We Live...We Learn...

a morning out

2010-04-09T09:47:00.003-05:00

at the Cibolo Nature Center

in the steps of a dino...

to the creek...

putting things into perspective...

by Aiden...

thank you!!!

2010-03-20T15:25:00.003-05:00

Can you guess how much he loves it? LOTS!!! Thank you!!!

park day friends

2010-03-04T10:09:00.002-06:00

in step

2010-03-02T07:47:00.001-06:00

a domino laid is a domino played

2010-02-28T09:20:00.002-06:00

fruit salad =)

2010-02-27T08:17:00.003-06:00

something white & fluffy

2010-02-25T07:30:00.006-06:00

fell from the sky for a little while...

then and now

2010-02-11T09:24:00.002-06:00

11/26/2007

This is still his favorite book...

2/10/2010

rainy day workout

2010-02-03T20:01:00.005-06:00

with Wii Lego Star Wars...

one of the advantages

2010-02-02T06:25:00.004-06:00

of homeschooling is being able to learn anywhere, any time. (And you thought I was going to say, "doing school work in our pj's"...Well, you were close.) Lately we have been knocking out our work in the mornings from the comfort of my big bed...

Well, some mornings it's harder to get started than others...

set

2010-01-17T07:57:00.006-06:00

We love. love, love to play the game Set. For an online version, check this out.

trust in me, just in me...

2009-12-04T08:24:00.002-06:00

trust in me, just in me
Shut your eyes and trust in me
You can sleep safe and sound
Knowing I am around

Slip into silent slumber
Sail on a silver mist
Slowly and surely your senses
Will cease to resist

Trust in me, just in me
Shut your eyes and trust in me

--Trust In Me (the Jungle Book)

a happy surprise

2009-11-25T05:38:00.002-06:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Miss Mo.Wask!

for Mama: flickr set of my boys

my boys

2009-11-20T18:17:00.002-06:00

serious and sweet

being boys

2009-11-16T12:40:00.001-06:00

Mealy Oak Gall from an Ornamental Live Oak

2009-11-08T18:26:00.003-06:00

(That just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?)

The little hole is where the gall wasp exited. The boys and I just learned what these little things were this week. If you have never heard about the life cycle of the disholcaspis cinerosa, you can check out this site to learn all about the little girl who grew up in this little ball. :-)

the old school house

2009-10-30T16:49:00.004-05:00

afternoon yummy

2009-10-28T16:33:00.002-05:00

more math...2(x + 3) = 2x + 6

2009-10-21T08:13:00.001-05:00

I love the math book that Aiden is using this year. Here he uses algebra tiles to help demonstrate distributive property.

math practice

2009-10-10T13:47:00.000-05:00

clue

2009-06-14T09:17:00.002-05:00

I played Clue with O...

hmmm...

putting the pieces together...

Mr. Green in the lounge with a lead pipe...O won.

at home in a b&n cafe

2009-05-24T13:59:00.000-05:00

yes, we're still here

2009-05-22T06:40:00.003-05:00

and still living and learning...

After watching several episodes of Engineering an Empire, the boys decided to make their own marvels.

a conversation in the woods

2009-03-05T22:09:00.000-06:00

science in paper cups

2009-02-27T19:18:00.003-06:00

up to his neck

2009-02-26T06:17:00.002-06:00

and surrounded by friends at park day.

journaling at the botanical garden

2009-02-25T07:06:00.002-06:00

country mice, city mice

2009-02-23T06:55:00.004-06:00

Given an afternoon to themselves, the city mice went to the San Antonio Museum of Art...

and thought of their boys...

and then went to the river walk for dinner and found a Mardi Gras parade...

which made them wish they had brought their boys.

Meanwhile, the country mice...

probably didn't think of the city mice at all. ;-)

fresh air does a body good

2009-02-18T07:00:00.002-06:00

from our outing last weekend in Friedrich Wilderness Park

my new motto

2009-02-04T17:59:00.002-06:00

Seriously, I am going to make this my daily mantra. Lately, I feel stretched so thin in every direction that I don't feel like I am doing anything as well as I want to. ugh.

I liked this "fortune" so much that Aiden took a photo of it with my Nikon FE.

