Booktime for your School or Library!

Earlier this year I won a Twitter competition and got to nominate a school to have a book parcel delivered to for them to put into their School Library. I of course choose Top Enders school and when the parcel arrived at the school, I got my name in the newsletter and everything! Now is a chance for you to have some similar fame at a school of your choice.

This autumn, 680,000 copies of Eric Carle’s story book “ 'Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,' Said the Sloth" will be given to children starting reception in England courtesy of the charity Booktrust who have the programme Booktime (in partnership with Pearson and the Department for Education).

Now here comes the bit with the possible fame for you; To celebrate, Booktime are offering primary schools and libraries in England the chance to enter a prize draw to receive an exclusive artist’s proof from the book signed by Eric Carle. Anyone (that's you) can nominate a primary school and a public library in England (full terms and conditions will be on their website once the competition opens). From today until the 31st October 2010. All you have to do is visit the Booktime site at http://www.booktime.org.uk/ and find the school or library you want to nominate.

If your school or Library is chosen and really generous you might get a wing named after you or I am sure that like Top Ender's school it might be something a little less expensive...

By the way, the Booktime website also has games and resources inspired by all the books that have been given away in the past, and they are on twitter too!

Guest Post: Back to School - The time is upon us.

I love saving money and being frugal and because of this I have a lot of websites in my favourites that I can rely on to help save me some cash. One of my most favourite sites is Moneysupermarket.com because of the fantastic vouchers that they have and when they asked if they could guest post here I agreed as I would love for everyone to save money with me!

Back to school can be an expensive time of year especially since it follows the summer holidays and 6 weeks of entertaining the family. A study has found that parents can spend on average £106 per child to kit them out for the new school year. So here are some last minute ideas of how to reduce the cost of this time of year and in turn hopefully reduce the stress.

VouchersUnless you have to go to a specific outlet to obtain your child’s uniform there is a huge number of retailers that sell school uniforms. Due to the recession many of these retailers now offer a huge array of discounts on products and savvy consumers are making the most of these offers to reduce their costs. Remember to look online to see if there are any discount codes and vouchers available to take with you when buying the uniforms for the approaching school year. The vouchers do not just apply to the uniform but also for the stationary, computers and books that your child may need.
Shop Around
This time of year the high streets will be packed with parents trying to kit out their children for the approaching school term. Avoid the crowds and look online; many stores offer online shopping that will deliver to your door. This also allows you to compare the prices from many retailers all in one go without having to traipse from store to store. This will also reduce the stress of having to entertain the kids whilst queuing for the tills. Most websites also offer size guides allowing you to ensure that you are selecting the right sizes.

Make it yourself
Again, unless you have to go to a specialist outlet for your school supplies making certain aspects of the uniform yourself may be an option if you have the time and ability. The Internet is filled with sewing patterns that can be used for school skirts. Simply download this and obtain the fabric from a haberdashery. This way the skirt is unique and will fit your child perfectly as you have taken their exact measurements. If you’re feeling more adventurous you could try making the school trousers.

You could also make their pencil cases; get the children involved by getting them to pick out the fabric that they wish to use. As the size of the fabric needed will be small you may be able to get an off cut of fabric to use. You can further personalise the pencil case by adding badges, novelty buttons, ribbons or sequins that your child has picked out.

Swap shop Chances are that as a child is growing they are going to outgrow their uniforms fairly quickly meaning that the cost of re-buying uniforms can continue to add-up. In addition to this it means that you are left with barely worn high quality garments that are of no use to you. However, these may be of use to other parents, therefore setting up a swapping scheme with the other parents at the school may be beneficial to avoid wasting this clothing. This is not just limited to clothing; revision guides, Yorke Notes and text books can also be exchanged as it is unlikely that the syllabus or new addition of the text book will change year on year.

A Back to School article by Rhian Gillam of Moneysupermarket.com

September the time for New School Year Resolutions

After sixteen years in the British Education system it has been imprinted in my brain that September is when the New Year starts. You get a new start and you can be a different person to who you were before the summer. Every September you can reinvent yourself as someone who is studious, on time, interesting and in my case on top of things.

