Home's Cool Mama: February 2016

Thursday, February 25, 2016

The Science of Sound and a New Harmonica

There is joy to be found in exploration and discovery.

Today, we found both at the Fernbank Natural History Museum. Surprising sounds, sights, and fun with Mimi.

To top it off, we got to hear Denver play his new harmonica ALL THE WAY HOME (It took 47 minutes in case you're wondering!) ;-)

Spencer and Denver with their Mimi in front of Fernbank's New Exhibit on Sound

Listening to the sound of whales.

You're never too grown up for Bubbles!

A Little Walk with the Boys and a Dog

Jake and Denver enjoying the view.

Exploring the trails at Charlie Elliott.

They hike ahead of me now. I don't have to carry them anymore. Walking and talking about video games and ideas, they skip, laugh, and debate . . . while I follow behind lost in my own daydreams and filled with gratitude for these fleeting days with my boys.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Presidents' Day Exploration

I don't remember ever doing anything at school for Presidents' Day. Maybe we did a coloring page. Maybe we listened to a short lecture about either the life of a president or the executive branch of government. I don't remember. All I remember from my childhood about Presidents' Day is that my mom-- once she became a U.S. Postal employee-- got the day off work.

Standing in front of the Carter Presidential Museum.
And No, That is not a tiny hat on Spencer's head;
it's just poor planning by the photographer!

But I'm lucky. My boys have taught me that history is Super FUN. You just have to close the textbooks and go exploring. So for the last five years, that is what we have done. And Presidents' Day this year was no exception.

For the past several weeks, we have been reading, thinking, and talking about our first president, George Washington. There is a presidential election this year. Denver and Spencer have both been reading biographies and asking questions about what a president can and cannot do.

Presidents' Day was a wonderful opportunity to visit The Carter Center in Atlanta and learn about Georgia's only homegrown president, Jimmy Carter. None of us had ever been there.

Inside the replica of the Oval Office.

The Carter Center Museum is full of interesting photographs, paintings, and facts about the life of Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter. We all learned new things. Spencer seemed particularly fascinated with Carter's humanitarian work and the Carter Center's invention of a water filter that looks like a straw. Denver loved learning that Jimmy Carter served on a submarine in the Navy. I loved seeing photos of Carter's early life and reading about his childhood.

Lunch out with two of my favorite guys.

We read, looked, talked, and got our fill of information in a relatively short amount of time. There was much more to learn; but when the head is full, the learning stops. Don't try to cram more in!

And we ALL learned something. What did we learn? Some facts about Jimmy Carter and his life; exploring history is FUN; and being with your family is GREAT. That is enough for me.

An incredible painting.
Look very closely and you'll see more!

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

What Lies Beneath

American Alligator. Photo by Denver Degonia

Black Monitor. Photo by Denver Degonia

Most of my best laid plans end stuffed on a dusty bookshelf while real life and learning happens unexpectedly and in all directions. This is the lesson I must repeatedly learn. Luckily, I find myself amazed and grateful to witness the unexpected.

Today, while Spencer attended the Atlanta Zoo's Homeschool Academy and learned about various species of marsupials, Denver and I wandered through the zoo in freezing weather. We had hours to pass, and most of the animals were off exhibit.

Chameleon photo by Denver Degonia

Luckily, we found our way to the new amphibian and reptile house. I didn't know how long it would last. Denver is not known for patience. The first animal of great interest was a big, green chameleon. Look at it's eyes! Watch the way it turns its feet and grips the branches! Let's take a picture!

Gaboon Viper photo by Denver Degonia

Within moments, Denver had a new passion-- photography! I showed him how to use the camera on my phone and he was off.

He spent the next hour and a half taking photographs and we talked about each animal. Denver was delighted with the challenge of getting good angles and clear pictures. He wanted to talk about the details of each species-- where they lived, what they ate, which were venomous, and which were endangered.

Say Cheese! Photo by Denver Degonia

He repeatedly exclaimed, "I can't believe I'm so good at taking pictures!" We spent the rest of the afternoon and into the evening talking about reptiles.

Basilisk. It can run across water!
Photo by Denver Degonia

Who could have planned such exuberance and interest? Not me. But I am so grateful to have been there. I never know what interests and discoveries lie unseen, waiting for the right moment to surface.

Our Happy Photographer.
He let me take a picture!

What a Homeschool Monday Can Be

Brave Sir Denver celebrates a Victory

I never dreamed a Monday morning could be so pleasant.

Between math, writing, history, and reading, we have doggy dress up time.

We leap from our American Revolutionary War studies back to medieval times and the boys build a castle with cardboard and wooden blocks. They create new costumes and play knights. We have a chess game.

We laugh and talk about a science experiment using magnetic putty.

On nice days, we can finish early and take a hike with the dogs. Sometimes we go to the Montessori School and see friends' presentations-- especially when there are snakes!

Hiking with Max.

When other people don't understand why my boys don't want to go to school, I wish they could be here on these days . . . where life just flows . . . rich and sweet like chocolate fondue.