Educational Legos

2009-01-15T09:32:00.003-06:00

This solar powered Ferris wheel was made using the eLab Renewable Energy Set. We also enjoy using the Simple Machines Set and the Motorized Elementary Engineering Level II. These sets are not cheap, but they are both educational and fun. I like that they include building instructions for many projects and that they are packaged in containers which keep pieces organized and easy to find. All of these sets and many other cool educational products can be found at www.legoeducation.com. (I'm looking at this and this for Mr. O's birthday in March.)

an update: coats 2 and 3

2009-01-14T18:21:00.002-06:00

Here was the first. There may be more to come...

two sites we like lately...

2009-01-13T12:21:00.006-06:00

Starfall.com -- free games, movie clips and interactive books for beginning readers

BrainPop.com -- short, educational cartoon-like clips on every topic under the sun. not free, but we feel like it has been worth the yearly subscription

cobalt blue in the afternoon

2009-01-07T18:15:00.003-06:00

Aiden was inspired by Joseph Marioni's Liquid Light Exhibit at the McNay Art Museum, so he thought he would give the process a try.

I was inspired by my son's first layer of cobalt blue and by the light and the long shadows of the afternoon.

This is the first of at least three layers of color. I'll keep you updated on his progress. :-)

Sunday at the McNay

2009-01-05T05:52:00.003-06:00

We went to see the George Rickey Kinetic Sculpture Exhibit one more time before it leaves the McNay on January 11. We so love this work, we wish it could be a permanent exhibit. It is amazing to see how the art so completely captivates all who see it. It was crowded yesterday, but that made it even more fun, because I enjoyed watching the reactions of people, young and old, to the movement of the sculptures. There were smiles and looks of wonder on all who saw the art. Wow! Since the Rickey Exhibit is just visiting, I could not take any pictures. Here is a non-Rickey work that was fair-game...

This is a small-scale model of Philip Grausman's 14-foot stainless steel, outdoor sculpture commissioned by the McNay.

a walk in the park...

2009-01-03T22:46:00.004-06:00

It's 2009! Celebrate a year of science...

2009-01-02T13:16:00.002-06:00

I was already planning to concentrate on science more with the boys this year, so I was excited to learn about this website while listening to today's Science Friday on NPR. cool stuff.

free, fun, software

2008-12-28T17:18:00.002-06:00

Make your own digi prints into polaroid art with freeware from here. (It even makes you wait for the image to develop!) I am so in love...and maybe a little addicted. :-)

a few shots from our Christmas Eve and Christmas

2008-12-26T15:00:00.006-06:00

getting ready for Santa...

tracking Santa with a little help from NORAD

The rice flour-almond butter-honey-chocolate chip cookies (with sprinkles) were surprisingly very tasty. :-)

The squares around the outside of the cookie were called muddy buddies. Aiden made them with Rice Chex, almond butter, butter, chocolate chips and powdered sugar. They were truly sinful. And just in case Santa is lactose intolerant, the boys left him vanilla soy milk. ;-)

Christmas Day at Granny and Grumpa's House...

We hope that your Christmas was a happy one, too.

A little fun with Picnik on Flickr...

2008-12-24T15:00:00.001-06:00

another year...

2008-12-16T05:55:00.003-06:00

another picture of my boys on the rock...
2007

2008

My motto for the Christmas card this year is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Maybe next year I'll be a little more creative...or not.

never say never

2008-12-14T09:09:00.000-06:00

Neither of my boys has ever wanted to take a picture with Santa...EVER! Yesterday, Tim's office had a Breakfast with Santa Party, and the boys did what I thought they would never do...

it snowed...a little

2008-12-12T07:22:00.000-06:00

j.k. rowling rocks

2008-12-07T16:39:00.002-06:00

Her latest work is currently in your local book store...The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

you are special.

2008-12-05T12:30:00.002-06:00

yes, i mean you...just in case you ever have any doubts. :-)

"Busy hands are never in want." -- Anonymous

2008-11-21T12:11:00.001-06:00

Thank you for teaching him, Mary. :-)

cute kids

2008-11-21T07:30:00.001-06:00

make up for the blown out background...right?

from our trip to Artpace

self-portrait challenge

2008-11-20T06:30:00.005-06:00

Here is a little diptych to represent a moment of our day, yesterday, as inspired by Shutter Sisters. Check out the blue sky we enjoyed! It was a perfect day to be out and about, and out and about, we were! We had an interesting tour and hands-on activity at Artpace, which is in downtown San Antonio. That would explain the pavement in the shoe shot. The little stickers on my shoe? They were leftover from the grass around the tennis court where my boys practiced earlier in the day. It makes me smile to see that they stuck around throughout our tour of Artpace. Persistent little fellows, weren't they!

concentration

2008-11-09T19:15:00.000-06:00

NW Halloween Party

2008-10-30T21:29:00.000-05:00

waiting for pumpkin pie...