Of course its dead lucky that just four months later you get to re-make all these promises to yourself with your New Years Resolutions as that is how long it normally took for me to forget what I was aiming for and fall back to my normal forgetting to study, do my homework, be late, only talk about things I find interesting and nobody else does and of course let everything pile on top of me in some crazy hotch potch way.

This is not a photo of Top Ender on her first day of School doing homework that had to be handed in that day.

This year of course will be no different, I am going to make changes and stick to them, not just for me but as a parent and of course if Top Ender wants to make some then I will support her. And if it turns out that at the end of December we have to make the same personal resolutions again? Well then I will just know that I am consistent in my ways!

As a Mummy however I promise the following resolutions will not be forgotten until at least Easter...

1. We will get to school on time everyday. Yes I know I only live five minutes from school.
2. Top Ender will have clean uniform everyday and her shoes will be polished.
3. I will remind Top Ender to take her PE kit at the start of the week.
4. I will check Top Enders bag for permission slips and return them promptly.
5. Top Ender will have a nutritious lunch everyday.
6. Top Ender will take her bottle of water to school everyday.
7. I won't be late picking Top Ender up. Again, yes I know I practically live next door to the school.
8. I will write all appointments on the calender.
9. I will get Top Ender to do her homework.
10. I will remember to give Top Ender and Baby Boy a healthy after school snack

Yeah who am I kidding? I won't last two weeks.

Tesco School Uniform

A Nice Lady from Tesco contacted me the other day and asked if I would like to have a box of school uniform sent over for Top Ender. Now I have been buying bits of School Uniform every week in my weekly shop, but there were still a few bits and pieces that I needed to get. And so I said YES PLEASE!

Then last week, in the middle of the night (well before I was awake), the doorbell rang. I was busy sleeping and so sent Daddy downstairs to open the door. He came back upstairs with a box. A box that I had no clue what was inside, mainly due to it being before I had woken up. Several hours later though when I was awake and dressed and understood what was going on I presented the box to Top Ender.

Top Ender liked the box. She liked it even more when she opened the box and found that inside was a new school uniform that her fashion conscious eye (Like the Bratz she has a passion for fashion) approved of and a set of pens, pencils and a small notebook for the essential notes that she writes.

 

 

  

 

Top Ender refused to put it on though, saying that it is bad luck to you put school uniform on before your first day of school. I think that she might of been pulling my leg, but just in case she was telling the truth I didn't want to risk it! All of the items seem great quality, I will know better after I have washed them all and Top Ender has worn them a few times!

Having brought most of Top Enders school uniform over the last couple of years from Tesco, I know that the quality is good, and I love that they have waist adjusters on the skirts and trousers as Top Ender doesn't have hips to keep her skirts/trousers up. I also love that if you hang them up after they have been washed, they don't normally need ironing either!

As part of the offer I get to tag someone else in this post who will then be offered some School Uniform too and I have decided that my old Pregnancy buddy Becky at Single Mummy will be my nominee! I was also given a voucher for clothing at Tesco and I think that I might be using it to buy some very lovely outfits for Christmas...

Top Enders New School Shoes from Clarks

Recently Clarks offered to send me a voucher to buy Top Ender some School Shoes. I ummed and ahhed about accepting it, but in the end I decided that I would. Why? Well I have to buy school shoes for Top Ender and normally they are expensive. We always use Clarks for measuring our children's feet and then the real push was that Tom Cruise annoyed me.

Yes you read right, Tom Cruise annoyed me. Okay so he didn't come up to me personally, but I have just got over now thinking that he is quite nice after seeing him on Top Gear and then he ruined it.

Tom Cruise was on GMTV a while back and for some reason whilst talking about his new film the presenter decided to ask about Suri and her party shoes. I don't follow celebrities but I am aware that Suri is often seen wearing high heels as Top Ender uses this as ammo as to why she at two years older that Suri should be allowed to wear high heels. I can't remember what Tom Cruise said about his daughters shoes but I do know that Clarks offered to measure and fit a pair of shoes that would support Suri's feet, but I don't think that they took up the offer. And if Top Ender is reading this, No you are not allowed high heels.

