Embracing Life Now :-)


After seeing this poster, I began thinking about all my school years when I heard teachers, parents, and other adults talk about "when you get out in the real world." I spent 21 years in school-- from kindergarten through a graduate program and a law degree. I was in my early 20's before I experienced the real world; and that's not bad, it was just my experience.

I do know that despite my good grades, I was unprepared for "life". I didn't know how to DO anything-- make a budget, earn a living, change the oil on my car, prepare a vegetable. I wasn't even sure I would enjoy the career I had trained so long to do. All I had done was learn "about" the career; I hadn't been allowed to really "do it" until I had my degree and passed the bar exam.

I do hope my children know more about "the real world" through homeschooling. Our "homeschool" begins at home with our family as the center; but homeschool is really just another way of saying "learning outside of the traditional classroom." It is also-- I hope-- a way of living now, following our interests now instead of at some distant point in time.

The boys have the opportunity to learn from people who are what they might wish to be. They can do that learning now-- whether it is talking to a physicist, taking a hike with a biologist, pursuing a sport, or working with an artist. We don't have to squeeze our living between the school bells and homework.

The laughter and shouting in the living room assures me that we are on the right track. With homeschool, we don't postpone joy. We embrace life now.

The Code of Denver



When asked for three rules
our family should follow,
Denver came up with these!



Wild Girl Time



Lady runs in wild abandon

Most people dread Monday morning, but I cannot wait. After a weekend of being nothing but "Mom", and doing all the title entails-- welcoming children for sleepovers and swimming, constant kitchen duty, picking up shoes, caring for laundry, making spaghetti, pb&j sandwiches, and generally not doing anything that I would choose to do if I were alone-- after all of this, Monday morning calls to me like a moon to the howling wolf. It is time for Wild Girl.

In just a few hours, I will awaken, throw off my mommy pajamas, and pull on my running clothes. Lady and I will run at least ten miles tomorrow before the boys are out of bed. We cannot wait. It is our Wild Girl time. We might see deer, geese, hawks, or even an owl out past bedtime. Dreams and ideas will swirl unhindered in my mind. Lady will run beside me-- nose twitching and tongue hanging out like a ham. We cannot wait.

Well, that's not quite true. Right now, Lady is sound asleep near my feet; her legs up in the air like a dead bug leaning against the wall. She is snoring. So perhaps we approach the night before a run slightly differently. Nevertheless, tomorrow morning for a couple of hours we'll each embrace our secret identities-- as Wild Girls! 

Ideas Running Wild

Shaw and Spencer carefully build their Marble Run

Shaw and Spencer clamber around the house like puppies, both talking at once, gesturing to one another, saying, "Hey! I've got an idea!" They spend most of their time building things-- using anything from blocks to boxes and sheets.

After a Lego building marathon, swimming, and snacks, they found the Marble Run. An hour later, they just as suddenly ran off and left it; no doubt it was just after one of them said, "Hey, I've got an idea!"

The Sweetness of an Ice Cream Social




The Old Church in Oxford as painted by a local artist.

 

It was an ice cream social in front of the Old Church on a surprisingly cool August evening. Mimi and Paw Paw wore their Lions Club vests and dished out ice cream to the happy crowd-- my children among them (more than once!). I saw people I hadn't seen in years, and we hugged and made plans to see each other again soon.

There was a bluegrass concert inside the church, but the boys and their friends chose a touch football game outside instead. I sat on the stone fence and watched the comedy unfold.

When everyone was grass stained and sweaty, we packed up our friend, Cameron, to spend the night and toodled home. A sweet time. Satisfied smiles-- with chocolate syrup around the edges.



Swirling, Whirling Days



Spencer creates his medieval manuscript by candlelight.

 Living together means learning together-- learning to get along with one another, exploring our interests, discovering new hobbies and areas of study. Learning to help one another and help ourselves. The days swirl and whirl until I cannot remember where one year ended and another has begun.

