I've worked out how to include pictures!

I don't know if you have a dedicated "classroom"? For us, we use the dinning room part of our kitchen/diner. We put cork tiles on one wall and then painted them over in the same paint as the wall. When the boys have finished a worksheet or drawing, we pin it onto the tiles, moving pieces upwards all the time. When a piece reaches the top, it is taken down and put away into their own folder. We keep this folder for our own benefit, but also with a view to producing it should we wish to at an LEA inspection.

I am also a keen collector of teacher packs - so far, we have bought precisely two resources for our homeschooling - everything else is free from the internet or made ourselves. The posters that accompany some packs make useful additions to the walls both there and in the boys' bedrooms.

This morning, S & W made Valentine cards, which were quite beautiful. J worked on a science CD called "Stuff & Substance" from SEP. It "uses videos and animations to illustrate phenomena and the related particle explanations in a structured programme". Although it is aimed at children some 3+ years older than him, J found it fascinating and his answers to my questions showed that he understood what he was seeing. No wonder he was so bored in school!

We had a lunch date with some HE friends, after which we all went to play in their nearby park. I love the chance that HE gives the boys to mix with all other ages, and I definately prefer to see them playing with toys rather than watching the sort of cartoons that all their "peers" enjoy watching.

I was going to mention something else that I did today, but as it is a secret for dh, and he reads my blog, I'd better not! I'll tell you soon ;-)

Tomorrow we are hoping to have several of the new families in the group turn up to an event for the first time. It is so rewarding to see the group growing and to watch the relationships forming.

However, I am quite behind on a lot of things that I have been working on, so advice on how to manufacture at least 5 more (child free) hours a day would be appreciated (that don't involve me having to stay up through the night!).