First Week Back Of The Academic New year

All sorts has been happening over the past few months and I find again I have not updated the blog for a while I cannot even remember half of what we have been up to but after a difficult few months after I became quite ill with all the stress of life and ended up as an inpatient in a mental health unit for 4 days it feels like I am getting back on track. 

After a long wait I have started physio for my painful back, and I am attempting to take better care of myself. My sleep has become a lot better and I now take time off from work when I feel like I am getting stressed out. 

The whole mental health unit experience is something I will write more about on another post as mental health is something that I have never written about or touched on in this blog but I feel is something that many people experience and sharing my experience may help someone else feel connected, I know many a time I have felt alone with my own mental health issues so it is time to change all that but not on this post, this post will be about our new academic learning year, you can find that blog post here

It has been a busy but lovely start to our new academic year.

We kicked the week off with a trip to Hadrians Wall and a visit to the Angel of the North as we are starting to cover more geography this year.

The kids are working on creating a map of the UK and are mapping out all the places we have been to over the years and will do some write-ups on the geographical nature of each place.

We also completed the level 1 Outdoor discovery award formerly the Young Navigators Award with SMT Outdoors and the twins earned their Bronze Level opening up the world of Orienteering. I was very surprised with Olivia, she took charge and was very confident very much leading the group and putting herself firmly in charge but also worked very well with the others. Lee the group leader was amazing with the kids, catering for the different learning needs but keeping them all on the same level, very relaxed and very enjoyable. We will move on to level 2 in a few months.

 

I registered on my photography Foundation degree hoping to forge my way to a new career. I have all my new gear ready which I have been collecting over the past few months and am ready and raring to start properly next week. 

I have discovered the importance of using a tripod and have been experimenting with the use of light. My love of David Bailey's photography has been revisited these past few months and I have been experimenting with his style of photography which has been quite frankly a big flop, but hey I have enjoyed myself practising and being inspired by so many great photographers out there.

  

I have been making links with some great photographers and have joined some great photography groups for tips and tricks. One such photographer has been John Fyn who I spotted and I was greatly inspired by and loved his blog, so I touched base and he has been very gracious in taking time out to answer some questions that I had and has agreed to be an ear for me which I am immensely grateful for, go check out his blog below.

 Olivia has started back with Musical Theatre and Choir and also starts her Musical Theory ABRSM Level 1 with her wonderful choir master who has agreed to tutor Olivia through her Music Theory, so we have purchased a new and quite snazzy electronic piano to assist with that and Oliver has joined the very excellent Vocal Recall boys singing group and next week Olivia should start her long awaited for vocal training with her Musical Theatre Tutor.

Badgers was back on and we are eagerly awaiting news of when they can move up to the St Johns Cadets of which I have been persuaded to become a volunteer parent which will need me to be trained up on first Aid Skills .

Art, creative writing and photography/film are still a weekly event with Pea Smart Tuition but will have to be reduced to fortnightly as the fees have been increased and very much well-deserved too but unfortunately my pocket is not deep enough to stretch to the new fees, so rather than quitting we will have to reduce as we very much value the lessons and the kids very much enjoy each session, they love their tutor Aaron who is an amazing artist and brings the best out in each kid he teaches he certainly deserves triple what he earns now. Go and check them out below and see all the wonderful things he has the kids doing.

 It has been an extremely busy but enjoyable week, in-between all that the kids have been working on the usual software provisions such as Literacy Planet, IXL Maths, Justin Guitar and many others that the kids dip in and out of.

So onwards and upwards with another year of learning...