Busy week doing... What?!

Not *quite* sure where this week's gone or why it has gone unrecorded but, in an attempt to summarize, let's first say that we've gone a little bit off schedule. By which I mean, we've hardly done any formal 'school' stuff for at least a week and it feels weird.

We have, of course, been doing plenty of Great Things.

Science on Monday, with some friends: we went to their house and did loads of exciting things with ice, water, conductivity, floating and sinking, surface tension etc etc. I do plan to make some science pages on this site with more details of this sort of thing but not this week, apparently.

Tuesday, we went to a friend's house to learn French. She's a Real French Friend! I'm so impressed with her. She invited us round to speak French and she did a whole proper lesson with a Hello song and a Goodbye song and stories and games and songs in between. It was amazing! She even gave us French snacks!!

This is the second time we've done this. After the first time, I thought she might not invite us again. Not that it went badly but just, why? Why would she want to do this for us?

This time, she asked if we'd like to come back next week (Yes please!) and I asked if there is anything I could do for her in return. She said, "Just accept!" :) Which is great. I'm stunned, really, and glad. It really is a valuable experience for us all.

SO...

After that we went to the Life Centre, where Francesca was desperate to see the Cells! Cells! Cells! film again. We all loved playing with the sand turntables and the big fan that blows our paper creations high into the air. We made tiny helicopters that went nearly to the ceiling!

Sebastian loved the sound area, where he stood among the rotating arms that variously twanged or bashed different notes, pressing the green button every time the arms stopped going round.

They all enjoyed the under 7s bit and I saw some great turn-taking between Sebastian and Elizabeth, pulling each other in the cart.

When the girls went to watch the film with daddy, guess what we did?

Also this week:

A party for Elizabeth

Tumbletots for both girls

A trip to Northern Stage

A violin lesson

Observing a burning candle (Elizabeth had made a Diwali candle stand at play group) and talking about ways to extinguish fires

Planning a new book - following the theme of "Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose" (we're composing our own rhymes - more on that later if it comes to anything)

Francesca's been in a strange, defiant mood this week and I think it's because we've let the structure slip, a lot. I think she finds it easier when we have a (loose) timetable and do violin, maths, English every morning. Thus, on Monday, we will reassert the timetable and get more of a regime going for a while.

On the plus side, I've seen her work hard to make a big lego model, showing concentration and tenacity that wouldn't have been possible a few months ago. And she's listened to loads of story tapes, which I presume is a good thing!

And that, briefly, is how our week has been filled.