It has always been drilled into me that before you buy shoes that you should get your feet measured as they do change size, and cramming children's still developing feet into shoes that are too small or cause the bones to grow in a different shape to those that they are supposed to. It was also drilled into me that Children should have their feet measured every six to eight weeks, this does mean it can be expensive but I think worth it.

So we went to our local Milton Keynes Clarks store and took our ticket to await our turn. As is normal in our branch there were several people waiting and we were prepared to wait. Top Ender and I looked at the displays of School Shoes and she decided which ones she liked, whilst I choose the ones that we would ask to try. Top Ender has a thing about patent shoes shoes, which for me are a total no for school, as I like to be able to cover scuff marks with shoe polish!

We are very use to the routine these days, and when our favourite assistant came over (pure chance, but I swear every time we go into the store she serves us!) Top Ender was already removing her Doodles in order to step on the big measuring machine. I remember when you used to step in to holes to have your feet measured... then again I also remember being able to buy penny sweets for a penny!

The machine always amazes me because it is so clever and measures all over Top Enders feet within a few seconds and after the first time we had used it when the assistant showed us how accurate it was by then measuring Top Enders feet with the slidey feet measure thingy and we have never looked back! When the various shoes that we had chosen came down from the stock room (I would love to see the stock room one day!) the fitter helped Top Ender into each shoe and then checked how it fitted round the heel, toe, ankle, over the top of the foot and how comfy it was for Top Ender to walk in.

We tried three different styles of shoes and four different pairs and Top Ender decided in the end that she would like the ones in the picture below and I was quite pleased too as they were the nicest ones (and Clarks only one pair of T-bars this year? You can do better I am sure). She is currently wearing them round the house for five to ten minutes a day, just to make sure that her feet will be comfy in them when she does go back to school in a few short weeks.

Whilst I was talking to the fitter I found out that she has finished University and may not be our fitter for much longer. I would just like to say Thank you Laura for the many shoes that you have fitted and for the wonderful service you have provided us and everyone else you have served!

Who would you put on the Naughty Step?

I was tagged by Rosie Scribble in a meme of "Who would you put on the Naughty Step?". After checking that it wasn't me that she had put on her naughty step and having a good giggle over who she had chosen and why (go and see it's funny!) I started thinking about who it is that I would put on the Naughty Step for a Time out. I did think about putting my sister on the Naughty step, as you know why have a blog if you never write anything? I thought about various celebrities but then I realised the person who should go on the naughty step is a little closer to home.

Its Me.

Yup. I am putting myself on the naughty step for telling Top Ender that school finished Friday gone when it doesn't actually let out for another week.

So now I am tagging the following people to tell us who they think should be on the naughty step for some time to think about what they have done...

1) Melaina at Transatlantic Blonde
2) Mummy Nicholls at Mummy Chat
3) Emma at Me The Man and The Baby
4) Leanne at Second Time Mummy
5) Kitty at Butterfly Babies

I just hope that they don't chose me too!

Top Ender Giggles - There's only one way to find out!

Top Ender was in the car with Daddy and were talking about taking lessons to learn an insturment when she is in year two.

"What would you like to learn?" asked Daddy
"Well maybe the flute, or the recorder or the Violin" answered Top Ender
"Well they are all nice!" answered Daddy
"Yes but which is better? There's only one way to find out.... Fight!" answered Top Ender

We are going to have to stop Top Ender watching TV.

The School Nativity

Sitting with Daddy at Top Enders School Nativity (see pictures of Top Ender here) it occurred to us that there are always types of children that you can find in any School Nativity in the UK. In fact you could probably take this worldwide and go back and forwards in time and still find the same types of children.

So here is my brief description of some of the children that were present at Top Enders School Nativity. If you want to take this time to regress back to when you were at school and in the School Nativity and you are sure that none of your fellow classmates was *one* of the following particular types then it was probably you....

How many of the following types can you spot in this photo?

