Having spent the last two days making bean-tin cakes and icing them we were ready for homeschool group today.

When I offered this session I thought I would be driving-but no, that’s too easy. So, after much thought in my tired brain we organised a taxi. I told the children to stay in the living room with Heleyna while Iona and I carried out the box of cakes, the playbag, activity bag, flask and crutches. Ronan was in charge of my handbag and Avila had her own handbag full of tissues (her special job). I went back for them and they got into the car and off we went.

We unloaded in much the same way-Ronan and Avila had a bag each, I had Heleyna and crutches and the taxi driver kindly helped Iona with the rest- just as Nicki arrived with the keys to the hall.

I do believe this was what I will call a Charlotte Moment - when everything came together well.

The cake session went very well. I explained that each gift cake was a gift and the children could decorate them for another person. I had expected it to be about one cake between two so each family would get two or so cakes to take home and hand out. As it happened only 16 children were there today and we had made 16 cakes! Iona had also made gingerbread men, and Shariska had made fairy cakes. I demonstrated the easy way to make a rose out of icing and then we left the children to it.

I had to laugh when one of the boys was desperately trying to find a way to keep his cake. His first cunning plan was to decorate his gingerbread man and give that away-keeping the cake. But he correctly sussed that his mum would not approve. So quickly he came up with another plan. He came over to his mum and suggested that he could give his (by now beautifully decorated) cake to another person at homeschool group who would kindly give it back!

Mum said he could give it to someone NOT at homeschool group today (his sister perhaps) and maybe she would share it with him. He went away thoughtful, and I wonder if there was another plan brewing for that cake.

We cleared up and Shazia gave a session on how to make a sandwich. This is a very useful skill for the children to learn. Ronan can almost do it now, but Avila still needs help. Nicki told me of a mum she knows with 5 or 6 children who all down to the little ones make their own sandwich and pack a little lunchbox each to go out with. They are very efficient. I think that’s a lovely idea and I might let my little ones do something like that for winter picnics under the table. If it works well I think I would have another Charlotte Moment to claim  

With Iona’s help the children played a Geography version of hot potato. They had an inflatable globe and when it was stopped the child in possession had to find a country. Great fun.  

More Sign Songs this afternoon. I think we should do a concert at Christmas…

Scouts tonight and a quiet 10mins as Heleyna is (shh) … asleep ZZZZ