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Archive for the ‘Gwerin y Coed’ Category

Its the end of march all ready!

And what have we been doing? So far this month, we have been to Portmerion 2 times, whilst it is still free, the first time it was just the three of us, the second we went on a CLAS trip, which co-incided with a friends birthday.

We have been on numerous play dates, and returned to gymnastics after a long period of just not being well enough on a Monday. We have returned to the library, and been doing awareness work on disability.  We have been feeding the birds, and trying to learn our bird songs.

We have collected leaves, and flowers to try and press. We have watched the robins, meadow pipits, gold finches and other birds in the garden.

We have enjoyed a couple of trips to caernarfon, and a few more to Portmadog. We have learned that the Police arent always the good folk (our caravan was seized with no notice for causing an obstruction… ummmm)

We have enjoyed videos, been to see lambs, played with friends, been paddling in llanberis, nearly mastered skate boarding, and done painting, drawing, glueing, reading, writing, and laughing in abundance.

Been going to Gwerin every two weeks, and CLAS every week still. I have been to a party with friends at the Play Barn in Caernarfon, and walks with daddy.

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I seem to be having a bit of a block.. Not really sure what is causing it.

Anyway, what have we been doing for the last two weeks?  Ummmm.

Works backwards – Today is shove tuesday. We had a great pancake party, and ate far too many pancakes. P came round, and we all enjoyed ourselves.

We did shopping in bangor today, and asha bought herself a new set of plastic kitchen toys.

Monday – Naomi and 4 kids came round, and we had a lovely evening playing. In day time, Asha and i did assorted things with paper, and made sample musical instruments up out of junk for clas project on Wednesday.

Sunday – recovered from trip to grannys, and had T, and his parents round to play / eat. Went well. Made some mars bar covered fudge!

Saturday – played at grannys.

Friday – travelled down to grannys.

Thursday – recovered from wed, made some bread.Met new social worker.. Went well.

Wednesday – CLAS and Gwerin meeting, new record, home before 7.30

Tuesday – wrapped some vanilla fudge up for J and A at clas. Spoke to A, and J on telephone today.  Friend came round to play, after i had done shopping.

Monday. I did some shopping, and collasped in heap i think.

Sunday -

Saturday – was it snowdrop weekend at penrhyn? If it was we went there is Gwerin, and had a great time!…….

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Asha has been sleeping in our bed, for part of the night for a few weeks now. Steve and I have decided that as long as she is in the middle, and we have enough bed each, this seems to be o.k.

As such, when our clock Alarm goes off in the morning, it normally wakes me and steve up, and if Asha isnt awake her as well. Well today, she slept through it. About 3/4 of an hour later she was awake and trying to get me up.. Grrrr.

I eventually got up at 9.40, and we got ready for CLAS. Asha still has a bad cough, but i informed her, that if she stays inside the hall, she could go. She did this, and played happily all day.  Wrapped up, and content.

She made some bird feed balls, and the craft activity this week was hama beads, she still struggles a bit with these, but was soon on her way with it all, and enjoyed the socialisation.

After CLAS we returned to Gwerin, after our break. She was SOOOooo pleased to see her friends.

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Daliwn ddwylo’n gilydd, Yn gylch ar y cyd,

I uno cyfeillion, Mewn hyfryd o fyd,

Gadewch i ni ganu, Yn llawen a chryf,

A sawl sydd yn blino, Rhown gymorth i chi,

A sawl sydd yn blino, Rhown cymorth i chi.

English

Link your hands together, A circle we’ll make,

This bond of our friendship, No power can break,

Let’s all sing together, in one mighty throng,

If any be weary, Well help them along,

If any be weary, Well help them along.

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Its back to full speed.

For a few weeks we have been playing outside, doing things like learning to skate, on roller blades, learning how to ride our push bikes really fast, and not get our legs jammed in the pedals, and how to play all sorts of games outdoors.

To some extent this has created a natural diverstion from reading, writing or any “formal” educational which one would get inschool. However this unformal education has included trips shopping, onto beaches and shows. Its also included numerous trips to friends to play with other children and learning from them.