2008-10-22T17:07:00.002-05:00

I promise I did not stage this. Apparently, Scooby likes pumpkin pie too.

take 1

2008-10-18T08:55:00.001-05:00

Each year, about this time, I start thinking about taking the photo for our Holiday card. Trying to get a shot of my two boys both smiling nicely at the same time can be a little tricky. Judging by my first attempt, this may be a very long and painful process...

"These are the days when anything goes...

2008-10-17T17:38:00.003-05:00

...Everyday is a winding road."
--Sheryl Crow

This cool thinking game provides quality entertainment for all ages. Happy weekend to you!

regrouping...

2008-10-15T18:00:00.002-05:00

the game we play...

2008-10-12T17:01:00.002-05:00

...when we go to an art museum.

We go straight into the gift shop and each of us chooses a post card or note card with a piece of art from the museum. Then we hunt for them, and each time we find one, we really talk about what we see.

flashlight fun

2008-10-08T12:03:00.002-05:00

This says, "Aiden :-)"...

my design...

O for Owen...

in the kitchen...

2008-10-05T18:08:00.002-05:00

or my guys with knives...

Aiden...

Owen...

and Tim...

Mamaw's Steamer

2008-10-03T10:16:00.003-05:00

I can still remember the contents of each of my grandma's organized kitchen drawers. It's easy after the countless hours I spent exploring them. Two items were my favorite: an interesting devise she used to chop up pecans for the crust of her famously delicious Chocolate Delight and this, her veggie steamer. When she passed away 10 years ago, her steamer was passed on to me. It is only a small, everyday kind of item that I doubt she had any special attachment to, but for me, it is a reminder of the many ways she touched our lives by just being there for us.

Cooking, cleaning, carpooling and insurmountable piles of laundry may feel like insignificant contributions to the greater good of humanity in an age where women can be leaders of corporations and nations. Self-doubt can start to creep in. Should I have pushed myself harder? Should I have gone on to law school? Could I have succeeded in the dog-eat-dog world of corporations or big law firms? Is it too late to even try?

On the days that those questions start to weigh me down, I pull out Mamaw’s steamer and make some broccoli or green beans. I think of how my Mamaw, who did not graduate from college or compete in the corporate world, contributed to the world in her own special way. While keeping her home orderly and clean, she managed to raise two accountants, a teacher and a lawyer. She went on to shower her grandchildren with limitless unconditional love. She made the world a better place by being a housewife, mother, grandmother and eventually great-grandmother. I hope that one day the same will be said of me.

first piano lessons

2008-07-31T22:41:00.000-05:00

My boys have just started taking piano lessons. It is so nice to hear our old piano at work again. :-)

Family Day at the McNay

2008-07-27T19:37:00.002-05:00

It was a bit crazy, bordering on zoo-like, but the boys had fun...as you can tell by their smiling faces.

North

2008-07-18T18:16:00.000-05:00

Aiden found a magnetized needle, so he decided to make his own compass. It worked. :-)

It's been too long...

2008-06-27T20:58:00.002-05:00

I post a new photo every day on my Flickr account, but I have been forgetting to post them over here. Here are a few shots of the boys over the last few weeks, and let's hope I don't wait so long to post next time...

This is Owen, doing a jump shot. He has shown a recent interest in my favorite sport, and I can't tell you how happy that makes me. He has even been listening when I try to give him pointers on dribbling and shooting. And look...he is actually off the ground while shooting! Ya gotta love it!

Aiden and his best bud, Pierre, love to play Yu Gi Oh! at our weekly park day.

Aiden attended two sports camps this month...first tennis and then golf. He enjoyed both, but was ready for a break when the two weeks were over.

While Aiden was at camp, Owen and I had our own adventures, exploring downtown Boerne's little coffee shops and restaurants.

Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, TX

2008-06-07T06:52:00.002-05:00

The boys and I went out to Fredericksburg on Thursday, in search of Wildseed Farms' yummy honey. We came back home with four jars of honey, tummies full of peach ice cream, and a few cool photos...

It was a successful trip, I think.

tennis :: day 1

2008-06-04T19:17:00.002-05:00

My boys started lessons with a new (to my boys) coach today. All of the kids had a great time, which is how I measure for success. :-)

A lefty? The coach thinks so. Watch out Nadal!

caterpillar forming chrysalis

2008-05-14T18:13:00.002-05:00

on the post of our back porch.

first day we saw it

two days later.

