Dexter made me a surprise breakfast last week. How cute is that? He set out the place mat and cutlery on the table and told me while I was in the shower that my breakfast was waiting for me! I love the clumsy way in which he cut the orange and the native violet and parsley garnish from the garden stuck in the mandarin.
Today we are enjoying a cosy day at home, as we do most Tuesday's. Its a day free of any scheduled activities or classes which we all love. Though of course we always do an experiment or two of some sort, no way will the boys let me forget that. Dexter has been working on his new Meccano set which we picked up yesterday for his 'end of term' present for piano. We have a little arrangement - some might call it bribery, though I err on the side of gentle persuasion/motivation - where by Dexter can choose a present at the end of each term of piano lessons if we both feel like he has put in his best during lessons and completed his daily practices without too much grumbling! In all seriousness he is naturally quite motivated and genuinely enjoys practicing and he loves his lessons but I'm a realist; few 6 yr olds are going to walk over to the piano voluntarily every single day to practice. He works hard at it, I appreciate that and tell him so. The way we see it is that he deserves something for all that hard work and if the thought of some new Lego or Mecanno helps him achieve daily practice then why not?!
Hugo pulled out all the over size toy trucks today. These things go in and out of a box destined for the Salvo's which lives in the laundry. They don't get touched for months and when I'm getting ready to pass them on to charity suddenly Hugo takes an interest in them again.
While busy with their truck and Meccano play the kids asked me to download the soundtrack for The Muppets. It is great, seriously! We saw it at the movies in January. It was the boys first cinema experience. Truth be told they found it all a bit overwhelming, its just too loud and full on with that massive screen. Not to mention the damn previews beforehand which terrified them. But they really enjoyed the actual movie. A few weeks ago we bought the DVD and have watched it twice since then. Hugo has been wandering around singing We Built This City for days! Dexter can often be heard humming The Muppet Show Theme. Both kids have been singing far too much Mah Na Mah Na. In the car mostly. And at the dinner table. Joy! Anyway we downloaded the soundtrack this afternoon and have had it playing loudly since. I don't care how daggy it is, I love a good musical, there is no better music style for an overcast winter's day. I dare you to listen to this or this and not end up with a big ole grin on your face by the end.
The kids got swept up into the music for a couple of hours. Here they are dancing. Hugo is using a torch as a microphone and Dexter decided binoculars were his necessary prop. After I took this photo Dexter changed into a green top so that he could look more like Kermit! They know nearly all the words to several songs already. I have a feeling these songs will go to that part of their brain where they'll be burned for eternity in much the same way that I can still belt out word for perfect word Tomorrow from Annie even though I haven't seen the movie or listened to the soundtrack in 20 years. (I have vivid memories of Mum playing it on the piano while we sang along and then when I was older playing it myself on the piano while belting it out at the top of my lungs).
On the weekend Will made Gingerbread cookies with the kids. In typical Will fashion he thoroughly researched a traditional recipe (poo pooing my suggestion of coconut palm sugar in place of traditional brown sugar - because the recipe called for brown sugar Louie not coconut). The man is a perfectionist. The kids gushed and carried on about how great the experience was and isn't Daddy the greatest, acting like he was the first person to ever bake with them! Hmm, mummy does stuff like that with you all the time and where's the gushing for her huh?!
Here's a shot of last weeks science experiment. We dyed white Carnation flowers. Cool. When I ordered them from the florist they were rather rude and put out - apparently carnations are not in vogue. Pfft. Wont be returning to that florist, flower snobs.
