Just when you think you're in a routine.....

Last week started really well, but illness struck and it is a slow start to this week.

Last Monday D did some Spanish while J did Polish. J also did some online maths and then we all did some work on renewable energy.   The boys are now identifying which houses have solid walls and which are cavity by looking at the brickwork.  They have decided which forms of renewable energy they would like to add to the house if it was possible.  J even worked out that some forms didn't save the consumer much, but that it was for the environment that these changes were required.  The boys worked really well and we had fun doing it, which is the main thing.

By Wednesday, J's sore throat had progressed and he stayed home while I took D for his Spanish lesson and into town.

J was no better Thursday, so it was only D to go swimming and to meet up with some of the other home ed group.  After swimming, we went to Craftastic to stock up on some supplies, including fimo.

D made his models and gave them all away before I managed to get a photo.  My favourite was a sow with a group of suckling piglets.

Friday saw D with a runny nose and my throat feeling like sandpaper, but we did manage to have a productive day. J did maths online while D did science. He only dropped one mark in the review test he did too. Then J read the first act of Romeo and Juliet while D some physics. They both worked really well and managed to achieve quite a bit.

By Saturday I was really unwell and the boys looked after me really well.  They have both kept me supplied with cups of tea and have helped with the clearing up and the cooking.

I was still unwell Monday and as the schools here were off for teacher training, the boys spent most of the day at the park with their friends.  They cooked dinner between them too.  We are hoping we will all be fighting fit for Thursday as we are out for the day.

Friday, 18th September

Today saw the start of our new routine for this year. This is liable to change as other activities come online, but at the moment, we have decided to work in the mornings and afternoons are free time.

Friday was a good start. J did his online maths and enjoyed it so much, it was a struggle to stop him when D has finished doing his Spanish.

In a couple of weeks, we are going to see quite a few films as part of Film Education for Schools week. A couple of films have some online resources, so we did the ones for Hotel for Dogs.

After discussing the questions regarding trailers and what they set out to achieve the boys then set about drawing designs for their own inventions for dogs. They will do their own trailer once we have seen the film.

J designed a catapult that threw toy cats for dogs to chase, and D did a conveyor belt that took fresh steak, chopped and tenderised it, then put it into a bowl ready for the dogs.

D was then back to his Fimo. We now have a pig and a lamb joining our ever growing family and then this glorious giraffe.

This is actually a pencil in a holder. D found this quite challenging, but it was well worth persevering, it's fantastic.

Sheffield Wheel

The boys are back from staying with their dad. They went on several bike rides, but the highlight was the 'Thank You For The Music' concert in Hyde Park. They sang and danced their way through the whole show.

It was back home and to back to home. D had his Spanish lesson yesterday morning,but they had a treat in the afternoon.

We went on the Sheffield Wheel,which is here for a short period of time. We could see the whole of the city and all the greenery that surrounds it.

Sheffield is the fourth largest city in the UK,but every one of it's inhabitants are only a few minutes from some kind of woodland, park or even the Peak District. The spire on the hillside is in fact a column. It's the Cholera Monument.

This shows how high up we were. The shoppers seemed so tiny.

You can see from this picture, how much greenery there is in the city.

The white roof belongs to the Crucible, home of World Championship Snooker. I am determined to get there again this year.

Graves Gallery and Central Library, with the corner of Lyceum Theatre to the left.

The Town Hall

Not Back to School Pressie Day

Monday was the day the schools went back and the day D would have started comprehensive school, so we had a special pressie day.

A lovely sight at 6.30 in the morning. The boys had expected to find everything in the bag, but a devious mum had hidden them around the house, so they had to search them out. They didn't find the last one until lunchtime. I had great fun watching, but J told me I can't do it again. Mmmm, we shall see.

Within minutes D had put together his jet propulsion rocket and was test driving it along the hallway.

It even had a ramp to go over.

And here it is, being blown up for another run. After it had had a few test runs, it got it's go faster stripes.

J spent the rest of the day with his head in a book. It was finished in time for him to start another one before bed. I think it was a successful day.

Tuesday was a bit of a low point as they had the dentist. D had a piece of baby tooth removed, as well as fillings, so he wasn't up to much for the rest of the day.

Wednesday was Spanish then a trip to town and the library. J had to pick up Lord of the Flies. I think he is finding that a bit harder to read than Animal Farm. If he completes it, he's done better than me, I just couldn't get into it at all.

They are now with their dad for a few days. A couple of bike rides are in the pipeline and then Sunday they are going to the Abba concert in Hyde Park. It is the first concert they have ever been to and they can't wait.

Next week, it should be back to work, work, work, lol

A little light reading

All you parents out there will be very familiar with the hyperactivity that seems to hit after dinner before bedtime. It hasn't been like that for a long time, but last night, I was ready to send them to bed at seven for them to calm down.

It was like a tornado had gone through the house and then silence.

For some reason, J had decided he would do some maths, he even took it in the bath with him and D was doing Biology.

This morning, they got up, and with breakfast, the maths and biology is back out!

D also did some Spanish yesterday. His lessons start up again next week. He has some more to do today and tomorrow, then all his homework is done.

Romeo and Juliet has been floating around for the last couple of days too. Looks like the boys are ready to get their brains back into gear.

On the reading note, J has just read Animal Farm. He has ordered Lord of the Flies from the library and is waiting for that to come in.

We have been discussing what we will be doing over the next few months.

J-Polish, Romeo and Juliet, Maths, swimming, ice skating
D-Spanish, Science, Maths, Art, swimming, ice skating

J doesn't particularly enjoy arts and crafts, but I have a few projects in mind that might tempt him.

On Monday, D would have been due to go to comprehensive school. We are having a "not going back to school" pressie day to celebrate. We can't wait to find out what opportunities will open up for us this year.