Kite making

General 

Elliott good again today. 

Activities

Today we went to Reading after getting up and having breakfast. We went to The Entertainer toy shop and wandered around the town for a bit. Then we went to Pizza Express for lunch and he had garlic bread with cheese and a pepperoni pizza.

After lunch we went to Reading Museum where we joined a kite making workshop and Elliott made a kite based on a spitfire them which he enoyed:

After we'd made the kite we went to Forbury gardens to try flying it, but unfortunately there were too many people around to really give it a good go. On the way home we popped in to Decathlon to look around. Then we headed home before picking up his swimming gear and going to his swimming lesson. After his swimming lesson he had a shower and we headed off to Downton and stopped for some ham sandwiches on the way home. After we got to Grandpa and Granny's house we unpacked and then he showed Grandpa and Granny his toys and his books before he got ready for bed and brushed his teeth. Finally he read more of "George's Secret Key to the Universe" before going to sleep.

Bedroom tidying

General 

Elliott was good today. 

Activities

After breakfast Elliott made a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aeroplane from his paper model aeroplane book and then we started tidying and spring cleaning his room. He was helpful although wasn't having the most fun, but he sorted through his toy boxes and tidied his toys into different boxes of themes. After a while we stopped for ham sandwiches for lunch.

After lunch we watched the new version of Ghostbusters which he really liked (he thought it was "better than the boy ones, especially the stunts"). Then we finished off cleaning and tidying his room before he helped me recycle bottles at the local bottle bank. After that we went to the park and flew his drone and practiced with his diablo. After we got home we had sausage, chips and peas for tea, although it was quite a stuggle to get him to eat any peas (eventually he ate some) and then it was time for his bath. After his bath he watched some "Marvel: Agents of Shield" and then he cleaned his teeth and read more of "George's Secret Key to the Universe" before going to sleep.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

General 

Elliott was good again today. 

Activities

After the late night Elliott didn't wake up until around 8am this morning and after he woke up  he spent half an hour in bed relaxing reading "George's Secret Key to the Universe" by Lucy and Stephen Hawking and playing his flying game on the iPhone he uses. Then we all got up and he had a shower in the morning before we checked out and headed to Brentwood Wetherspoons (The Dairyman) for breakfast. He had American Pancakes and toast for breakfast. After breakfast we headed home and stopped at Andrea's Dads to say hello for half an hour where we watched a television programme about animal's behaving badly (which was actually about how some animals use their intelligence to adpat to man made surroundings and he was quite interested by). When we got home it was lunch time so after unpacking he had a ham cheese sandwich for lunch with a packet of crisps.

After lunch we had a lazy afternoon and we watched "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" which he enjoyed before he played with Transformers and also played more of his flying game. Then it was time for spaghetti bolognese for tea (he had quite a plain version today) before he watched a You Tube video about Lego Playstation games, cleaned his teeth and got ready for bed and then read some more of "George's Secret Key to the Universe" before going to sleep.

Henry and Petra Black's wedding celebration

General 

Elliott was really good today. Early on at the party there was some trouble with two small children from a nearby Travellers encampment coming over to "play" with the children at the party (which turned out to be these two small children attacking the group of party children) but Elliott took all this in his stride. The staff at the golf club had obviously had previous problems with this encampment and the security at the golf course acted swiftly and the police were called to warn the encampment. We all chose not to press officialy charges so the police just had a friendly word. Fortunately after this there were no further problems.

Activities

After picking Elliott up we went home and packed some clothes and then left for Henry and Petra Black's wedding celebration at Maylands Golf Course near Brentwood in Essex. When we got close to arriving (after some bad traffic on the M25) we had bacon rolls for lunch.

After lunch we checked in to Mary Green Manor hotel where we were staying overnight and then got a taxi to the golf course. When we got there we were pleased to see as well as Henry, Petra and Tommy the Hydes, Wilcox and Chris Baker were also there. It didn't take long for Elliott to run off playing with Tommy, Reuben Hyde and Freya and Cicily Wilcox and he spent most of the celebration with them either outside playing football or chasing around or inside making friendship bracelets, telling stories and generally having a lot of fun. There was an unfrotunate incident early on with the two small children from a nearby Travellers encampment but none of the children let this stop them having a good time. While we were there he also saw some deer on the golf course which he and Reuben were really interested in and they got us all over to have a look at what was going on. At around 6pm we had a barbeque tea and Elliott had a hamburger, pitta bread and some baked potato. After tea there were speeches which he listened to (they were quite short and Lucas Dawson appeared on video as it turned out the Dawsons were in Greece) and after the speeches there was a disco which he and the other children sporadically joined in with but also looked suitably embarrassed at their parent's antics. We left quite late and he and the other children were definitely beginning to flag so when we got back to the hotel (which was a 10 minutes taxi ride) he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Spelling bee

General 

Elliott was very good today and didn't seem too worried about his operation tomorrow. He does have a rash on his chest which I think is heat rash and doesn't seem to be bothering him, but he's going to the right place tomorrow to check if necessary.