Asha can now skate, unaided. Confidently rides her bike, and is a happy child. she also enjoyed having a tonne of people round for her birthday, and enough cake to swamp murcheson falls. I must check the spelling on that one.

Anyway, for a while now Asha has wanted to learn to read, we have done it is stops and starts and today we did some work on the letters using Edgard Lears ABC. Asha at least recognises all her letters and is able to read / recognise clusters of letters such as tt, ly, sy, nny, ky and lly.

I feel this has to be a healthy start to reading. I will play with these clusters with her over the next few days, and carry on from this.

She has also spent some time useing sewing cards, but I think I need to sit down with her tomorrow and do them with her, after we have been to meet Granny for the day.

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camp was brill. The site was dead basic, but you could see llanberis lake and the train going up snowdon from it.
Was it dark then?
Yes, the stars were well cool, though some of the older members insisted on drinking too much at night, and It did get a bit noisy

Also there was paragliders most days flying off one of the mountains

how did Asha find it all?

She didnt sleep, and my wake up call on Sat was ” mummy i dont want to go home today”… I think that sums it up!

what tent did you have?

We used the one we got for work.. 6 sleeper thing, its great.

Asha had her own compartment to her self – which sleeps 3… in theory, this would be very cosy , though we have done it with Asha when she was tiny.

Camp was great fun

Wed night we went for a story time in a round house in llanberis.

Thursday, the older kids went on a mountain walk, then did a rope trail.

The little ones stayed on camp in morning , but did the rope trail… not blindfolded

Friday, we stayed on camp, cos we were knackerd. But the rest of them went to the slate mine, rowing on the lake, and for ice creams

On Thursday night we also had a camp fire and songs around it.

Saturday morning, whilst packing up we did a pea fair.. great fun, and the kdis spent most of there “spare time” making up the games etc.

I did a play with the little ones to get them there carnival badges

A pea fair?

Dried peas are used as a currancy.

you can either produce a product – two girls did custom drawings for you, or you could make a game – one lad made a hit a rat game.

Asha has a custom made certificate of attending the camp

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Its 7.30, its quite hot, and Asha has just woken up.. Steve is making me a drink, and I have a tearfull Asha to deal with.

I guess she has enjoyed camp and all her playing.. Oh well she still has “The pea fair” to do, the taking down of the tent, and the “winnie the pooh play” for the Carnival Badge. Asha trotted out to her find her friends. some of them had got up early this morning, having actually gone to bed at reasonable times last night. Others were not planning on getting up, much before mid-day, but we soon changed those plans.

Asha had a lovely day. The sun being out made packing down easier, and we all enjoyed a boiled egg with our cereal for breakfast. A great camp has ended. Thanks Gwerin leaders in Gwynedd, you are all stars, and the kids… well your just FAB!

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With 1/2 a tank of fuel. No spare money, at all. A load of spare food, a tent we think is complete, and allready tired… Oh well :d

We are camping in Lllanberis with Gwerin Y Coed. I am praying they can cater for Asha O.k. I am sure Steve is going to spend the weekend tired, and hungry, and to be honest I am not at all sure about any of this. But we are going.

first job now, is to find the campsite… Done that, and to my amazement, the tent was complete, and Asha spent the first night in the tent, on her own side… WOW. My baby is growing up.

We went to a story tellers tonight. It was great, all sat in a round house, listening to stories. I was a bit cross, as a couple of the older kids had these like “light sticks” which were very off putting. But well it isnt for me to judge is it They kepts on squirming around and playing with them.

Asha was exhausted by the time she fell asleep back at camp.

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After a busy day, at home we went to my parents for the weekend. Originally we were going to go on Saturday Morning, but as we wanted to spend three nights there, it would have meant no space between theres and going camping.. that didnt feel a good idea!

On the way we called in at friends in Abergwyngregyn, it was good to have a stop of place on route! When we arrived the meeting for gwerin Y coed was about to take place, this allowed me to meet up with our “chef” for camp and partly put my mind at rest.

