Begging letter...

So nextr week we are off to Center Parcs. Just one thing though; we need to get the school to authorise the holidays-eek. I thought it was a simple matter of the teacher using their discretion and signing the form but Oh no!. I was made to feel like a naughty fourteen year old by the school receptionist when trying to fill in the form (she wouldn't even lend me a pen to do this). Was told to write a letter to the head to support my request-with evidence if possible why I must take the holidays now! So here is my best attempt:
Dear Mr Smith

Please would you authorise my children, xx and xx (Reception and Nursery PM) to go on a family holiday (7th-11th November).
As a parent, I obviously do not wish my children to miss any of their valuable education, however at this time it was very difficult for us to book a holiday in school holidays.
Firstly, my husband works predominantly with women with young children who take their holidays in school holiday time for childcare. As his job allows only two staff off at a time, it is very hard for him to get time off in school half terms as the priority is given to those needing it for childcare.
Secondly, we booked the holiday, a year ago when I was unaware of the school policy surrounding leave of absence for holidays.
I would be very grateful if you could authorise these holidays. I can also assure you that I feel this holiday (Centre Parks) will be of educational value to the children since they will be taking part in activities such as art and craft, drama and sports.


The end bit about the educational value of Center Parcs was such a brainwave-surely he will go with this! I was going to really tug at his heart strings and talk about what a stressful year we have had with the house move but throught that might have been taking it to far!

Obviously we are still going even if it doesn't get authorised but my poor kids will start their school life with five days 'unauthorised absense' in the first term!. Needless to say I think starring roles in the school play are also out of the question now seeing as they most likely start practising the nativity next week.

Autumn and Halloweeen stuff

Play academy-follow this link to see what others are doing http://nurturestore.co.uk/tag/the-play-academy-2

Since the kids have started school and pre school there has not been as much time for craft and theme related stuff. However, with halloween coming up, along with the dark nights and colder weather, I decided it was time to search for some inspiration.

I found some great ideas on there and adapted them a bit to fit in with the resources we had available as money is a bit limited at the moment for buying endless craft supplies!

Pumpkins

All these involved was sticking tissue paper squares on paper plates which will then have a face drawn on with black pen.


Scary looking cakes

With blue or red icing....



Threading skeletons

I bought plastic skeletons and skulls in the pound shop. Melissa threaded the skeletons into a piece of cotton (good for fine motor skills as the hole is really small) and Louis did the skulls.



Haunted Houses
These were printed off from Activity Village and were great to give the kids to get on with with minimal input from me. Very American seeing as no one round here has a house that massive though of course! The kids coloured in the house and the decorations and then Melissa was able to cut out the decorations and stick them herself. Louis on the other hand needed help but he is getting better with using scissors.

These were
Leaf Pictures

We went on a nature walk, collecting various leaves, twigs and acorns which were then stuck onto large sheets of paper cut into a leaf shape. I think sticky back plastic would have been better really but since we have moved about 5 miles from shops which sell such supplies we have had to make do a bit more with what we have in the house instead of nipping to the supermarket for supplies



So now we have decirated the house all ready for halloween. I am really excited this year that we actually haave a front garden to decorate too in readyness for trick or treaters! I am working and have a hairdressers appointment on actually halloween so we will celebrate tomorrow with a special tea and trick or treating. I kind of wish we had had a party but its only 3 weeks since Melissa's birthday party!

Melissa's 5th Birthday...

I can't quite believe it myself but my little Melissa turned 5 earlier this month. Though her actual birthday was on a Friday, due to school, we celebrated on the Saturday with a party. Not being one to do things by halves, I decided hiring a room and having a big party was the way forward. That way I could invite her old friends from playgroups, nursery, my mummy friends kids etc... as well as any new school friends. Because she had only been in school about 2 weeks when I sent out the invites, I decided, inviting all the girls in the class would be the way forward. Well about half of them replied and came but the other half; rude so and sos did not even bother to reply!!
As usual I invited too many people, thinking many wouldn't turn up. That meant in total there were about 25 children at the party. Melissa wanted it to be fancy dress so all the girls came as princesses where as the boys were a mix of pirates, super heros and dinosaurs.
In the beginning I had this idea I would provide the entertainment myself. However I soon chickened out and we hired a very good, but very expensive children's entertainer. The kids, however, did seem to enjoy it and join in!
Here are some photos...

