On Things I love Thursday

On "Things I love Thursday" I can only write about my lovely 4 year old, whom we celebrated over the weekend. His birthday fell on Father's Day this year, so we celebrated Richard as well. And I am specially grateful that my Mum and Edina could be here with us as well (unfortunately Dad had to cancel last minute as a two week work project just fell on his lap. When else...)
We have been in Barton Marina, watchend the original 1967 Jungle Book at Little Red Carpet Cinema (I can only recommend this place, it is in a lovely setting, small child-friendly cinema, in the same building there is a bistro with a small garden, where there is a Wendy house for the kids, legos, trains while the adults soak up the sun...lovely)
I drove (!) to Hopwas, went to shopping to Birmingham, and on Sunday we celebrated Benji's birthday at the Cliff House in Kingsbury. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best, but with the kind help from the staff they improvised an improptu gazeebo out of parasols. I am sure we will remember this at least. I am also happy for most of the family making his birthday despite being it Father's Day and the start of theWorld Cup..
This year Benji understood more that birthdays are good, and he was saying it beforehand how much he is looking forward to it. He got a big boys bike with "pedals and a bell" thats what he wanted, but I am not sure yet how much patience will he show to keep try to pedal it. At the moment he still chooses his balance bike.
This year he didn't burst into tears when we started singing Happy Birthday to him (although you could tell he was a bit shy on his party, but not as "bad" as last year). Love my big, clever 4 year old son!

Dissapeared a bit

I haven't had any posts lately, partially because not much happened, but I also had little time to write as well due to trying to acomplish my new year resolutions. One of them to drive in England, and the other to run 10km in one go.
The first was speeded up by Benji's acceptance in Manor Primary, as there is hardly any public transport there, so i will definitely need to drive by then. And also my parents coming in a week, and thought would be nice to drive around when Richard is at work.
The running was always amongst my wishes, I just encouraged myself a bit by enrolling to the Sutton Fun Run. So in my spare time lately I was either running, or having driving lessons, or hunting for a car.

This weekend was the race, which wasn't just 10k, but 13.5. I managed to run 8.5km in one go without stopping, and the rest with a walking-running mix. I am still very proud of myself as it is still personal best, plus I will have another attempt on 29th of June to run the 10k, as we will go to the Coventry Breast Cancer awarness race as well.

It was very different to run in a race than at home on the street on  my own. It was a big endorphin hit, and was great to see people clapping and cheering, that you forgot how tired your are.
But the best encourangement was, that Richard brought Benji to cheer us, and when I spotted them in the crowd, waved him, he waved back smiling, was sooo good, you couldn't just stop and let him down! I really hope that I will show him a good example, and sport will be natural to him. We were already planning with Nicola to take Benji and Oscar for a little run around the block to see what they think. Even at the race there were lots of kids running with their parents, I hope I will run with my boys one day.






After the run, because the weather was so nice, and noone cooks or diets after a race, we sat into the Cliff House pub for a nice cold, refreshing beer and dinner, because we deserved it :)

Before

After

The School

There will big changes from September, Benji will go to primary school.
I was really apprehensive and a bit dubbious about the English school system, I really didn't think children of 4 years old can be ready to be school (in Hungary we start school at 6-7 years old), I have read quite a few studies about how in this age they should just play and socialise, how their fine motoric skills are not ready yet to hold a pencil in way to wirte with it.
But the more I got involved with the school search, and the more open days I have attended, the more more my worries were put to bed. The schools are much different than at home. I realise in England teaching is more playful, espeically in the first years. There are no benches, don't have to be silent, no tests, the children don't get marks, but a comprehensive report to the parents. Also the emphasis is on praising and what the child good at, rather than punishing them or giving out bad marks etc..





You can enlist three preferred schools, our aim was to avoid our catchment school, which is badly rated school, and I also really didn't have a good feeling about it.



So for the first place we have put a nearby school where Benji's little friend would also go, altough we knew we don't really have a chance, as it is an outstanding over subsribed school, and we don't live in the catchment area.
For our second choice we have put a closeby catholic school which I really liked and had a good feeling about it. Although, again, despite living close to the school we would have a disadvatage of not being catholic.
So for the third place, in order to avoid our catchment school we needed to put a school where in the past wasn't oversubscribed so Benji would definitely have a place in. We decided next to a Sutton school which is still rated Good, but is in a middle of council estate with not so well behaved children and parents...We hoped this will be a safety net only, and we would get a place in either of our first two choices. Of course we didn't. I didn't mind, as that school also looked good, just was a bit far away, but Richard started to say that he really doesn't want Benji to go there (of course he didn't see the school and when we had to put the choices he kind of said, its up to me...grrr)

