Heart and love picture

I drew this for mummy and it has three meanings.
1. It's a heart with love coming out from it
2. It's two people in love holding a baby
3. A person singing

My weekend with Sloopy

Sloopy meets Sid

Sid cuddles Sloopy

Dhruba meets Sloopy

Sloopy and I ready for the disco

Sloopy at God Squad

Silent Sunday

Mosaic

I found this amazing design at school today and coloured it in. 
I have given it to Mummy but she says I can show it here. 
I hope you like it.

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

I am a member of the RSPB, but they haven't sent me my spotters book yet, and I love the magazine.  We have lots of birds in our garden like pigeons and magpies.  We have a blackbirds and a really friendly robin.  We have red kits that fly over the house but they don't come into the garden which is good because they are really big.

This weekend is the big garden bird watch and I will be watching the birds in our garden for one hour and writing down the birds that come.  I hope lots of the birds come along so that I can write them all down.

Here are some pictures of my favourite birds.

100 word challenge week #18

This is the first week Rachel is doing the 100 word challenge. 
It's a five word challenge with the picture below and the words:

Silver   Tiny   Paris   Birthday   Jumped

One day a tiny boy, on his birthday went on holiday to France.  They went on a train to Disney and went on a spinning cup ride.  When the ride finished he jumped off and ran to the silver spaceship ride.

On day five of the holiday they took a train from Disney to Paris.  Then they went on an underground train to get to the Eiffel Tower.  The tiny boy said it was a tall shiny tower.  They took a lift to the top and looked up so they would not be scared.  Then they took the steps back down.

by Rachel age 6 in Year 2 at Loddon School.

Year 2 of Major Love of Film

I can hardly believe it, it's been a year since we started this blog.  In some ways it seems like so much longer, and yet a year in Rachel's life is 1/6th and that's a long time for her.

You might have noticed that things have become a lot quieter recently, that's not because we've been watching less films or had less opinions but because I've become more busy in life, ministry and blogging at LLM Calling and because Rachel has been busy on her new laptop experiencing other things that world has to offer.

We've taken this time to think about what we want to do with Major Love of Film and we've decided that a few changes are on the horizon.  From now on .....

1. This is Rachel's blog

I will only be providing a safety input and steering it in the right direction.  This means that my film reviews are to be lost.  Much as I'm sad about that I also know it makes sense for my time and allows this to really be Rachels.

2. Rachel will be reviewing films, apps, games, books and days out

But she obviously won't be reviewing everything she comes across; just what she fancies reviewing.  Some will be vlogs - her current preferred medium, some traditional blogs which she'll speak for me to type and some others will be her own typing.

3. Rachel will be sharing some of her work

She creates the most amazing things at school, home, clubs and anywhere there's paper and pens.  She would like to showcase these and so this will come here.

4. Rachel is joining the 100 word challenge and 5 sentence challenge

She loves to write stories and when I told her about these she wanted to join in, so watch this space for those.

5. This blog is open to other KS1 and KS2 bloggers for guest posts

Rachel thinks that other kids must also blog and she'd like to meet you; so if you (if you're a kid) or your kids (if you're a parent) blog then please get in touch

Rachel reviews Cover Orange app

I know we've come a little late to the party but we don't care, we're here now and loving every second of Cover Orange. I love it because it's basically a tutorial in physics introducing concepts such as gravity, forces, balance, equilibrium, cause and effect, rotation, geometry and acid rain. I also love it because the animation is great and it feels so much fresher than the now age weary Angry Birds.

But you've not come to read my review, you've come to hear what Rachel has to say, so let me hand my hands over to her control.

here is the picture from my iPod touch for Cover Orange

and here is what it looks like when I'm playing it

Mum likes this and says it's very clever, but I just think it's fun. The orange is really fun and pulls faces when it is worried and goes all burnt black if it gets hit by the black rain. It is really cool when it is saved by being covered, then it jumps about and smiles and claps.

I think the game is quite difficult but it's good fun trying it over and over and all sorts of different things happen when you put the things in different places. there are wheels and barrels and boxes and all sorts and some of them are heavy and fall on the orange's head - that isn't good.

I have got to level 4 already and then had to stop for my bath but I hope Mum will let me have a go again tomorrow. I don't think this is good for anyone who's not in school but anyone older than 5 will like it. I'm doing to show it to my grandad and I think he'll love it too.

Rachel make's jewels

Take all your left over art and craft materials including foam shapes and stickers.
Put them in a box.
Offer them to the kids.
Let them create.

And BINGO.....Jewels.

