Science in Slippers?, more like toothy Times Tables

Here's the view I get from my kitchen window, early in the morning just before I wake the kids. A moment of peace and tranquility, then the morning rush begins, and yet another argument for home education rears its sensible head. However early we seem to get up it's always last minute searching for matching socks (not always successful), arguments on the necessity of teeth-brushing (slightly stronger case now that M has witnessed one of S's molars being removed, the painful bit being the TWO injections, rather than the chisel cutting gum flesh and quite a bit of blood. Yes the calculation has been done as to how many injections required for all teeth to be removed (2 times table work you'd unlikely get in school), arguing over who's going to sit on the front seat etc etc. The days when they are home sometimes reveal the way it could be, reading whilst eating rice crispies, painting in pyjamas...
But on a school day, I really hate the early mornings. Transitions are always hardest, especially when getting children to change from something they're enjoying (fiddling with Lego in their PJ's) to something they'd rather not do (sit in class). Oh, but the peace when they've gone, I can't deny it, is bliss.

Here is not the most exciting picture but it shows the remains of the dirt-playing fest Hafsah was having on the balcony. She managed to get most of the clay powder (left over from the failed wormery) and bits of potting compost onto her clothes and hands, but thankfully she couldn't reach the clothes on the line. This warm weather is brilliant for getting on top of my laundry mountain. I mean making it smaller not actually climbing it! Thinking this time last year I was doing circuits round the block trying to get my labour going in the cold damp weather!
Oh yes the bucket was free of charge from the recycling bins, almost brand new thrown away by a builder I think. I also got some free plant pots the other day, which I was glad of as the tomato plants are getting big mashaAllah, and the extortionate prices they were charging for pots in the shops made my trip to the refuse room quite worthwhile. Look after pennies etc etc. I am not willing to fork out too much for plant stuff as most plants under my care wither and die, unless they are some tough cactus type thing...I'm giving you the highlights at the moment, are you still awake?!

M's construction of a masjid (mosque) out of the Jenga bricks dad brought back from Vietnam.
Oh look someones coming to pray, and some big , crawling monster is coming to destroy.

(S's just pointed out I need an object with 'destroy', oh he's teaching me transitive verbs now I see, well it somehow sounded right so I'm leaving it....)

Today H was home, and dad kindly made him a flag to wave when goal is scored in indoor football. H then proceeded to decorate it with his name, with letters in a random order, but I was pleasantly surprised he managed to write a capital 'A' independently,when he was supposed to be copying a lower case one out.
He's been dry at night now for over a week, which is good as I only have to buy one size of nappy, (have been having to have 2 sizes around for last 6 years). Saying that Hafsah fits quite nicely in her 3 year old brothers pull up pant nappies, too many Petit Filous if you ask me..
He wet the bed the other night, but the kind boy did not wake me up, but found himself some clean PJ's and slept in one of the other beds going spare, awww!