Hiking Homeschool

My kind of Cathedral.

On the Move!

Under towering trees and a canopy of colored leaves, we hiked on the newest Charlie Elliott trail today.  I thought we needed to keep a sharp eye out for trail markers-- the trail was nearly invisible due to the confetti of fallen leaves.

While I spent my time appreciating the fresh air and beauty of the forest, Denver and Spencer ran circles around, in front of, and behind me-- involved in an all consuming battle with invisible enemies.

I didn't know whether to laugh or shout when Denver refused to stay within sight, or even near the trails.  He insisted that he could tell where the trail was going, and that he need not concern himself with the trail markers or my continual reminders.  

Spencer on the move.

The funny part is-- he was right about the direction of the trail every time!  Darn him for being so much like his daddy!

After a full morning of fresh air, blue herons, and observations, we made it back home for grilled cheese sandwiches.

My kind of school day.

The only time they sat down during the whole hike.

Denver dashes for cover from the
imaginary enemy.

Colored leaves affecting light like stained glass.

An Apple a Day ...

"It's finally fall!," Denver exclaimed as he stood on the back porch in the cool morning air.  "And YOU bought apples this morning. You know what we need to do?"

I had no idea.

"BOB FOR APPLES!," Denver exclaimed.  "Can we do it?!"

I agreed if Denver was willing to clean out the metal wash tub and fill it with water on the back porch.  

I brought out three bright apples, and Denver plopped them in the tub.  

He laughed as he reminded me of the Charlie Brown Halloween special where they bob for apples.  "It's crazy that Lucy doesn't see Snoopy in the water with the apples," he said.  "If Snoopy was in this water I could clearly see him.  That's the thing about cartoons."

Before long, he and his older brother, Spencer, were cheering and coaching each other as their heads went up and down in the tub.   

Spencer laughed as the apple kept slipping away from him.  He finally captured his apple, dried himself, and wandered off to complete his writing assignment.  Denver is on his third apple so far.  He is experimenting to see if he can eat the apple underwater.  

"This is SO healthy," he just exclaimed.  "'Cause you know what they say?  An apple a day . . . ."

Discovering History

John Robert inside the Smokestack

Cool air and a sunny Sunday afternoon.  All the boys were up for a local adventure.  Thanks to a friend of mine who had shown me this little gem, I had just the place.

Tower of Exploration

In a nearby town there used to be a textile mill.  As part of that mill, there still stands an enormous brick smokestack and decaying concrete structures strewn with graffiti.  It looks like the remains of an ancient civilization or a bad guy hideout.  

The boys were delighted.  They took picture after picture.  We climbed trees.  We climbed the structures.  We talked about what used to be there and what it could be used for now.

Denver and John were especially fascinated.

As we strolled away, dirty and itchy from dirt and weeds surrounding our discovery, I noticed for the first time a sign tacked to a telephone pole: NO TRESPASSING.  Oops!  

After ice cream and wandering around the Covington Square, we went home and did a little more research on our smokestack.  The boys learned about the bustling little mill town of Porterdale and its contributions to two world wars and thousands of people.  Always something to discover.  History beneath our feet and climbing higher than the trees.

What was this?  What was inside this?
Why is there grey silt underneath?

Tree Climbing

Our only photo with Spencer, who
was hot and ready to leave--
Can you tell? :-)

Over the Top

We had been doing homeschool for hours.  I was tired, and nearly sleeping at the table as Denver decorated his yogurt with chocolate chips in the shape of a Batman symbol.

Then he said thoughtfully, "You've succeeded in life.  You're a Judge.  A Triathlete.  A Mom."  He reached over and touched my hand.  "The hair color may be too much, though."

I broke out in hysterical laughter.

Big, Beautiful Homeschooling Sky

The ever changing sky on my way to pick up John Robert and Denver from swim practice on the last day of summer.  Like homeschooling, the beauty is always present, though the appearance changes.  Like the sky, homeschooling is so fully a part of our lives that sometimes we forget to take note of its extraordinary beauty.

Nearly six years ago, I began a blog about our family's homeschool adventure because I was more than a little nervous about it.  No matter how many successful homeschoolers I met or how many books I read, I wasn't 100% sure that homeschooling would work for my children or the rest of my family.  This blog began as an attempt to record our lives and learning and to soothe anxious nerves of parents and grandparents.

The boys devouring lasagna and garlic bread-- gone in seconds!

A Good Morning to Read on the Porch.

It has been six years since we first began homeschooling.  Our family is no longer nervous.  It is how we live-- comfortable and normal-- just like most people's relationship with school I suppose.  John Robert assures me that his 3 1/2 years of homeschooling is the reason he does not struggle or have difficulty with academic work now that he has chosen high school.  

