Angient Egypt meets lego

Last night Spike was inspired to build a lego pyramid so we did just that! He insisted we have a picture of a pyramid to base out building on which wasn't too hard since I've been stockpiling books about Ancient Egypt since before the pyramids were built. 

We built our pyramid and then decided we needed a Pharaoh and a burial party and a selection of goodies for the Pharaoh to take into the afterlife with him. 

Here you can see the Pharaoh's Eye of Horus Amulets, his precious jewels, his statues of Anubis, his throne, his canonic jars containing all his organs (they're the lego heads) and his torch.

The pyramid, burial party (complete with slaves who are ready to drink poison and serve the Pharaoh in the afterlife) and all the afterlife necessities. 

The Pyramid

So a fun time was had by all, and today we're going to print out some colouring in and prepare a paper pharaoh for burial since you just don't get tired of this stuff ....

Gladiator fights in Antarctica!

Spikee has always been interested in history, and he recently discovered Gladiators. In keeping with our "channeling revolting habits into good things" modus operandi we thought this was the perfect outlet for his rough play.

We hired a book about gladiators from the library and discovered that people used to hire gladiators in the days before dvd hire shops. We learnt all about diet, life for fighters, training, various types of gladiators and how they fought and defended themselves and a whole heap of other stuff.

Then we found ourselves in possession of some foam swords and in order to "channel revolting habits" we organised a gladiator day!

The kids made shields and practiced sword fighting, and then A and I took denarii (chocolate melts) and chose which gladiator we'd like to hire. We examined their muscles and asked them what type of fight they entertained with. Then we took them to the Colosseum, placed our chocolate denarii bets and they fought while we cheered from the comfortable seating by the arena. A fun time was had by all ... even those involved in the dramatic throes of death.

Examining the Gladiators for hire. I selected a fine, fit gladiator and named her Gladiola.

The fierce and entertaining fighting!

A's gladiator Titus, is victorious whilst I jeer at Gladiola for her poor fighting performance.

At the end of the games I had won 8 denarii and A had won 10. We were kind ... we fed it all to the gladiators.

Unlearning Continues!

I was just pondering how much we've done lately, with me being practically bed ridden with exhaust, when Stylish came in to show me the dress she is making. Yes, you heard it here first ... she's MAKING A DRESS! She found some old scrap material and draped it around herself, and is trying to find different ways to tie it on. I offered to help her sew it together this afternoon. Having never voluntarily worn a dress in her whole life this is quite a turn of events, somehow I doubt it spells change, just an afternoon activity. Times like this make me really mad that the camera isn't working!

She was very disappointed to hear that there are no tennis lessons today or next week, it looks like she's really getting into it. She even got out her racket yesterday and practiced hitting the ball against the wall out the front.

Spikee's fascination with cave people and dinosaurs continues. He spends a good deal of time in the garden digging for dinosaur bones and getting absolutely FILTHY, which I am assured is a sign of a happy child. We have swapped sleeping arrangements because it was getting too hard for me to roll myself out of bed around the side car cot, so now A is sleeping on the same side as Spikee and the cot. Spikee was extremely unimpressed by this change the first night, but last night Daddy suggested that he get some books out and they could read for a while. Spikee went to his book shelf and chose a book about cave people, and one about pyramids, and they spent ages reading them. He's fascinated by it all!

The kids are currently on the way to the shop to get a few things for lunch. We usually cut up stuff and put it in the middle of the table and then they make their own sandwiches. They quite like having a shopping list with a few things on it and going up to the local shops together. I suppose I should go and get everything out and ready for lunch!

Plans for 2010

After a discussion about the difference between the UK and the USA I decided to make some plans, or at least set some goals for this year. We're going to look at some maps and learn where countries, and continents and big cities are. We're also going to do some history because I believe history and geography are very closely linked ... Queen Victoria didn't rule from the USA.

So today on my way home from the city I stopped in at a great discount book shop and bought some books about prehistoric people, Ancient Egyptians, and the Crusades. Spikee got some dinosaur ones and a crocodile one. They were all $1 each which is a bit of a bargain! Stylish also got a book all about interesting rat facts (interesting to her anyway - spare me from hearing more) which she has already buried her head in for half an hour. I managed to get myself a book to! It's called The Heretic Queen, and it's about Queen Nefertari and how she came to marry Ramses II. It starts out beautifully, I started to read a little bit on the bus home but then realised Spikee was falling asleep so I spent the rest of the trip talking about lively things.

Last week end we bought Stylish a new bike! Her old one was getting too small, knees hitting handle bars is a good indicator that you've outgrown your bike, plus it was kind of rusty. We were going to lay by one for her birthday but then we saw the perfect bike on sale so we grabbed it and it came home that same day. She is overjoyed with it - despite the fact it's pink. I actually think it's a lovely pink! And I suspect it's grown on her too, I doubt this will cause a pink revolution in the house though.