Activities

After school he came out with some sweets he'd got from Miss Allen as their end of year present. He'd given her his card and a present he bought at Truck Festival for her (a badge of Thor's hammer as Thor is her favouriate superhero). He said his spelling bee had gone well and he'd got all his words right but unfortunately Kestrels didn't win. On our way home we stopped at the park to play cricket for a while and then after we got home we watched some Marvel: Agents of SHIELD and had ham sandwiches for tea. After tea he had an early bath and then watched a bit more of Marvel: Agents of SHIELD before brushing his teeth and going to bed early to get lots of sleep before tomorrow. Before going to sleep he read some more of Millions.

The Oxford Symphony Orchestra

General 

Elliott was good again today.

Activities

We woke up around 7am and went for a wander around the Truck Festival site while it was quiet. Elliott had slept pretty well and wasn't too tired. While we were wandering we found a Dorset Cereals breakfast tent where they were giving Festival goers free breakfasts so we had some juice there and sat in deck chairs (neither of us fancying any of the actual Dorset Cereal varities on offer). Then we headed to the big food tent at Truck and Elliott had croissants and hot chocolate for breakfast. Then we took a cappucino and croissant back to the tents for Andrea to have for her breakfast. After everyone had finished breakfast we tried some yoga in the Children's Area Elliott lasting for about 20 minutes and proclaiming it weird but ok and took photos of the Truck sign as it still wasn't very busy:

Then we went back to the tents and packed everything and took the bags to the car before going back in to the Festival to watch The Oxford Symphony orchestra. They played a range of pieces from songs by Bowie and George Michael, through film theme tunes and on to some Strauss and Bizet. Elliott enjoyed them and said they were his favourite performance of the Festival. As they finished playing we had chicken nuggets and chips for lunch.

After lunch he went on a fairground ride where you sit in chairs and they swing round increasingly fast, which he enjoyed:

Then we went back to the Children's Area and watched a Circus show for a short while before heading home so everyone could be back with plenty of time to unpack, relax and get ready for Monday morning. After helping unpack the car Elliott watched some episodes of "Marvel: Agents of Shield" before having cheesy rolls with peanut butter and a peanut butter sandwich for tea. Then he had a bath, brushed his teeth, got ready for bed and read "Millions" by Frank Cottrell Boyce (a new book as he'd finished his latest Mr Gum book at the Festival the evening before).

Truck Festival 2018

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

When we arrived at Truck Festival we got there just in time to join in with Mr Motivator's midday wake up aerobics session. Elliott was a bit bashful at first but did join in (especially when we weren't directly watching him). When the session was over and we were wandering around to get lunch (Elliott had a hot dog for lunch) we actually bumped in to Mr Motivator and said hello:

After lunch we headed off to the Children's Area which had Circus Skills and Elliott taught us how to spin plates:  

Then we had a wander around the shops and Elliott bought an Agents Of Shield badge before we watched Alphabet Backwards play in the Virgins and Veterans Tent:

Then we headed back to the tents for a break before going back for tea and settling down by the main stage (Elliott had two large slices of pizza). On our way back to the arena from the campsite we bumped in to some policemen:

While we were watching the main stage we saw Everything Everything, Jake Bugg and most of George Ezra's set which Elliott liked best (he was occasionally diverted by the others, but watched quite a bit of George Ezra):

After about an hour of George Ezra we went back to the tents and because it was getting quite late Elliott went straight to sleep in his sleeping bag.

Swimming in pyjamas

General 

Elliott was very good after school today. He wasn't worried at all by the pre-operation appointment and said he'd had a good day at school, although unfortunately his trip to the hospital meant he missed watching the Year 6 play production dress rehearsal.

Activities

After Hockey Club we went to swimming where this week he wore pyjamas and a sweatshirt to practice swimming in clothes. After swimming he had a shower and we went home and had pasta with bacon and tomato sauce for tea. After tea he went out on to the field and cycled for a while before playing cricket with Harry and Jack Jenkins who were also out on the field. After being coming in he brushed his teeth and got ready for bed and then read some of his school book "Mr Gum and the Secret Hideaway" before going to sleep.