The Nose Picker

As the category type suggests they are the one with one finger digging away inside their nose. For some reason they are always in the front row of the Nativity and so you can't help but seem them. You can't help but be impressed with the depth they can get a finger into their little nostril, before finally it emerges with its treasure, which is either wiped on the child sitting next to them or eaten...

The Shy Child

This is the one that if you aren't there parent you might miss as they are so busy trying to blend into the background, or into the Skirt of the nearest female teacher. Their parents insist that they aren't like it at home, and yet you get a good view of the top of their head dress for the entire nativity as they keep their eyes on the ground.

The Noisy Kid/Shout instead of Sing Child

You can't see them but you can hear them. They will sing all the songs at the top of their voice and sometimes even shout the lines of their classmates if they felt it wasn't said loudly enough the first time. You know this kids name because the teacher keeps hissing it at them. The child sometimes starts singing a different song to the rest of the class.

The Crying/Overwhelmed Child

Not to be confused with the Shy child. This Child has been excited for the Nativity for as long as it has known there was going to be one. They are all ready to sing and to say their carefully practiced lines until they get up on the stage. They either cry or stand there looking like they are about to cry. The teacher is sometimes needed to hold their hand on stage to get them pass this point so they can either sing or say their line.

The I should of been... Child

This Child will be in the back row and will have the most powerful stare you have seen since Damien in The Omen. The stare will be directed at Mary or Joseph, or possibly the Donkey or the Lead Angel because that part should of been theirs! Careful not to look to long at this child because we all know what happen to the grown ups in The Omen.

The needs a wee Kid

At first you think this Child is just a normal fidget, but it is only as the Nativity goes on that you realise this Child needs a wee and needs it now. If the teachers are paying attention there won't be need for therapy in later years for this Child when the needs a wee Child becomes a need a cloth and new costume Child.

The Future Star

Normally an angel, this Child will have a costume that a parent has painstakingly spent hours, nay weeks making. There will be the usual tinsel around the neck of the dress, the Tinsel halo and huge painted cardboard wings and a smile that could light up the world if it was given at the right time. Jazz hands are optional.

The waving to Mummy Child

This Child might normally be quite shy and so Mummy and Daddy have invited everyone the Child knows to come to give them a confidence boost. The Child will beam at their Mummy or Daddy or Granny or Grandad or Auntie or Uncle or Next Door Neighbour or parent of their best friend or... yeah they wave to everyone in the audience who they have ever known. Greer Garson was this kid, and if you don't know why she is in the Guinness Book of Records go look her up.

The Chatter box

Some children just have to express every thought that pops into their head. This child will chat the entire time to those around them, and the Teacher will keep looking at them with that Teacher "Stop Doing that" stare or will have told the other Children in rehearsal to ignore the Chatter box. It is because of this that they are easy to find, they are normally the Child sitting in the middle of a circle of children facing away from them.

The won't open my mouth Child

Front row centre this is the Child who isn't shy or overwhelmed, but has for some undisclosed reason decided that it is not going to sing or say any of its lines. If you are lucky you might get a begrudged sigh from them when their least favourite song is started to be sung.

The I know everybody lines Child

The class know it all. They may be some kind of child prodigy and instantly memorise anything that is said in front of them (just like all Children are when you swear by accident in front of them) or they might be the one Child who wants any part other than the one they have and so has learnt all the script just in case someone gets struck down by The Measles or really does break a leg and they can save the day.

The Class Clown

The Teachers know that this child is going to be trouble from the start and so normally make them an Inn Keeper, as everybody knows the Inn Keeper gets the best laughs.In some productions they might announce there is room at the Inn, but normally they will be quite happy pulling faces and doing funny little actions to the amusement of those around them.

And of course then there is your child, who is just a perfect little Treasure and wouldn't do any of the above...but what I am interested in is which child were you?!

The last Saturday before Christmas

The last Saturday before Christmas is spent by hundreds of people buying gifts at the last minute, but that isn't how we spent ours. I spent a lot of today reflecting on the past year because tomorrow it is Baby Cousins First Birthday and we get to celebrate with her and our family. There is an unwritten rule in our family that first birthdays are celebrated at my Mums and so that's where we will be.

