke very excited. She didn't find a leprechaun but there was a trail of lucky charms leading to reheat trap and a note from a leprechaun with the first clue of a treasure hunt.
After following the clues she found some yummy treats (gold bars, rainbow drops and lime éclairs) in the bottom tray of the fridge.
The cheeky leprechaun had also turned the milk green!!

Whilst the three little ones munched on their very unhealthy breakfast we read all about St Patrick and also a story called "The little dancer" about a poor little goat girl  who is gifted some dance slippers from a leprechaun as a token of appreciation for all the joy she brought to his life for her singing and dancing she did whilst tending to her goats.
We took my brothers dog for walk as he had to go to the mainland and then helped Eva make a leprechaun lunch . I brought some gold spray ice icing which she sprayed over some ores to make gold coins and then she made a fruit and veg rainbow bow. Following this I then spent most of the afternoon  painting. Iv been given the wonderful opportunity and am illustrating a children's book. It really is like a dream come true. While I painted Paul and the boys took our broken TV apart.. The boys love  to see what's inside appliances and Charlie made sure to keep the speakers and some wires to add to his electronics kit.
Yesterday was mainly spent tidying the toy shelf and box and bookshelf and we had a visit from two of my sisters and my nephew as well which was lovely . I also helped Eva follow instructions in a magazine to make a cereal and yoghurt sandae. We used lucky charms to keep it festive. In the evening while Robbie caught up on some sleep (this weeks been pretty horrendous sleep wise with his horrid cough) Eva cuddled up with me on the sofa and we watched a couple of episodes of call the midwife before bed. I'm always amazed at how much she takes in from watching adult programs. We talked all about how when she's older she wants to have her babies at home like the lady in the program. And how she has lots of dolls so she can practice being a good mum. She melts my heart!