Spencer recently created a lovely illuminated manuscript when he became (briefly) fascinated with the lives of medieval monks, and spent most of an entire day working on his writing by candlelight. The older boys and I have been enjoying Shakespeare plays. We've all been reading about Marco Polo. John Robert is passionate about swim team and math (go figure!). Spencer is passionate about karate and The Hobbit. Denver is passionate about being the center of attention!

John has a favorite quote: The key to happiness is to have someone to love, something worthwhile to do, and something to hope for. If that is so, then we are rich in joy.

Denver shows off his grammar skills

 



John Robert spends hours working algebra problems.





Spencer and friend enjoy a game of baseball.





Denver winds up another pitch.



















The cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream
from Shakespeare's Taverne.





Friday Morning Lazy Homeschool





Brave Knight, Sir Denver, prepares for battle.



Sometimes I wish I could post pictures of handsomely groomed children sitting happily at their homeschool tables reciting their multiplication tables or doing trigonometry without a calculator. Heck, I'd like to post pictures of myself looking like June Cleaver-- maybe holding a pointer in my hand as I smile and appear to be teaching about Argentina. Alas! Our homeschool is far more leisurely. Okay, sometimes it looks downright lazy! But wonderful things are happening . . .

Denver acts out much of his history reading. We're exploring the middle ages. Today he insisted on raiding the kitchen to make armor while I was making everyone a late breakfast. He then requested photographs!

One of the happiest developments in our homeschool is the reading skill of both Denver and Spencer. Since this past May, Denver has gone from memorizing words and reciting them to actually looking at the words and reading them. It is a joy to sit beside him as he reads. He is proud of himself (no big surprise!) and often requests two or more books at a sitting.

In the past, Spencer has always been a non-fiction reader. His tendency was to read factual bits on one page and then skip to another page. To my delight, he has discovered Tolkien's The Hobbit, and can often be found in a quiet spot curled around his book. He is such an imaginative little boy; I am so happy he has discovered the joys of fiction!

This afternoon we have a friend coming over to go swimming. In preparation, Denver leaped out of bed and began homeschool immediately so that he would be completely done before his friend arrived. His brothers are less motivated. Besides, they have Spanish with Mimi this morning before they can really get started on their other work. Nevertheless, all will be accomplished. It is wonderful for them to have such an open span of time in which to complete their studies. As a teacher, it is nice not to have to rush anyone.

 

Spencer enjoys the adventure of The Hobbit.



Yes, our homeschool experience is not the pretty, organized picture one might imagine. Yet the boys are enjoying life and learning, and John and I get to see so much more of it than we would if they were in school. It's almost noon and we can still be in our pajamas while we work. Life is good.





John Robert quietly contemplates a trip across the Atlantic Ocean.



Field Trips on the First Week of School

After four days of easing into the school routine, I was delighted to realize that "school" can be as fun as summer. It is a joy to see the boys learning new things. John Robert likes his new math tutor. The boys end of year test scores came in and gave us all a nice pat on the back.

By Thursday evening, we were ready to celebrate the week with a different kind of learning. While Denver headed to Mimi's for an evening with Paw Paw, John put the extra seat back in the Sequoia and we picked up Cameron, Quin, and Jill. We went to Atlanta's Shakespeare Tavern to see The Works of William Shakespeare--Abridged. It was probably the funniest take on Shakespeare I'd ever seen, and the boys loved it, too. It was nice to see the boys sitting at their own table and enjoying each other's company through dinner and the play.

On Friday morning, John and I loaded the car with food and drink and we all went to Stone Mountain for the day. It was wonderful. We road the Skyride and the train. We took a hike and took pictures on the top of the Mountain. The boys did the SkyHike-- a walk three stories high along steel beams. They played in Geyser Tower-- a splash park. We saw a 4-D show and had fun together. Time well spent. We are blessed beyond measure to have this joyful time together.

A view from the top of Stone Mountain.  The Atlanta skyline lies behind us.