Today we had a family day, we went and did the big Christmas food shop together and then mainly because of the snow in our area we stayed in and played or in my case wrapped gifts! It was really lovely because spending time together isn't something we get to do a lot of as a family with our conflicting work schedules!

This week with Top Ender being on Christmas break we are going to try and cram as much as possible in before the big day . I have so much planned for us to do that I think Top Ender will be quite pleased to get back to school! So I had better go now to get some sleep... And to watch the end of Love Actually so I can dream of Alan Rickman tonight!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

When Parents and Teachers disagree

In general I trust teachers. I don't go in and question every little choice that they make (even though sometimes I wonder!) and I tend not to take up their time unless I feel it is really needed (I won't stand bullying) or a parents evening has been scheduled.

In the parents evenings I take notes on what is said, ask questions about Top Enders progress, what can be done to help her at home and generally show an interest in her and her school life.

I felt that the teachers and I were a team.

Then a few weeks ago I was summoned to a classroom along with around twenty other parents where a teacher explained that our children were being put on to a special course to boost confidence and was just the same as the other children were doing, but they would get some really simple homework each week and did we have any objections to this if so speak now or forever hold your peace.

I didn't speak up then because I knew that Top Ender does suffer from confidence in her school work. She will often tell me that she can't do something, when I know that she can.

In her reading record book I have even written that Top Ender needed to be "tricked" into thinking the book she was reading was a lower level than it really was before she felt able to read this one quite wordy book. And she did then read it without any hesitation or mistakes.

So when Top Ender came home last Monday with spellings made up of two letters I got a little angry. Anyone that follows me of Twitter knows that Top Ender has been getting five out of five on her spellings for the last few weeks and the words are a lot harder than two bloody letters.

I decided to speak with Top Enders teacher about the spellings and why they were different for the children on this course as opposed to the other children in the class, but it was too late that evening so I went online and looked up this programme that Top Ender had been put on. I even downloaded the teacher lesson handbook.

The ELS programme is for children who are falling behind in reading or writing according to the levels set for children in year one.

Top Ender isn't falling behind in reading or writing according to the reports and parents evenings I have had and in some areas is reaching the levels set for children in year two. I was angry.

The following evening after School I asked Mrs Wise Owl why Top Ender had been put on to the ELS programme. Mrs Wise Owl made a few generalisations about the programme and repeated that it was a confidence building programme and looked at me as if I were a parent who thought that their little angel could do no wrong, when clearly they were.

I countered this look by explaining that I knew all about the ELS programme, what it was for, what it hoped to achieve and that I had a copy of the Teachers Handbook at home.

Mrs Wise Owl looked a bit sick. Eventually she explained that Top Ender had been put on this programme as she didn't always form some of her letters correctly and during a test piece of work they had spotted these errors.

I felt a little sick as I realised that Top Ender has been stopped from doing her normal work for twenty minutes a day and taken out of lessons because she sometimes doesn't form some of her letters correctly.

I asked Mrs Wise Owl why instead of putting her on this programme they simply hadn't asked me to go over this with Top Ender at home.

Mrs Wise Owl looked at me as if I was stupid.

I explained that I understood that as a Teacher she couldn't give one to one help all day, but that as a parent I could, and that as a parent it was my job.

Mrs Wise Owl looked at me as if I were a new breed of parent, or I had a third arm growing out of my head.

I explained that I wanted to revoke my permission for Top Ender to be in this programme and that as Top Ender learnt best from repetition that perhaps it would be best if I went over with her at home.

Mrs Wise Owl asked me not to remove Top Ender from the programme until the end of term, so we could see if the course was helping her or not and that she would look at Top Enders school work to see if there was improvement.

She then asked if I was happy with this.

"No, I'm not." I said "but I will go along with it until the end of term as long as you send home with Top Ender the proper spellings each week that I will test her on."

Mrs Wise Owl looked at me suspiciously but agreed and handed over the spellings for the week.

