25th September 2010

I don't really know how to start this post , how to tell you all about my first week at school but I'll give it a go .



Monday morning I was so nervous , my stomach was churning ninety to the dozen I can tell you . I really didn't have any reason to worry though. Mrs K the teacher introduced me to the class. Thirty pairs of 4/5 year old eyes all looking at you and saying hello Mrs Coates and you realise that you are going to help all these children learn things that will see them through life - wow.



One of the hardest things initially was just learning all their names , english , bengali and arabic - a few mouthfuls but I'm getting there. A couple have special needs so you have to keep an extra eye on them .



So many surprises too , children you think would know things don't and vice versa, all just going to show you should never judge people on looks alone.



So far I've helped with numbers 1 - 20 , seeing who can recognise them when they're wrote down and name recognition , as I mentioned earlier there are different nationalities so for a lot of them English isn't their first language which makes it all the harder.



There are so many things I want to say but don't have the words or can't due to confidentiality but to sum it up the kids are great the teachers are great - I love it .



Next week I have a meeting with my advisor and we'll start with written work so apologies in advance if I disappear for a little while or don't get around to commenting on your posts. I have found it a bit hard this week just fitting normal everyday life stuff in !!



Anyway , I hope you like the pics taken from a walk we went on today , if anyone knows the name of the plant in the top pic please let me know as it's the first time I've ever seen it . I've also posted another photo of Treebeard - did you spot his face ?



Hopefully next week I'll be able to show you some 'shroom photos and tell you about the best cupcake book I've ever read.

21st September 2010

This morning I opened the bedroom curtains to see not one but two sky kisses .... a good start to the day.

19th September 2010

Well I'm glad to say that Gabe has settled in well at Nursery, he started off by doing just an hour and then by Friday he was doing the full three hours . His favourite thing to play with is apparantly the play dough so as a treat we got him a couple of tubs and a few cutters and things . I'll have to check out some play dough recipes because I have a feeling what we bought isn't going to last very long judging by the bits I've found all over the house!



I don't know if it's just me but Gabe just seems too young to be at nursery already ,Milo seemed so much older when he started , old head young shoulders and all that. Even though he's one of the youngest there he's definately more than capable and I know I have nothing to worry about , but you know where I'm coming from don't you ?



Anyway, tomorrow it's my turn to start school ...... yep how quick has that came around ? To say I'm nervous is an understatement but I'm also really looking forward to it at the same time. I know all the staff and they are great but it's going to be a big change . I haven't worked since I went on maternity leave with Gabe back in May 2007. Those three years have gone by so fast it really is scary.



The course/training I'm doing takes between six months and a year. I'm hoping to do this first part in six months and then the second part in the following six months and then hopefully get a job starting September 2011 which is when Gabe will be going to school first time .



It sounds a bit like I'm wishing our lives away but I'm not honestly, it's just that as soon as I get a job we can look at moving house , something I want more than anything. Something I want for all of us as a family ... a garden for the boys to play in , maybe a bit closer to where Hub works so there is less travelling for him. Somewhere a bit further out of town and somewhere I can actually get my car parked ( but that's another story )..



Right , well, so pleased keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow , my tummy is going all wobbly just thinking about it ... I'll let you know how it goes .

15th September 2010

I don't think they realise there is still 14 weeks and a few days to go !!

12th September 2010

Just before we went on holiday I got a lovely e-mail from a lady in America asking if I would make her some toys , now who was I to say no.. I managed to get one big bunny done before we went and since we've got back the needles have been clicking away and I've managed to get the other three done.









They look quite cute altogether don't you think ?

I've also managed to knit a little something else too , a present for Gabes teacher . There is a story behind this so I'll tell you it before you see the photo.

On his first day we were out in the nursery garden moving some big wooden barrel type plant pots and we found the biggest slug in the world .... well it was the biggest one I've ever seen anyway. It was at least 6" long and about an 1" wide .. HUGE. The teacher joked that it was big enough for her to ride and it was going to become the nursery pet. Now a couple of days before a very dear friend of mine had gave me a present of a knitting pattern for ...........



You guessed it .............. a slug !!!

9th September 2010

I'm now joining the ranks of bloggers who's youngest child has started school .... This morning we started a new routine which involves getting Gabe dressed for nursery.

Today he went in for an hour with both me and hub, tomorrow he goes in for an hour by himself , next week he goes in every other day for 3 hours and then the week after for 3 hours every day.



The good news is that when it was time to leave today he didn't want to - fingers crossed it stays that way.

6th September 2010

I've tried to trim down the amount of photos that we took on the lovely island of Ibiza, we took over 400 in total !!
We went to the top of the island to a place called Portinatx , it was very picturesque , quiet , beautiful scenery and sunsets , gorgeous flowers , amazing food ....... we loved it .
I'm going to let the pictures do the talking ..















































Only one day left of the summer holidays now..