Christmas Experiments

Perhaps Father Christmas knew we might find it a little hard to find inspiration and impetus after our break, because he gave some fab little science experiments in the boys stockings!

The Books weren't used (today!)

Checking Instructions

Lava Lamp

Cartesian Diver Experiment

Magnets

 So today we have been easing back into some science playing with gravity, polymers, lava and even ketchup. While the experiments were fun they have also sparked further interest and so we will be finding out what sort of polymers are used in the super bouncy balls and how on earth do they stick and stay together after two minutes in cold water? And how and why does the ketchup rise and fall? 

Sunday Afternoon, A walk and a headache.

We had a lovely late afternoon walk with the dogs up towards the wind turbines near to home, looking at our shadows and dodging all the other dog walkers. The lane was busy today and although Chester would love to play it seems that most other dogs feel he is just too giant a Lab to play with!!! It was crisp, cold and beautiful.

The headache comes from an earlier family conversation about tidying and planning. We want all feel we need a bit of structure to our days and we definitely need to be a bit more organised. But now its come to planning how we do that and my head is pounding! I can get my head around a weekly menu planner, its been fab having everyone more involved in choosing, ordering and cooking. And having an easy place to write down ideas, shopping list items and plan of what we are eating and who is cooking it will work for us. But the specific time for activities and chores and learning is a bit harder to fit into my head. I would like something to help us keep on track but that also goes with our flexible approach to learning. We can factor in rough guides. For instance we have set times for music lessons or rainbows. But setting the same for music practice or reading just isn't making sense to me.

And now I have a big old planning headache!

How do we keep our time and home on track? While still maintaining what we love about home education? Can we have a chore rota? A meal plan? And a day to day activities calendar? I'm really not sure. Between us I'm sure we can work out a path the will suit us the best. But at the moment all I can see is our life contained in little boxes. And all everyone else can see of me is a half a head poking out from the laptop and it has a frown on its face!

Super squeak ( also space squeak and queen squeak! )

My moment of the week, as inspired by Soulemama's "this moment".

Today Mia has been all of this above (check out the tail!) how cute can a six year old get and then I found her rummaging for fabric scraps to make baby clothes, it makes this sewing mummy's heart sing!!!!

Poetry is fun!

Who is behind the tower?

 We have a white magnetic board that I though we would use for all sorts of structural time tabling and other such scheduled, organised, recorded somethings. Our version of home educating has not turned out quite like that! It is all the more fulfilling because of it in my view. Not much point of school at home when you can go to school, but I was new and naive! I also forgot my complete lack of organisational skills or desire to acquire some. But I digress, we now use it for all sorts. It has most recently been the place to record your well wishes for Christmas and the new year if you happen to be passing. And with the removal of things festive I thought a bit of poetry words would go down well. I sneakily stuck them up and hey presto the lines start appearing. I particularly love the line below.

My fave so far.

Stuff we love!

6B is his favourite

Today we've been bumbling about at home, playing games, taking down decorations, cooking chatting and even doing a bit of maths! Much Mama and Papa work organising has been going on. The coming months are definitely going to be busy and interesting!

But this afternoon we got to indulge in a bit of retail therapy that was fully justified - Yay! And in one of mine and one of David's favourite shops. A much needed visit to Chopper for new shoes and jeans. Davids joy at continually growing and passing me and now almost Granddad in height is not good for the budget, but the sales are on and the purple jeans he had been coveting for months are now finally his! On then for purchases in Colemans- pens, pencils, pastels. Rubbers and rulers, sketch pads and protractors. Apparently we needed all sorts! I love looking round shops like this, I could stand for hours choosing, touching and trying all the different brushes and pencils wondering what I could make or do.

And so now bedtime has come and gone, at least for the Little's, as they all sit around the table drawing and trying out our new purchases. I love it!!!!

Getting back into the swing!

The next Jamie Oliver?

Loving Graph paper

Spinach Filo Pie  & Tom salad

Sun and Jumping!

While we didn't sit back and do nothing for the whole month of December, we definitely lost a feeling of routine. And I find that we are missing it and this surprises me!!!

So it is with our new PMA (positive mental attitude!) that we are setting plans for the coming months. Finding a gentle routine that suits our needs, thinking about how we would like to spend our time with a renewed focus.

We have found a balance in the past, sharing breakfast while pottering around feeding animals and getting ready for the day. Working together in the morning, walking the dogs, making lunch and knowing we have time in the afternoon to be creative or indulgent or share time with friends. Of course it doesn't always turn out like that, its life, they re kids! But we are taking our firsts steps back into that rhythm that seems to work for us.

So today saw a bit of sunshine and warmth that drew the younger ones out to play and the bigger boys take pen to paper and do some fabulous drawing. Instruments were played with greater enthusiasm and focus since before Christmas and William cooked us a fabulous lunch!

New Year, new habits?

Ah, resolutions!

It's that time of year, do you make them? Sometimes. Do you break them? Inevitably!

As a try-er and an encourager of trying, that is hoping and trying to be the best at what I/we do, I always thought that was positive enough. But with all the big plans we have as a family for work and life this year (should that just be "life" actually) I am thinking I should be a do-er too! Not that I think I am not, a do-er I mean! But that I should put an even more positive spin on the things I and we wish to achieve.

Less "I will try" and more "I will do". Goals after all are a positive thing when they are realistic, sustainable and achievable. They are not just for the gung-ho, corporate executive character I visualise, repeating their mantra full on in the mirror (odd image, I know).

I can make the all positive changes I would like actually happen, and still be me!!!

So resolution number one I can share!!!

I am going to use this blog space and continue to watch it grow in to something that we can all be proud of and publish it at the end of this year as a wonderful keepsake of this year in our lives.

And January the second is as good a place to start! January the first was too filled up with wonderful time shared with old/new friends. Check out www.trionium.com/knackercracker to see what some people get up to on News years day morning, we were just supporting but had an early start to make it to the beautiful Box Hill in Surrey to watch the weird and wonderfully dressed runners raising money for charity. Very inspiring and brilliant fun.