Am I right to expect to be included in Top Enders education?

Where is Top Ender?

Last week Daddy took Top Ender to school one morning as they were having a good discussion and wanted to carry it on.

During the day I spoke with Daddy on Instant Messenger several times. More than likely about silly stuff like a shower curtain he had seen, or maybe how much thin mucus your nose produces every day (4 pints I am told, yeah I know that is disgusting!).

I'm not really sure though because we waffle a lot and the days all merge into one long waffled conversation, rather like the ones we have when he comes home at Midnight and I am asleep and don't realise until an hour later that he is in bed and I say something like;

"Oh its you!"

Well who else would be in my bed? Jeffrey Dean Morgan or Javier Bardem? (A girl can wish can't she?!) On a side note, don't they look similar? I also see a little of Nick Knowles about them, who my Mum and Sister met in a pub once, but I am digressing...

So Top Enders Teacher comes to the cloakroom door and the class starts to file out. They come out in alphabetical order, so I know I have a couple of minutes and so I carry on talking to High Heels Mum.

Then I realise that the children coming out are from the next class.

No problem Top Ender is probably having problems with her coat or trying to find a missing glove I think to myself.

Then I realise that the children coming out are from the third and last class.

Suddenly I realise that I don't know if Top Ender got into school that day because I didn't take her. What if Daddy dropped her off at the Gate, but then she decided to walk to town instead of going in to school? What if....

I catch Mrs Wise Owl's eye and she mouths something about Top Ender. So I have a moment of relief followed by confusion as I don't lip read all that well and she either said that Top Ender was inside or she didn't come to school. Thinking on it maybe I do have great lip reading skills, but Mrs Wise Owl needs to work more on bettering her mouthing words so people can understand them skills...

I walk down to the door and Mrs Wise Owl says that Top Ender is in the medical room as she accidentally bumped a table corner in a delicate area.... well they are at the same height!

Top Ender was fine sitting in the medical room discussing kittens with another little girl who had also been in some scrape just before home time. She was handed over to me without question (because apparently we look alike!) and we went off home... but now I always check that Daddy has deposited Top Ender into the school when ever he has taken her and we IM during the day!

The Parents Evening Worry!

When I was Top Enders age, I remember parents evening as being something that my parents went to, then came home and pretended that the teachers had told them some horrid things about me, before actually confirming that I was on target for what was expected of me.

As I got older, parents evening became terrifying for me, not because I wasn't a good student, but because I hated feeling that I had let my parents down by not trying hard enough. I was not a "Straight A" student, although I always tried hard.

Parents evening now is just as terrifying, because I worry that I am letting Top Ender down by not helping her enough, or by helping her too much!

At our appointment on Wednesday we spent ten minutes looking at Top Enders books and the work she has done with Mrs Wise Owl (that's Top Enders teacher) so far this year. Both Daddy and I were impressed by Top Enders work and spotted confirmation of a couple of areas in her work that we knew that she needs help with.

Then it was time to speak with the teacher.

Mrs Wise Owl let us know that Top Ender is doing well and other than the couple of areas that we had already spotted, she was above average in her work. The only "concern" was that Top Ender constantly hums or sings under her breath! The bit that amuses Mrs Wise Owl is that Top Ender doesn't even seem to realise she is doing it... it is unfortunately a habit that needs to be curbed.

We came up with a plan to help Top Ender and were sent on our way. It was all over and done for another term and a little disappointing, because as it turns out I'm doing all I should and the little extras are showing that Top Ender is thriving on it!

Top Ender Giggles - Class divide

"So tell me about School Top Ender" said Daddy
"What do you want to know?" asked Top Ender
"Anything!" said Daddy
"Well I sit on the triangle table, some sit on the circle table and some sit on the hooligan table."
"Top Ender do you mean hexagon?" said Daddy trying to stifle the giggles
"Yes Daddy" said an indignant Top Ender

Knowing the children in Top Enders class, I can't help but feel that I know who sits on the hooligan table.