Hoping Asha would fall asleep on way to grandparents was a bit hopefull I guess, as no she didnt. Ended up a very late night for Asha, as when we arrived at Grannys the toys all came out, and she played, played played for what seemed like hours!

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Didn’t you know this;) She is home educated and as such must miss out on socialisation.

Well here is her recent time table of socialisation, which she dosnt do :d <sarcasm>

Monday 12th – Played outside all day with neighbours children.. 8 kids age 2 – 16, plus older neighbours.

Tuesday 13th – Did the same, with even more kids.

Wed 14th – went to clas, so played with about 30 kids and assorted adults. Evening, played with about another 20 kids and assorted adults.

Thursday 15 – collapsed in heap and did art stuff at home.

16th Went to visit friends in llanferfechain, and played with friend

17th Friend came to visit, went on beach, went shopping in morning.

18th Played with neighbours kids.

19th Played with neighbours kids, went to abergwynger…. played poo sticks on the falls, and went to a friends third birthday party.

20th To do – granny and grandads coming up..

21st CLAS, and Woodfold

22, Greenwood forest with friends

23 Grannys – 26th

28, – 1st camping with Gwerin Y Coed.

If anyone asks me again, what socialisation my daughter gets,  I will answer, that much we cant fit in education

Vicki xx

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Mummy has been suffering this week. Last weekend she was shivering in a room which was recording a temperature of over 25degrees C and under a duvet.

Glad to say Mummy is now a lot better, and only complaining that the kitchen floor still needs mopping;)

So what have we done then?

Last Saturday, was the normal rush to ballet, and then home to collapse on the sofa..
Sunday, I didnt do anything, I can remember and I am sure Steve played with Asha loads, and played football outside with her.
Monday. I went to the drs and got yet another course of antibiotics. I think we also went somewhere else but I cant remeber where/ what?
Tuesday, We went to Aberdesach Beach, and had a lovely day – mummy sleeping on the beach wrapped in blankets, Steve and Asha playing in the stream and just enjoying the sun, and sea air.
Wednesday- Oh the joys of wednesdays;) Shopping, followed by a short visit to C.L.A.S followed by a trip to the Spinneys – Nature / Bird reserve thing, at Bangor.

We also fitted in a trip to Penrhyn Castle, ……and Asha and I did a detour to the cafe for some Asha friendly cake… to meet a friend, for a lift as the Van wont get into the car park at the spinneys!

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Slightly worse start than normal, as I couldnt get out of bed!

I eventually got up, only for Steve to then collapse in a heap, and need to sleep for an hour. to recover from having dealt with Asha from 7 am – snotty and not really very happy!

After re-planning the day, we sat down to some hot lunch, and a coffee then left for C.L.A.S. with Asha wrapped up very warm.

The group as normal was excellent, although I did feel a bit naughty about turning up very late, but I think this is more to do with me never being late for anything, than an actually expectation for everyone to spend 5 hours there!

Asha had a lovely time, and died a real egg in some vinegar, which everyone seems to have been really pleased Asha could do too.. Thanks people! and I think as we wernt there as long, possibly enjoyed it more.

Woodfolk (Gwerin Y Coed) was lovely, we did some cress eggs, and some paper chick things. Asha loves Woodfolk, and thinks phil is great. She is also finally coming round to Jan again. At least these days she dosnt seem to fall asleep half way through the group, and is bouncing all the way through!.

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We decided that we could meet Granny and Grandad, have some lunch and they could have a play with Asha.

It was a windy day, but i got there on time 12.30

Asha had a lovely time, and we got the few things we wanted. I think everyone enjoyed them selves, and we got a job done, plus happy grandparents..

Success!

We also got the materials to make the ponchos for Gerwin Y Coed, so now feeling very pleased with myself.

http://www.abakhan.co.uk/default.asp

I however am totally exhausted, and have lost my voice!

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Ouch.. got up out of bed, feeling very rough, and with not a lot of rest last night.

