Family Update July 2014

So, you remember me mentioning that I had a few busy (bad) days just before an assignment was due?

Well, here's an update on us.  About a month ago DH realised that leaving his employer at the end of his contract in June would give him a larger payout than if he stayed on for another 6 months so he took it and has moved to Qld to look for work.  We will be staying on so that DS2 can perform at the Sydney Opera House in a school choir and go on the Year 6 school trip to Canberra in late September.

We spent the 2 weeks of the school holiday collecting firewood for winter (our only source of heating) 2 days out of 3.  Things fell apart at home a bit like you would expect with 6 people creating messes but no-one home long enough to clean up.  Still catching up now after kids have been back at school 2 weeks.

DS1 spent last week of school holidays on an AAFC activity at our local RAAF base.  Then he got home for 3 days, helped dad pack the trailer with all his worldly possessions and then travelled north with dad.  He came back on aeroplane (his first time solo) on the Saturday, spent time at a friends and then got picked up by me (a two hour round trip).  Then on Sunday went on another AAFC activity all day. 

In between that DS2 had an accident at school on Friday that required an ambulance.  He and another boy ran into each other at high speed.  Both got concussions and we think mine has a broken nose, although I am not sure now the swelling is going down.

He has had bruising come up and go down with both eyes going green yesterday but fading to yellow with purple patches today.  He still has a bump on his brow but his eye is open again.

The other little one was in hospital for longer but as is the way with 12 year old boys they are both up and going full speed already.

Of course that all happened the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before my assignment was due and I had no other adult to share the load.  :-(

Well, I am still here, needing a good coffee (don't like it but can't rest, stuff to do), and Rescue Remedy or a good cry.  Can't decide just yet.

So... hubby has got work already, a contract position, but good pay and work so Yay!!  Now I just have to survive, keep the kids safe, pack the house and clean the house before our family can be back together as it should be.

Best wishes
Jen

Architecture for Homeschoolers

Hi all,

I am studying my first Architecture subject this study period.  It has been interesting. 

For our first assessment we had to work collaboratively with people to create a poster about a structure by an award winning architect.  That wasn't simple when 2 of our group were in Western Australia with busy lives and 2 of us are mums on the east coast.  But we did it, and the poster submission went well.  We got 8/10.

I have just completed my second assessment and this is where architecture for homeschoolers comes in.  We had to build a structure that could hold 1kg for 2 minutes using either paper (no staples, glue or sticky tape,etc), spaghetti/fettucine with plasticine/blutac joints or sugar cubes with no joining material.

Here are a few of our attempts.

Hubby's pyramid held 1kg easily.  Failed at one of the side joints at about 1.5kg.

DS2's held over 2kg. :-)

Three arches did well and held weight until one twisted to the side.

A very wobbly paper attempt that failed after a little while where the holes "overlap".

And this one is my last attempt.  I can tell you there were some much prettier ones but after the few days I had had just before this was due this was as good as it was going to get.

So there you go!  Test out your kids and see what budding little engineers and architects you can uncover.

Best wishes
Jen