With any luck, we'll get to see the butterfly emerge!

Three Oisms in One Afternoon

2008-05-09T17:20:00.005-05:00

My mom said that I should be writing some of Mr. O's lines down, so here goes...

Little O needed to poop. I heard him in the bathroom making some bumping and knocking noises, and I supposed that he was getting his little red stool in just the right spot. The noises went on for a little longer than I expected, so I started to get curious. I asked him, "Are you pooping yet?"

Among the bumps and knocks of the stool, I heard his response. "When the conditions are right!"

A little while later, I was teasing him that he needed to take a bath. I called him "stinky-butt" twice while we wrestled and tickled on the bed. (No, his bottom didn't stink, but he did need a bath!) He did not get mad. Instead, he answered in a very menacing voice, "I will have my revenge...Not once, but twice!"

After he soaked in a nice bubble bath for a while, I asked Little O if his bottom was smelling like roses. He asked me to smell it for him to check, but I graciously declined. With no other way to verify, he decided to make sure everything was perfectly clean by dumping a large cup of water on his rear end. Not having much luck hitting the target himself, he asked me to do it for him. I said, "Sure. Would you like for me to dump some water on your head while I'm at it?" (No, I don't waterboard my child. I use the big cup to wash his hair!) Without missing a beat, he answered with a laugh, "Nay, Hortensio!"

If you are a little rusty on your Shakespeare, this is from The Taming of the Shrew. We have listened to a kid-friendly version, narrated by Jim Weiss, many times in the car. He has also seen the movie with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It has been a while since we listened to the CD or watched the movie, so I have to admit that his quote caught me by surprise!

Have a great weekend, all!

tiger swallowtail

2008-04-24T09:03:00.003-05:00

Some of our park day friends found this big caterpillar on Tuesday, and none of us were sure what type he was. A great friend of mine saw my picture and sent me this link. Thank you mo.wask! I just love the internet!

As for the rest of my pictures from the bike rodeo at our Tuesday park day, hopefully, I will get them posted to my flickr account this afternoon.

first attempt at video-blogging

2008-04-10T08:50:00.002-05:00

Grumpa has been asking me to figure out how to get videos on the web. Now, thanks to Flickr, it was easy. This was taken by Grumpa, back in December. It's an instant classic. :-D

Happy St. Patrick's Day & Growing Wheat Grass

2008-03-17T19:27:00.002-05:00

day 3

two cool finds for the day

2008-03-10T12:21:00.003-05:00

Get framed with this tool, found over at big huge labs...

My dad managed to get Aiden hooked on sudoku over the weekend. This morning Aiden and I found an online version over here.

math, our style...

2008-03-02T19:22:00.003-06:00

Manipulatives are fun, and they allow the kids to make their own mathematical discoveries. Here, O shows us the many ways to get to 8, exploring addition, subtraction and multiplication in the process.

The conversation went something like this...
me: It is time to do your math.
A: OK, but I'm going right back out to ride my bike, as soon as I am finished.
me: OK
...and he did.

our new project has a new home

2008-01-09T01:36:00.000-06:00

A Year of Origami has its own home now, so please update your bookmarks accordingly! :-)

a new project...

2008-01-02T17:34:00.000-06:00

Aiden was thrilled to find a calendar which gives instructions for a new origami project each day. When we started wondering how to save each of his small works of art (think...366 pieces of folded paper over the year!), A Year of Origami was born.

Aiden will be folding the paper. I will be holding the camera. Each day's post will be a collaboration. Please let us know what you think!

Northwest Homeschoolers Christmas Party - 2007

2007-12-19T07:55:00.000-06:00

1. nwcp46, 2. nwcp45, 3. nwcp44, 4. nwcp43, 5. nwcp42, 6. nwcp41, 7. nwcp40, 8. nwcp39, 9. nwcp38, 10. nwcp37, 11. nwcp36, 12. nwcp35, 13. nwcp34, 14. nwcp33, 15. nwcp32, 16. nwcp31, 17. nwcp30, 18. nwcp29, 19. nwcp28, 20. nwcp27, 21. nwcp26, 22. nwcp25, 23. nwcp24, 24. nwcp23, 25. nwcp22, 26. nwcp21, 27. nwcp20, 28. nwcp19, 29. nwcp18, 30. nwcp17, 31. nwcp16, 32. nwcp15, 33. nwcp14, 34. nwcp13, 35. nwcp12, 36. nwcp11

I could only squeeze 36 into this mosaic by fd's flickr toys, so there are about 10 more photos on my flickr web page.