Asha remebered where I had put Daddys birthday card, we had made yesterday, and gave it to Daddy whilst I was still in bed :d Oh the joys of nearly four, I get a lie in on Daddys Birthday! – I had planned on breakfast in bed for him, but erm, lack of sleep and a hurt foot put a seal of death on that idea!

We got ready for C.L.A.S and went on our way. On the way, we called into Mac D’s and Tescos. Armed with goods for C.L.A.S and Gwerin Y Coed, we were soon at our destination, and Asha was soon running around with friends, and having a go at makeing bracelets and having tons of fun.

Us parents, well we were doing our normal things, and trying to encourage some of the older kids into having a go at making cheese… Yes, steve did enjoy making the cheese didnt you!

Goats Milk Cheese

1 litre of semi skimmed goats milk. (not tried it with anything else)
bring to boil.
add joice of one lemon per two pints = i lemon.
It will curdle the milk.
Seive off the whey. ( and throw.. or if your creative do what ever with it)
the curds contents in your seive now.. is your cheese. allow to cool, and enjoy on a cracker / similar!

I dont know where the C.L.A.S lot get there ideas from, but this was brilliant!

I spent a bit longer on my feet than I ought to have done, but it was cold and I didnt want anyone outside with the kids too long. Plus I so needed some air!

Asha played well all day today, and tonight. I was very pleased with her!

At Gwerin Y Coed, she did some more cooking! Rice cakes are very easy for an A! She also enjoyed playing with the rest of the group, it was a very busy and big meeting tonight, but it did go well.

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I have been putting together some fun and simple ideas to get clarification that the kids know there insects (mini beasts) I now have a pdf worksheet for referance and I am going to cut out the insects, take some blue tack with me and we can have a insect hunt in the hall tomorrow, if we get there early. If not, next week!

Minibeasts PDF

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Tonight was Gwerin Y Coed We talked about St Davids Day. and painted some leeks, and Welsh Dragons. We also Found out about the anglisizing (sp?) of the daff, for the symbolism of Wales.

The emblem of Wales is the leek, arising from an occasion when a troop of Welsh were unable to distinguish each other from a troop of the English enemy dressed in similar fashion. They pulled up handfuls of coarse grass, with its white roots and green leaves, and stuffed them in their caps (in much the same way as the Plantagenets adopted the broom – plante a genet – as their badge and emblem.) The grass became stylised into a leek – the same shape and colour but bigger – and adopted as the badge of the Welsh.
An alternative emblem developed in recent years is the daffodil, which looks similar to a leek until it flowers, and was preferred by the English government as it did not have the same military and nationalistic associations as the leek.

We are working towards a couple of badges at the moment, and one of the things is trying to learn some new songs, so first things first.. we are learning the Welsh words for :

Link your hands together

Link your hands together, A circle we’ll make,

This bond of our friendship, No power can break,

Lets all sing together, In one mighty throng,

If any be weary, We’ll help them along,

If any be weary, We’ll help them along.

Daliwn ddwylo’n gilydd, Yn gylch ar y cyd,

I uno cyfeillion, Mewn hyfryd o fyd,

Gadewch i ni ganu, Yn llawen a chryf,

A sawl sydd yn blino, Rhown gymorth i chi,

A sawl sydd yn blino, Rhown gymorth i chi,

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http://www.woodcraft.org.uk/

We take Asha every week, and she loves it. Though she is normally exhausted by the time we get there.

Anyway this week, was particully special as its the first week we have been in daylight, and actually seen Rachub in the daylight. It looks so pretty!

One of the Group Leaders had also brought some coffee, which we particully enjoyed as it was a damp wet night. Thanks P.

Asha loves it. She looks forwards to seeing the other children, especially M’ s lad. And her friends from Tregarth.

It has been decided for some badgework to be done, and so we are going to start by helping the elfins and woodchips to make a poncho each to keep there badges on.

We all enjoyed Tai Chi tonight as well. It felt good to be teaching it again.

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