Don't drive and phone around schools

Why oh why oh why would you talk on your mobile phone (without a hands free system) whilst driving?

Why oh why oh why would you try to drive one handed when driving on local roads with lots of parked cars?

Why oh why oh why would you let your concentration be impaired even a tiny bit when there are young kids around coming out of school?

Why oh why oh why would you do any of this when YOU ARE A PARENT YOURSELF???

Please don't drive and speak on the phone around residential areas and especially near school gates; think!!

Bear's Wild Weekend with Miranda Hart

I have been saving it on Sky+ since Boxing Day so I could watch it without any interruptions; I guess knew that I'd be as moved by the programme as I have been.

Bear Grylls is a massive hero of mine, not only for his unbelievable physical feats in places no person should ever find themselves; but also for his leadership of the Scout Association as the Chief Scout. Add to him lovely Miranda Hart who makes me laugh outloud, often I worry I might loose a tiny bit of wee; and we had a programme made in my personal heaven. Well it exceeded my expectations by factors of millions; what an amazing adventure and programme.

I am also scared of falling, of loosing control, of heights and especially drops. I also wish I could overcome these fears more than I do so that I could experience some amazing sights of the world. I am seriously impressed by seeing Miranda face her fears head on and tackle them; and even more adore Bear for his confident and gentle way with her. Perhaps with a Bear (or similar) around I could also do the same, now there's something to put on my list of things to do before I die.

Paper Bead Bracelets

Today when we were tidying huge amounts of paper into the recycling bin when Rachel decided we should "make something".  I went through all the usual suspects of collages, models, paper chains, cards and fans but all were met with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.  

We have tried quilling before so I suggested that; Rachel could see my lack of preparation and skill but she accepted my last ditch offer.  Unfortunately she was right in her assumption that I'd not be able to pull it off, but every failure is an opportunity for learning.  As we rolled the strips of paper I realised that I couldn't make spirals, but with a bit of glue we could make beads.  

Bingo; paper beads.

If you'd like to have a go here's what we did:

1. Collect old paper and magazines and cut into strips about 1cm wide at the widest.  I did some rectangles and some triangles and some other random wiggly strips.


2. You can even use old artwork - Rachel loved the idea that some of her drawings could become beads.


3. Take one strip and roll up one end in a tight(ish) spiral.


4. Put a blob of glue on the last centimetre and stick it down; there you have a bead.


5. Once you have a pile just thread them onto elastic or string and knot tightly; one paper bead bracelet.



Recycling, art, fun and beauty all in one; not bad for a rainy and windy January morning.

Rachel's 2012 Hopes

When we were driving back from the flat this evening Rachel was talking about going back to school and the year ahead and basically listing all she's looking forward to in 2012. Since I'm basically addicted to blogging I took the opportunity to note down most of what she said (no, I wasn't driving) and here it is.

1. Seeing and playing with friends

2. Reading lots more books

3. Going to see Mickey, Pooh Bear and Stitch

4. Cuddling Mummy when she get's back from Africa

5. Having another great birthday party

6. Going to the Olympics

7. Staying with Granny more times

8. Doing lots more swimming


It's a pretty lovely list isn't it, and I especially love number 4, she's being so brave about me being away even though she knows it'll be hard. I love my girl.

Reminded of Mary Poppins

This is a first for the blog, a film mentioned three times, but it's Mary Poppins and it's well worth repeat mentions since it was my FFF: first favourite film.

We have, obviously, watched Mary Poppins over Christmas; it just wouldn't be christmas if we didn't. We have also commented on Mary Poppins flight with an umbrella as we walked by the sea in the wind. We've drawn pictures, akin to the chalk drawings by Bert and we've walked like penguins.

Perhaps this is why when I saw this picture on a friend's facebook wall it shouted at me

IT'S THE FIREWORKS FROM THE CHIMNEY SWEEP SCENE IN MARY POPPINS

Thank you to Susan Potter for taking it and sharing it, it has made me smile enough to share it and I hope it spreads that smile.

Scribble Drawings by Rachel

Rachel has been playing around with different effects for drawing again and has impressed herself with her newly invented Scribble Drawing.

She started with this hippo


Then there was this cat


These might be people but are in fact giraffes 


And hopefully this is completely self explanatory 


Give it a go, scribble drawing; fun, easy and pretty effective.

Mood board 2012

Here's a fun way of thinking of what you'd like to focus on in 2012, it's a mood board. Each of these images means something for Rachel and I and our hopes for 2012.




























If you'd like to see more then go to Not Supermum where she's collating them.