Starting school

Well, we are almost half way through the autumn term; Melissa's first year at school and Louis first year at nursery.
It all seems to be going ok thankfully. Louis took a while to settle in to nursery. Although he always said he enjoyed himself and the teachers said he was fine, he would cry when I dropped him off. The teaching assistant has been really good with him and would make a special fuss and read him a story. Anyway, fingers crossed, about 2 weeks ago he said 'I've decided I am not going to cry now mummy.' and that was that. He has gone in happy enough ever since. It is really cute seeing him shout the names of the other children and nice he is making his own friends and devloping his own personality with some time away from Melissa.
Melissa being at school means me and Louis have two mornings together when I am not in work. I have all these plans to teach him his letters and numbers ready for school but so far all we have really done is play or have a cuddle!!
Melissa, on the other hand seems to have taken no trouble settling into school. I took her in on the first day and she went and sat down like she had been going every day of her life. She is mentioning the names of a few other children so hopefully she is making friends fine. She is very indpendent but seems popular with the other kids!
School seem to have started already with reading, writing and numbers. At the end of the first week Melissa brought home her first reading book. Strangely it had no words in it but appparently this is to get the children used to the charactors of the scheme they use. She has been bringing home 2 new words to learn more or less every night and seems to be picking them up very quickly. I am under no illusion she is a genius though-she is almost a year older than many of the kids in her class!
Tomorrow is parent's night for both kids so will find out how they are getting on.
Here are some pictures of them in their uniforms....

School holidays

Well, the school holidays are almost over. Louis had his first day at pre school and Melissa will have her first day in reception class next Monday. I haven't really blogged much over the holidays so this post is a summary really of what we have been up to.

Meeting up with friends
I got the phone numbers off quite a few of the mums of children Melissa had played with at pre school so on most days when I wasn't working we had someone to meet up with. Activities included, trips to the local park, trips to soft play (when the weather was bad) and playing in the house. It was nice that Melissa's friends included Louis too, infact most of her friends have a younger brother or sister so he had people to play with also.

Baking

Unfortunately I have come to the realisation that I am not in any way shape or form any kind of cook so our baking activities involved making up packet mix cakes.

Horse riding

My sister and mum have horses-actually one of them was mine before I had the kids. We took Melissa and Louis down to the stables a few times and they enjoyed brushing and a quick ride on the smaller of the two horses.





Playing in the garden

I usually jump at any chance to get out in the garden with the kids at any sign of sunshine (a rare sight in the north of England). We bought the kids a trampoline which they love!



Outdoor chalking has also been a hit...


Days out

We have had 3 proper family days out. The first was more an attempt at one as we set off from our house in overcast but dry weather but when we arrived at our park of choice, only 11 miles aways, everything was soaking. It ended up being a trip to costco instead!



Another day out was to Southport where we had a walk round, some fish and chips and then Melissa and Louis went on a few fairground rides.



Thirdly, we took a trip to Tatton park, a national trust park which has a fabulous adventure playground and lovely gardens and nature walks.

Caravan mini breaks

My parents have just bought a caravan in the Lake District so we have had two long weekends there. Unfortunately, particularly the first time we went, the weather was quite wet. However the kids enjoyed the indoor pool and have improved their swimming and managed to get a few goes on the outdoor playground. In the evening we went to the clubhouse and my husband and I had a few drinks while the Melissa and Louis watched the children's entertainment. Louis even won the fancy dress competition.

Jam jar decorating

Join the play academy link up...http://nurturestore.co.uk/join-the-play-academy-idea-swap-51

Being a typical North west England summer, we have had quite a lot of rain in the last couple of weeks so I have had to find ways to keep the kids busy in the house (my least fav thing,being stuck inside with bored kids!). In preparation for this, before the start of the summer holidays, I asked people at work to save for me any old boxes and also jam jars.

The boxes are for junk modelling which we have not yet done and the jam jars for decorating.

I did consider using glass paints but thought the kids may be a bit young especially Louis. So I decided the best thing to do would be firstly paint the jars all over with thick pva glue.



I then gave the kids a tub each of tissue paper shapes and asked them to stick them all over the jars so no white was showing.




The results turned out quite good!

Ibiza holiday

This post is about 2 months too late but I wanted to do a little post on our summer holiday to Portinax in Ibiza. We went with my mum, dad, sister and her boyfriend as my dad paid for us all to go for his 60th birthday/retirement celebrations.

We stayed in a wonderful all inclusive hotel which was extremely child friendly. Melissa enjoyed going to the kids club in the mornings where they did craft and theme related activities. Louis unfortunately would not be left in the kid's club as he is going through a phase of being very clingy (dread nursery start in a few weeks!).

We had gorgeous weather and spent every day partly by the pool and then partly on the beach and the kids stayed up really late in the evening to watch the entertainment.

Here aere some photos anyway :-)
The beach....




Melissa and Louis in the kids pool (excuse Louis sunhat!)



At the beach


Melissa on the slide



We all had a lovely time and have booked to go again next year!