Clarinet Grade One

General 

Elliott was really good today. After school he was much happier and said he's made up with Harry Smith and had a good day. As I picked him up from hockey Mr Smaje said he'd done really well coaching the younger players in Hockey Club and game him 3 house points. 

Activities

After breakfast and before school we went to the Berkshire Maestros Centre at Stoneham Court in Reading for Elliott's Grade One Clarinet Exam. He was quite nervous before the exam but he sounded good when he was practicing with his teacher. After the exam he seemed pleased with how it had gone and was pleased he had done the exam. After Hockey Club we went to his swimming lesson and then he had sausage sandwiches for tea. After tea he continued making his animation before brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed (he's already had a shower after his swimming lesson). Then we practiced his homework spellings again before he read more of "Mr Gum and the Power Crystal" and went to sleep.

Danger Mouse

General 

Elliott was really good after school today. He was upset after school about having got in to trouble but the phonecall helped and also talking about where he had risen above the teasing before he let it get to him. He wasn't as upset as he has previously been when told off and he nderstood there were consequences and why.

Activities

After we got home he made some more animation before doing an extended Clarinet practice before his exam tomorrow. Then we had leftover pepperoni pizza for tea while we watched Danger Mouse before playing some cricket outside on the field. After the cricket he had a shower, got ready for bed and brushed his teeth. Then we played Guess Who, Top Trumps and Chess and practiced his homework spellings again before he read more of "Mr Gum and the Power Crystal" and went to sleep.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

General 

Elliott was very good today.

Activities

After breakfast Elliott did some more animations and practiced spellings for his spelling bee (this is his English homework). He also did lots of Clarinet practice, had a shower and we went out to play cricket for a while in the park. IOn the way home from cricket we bought some new World Cup stickers and when we got home he was excited to find he'd got Cristiano Ronaldo in one of the packets. We had pepperoni pizza for lunch while watching the film "Real Steal" which he really enjoyed.

After lunch and the film he did some more animation before we went to get his official Clarinet Associated Board music and then went to Showcase to see "Solo: A Star Wars Story" with Andrea and our friend Angus Walker. We all enjoyed the film which was like an old fashioned Star Wars film. After the film we went home and he had ham rolls for tea before having another shower, brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed. Before it was time to go to sleep he watched some cricket highlights of England playing India and then read more of "Mr Gum and the Power Crystal".

Coombes Fest

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

After breakfast Elliott did his Maths Study Ladder homework, practiced his Clarinet and made an animation with Lego which was really good. Then we went to Sainsbury's to buy snacks before the England verses Sweden World Cup game. On our way home we stopped at a park and played cricket. Before the football we had rolls for lunch.

After lunch we got ready for the football and Elliott watched most of the game. After the football we went to Coombes Primary School for their fete which they call "Coombes Fest" and had bands to watch as well as the normal stalls. It turned out that Adam Barker was there so Elliott enjoyed playing with Adam and his sister Bella. While we were at Coombes Fest we had burgers for tea. After the bands had finished we walked home and when we got home Elliott had another roll before bed, brushed his teeth and skipped his bath becuase it was getting late ( we agreed he can have a bath or shower tomorrow morning). After he'd got ready for bed he read more of "Mr Gum and the Power Crystal".

Hair cut

General 

Elliott was in a good mood after school and had enjoyed his day.

Activities

After I picked up Elliott we went for a haricut before stopping off for cricket in the park on the way home. While we were playing cricket a dog ran away with the ball and his owner had to take him back home to get him to release the ball and bring it back to us which was quite funny. After cricket we headed home and had sausage sandwiches for tea while we watched Danger Mouse. After tea he relaxed and watched some more Danger Mouse before having his bath, brushing his teeth and reading some of his school book "Mr Gum and the Power Crystal" before going to bed.

Hospital appointment

General 

Elliott was really good after school today, although he was a bit upset just after I picked him up as he'd been told off for talking.

Activities

After I picked up Elliott we went to his hospital appointment with you and afterwards he was happy he'd decided to have the Doctor have more of a look at the problem later, and even a bit excited. We stopped on our way home to play cricket and then after we arrived home he practiced his Clarinet before eating toast for tea. Then we watched the game and Harry, Jack and Graham Jenkins visited so he enjoyed watching with them. He had his bath at half time and brushed his teeth and went up straight away at the end of the game. He read some more of "Mr Gum and the Hound of Laconic Bibber" before he went to sleep.