Top Ender Giggles - Just a little change

Top Ender will finish in Reception this Friday. I can't believe that she is growing so fast and it makes me not want to blink or before I know it Baby Boy will be in school too.

She went to spend some time with her new Teacher in the week along with her other classmates. After school I asked her what it was like, where she sat, what she did and all the other questions that I was desperate for her to answer!

"There was one thing that upset me though Mummy" she pouted.
"What was that Top Ender?"
"Well, do you know that you don't play when you go to Year One?"
"Yes, I did know that"
"Well I am staying in Reception!"

Not knowing how to answer this I pulled a funny face and let the subject slide until Daddy was around and asked about the new Teacher visit

"Daddy there was this one thing that Top Ender wasn't happy about" I mentioned
"What was that Mummy?" asked Daddy
"Well Top Ender is upset that there is no play learning anymore"
"Oh" said Daddy
"I am staying in Reception Daddy!"
"Well, do you remember when you were a Toggler in Nursery?"
"Yes" she answered
"And you moved to be a Top Ender didn't you?"
"Yes"
"And you did work as a Top Ender didn't you?"
"Yes"
"And then you went to School didn't you?"
"Yes"
"And do more work but still some playing?"
"Yes!" she said impatiently
"Well this is just another little change, you won't notice it!"

Top Ender went quiet and I heard a few minutes later a little mutter

"Bet I will notice it"

Top Ender Giggles - School Reports

"Top Ender today I get your school report don't ya know?" I grinned
"Today?" She queried bottom lip quivering
"Yep!"
"I haven't been on the Golden time list for ages Mummy" she said with dread in her voice
"I know, I expect it to tell me lots of good things about you!"
"What if it doesn't turn up though?" she queried
"It comes home with you so it had better!" I answered
"Oh. I've been really nice to the Teachers so they had better say something nice!"

Top Ender Giggles - I'm not that bunged up! Am I?

I have a slight cold, which is causing me to sound slightly bunged up. Whilst walking to school I started the usual spell this word game with Top Ender;

"Can you spell Cat?"
"Nope, I can't smell anything other than fresh air!"

Top Ender gets one over on Daddy

"Its my School Trip today Daddy!"enthused Top Ender
"No it isn't, its tomorrow" answered Daddy
"Mummy told me it was today!" insisted Top Ender
"Mummy told me it was tomorrow!" insisted Daddy
"Well lets bet then. If it is today you owe me... a doughnut!" offered Top Ender
"Hmm" mused Daddy as Top Ender grabbed his hand and started shaking it
"Well now we have shaken on it so you have to agree!" Top Ender said gleefully
"Okay Top Ender" said a confident Daddy

The school trip was today... Daddy is off buying a doughnut

Daddy Giggles - Keeping in with the kids

Whilst we were taking Daddy to work the other morning we drove past Top Enders school. Top Ender was in a particularly bright mood and in a sing song voice said;

"Hi, School!"
"Musical!" sang Daddy from the back seat
"That isn't funny Daddy!" answered Top Ender
"I thought it was" muttered Daddy

Baby Boy Giggles - Such a flirt!

Whilst we were waiting in the playground one of the other Mums offered Baby Boy a quaver. Her youngest son is a month older than Baby boy.

"Ta" said Baby Boy gratefully holding the crisp

He started to fuss so I got him out of the pram. He was happy about this and sat on my hip eating the crisp. It was as he finished that he caused the rest of the Mums to laugh.

"Mama!"
"Yes Baby Boy, what is it?" I asked
"Mama... pees!"
"Please?! Mama doesn't have the crisps it isn't me you need to ask."

Baby Boy looked over at the other Mum

"Pees?" he then stuck out his bottom lip and pulled a puppy dog face.

It worked though he got another crisp!

Top Ender Giggles - Show off.

"Why do you keep asking me to spell words Mum?" asked Top Ender
"Because it is my job to make sure you know how to spell"
"But I finished my Word Box!"
"Yes, but there are a lot of other words to learn"
"What like.... grandiloquence?"
"Yes Top Ender. Think I might need to learn to spell that one first though."