He does warn his brothers about the loads of busy work and the incredible boredom which must be endured in his classes . . . Yet, he says he wants to have "the high school experience," so he soldiers on.

Denver completed his first triathlon!

I still worry about the younger boys, too; nurturing Spencer and Denver's learning opportunities as best I can.  Now that they are getting older (13 and nearly 10), they are not quite so open to my leadership.  They don't want to do every activity or unit of study I suggest.  They don't want their pictures taken with every new project.  They have their own ideas about what would be fun and what is worth learning.  They are taking a total of six classes with other teachers and homeschool students this fall.  Things are changing.  We work it out. . . under this big, beautiful sky.

Spencer exploring more Pre-Algebra this year-- His Idea!

  

Real Learning

Whole Milk Mozzarrella--Deeeelicious!

Should I be ashamed or proud that my children seem to learn more when I am not paying attention?

Yesterday, Denver told me that one of his favorite YouTubers made cheese and he wanted to make some, too.  Uh . . . Okay.

Being both a nerd and a Momma, I actually know how to make mozzarella cheese.  So at Denver's request, we made cheese this afternoon.  

Mozzarella cheese is easy if you have the right ingredients.  Denver loved stirring the rennet into the milk and watching it metamorphosis from milk to something vaguely like watery ricotta cheese.  From there, we pressed out the whey from the curds (and yes, we recited "Little Miss Muffett"), heated and kneaded the cheese, added salt, and soon we had our beautiful ball of mozzarella.  

During our experiment, Denver asked questions about what chemistry was at work, the effects of the various ingredients: milk, rennet, lipase, citric acid.  He asked about the history of cheese making and I told him how it benefitted people by preserving milk for a longer time; and we wondered at how people may have learned to make cheese.

Later in the day, we all stood at the kitchen island and ate it on crackers.  YUM!

It occurs to me that learning should not be separated into categories: math, language, science, history.  Those categories are misleading, and lead people to believe they're not learning anything important when their learning cannot be easily categorized.  

What did Denver and I learn today?  Was it science?  Cooking? History?  Yes.  Yes.  And Yes.  But it won't be tested and it doesn't count as "important" on the Homeschool Records file.  Yet . . . we laughed and learned together.  We fed the family mozzarella cheese.  Real learning.  It seems more important than remembering state capitals.  You know?  I'm just sayin' . . .

Clear Water and our own River Exploration

 My soul is refreshed like taking a gulp of cold, clear water on a hot day.  I just returned from a weeklong visit to my parents' house, exploring by bicycle the banks of the Missouri River, and camping with the family at Clearwater Lake in Missouri.  

As the years pass, I realize how wonderful my parents are; and I am intensely grateful for their generous love and attention showered on me, my husband, and our boys.  They are two people who always have their priorities in place, and it helps me keep my balance in life.  Thank you, Mom and Dad.

Clearwater Lake as seen from the top of the dam at sunset.
Photo by J.R. Degonia

Bike riding . . . Am I being followed?

Selfie with two kind, intelligent young men.

Clearwater Lake.
Photo by J.R. Degonia.

Our crazy boy, Spencer.
Photo by J.R. Degonia.

We explored the Lewis & Clark Museum in St. Charles.

We learned a lot about Lewis &Clark on this trip;
of course, Denver added to his "historical action figure" collection.

Breanna, Dad, and the Degonias
on the Katy Trail near St. Charles
on the Missouri River Bridge.

What we look like when we don't know
a picture is about to be taken.
Photo by J.R. Degonia.

Denver admires the variety of locks placed on the bridge
over the Missouri River.  Some are promises of love, others
have Bible verses written on them.

Exploring the Lewis & Clark Museum
and liking this little Bullboat.

A scavenger hunt in the L & C museum with
Great Aunt Mary Ann.

No history lesson is complete for Denver
without getting into character.

Lunch at the Bike Stop Cafe
with Super Aunts-- Patty and Mary Ann.

A history lesson with Papa Dale.

My Darlings...

Time for tubing and water skiing!

Denver and Spencer

Jibby and Spence

Denver gets bold.

A good time with our buddy, Jackson,
at the Farmington Waterpark.

Bicycles with Breanna

A late afternoon date in St. Charles.

John Robert and Spencer enjoyed shooting skeet
with Papa Dale.

Denver and Hannah at the Water Park.

Happy 48th Birthday to me
with my niece Breanna and all my boys.

Spencer, John Robert, and Breanna
at Creve Coeur Lake.

Mom and I on the Clearwater Dam.

Dad and I.