Denver enjoys the Geyser Water Park.

John Robert and Spencer
enjoy the Skyhike.

Our First Day of School

The Boys began their study of physics today.



  
The first day of school. No bus to catch. No lunch money needed. I was a little concerned about the boys' teacher, but she had been doing a lot of planning. I concluded that she was as ready as she would ever be!

Spencer chops potatoes to use in a physics experiment.

As I drank my coffee this morning, I was still a little nervous. It's not easy to guide three boys through their school work. Sometimes it's a lot like herding cats through a maze. We are studying physics this year-- a subject my husband is better suited to teaching (but he isn't always available). I was especially concerned about Denver. He told me two day ago that he "was NOT going to do homeschool this year."  



Nevertheless, by mid-morning everyone was dressed, fed, had teeth brushed, and we were all ready for school. For the most part, it went really well! To my surprise, Denver leaped right in-- doing his math with delight, reading to me happily, writing (with some small protest), and reviewing his Latin. He was very interested in physics. How could it be that a heavy object does not fall faster than a lighter object? Why does a potato dropped from a given height sink more deeply into a skewer if you hold it higher?

John Robert was equally-- if not more-- enthusiastic. He did more than I asked him to do; and after our physics class, he asked if he could bring his physics book to his tutor tomorrow to ask questions. After he had completed all his work, he challenged me to a game of chess-- and almost won! It was wonderful to have the boys off the computer and back into life together. They can each be so delightful!



Spencer explores a mass and gravity experiment:
also called dropping a potato on a spear.

 To my relief and delight, John Robert also offered to assist Spencer with his math review; and he did a wonderful job. 

Denver enjoys a little work on the computer.



John Robert and I enjoy a friendly game of chess.



Under John Robert's guidance, Spencer laughed and played as he did his work. John Robert took me aside and explained to me: "When Spencer gets frustrated, you have to make him laugh to help him relax. That's the only way he can start to be able to think clearly again."



And after Spencer completed his problems, John Robert took me aside again: "Okay, Spencer KNOWS how to do all of those problems. It's just that he gets frustrated with the multiple steps. I don't think further review would be helpful. I think he's ready to move forward." Although I'm not sure I agree with his assessment, it was delightful to see John Robert finding a new role 

for himself-- and it was a very helpful role for Spencer!

It's been a long day. I was right to be anxious. At 5pm, Spencer still isn't done with his work, though the other boys are long since finished, and would love to go swimming if only Spencer were ready. I am tired from the constant switching gears-- math question from John Robert, Latin question from Spencer, grammar question from Denver, delivering individualized instruction to each child for a good portion of the day . . . I find myself hoping that John will arrive home in time for me to take a run!



Spencer and Denver do lawn
maintenance instead of recess.



To my delight, Spencer and Denver opted to do yard work instead of recess today. Okay, so I paid each of them a dollar! They pulled weeds and raked brush clippings, piled them in a wheel barrow, and dumped them in the burn pile. Hurray for my hard working boys!

It's been a good first day of school. Spencer will leave in an hour for karate. The other boys and I will head to the pool for a little fun. There is no evening homework, and I have a pretty good idea what the boys have learned today-- another wonderful reason to love homeschooling!





Squeezing the Juicebox on Summer

Denver proudly displays his ability to
carry his big brother!

It still feels like summer; but the boys' friends started back to school today, and we'll begin our academic work on Monday. Everywhere we go, adults ask the boys, "Are you ready for school?"

And if the boys answer truthfully, the answer is "No." Who wants to wake up early and do math after breakfast? Who wants to write book reports?

I'm the teacher, and the truth is . . . I understand! The boys have been sleeping late and staying up late. They've been having sleepovers and learning all kinds of things this summer. John Robert has been exploring science and Shakespeare, as well as swimming non-stop. Spencer has been reading everything he can get his hands on regarding the middle ages and learning to break boards in karate. Denver . . . well, Denver is learning lots of things I'm sure. They've all become enamored of a very creative and challenging video game called Minecraft. They enjoy my reading to them in the evenings. They've been learning about car repair, cooking, lawn maintenance, and laundry. They've been spending lots of time with friends and swimming at our pool. Who in their right mind would want this to end?