So there were were with a school choice we were not so happy about. But then I noticed on the list of county schools with available places, that Manor Primary has still 1 place open. Which I thought its a bit strange, as local mothers told me, that is a really small school, and usually there is a fight to get children in there, so we didn't even consider it, as the school is in a village about 5 minutes drive away from us. We didn't have anything to loose I sent in a late application for that 1 place.
We had to wait two weeks to find out how many people still sent late applications in, then they will decide according to distance who gets that one place. I called a few times to see how many people applied, they said 5. It seemed a bit hopeless that we will be the closest ones.
Two weeks gone, and I received a call, that unfortunately we weren't successful with our applications and they offered that place to someone else, but we are first on the waiting list.
Typical I thought, our luck. I was already planning in my head how to kill off one kid in the village to get our son into the school (of course not), when about 2 hours later I received another call that the person they offered the school place refused as they must have got into somewhere else, so as we are first on the list they need to ask if we wish to accept this place. Of course we would!!! I think even our deaf neighbour heard the big, heavy stone dropping off my heart.
So it looks like this will be Benji's school from September: http://www.manor.staffs.sch.uk/
It is a small school with 15 children each year, and in the class there will be two years, so 30 children all together. We drive front of it as well, to have a look, Benji really liked it, he must have said "Thank you Mumy for my new school" about every morning since.
So exciting times are coming with my big school boy!

We have also been in the Sealife Centre at the weekend, boys have really liked it (Robin says "Fish, fish" really nicely now)
Then we sat into the Handmade Burger place, which was really nice, Benji even noted while he was munching on his food, that "I really like this day Mummy"

Pirate day

It was a long weekend, the sun was shining a bit, so we had to do something outsidey..., found a groupon ticket to Tutbury castle for a pirate day event, we lumped in Oscar's and parents, and went to have a look. It sounded quite good, they even said on the tickets that children should dressed up (or even the parents), so I ended up sawing little pirate hats for them on Saturday (yes, I made the skulls a bit a more children-friendly on purpose..). Plus I caught Robin's congentivatus, so Richard was pushing me to wear an eye patch, as I might just... I didn't in the end, sunglasses have done...
The boys have really enjoyed themselves, the "real" pirates, sword fights, cannon shoots, climbing to the castle, fun rides, etc.

Last week, we have also found about Benji's future school placement, but this to be continued in another post soon.

I also have to mention little Mr. Cuddler Robin, whose speach is getting a bit better, he started to repeat words on his own way, in English he can say Bath, Fish, Thank you ("tatooo"), mooore, juice, door, baaa, no, car, and he at last calls me Mummy now, I ceased to be called Dada at last!!!

 We have also harvested the first produce of our garden, little radishes, already worth planting them, as it made Benji taste them, and hunting for the biggest ones :)

A long Easter Holiday

It was long, because unlike in Hungary we had Friday as holiday as well, plus RIchard had his birthday on Saturday, so we weren't bored this weekend to say the least. 
On Friday Jayne and Peter were looking after the boys so I could take out Richard for a birthday meal and stay over. The morning after we went to try out archery which Richard always wanted to do. (a few years ago he almost bought a bow at the hungarian christmas market...) No doubt he was good at it, but surprisingly I enjoyed it too, certainly won't be the last time we did archery. 
On Sunday we had Jayne and Peter and Grandma Joan over to our house for Easter and Richard birthday celebration. I have cooked lamb first time in my life, and have to admit it was pretty good...
In the morning of course The Rabbit came, and at last this year wasn't raining so we could hide the eggs in the garden. They were so cute and innocent as they run from bushes to bushes shouting out what they found. Although mostly Benji, Robin was busy putting the eggs in-and-out of his bucket. 
The same day Peter asked Benji how come the Rabbit has so many chocolates, where does he getting it from. Benji explained the Santa gave it him, because there is no snow now, so he can not bring them himself. Ahh, Of course! :)
And Robin has delighted me with a new "almost a word": nu-nu which is "nyuszi" in short (rabbit in hungarian)
On Monday we didn't rest either, while I made a Challah bread dough and while it was proving, we went to Middleton Hall for Easter celebration, which wasn't a big thing, but the children enjoyed themselves anyhow. There was a playground, bouncy castle, magician (Benji had a belly laugh watching it), and someone dressed up as a rabbit (which frightened Robin to death every time it walked passed)
The challah bread ended up lovely at home, cooked a ham with it and lots of lovely fresh vegetables, which 90% were eaten by the only female member of the family, the boys just stuffed their faces with the ham...