Matchbox Swap Number Two - World Foods

This month the home schooling matchbox swap theme was World Foods. Hannah was really excited about this one and wanted to do Hawaii. We did lots of research on the internet, and Hannah made good use of her American Girl Doll 'Kanani' whose story is set in Hawaii, and came up with this -

Hannah made a Fimo clay coconut and Pineapple for the top of the box.

Mochi on the bottom of the box

Wordsearch

Ingredients and Shave Ice recipe

A map in a matchbox!

Hannah wrote her swapee a letter to go with the box to explain why she chose Hawaii.

Hannah received a great matchbox in return all about the food in Russia :-)

Gaming and Art

We have all been knocked down by a nasty virus this week so we have had some quiet days at home. Hannah has spent some time playing Animal Jam and Club Penguin online and has met her friend Tess in the games and has been able to type and chat to her so she hasn't been too lonely. She has also had texts and skype messages from her friends at our homeschooling group which cheered her up very much.

Hannah used to love to play Club Penguin, but had been playing Minecraft recently instead. I know there have been lots of pro Minecraft things written, and we have many, many friends who love it and find it works really well for their children, but I just can't feel comfortable about it. Hannah has been distressed as much as she has been happy playing Minecraft, and i'm so glad to see her finding enjoyment with her friends on Club Penguin again.

In fact, she is so happy to be playing again that when she wasn't playing she was drawing puffles!!

Another Goodbye

My lovely friend Louise and her family who we have been really good friends with for the last few years are moving away. We are happy for them of course, as they have a lovely new life to look forward to, but we are really going to miss them. We have been doing history group with the girls for the last couple of years and meeting weekly for social time and have become really good friends.

Hannah and Ellen have really enjoyed 'inventing' useful household items so today, for their last play date they made a tool chair!!

This is my kitchen chair with everything from the tool box either taped or tied on to it. Now I can rest easy while i fix things - thanks girls !!

It was sad saying goodbye, Hannah especially is going to miss Ellen, and Louise has been a good friend to me, but we will definitely keep in touch and see them again as soon as we can :-)

Library Books

Yesterday we went to the library as Hannah had run out of books to read. She really enjoys pony stories, fairies and unicorn type stories and animal stories, luckily there were lots to choose from! She came home with 6 new books and 2 story cds!

On the way home we went to the park where Hannah got the crazy idea that she could fly using an umbrella, needless to say she failed but she did have a lot of fun trying! Apparently she would have succeeded if only i had agreed to pick her up and launch her into the air......................

Funny girl!!

Hanging Out At The Farm

Today we met up with some friend to visit the local farm. It was such a beautiful warm spring day, lots of baby animals and spring flowers about and Hannah got to share it all with her friend Oscar whom she was really excited to see.

Saying Hello To Rosie

Little Kids

Monkeys In A Tree

Magnolia In Bloom

Feeding The Llama

Sleeping Giant

Project Australia

Next month Hannah's nanny is off to Australia on holiday. Hannah has learnt a little about Australia before, but has decided she would like to know a lot more now that nanny is actually going there! So, yesterday she started a project all about the country.

 We found Australia on the globe and looked at whereabouts it is in relation to the other countries that Hannah knows. We talked about the climate and the landscape and saw how far Australia is from the arctic and how close to the equator.

Hannah drew a map and labeled the major cities, oceans, rain forest and barrier reef.

We read through some Australian facts and Hannah completed a puzzle of Australia - she loved the fact that the center piece was a kangaroo!

(she also wore my old school blazer - she wears it for fun, we haven't sent her to school, honestly!!)

We are going to call into the library today and pick up some books to help her with the next part of her project.

A Crafty American Girl Doll Bed

Hannah has been wanting some AG doll furniture for her doll collection, but buying it from AG is proving tricky as it is a) pretty expensive in the store, and b) shipping and import charges are phenomenal! So, when we spied a doll bed kit in Ikea that was just the right size we had to get it ( and it was only £14, so Hannah could buy it with her saved pocket money).

Hannah chose pink for the main bed colour with blue accents.

She painted little blue flowers over the pink once it was dry and is going to paint the unfinished edges in blue as well. The dolls couldn't wait to try it out :-)

Over the weekend we also had some really lovely 'playing outside' weather - Hannah even ventured into shorts on Sunday!!

Spring Has Arrived In The Garden!

Finally, after months of rain we have had some lovely sunny days and the celandine, crocus and daffodil flowers have all sprung up in the garden and the heather is out.
We had a visit from Mrs Frog and she filled the pond with frog spawn, the sparrows are nesting and the garden birds are singing beautifully.

Everywhere is looking very alive and ready for some warm sunny days.

A Busy Tuesday

Hannah had her weekly piano lesson first thing this morning and then settled down to do some of her workbooks. She chose maths, language arts and spelling activities.

Maths

A spelling crossword

When she had finished it was nearly lunchtime and Hannah wanted to cook, so we made pizza. She weighed out all the ingredients and made the dough herself and then chose a cheese and tomato topping! She then helped me to make another veggie pizza for Dean and myself.

They were really yummy!

After lunch we went to Portchester Common for some fresh air. We were the only people there, and as it is up on top of Portsdown Hill it was a very bracing walk!

Dean pointed out all the city landmarks to Hannah.

You really can see for miles!

Hannah practiced her tracking skills - there were plenty of paw and hoof prints to follow!

Finally late this afternoon we got the sewing machine out and made a couple of things for the American Girl dolls.
Kit has a new dress and matching bag, and Lanie has a reversible skirt (and Hannah has a list of other items for me to work through!!!)

Hannah also skyped with her friend, played on minecraft, watched pokemon and read quite a lot of her latest pony story today..........................it's been a busy Tuesday!