Well I do feel much better for having had time off! We did get our holiday - a glorious week camping on the Isle of Wight, where we were blessed with fantastic weather. I even got a bit of a tan, and that's no mean feat for me! Camping isn't my favourite kind of holiday, not least because our younger children struggle to sleep when it's light, and can end up cranky - but we all had a fabulous time anyway, and I do love my fresh air and wide outdoors :)
I've been trying not to think too hard during the past couple of weeks, as my brain was pretty frazzled, but I have realised a few things which will doubtless come up over the next few posts. One thing I have realised is that I was feeling obliged to write a blog post every day - and being the sort of person that I am I frequently found myself taking time that could have been more productively spent elsewhere. This sense of obligation came from no-one but myself. There are lovely people who have been kind enough to comment that they found my little blog encouraging, but nobody ever stipulated a command to write every day - that just came from my own desire to maintain a good habit. Anyway, I've given myself permission to not have to write every day - and not have to write loads either (although my problem will be keeping it brief - I do find it hard to stop sometimes; there must be an art to it).
So, in the interests of brevity, I am not going to go into everything that has happened over the last couple of weeks, but just sum up a few of the highlights...
The Cinnabar moth cocoons had to be returned to the wild area from whence they came before they had chance to emerge, as we knew we were going away and wouldn't be able to look after/ properly release them. Our Painted Lady butterflies all emerged while we were away and our lovely lodger released them in our garden for us - much more straight forward :)
Eldest discovered our books on the First World War and the Second World War, and has been totally gripped by them. He read them both through back-to-back in one sitting before we went away - has been buying army tanks and little plastic soldiers with his holiday money, and even today was still coming out with facts about what the various bombs were nicknamed in WW2! All I did was leave the books out to be discovered, and he has started his own project!
We are also becoming fans of the Basher Science series. I originally bought the Oceans one for Eldest, as that's been one of his most loved subjects, but it turned out Middle was the most interested - so we've now added the Human Body one to our library. I was told they were suitable for older children, but if my six-year-old finds them totally fascinating, there's no way I'm going to object!
Youngest's speech has taken another leap forward. He always tended to see himself as a mini-adult, and he just keeps adding big words to his vocabulary, with an even bigger attitude! We loved the way he interacted with many adults while on holiday, particularly when said adults took the time to enjoy a chat with him, most memorably a fire-breather who was very patient with his act being interrupted by a three-year-old bent on sharing a conversation!
OK so I'm going to have to work on this 'keeping it short' malarkey. But there's so much I haven't said!! ;-) Anyway, I'm back, feeling really rested and refreshed - and have plenty of time in the days ahead to catch up on my thoughts at a gentle pace. That was a goooooood holiday :)
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