Worshipping at the Temple of the mighty Cocoa.

Blessed be the Chocolate bar! Today we visited Cadburys World in Birmingham. What better therapy for the winter blues?
It was much much better than I expected, interesting, educational and with a wonderful aroma of Chocolate.
We learnt about Coco beans, the Incas, fair trade and obviously - chocolate. Also a bit about Quakers and life in the late 1800's.

We had a lovely relaxing family day out, which made us realise that we don't make enough effort to get out and enjoy things together. Until September this year, I worked every weekend and Rich worked in the week, we simply haven't had opportunity to spend time together. Since then, we've been using our weekends together to catch up on mundane tasks that need both of us, like painting the landing! But now we are making an attempt to claim our weekends back!

We also came away with lots of chocolate bars. WOW! BONUS!

Inspired by this, we have put aside all other work this week and we are going to have a chocolate themed week, learning more about the production of chocolate, fair trade, Incas, and lots of choccy cooking.

Still struggling

So much for last weeks plans! I still feel as if we are failing to achieve anything. To be fair, it could be because I've had virus after virus for the last fortnight, or the ongoing pressures from work which, at the moment, are immense.
Plodding on...

New Plan...

New Plan...
1. English - continue using the Letts workbooks. Emily enjoys them and they make life easier...
2. Maths - as above, plus mathletics.
3. Science - abandon all sense of direction and go where curiosity takes us; at least, for a little while...
4. History - Never mention dinosaurs again. Never ever. Continue our own journey through time, using the galore park books as a reference not a lead. Might need to recap a bit, since we abandoned our journey in September.

Everything else remains as chaotic as before.
Now where's that Yellow Moon catalogue?

Teeth and worries

Emily has lost 2 milk teeth in the last 2 weeks and this week we find that the next chapter of her science book is about teeth. Good timing! I think we will be looking at this site too.

It has been an extrememly busy week and I am beginning to worry about the small amount of learning that seems to go on. I know I go through this periodically, so to find myself doubting again is no surprise. I know that Emily is learning, but I seem to spend my time worrying about the process! Structure or no structure, maybe a little structure. Workbooks? Writing? Computer? Aggghhh.

I think I need some quiet time to review where we are and where we are going. If I will be able to find that quiet time is a totally different matter. I am under great pressure at work, and whereas being offered as much overtime as I want is a good thing, having to work extra hours isn't so great.

Busy Week

Eeek - a busy week.

Monday - I'm working, Emily will go to the childminders, then she has Badgers in the evening.
Tuesday - Home Ed group, then Shopping. Hopefully we'll get to look at some fractions later.
Wednesday - Cinema (Schools Film Week) to see Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs
Thursday - Cinema to see The Princess and the Frog, then Home Ed craft group, then work.
Friday - Cinema to see Nanny McPhee, then a new Home Ed group.
Saturday - Swimming, then Fireworks.

Agggghhhh.