Monthly Archives: September 2009

Flamingo Land 3

 in Flamingo Land / summer activities by

Today was in inset day (teacher training) at MaxiMads school, so MadDad took the day off and we exchanged some Tesco Club Card points for vouchers and decided to go Flamingo Land for the day, hoping that the fact that the children were all back at school and that it wasn’t a weekend would mean shorter queues. We woke up and the sun was shinning, so I packed a picnic, towel and a spare set of clothes for the minimads and we set off. We arrived at 10am and were only about the 40 car in the car park.  The boys were very excited and jumped on to the first ride they saw, the […]

Afterschool Meltdown 2

 in maximad / meltdown by

I have been expecting it, waiting for it and hoping it wasn’t going to happen, but KAPOW – it happened today, in public and it happened bad. I have been taking the boys to the park after school (next door to the school) to blow off some energy after MaxiMad had been in school all day. I have made sure that I have had healthy snacks and a drink on hand in the hope that they would help any sugar dip.   But today it all went pear shaped – Maximad decided he was going to have a slide on the skateboard half pipe, which he was doing really well, but […]

Frequent Flyer 2

 in flylady / routines by

As you may know I live by the Fly principal for all my cleaning and lots of other things.  You may have fell into the trap of thinking that I enjoy cleaning or have a sparkling clean house and I felt the need to put you right. I HATE cleaning and use this system to be able to get by and ensure that the house is in some semblance of order.  After having two children in less than 15 months you can understand that cleaning was not anywhere near the top of my priority list, but then we moved house and I decided that I needed to do something out this. […]

Accepting Change and Trying to Embrace it 1

 in preschool / school by

I am trying really hard to be accepting of MaxiMad starting school, but even though I know it is the right thing for him, it doesn’t stop it being hard to leave him at the doorway. I am so thankful that he is enjoying it, in fact he was in his uniform at 6am this morning when he came and woke MadDad.  He runs into his classroom shouting “Bye Mum” and that is the last I see of him a blur in Red, which is great. He regales me with tales of what he has done, read What Time is it Mr Wolf and then played the game, happy that he […]

He thrived, I survived 6

 in first day of school / mini mads by

Well today was MaxiMads first day at school. He went to the preschool at the school, but this was his first day in reception, his second time for school lunch and his first full day. As you know if you read my earlier post, I was not looking forward to this day. In fact I was in complete denial. I was up till one labeling clothes and sorting lunch money and then slept really fitfully, finally falling into a deep sleep just before the alarm went off and slept right though it! So we had a mad dash to get ready and then MaxiMad would not pose for a photograph and […]

Home Made book holders 2

 in bedroom / book holders by

Both boys now have raised beds and need somewhere to put their books.  We let both boys go to bed with a book and their lights on.  We also read to them before bed, so have been thinking about what we could do. When we were in Ikea the other day MadDad had a brain wave when he saw brackets for double curtains, so this is what we made. They were really simple, but you can now see why I needed a sewing machine. We are really pleased with the end result, OK they wont hold loads of books, but then that wasn’t there purpose. The fabric was some I had […]

The trials and tribulations of learning to sew

 in sewing by

I have never really learned how to sew, I am very ashamed to admit this, but guess it would be true of many people of my generation.  I guess there is a fair umber of reason for this, but the main ones that come to mind now are:   Wearing my mothers interpretation of the fashion of the day – peddle pusher dugerees in white broderie anglais The recollection of being the only teen in homemade clothes at the school disco/youth club A mother who was a great seamstress and found it quicker to do things herself The demise of sewing lessons at school The rise of cheap and disposable clothes […]

Watch out its a full moon 1

 in moon by

Here at TheMadHouse a full moon means that the mini’s are usually in terrible moods.  I know lots of you will find this all lentil weavery, but trust me the moon definitely has some effect on my two. My thinking is if the moon can control all the tides and water on this earth, then as we are about 75% water then I figure it can have some effect on us too! Me and MadDad have noticed that things tend to go a bit crazy around here come the full moon. Full Moon Fact More people are admitted with dog bites on a full moon than any other night!!

I must be strange 9

 in school by

I am sat this morning reading though all the blogs that I love and wondering if I am from a different planet. Everyone is posting about having free time now that the children are back to school and I am feeling decidedly different. I am very apprehensive about school starting next week, which is why I haven’t blogged about any of the preparations, as it makes it all the more real. MaxiMad will be starting Reception on Monday 8.40am to 3pm and I am bereft for so many reasons I love spending time with my childrenI love the joy and innocence that each day with them bringsI am worried that school […]

Blackberry collecting 1

 in Blackberries by

The MiniMad’s have been requested that we go berry picking for what seems like months now!! As MadDad is off this week, we decided we would go and see if they were ready yet, both feeling that we were being a tad optimistic. The sun was shining and it was a glorious morning, so we decided to have breakfast and set off, in case the promised rain came sooner rather than later. We are really lucky in that we live 15 mins for the sea, 2 mins from open fields and 5 mins from a woodland area. Blackberries thrive in the hedge’s on most of the walks, so we packed a […]