But the new textbooks are purchased and shining brightly at me as they lie stacked on my desk. The boys' new three ring binders are filled with paper and ready to go. We have wonderful things to learn this year: physics, Latin, History, writing, reading, math. Numerous field trips fill the calendar. It's time to begin a new school year.

Denver made his own armor.

Maybe the truth is that each school year makes me realize how quickly they are growing up. And although each day is wonderful and I don't want to miss a moment of it-- I'm still sad to see that yesterday is gone. My babies and toddlers are gone; replaced by opinionated, energetic boys with skills, interests, and appetites that amaze me.

Another summer is drawing to a close . . . but we'll have a few more juiceboxes by the pool; and if you squeeze them real hard, you can get the last little bit.

Denver and Alex enjoy the Swim Team
end of season picnic.

A Thousand Things in a Day

There are a thousand things in a day. A thousand things that touch the heart or raise questions in the mind. If I don't record them, they are soon forgotten in the rush and roar of the passing hours, days, and weeks. Yesterday was such a day.

We met three of the boys' friends at the library to see a summer children's program-- The Reptile Wrangler. So many of the library programs are centered around books and puppets that it was a delight to see real animals (not all reptiles): a four foot alligator, tarantula, bearded dragon, leopard gecko, ball python, boa constrictor, and roccoco frog. Other than being saddened by the fear shown by at least half of the children and frustrated by their inability to remain quiet, it was a wonderful learning opportunity.

Spencer got to ask scientific questions about every creature. At the end of the show, both Denver and Spencer wanted to pet Rosy the ten foot boa constrictor-- while John Robert and his buddies went out another door (too cool for such displays of curiosity?). Spencer also spoke briefly with the young man holding the snake. He told the man he wanted to be a herpetologist (reptile scientist). The man told Spencer and me that he worked at Zoo Atlanta for two years. "Aha!" I thought. An idea for Spencer!

A reporter asked me about the show. I didn't like having a camera shoved in my face, and I directed the reporter to Spencer. Spencer was happy to talk! I was so proud of him!

After the library, we all piled into the car and went to McDonald's. It amused me to see that John Robert took his buddies to a separate table; while Spencer, Shaw, and Denver sat with (but ignored) me. The boys need me but don't need me anymore. I am their loyal servant when their friends are around; and I don't mind at all. I enjoy being in the background and having a chance to observe and listen to the interests and activities of six boys.

After McDonald's came swimming at the pool. Despite the cloudy weather and gentle rain, the boys spent over an hour and a half swimming and romping and by all appearances trying to drown one another! Denver became frustrated and cried a lot. Had I realized how tired he was, I could have handled this better. It does no good at all to threaten a tired, angry child. Denver was feeling left out; but the more he cried, the less anyone wanted to play with him. Poor buddy.

From there, we went back home and I served fresh fruit and ice cream cake. Everyone-- including Denver-- was happy and satisfied. The boys amused themselves with video games and Legos for the next two hours until their parents arrived.

Although having children come over is fun, I like it best when they leave. I take a deep breath, tidy the house, and rest. Today, I began previewing a Physics dvd I plan to show next week. John Robert watched some of it with me. Denver fell asleep in my lap and slept for two hours. Spencer enjoyed having the computer to himself and some quiet time before Paw Paw took him to karate.

The day ended with all of us on a big blanket in the living room. I read aloud several chapters from a wonderful children's biography on Marco Polo. The boys lay down close by and we enjoyed thinking about Polo's adventures. After this, I went to sleep while they played a little bit longer and then put themselves to bed. They are old enough to do this now! What a precious day; and yet so like many others. I am so incredibly blessed that I almost cannot believe it.