It's been cold and indoorsy here lately. Clem is on a big tent-making thing and has been sleeping in this construction on his bedroom floor for about a week. Andy actually moved Clem's mattress down there for him so it's really very comfy. However, we currently have no chairs around our dining table a.k.a. my sewing table. Am perching on various stools. Dust/fluff level in Clem's room high and rising.
For a short time this tent below meant we had to climb in order to get into our lounge area. The construction slowly incorporated just about everything Clem could lay his hands on in our back room and spread in a trail off to the right of this picture. (And pegs - argh - where do all my pegs go??)
One morning Jasper found a silverfish crawling on the floor in the general vicinity of this masterpiece, which gave me the creeps. After the boys had left for school Andy and I packed it up and thoroughly cleared and cleaned the area. It took Clem an hour after school to remember the tent and ask where it had gone. I think you can't do these things by halves. Clean slate. I told him it was because of the silverfish and also so he had a nice clear space to do some more making. And he industriously set about making a new mess with cardboard, scissors and stickytape. He's in a big stickytape phase as well as tent phase it seems. I have to admit I am quite fond of the stickytape phase.
Clem has become much more confident about making things with his hands lately. He surprised me by wanting to stitch a felt creature by himself. In fact he did quite a decent job and did not get too frustrated.
As our youngest child I suspect we (maybe just I) have been too willing to jump in and offer help, or respond to his requests. I have been trying to more consciously encourage him to give things a go, persist and think of his own solutions. Mind you - speaking of persistence - we haven't finished this little project yet, despite his pestering me about it. Must get back to that. Before the silverfish do, urgh.
The ring around his neck is an old one I gave to Andy many years ago and Clem recently found down the back of his couch, after it had been lost for years. What treasure!
Jasper turned twelve. He's not taller than me yet but he's not far off. He had some friends over for pizzas and then out to the movies to see How To Train Your Dragon 2, which he'd been plotting and planning about ever since he found out - some months ago - it would be released close to his birthday. Here he is with Clem and a couple of his mates, very interested in some books... about Minecraft, haha. (Computer game where you build stuff out of redstone and lava and spawn zombies and cows, or something.)
Clem gets very excitable in the company of a bunch of older boys.
(I think the facial expression above is pretty funny.)
Meat seems to be the favourite pizza topping for boys. Pile on the meat.
And then, more Eton Mess.
Twelve candles on a meringue.
And after all that excitement, a nice quiet day around home today.
The sun came out after some torrential overnight rain and a generally grey and cold week. The front yard is overflowing with weeds and we gently herded / terrified a few of the chooks up there to have a good scratch around. I think they were struggling to believe their luck once they got there.
School holidays have started which frankly around here mostly means even more juggling of responsibilities than usual. Deep breath. Onwards!
- Jane x
What's with boys and tents? Mine use all the lounge cushions instead. Jasper needs to check out SurvivalCraft - you can make electricity!
ReplyDeleteI asked Jasper if he'd heard of SurvivalCraft and he said no... I told him you could make electricity and he said "I wanna play that!" but I'm not sure if we need another obsession around here! :) I'm sure we will all miss the tent making phase when it has passed but in the meantime... where do we all sit??
DeleteYep, mine use the lounge cushions for tent making too ;-)
ReplyDeleteInconvenient, but kind of adorable I'm sure :)
DeleteI do love the tent making stage but it does kind of drive me insane. I love those chickens, we must get some pretty ones in Spring. Aagh silverfish, I found a moth whole in a hand knitted beanie last week and am devestated. I need to go through everything woolen and the entire wool stash.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest is going through a sticky tape phase. He has turned in to a regular little Mr Maker.
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally understand how they change as soon as the siblings have friends over.
Happy birthday, Jasper!
ReplyDeleteOh, I remember loving to make forts as a kid! I'm officially an old grump though because now all I think is "Man, I'm gonna have to clean that up!".
Ah the tent making phase, I remember it well! We ended up with a giant cardboard igloo (still have it actually) that flat packs but can be easily be put up so the boys can then throw covers and duvets over it to make it really dark and they like to set up the portable DVD player and pretend it's a cinema. Like you, we step over and around it and do without cushions on the sofa etc...until one day I also feel it's enough and it all disappears whilst they're at school. Funny how the world over of parents with small boys must be able to relate to this post. Wow, 12, that's a milestone age, one more to go to the teens! I know it's your winter, but now it's the holidays, I assume you are all wearing hats with corks, possibly throwing a shrimp on the barbi and downing a tinnie ;) Your comment on my blog did make me laugh! C has been trying to speak with an Aussie accent all term. Bxx
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