Why I love homeschooling...#3

2007-12-16T10:54:00.000-06:00

The moments of shared learning, despite an age difference of 4.5 years.

Why I love homeschooling...#2-B

2007-11-29T14:03:00.000-06:00

Reading is fun.
Books are treasured.
All bookstores and libraries feel like home...

(taken in the children's section of Barnes & Noble)

Why I love homeschooling...Reason #2

2007-11-28T09:34:00.000-06:00

Reading is fun.
Books are treasured.
I never know when or where I might find one of the boys completely engrossed...

early afternoon sunshine

2007-11-27T09:52:00.000-06:00

I think that I will start a new theme for this blog...Reasons I love homeschooling...

Reason #1

When the sunshine calls us to the great outdoors, we can answer. No school bell to wait for!

jousting with Grumpa A

2007-11-27T08:01:00.000-06:00

South Texas Corn Maize

2007-11-20T06:09:00.000-06:00

in Hondo, Texas.

They did it!

a putting green...

2007-11-09T06:40:00.000-06:00

My boys started golf lessons a few weeks ago, and they have now decided to build a putting green in the back yard. So far, they have completed six holes...

we love...

2007-11-02T08:16:00.000-05:00

my pirate and 3-eyed alien

2007-11-01T07:03:00.000-05:00

handwriting "aha!" moment

2007-10-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

The solution to my 10 year old's handwriting woes was borrowed from the old school...a real quill pen, dipped in an ink well.

He asked (o.k., begged) for a quill pen and has used it diligently (and willingly!!!) each day to practice his handwriting. The result has been a noticeable improvement in his penmanship and an increased willingness to pick up a pen and write. Woohoo!

When a person wants to do something, he does a much better job of it. :-)

tomato, mozzarella and basil

2007-10-22T05:38:00.000-05:00

prepared by Astro A. Later, he adds olive oil and basalmic vinegar...yum!

Pumpkin Patch 2007

2007-10-14T07:02:00.000-05:00

great bedtime book...

2007-10-13T10:12:00.000-05:00

Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the illustrations in this and ALL of Jon Muth's books!

rocket science

2007-10-09T08:13:00.000-05:00

Alas, I did not get a shot of liftoff...but it was grand!

vinegar and baking soda :-)

2007-10-08T11:51:00.000-05:00

Yep, last Tuesday was 'Science Day' at our homeschool group's park day, and I am just now getting around to putting pictures up...

weeeee!!!

2007-09-26T08:16:00.000-05:00

Everyone had a great time at Aunt Joyce's birthday bash!

photo finish - 2

2007-09-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

photo finish

2007-09-18T23:31:00.000-05:00

I am still working my way through photos from our trip to the coast...

Dad, sorry I cut your hand off. I guess Sports Illustrated won't be asking me to cover the Olympics for them this year. ;-)

just finished...

2007-09-15T17:37:00.000-05:00

reading aloud Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink.

The boys and I read one or two chapters each night. Each chapter was a self-contained adventure, and each night when I was finished, they always asked for more. If you like the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, you will probably like this.

more from the coast

2007-09-14T14:14:00.000-05:00

Peter Pan/Grumpa A takes pictures of the Lost Boys...

Here is what he took. :-) And another, my favorite.

5 boys on the dock

2007-09-13T07:46:00.000-05:00

That's right...I said 5. My dad and Peter Pan have more than a little in common. ;-)

one at a time...

2007-09-12T19:23:00.000-05:00

We went to the coast last weekend, and I am working through the photos s-l-o-w-l-y...

Here is one of Grumpa and Mr. O...

Hopefully, there will be more to follow within the next few days.

The Shadow Garden

2007-09-05T19:42:00.000-05:00

The Shadow Garden at the Austin Children's Museum is SO cool! It is a completely interactive exhibit that has to be experienced to really appreciate how cool it is! You should check it out if you are in Austin.

playing a version of Pooh Sticks in Colorado

2007-08-30T00:04:00.001-05:00

just couldn't wait

2007-08-14T07:37:00.000-05:00

to open their new Lego sets. They put them together right outside of Target! (Thank you, Maureen!)

Today is Astro A's 10th birthday!

Happy birthday to my curious and creative Astro A!

park day :: sand play

2007-08-07T21:27:00.000-05:00

the consultants