Birthday

Yesterday was Hannah's 10th Birthday!! TEN!!!

We had a small family party yesterday and today Hannah has her best friend over for a skating / mine crafting / catching up day.

We were going to get a character cake, but Hannah chose this one so she didn't have to eat a creature! She is so funny!

Hannah was so lucky, she had roller skates, clothes, a  new 10ft pool (with a filter and solar cover - so I'm lucky too as I won't have to spend all summer cleaning it!!), a pink tablet, a Nerf Bow, money and monster high things!

The last 10 years has been amazing, we love you Hannah xxx

Pre Birthday Trip To Manor Farm

Hannah is turning 10 tomorrow! My little girl is really growing up, she was only 4 when I started this blog!

To celebrate we took both of Hannah's grandmothers with us to Manor Farm on Friday. It was very wet, which made it very quiet, so we could wander around peacefully and see all the new young animals and explore the farmhouse and schoolhouse.

Runner Ducklings

Chick Incubators

Funky Chicken!!

Rain on the pond.

Tack Room

Hannah loves the tack room !

Piglets


In the farmhouse we looked at how families would have lived during the 1930's and 1940's.

Laundry Mangle

Geraniums

Bed with a feather filled eiderdown

Stove for warmth and cooking

 Upstairs in the cottage there were some dressing up items - everyone tried on the hats!

Nanny

Grammy

Daddy (oh dear!)

And little miss Hannah!

We visited the school and Hannah tried out a desk, and saw the toys the schoolchildren would have played with in the school yard.

Grammy at the school door

Roses in the school yard.

Across the school yard in a barn Hannah found a donkey foal, just 4 days old!

Everyday at manor Farm they have a small animal meet and greet - Hannah was the only child there during our visit and was lucky enough to meet a duckling who had just hatched that morning and a 2 day old chick.

 Finally the rain stopped and we went to visit the neighbouring St Bartholomew's Church

 This church, along with the pond at Manor Farm are both mentioned in The Domesday Book, and there is evidence of a Roman road running through the site. It's a really interesting place to visit and one of our favourites!

Happy Birthday for tomorrow Hannah!

More Biking In Barnham!

Yesterday we caught the train back to Barnham to meet up with friends and do some more bike riding. Hannah is loving having a bike again and is really enjoying all the social time she has been having. Being an 'only child' means that social time is even more important for Hannah, she is learning about group dynamics, about give and take and about recognising her friends' wants and needs as well as her own - such important skills for life, and learnt in a happy, safe environment with good people.

 As well as bike riding there were Frisbee games, monkey bars, climbing, swinging, running and picnicking!

Priory Park and Piano

Hannah had a piano lesson this morning - she is doing well according to her teacher, and enjoys her lessons, but finds the structure of daily practise stressful. She enjoys just playing for herself and worries over the smallest things when she has to practise. I think more of an unschooling approach is needed if that is possible while learning a musical instrument.................

After her lesson we went to Priory Park in Chichester to meet up with some other home schooling families for some social time. Two of Hannah's newfound best friends were there and the three girls had a fun time together chatting and playing. Hannah is definitely happy with the new group we have been meeting up with, such nice people.

We went home via all the charity shops in Chichester searching for Jellycat soft toys and books to add to Hannah's ever increasing collection!

Wildlife Watch - Pond Dipping and Insect Hunting

Last night we camped out in the tent, which meant that we were awake reeeeaaaally early this morning (thank you dawn chorus!). Luckily we had lots to do as it was Hannah's Wildlife Watch meeting today.

She had arranged to meet her friends Lucy and Jack there and they were going to be pond dipping. It was a lovely warm sunny morning and the children discovered lots of pond life and insects in the surrounding meadow.

The two nature ponds

Pond Snail

The children found water snails, pond skaters, water boatmen, lots of different larvae and even a newt!

On the water reeds we spotted dragonflies. These had either just hatched and were waiting for their wings to dry, or were in the process of hatching - they were amazing!

After the pond dipping Hannah went off on a bug hunt with Lucy and found a bright green spider, a ladybird and a young cricket.

We really love Wildlife Watch!