Your Guide to Roper Mountain Science Center

With summer vacation upon us, we put together this guide to Roper Mountain Science Center, one of our favorite places in Greenville. It has everything you need to know about the various trails, gardens and other features, as well as the must-attend event info and other tips to help make your time at RMSC this summer memorable for the whole family!

YOUR GUIDE TO ROPER MOUNTAIN SCIENCE CENTER

What is RMSC?

In the early 1980’s the Greenville County School District saw a need for a science center that could provide hands-on science enrichment activities to the district’s 68,000 students. In cooperation with the community and with corporate support, the Roper Mountain Science Center Association was born, opening its doors in 1985. Since then its annual student attendance has grown from 4,600 to over 120,000, with 400-600 students visiting every day for learning labs to supplement their classroom education.

However, RMSC isn’t just for Greenville County School students. The facilities are open to the general public during Second Saturday activities, Friday Starry Nights, and Butterfly Adventure as part of admission. Also, during the school year and during daylight hours, families can visit the nature trails, outdoor play area and gardens at no charge.

Exploring the Ecology Lab in Harrison Hall of Natural Sciences

What’s at RMSC?

The 62-acre campus is accessible from Roper Mountain Road, just north of the I-385 exit. A one-way, mile-long driving loop takes you to the various buildings, with three main parking areas located throughout. The largest of those is located just to your right as you enter, and is used for most large events with shuttle buses providing transportation among the various areas.

Just next to the parking lot is the amphitheater, familiar to many local families from Roper Mountain Science Center Holiday Lights. While the holiday light display celebrated its 26^th and final season last year, visitors will soon be making new memories on the site of the old amphitheater; construction will soon begin on a 24,000-square-foot facility that officials say will focus on environmental science. The two-story facility is expected to open by 2022.

The RMSC Marine Lab is home to more than a few animals

  

Next on the loop is Harrison Hall of Natural Sciences, home to the Fred W. Symmes Tropical Rainforest Conservatory, Nancy Hall Eskew Rainforest Lab, the Daniel Keating Norris Discovery Room, the Palentology & Earth Science Labs, the Computer Lab, an Ecology Lab and Marine Lab. The Harrison Hall is open to the public only during special events, however there are plenty of opportunities to explore the newly renovated building during Second Saturday events and the upcoming month-long Butterfly Adventure (see events section below for more on these fantastic opportunities).

Related articles: The Ecology Lab at RMSC

The Marine Lab at RMSC

At the very heart of RMSC is the Giant Dome Theater and Hooper Planetarium. The state-of-the-art planetarium opened in 1989 and just underwent a $1 million renovation, featuring a new 360° full immersion dome, 4K projection, state-of-the-art lighting, dynamic 5.1 surround sound, interactive lobby exhibits and more. The facility is open to the public during the Friday Starry Nights program (see more below in events section) and on 2nd Saturdays.

Hooper Planetarium

Adjacent to the planetarium is the Symmes Hall of Science, also newly renovated, and home to STEM, Physical Science, Weather and Forensics programs, as well as 300-seat Hipp Auditorium. Symmes is open to the public during special events.

At the east end of the campus is Daniel Observatory. Home to a 23″ refractor telescope which is the 8^th largest of its kind in the US, the Observatory is open each Friday evening from 7-10pm for public observation. The facility is also utilized for astronomy classes, special events, and organized activities by the Roper Mountain Astronomers.

Looking through the telescope in Daniel Observatory

The adjacent David H. Wilkins Conference Center houses facilities for meetings, events and classes for school and public programs. For more information on facility rental please call RMSC - 864.355.8925.

Outdoors at RMSC

Adjacent to the Harrison Hall is the Butterfly Garden, a joint project of the Roper Mountain Science Center, the roper Mountain Science Center Association, and the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners. The garden is open during daylight hours when the center’s main gate is open, and a pavilion overlooking the wildlife pond is a perfect spot for a picnic lunch.

Related article: The butterfly garden at Roper Mountain Science Center

From the butterfly garden it is a short walk to both of the RMSC treehouses. The one closest to the main loop road is ‘Anatomy of a TREE House’ and uses elements that resemble the trees that inspired it including exposed concrete "roots," a wraparound squirrel's nest with a real tree growing through it, and a slide. Overlooking the pond is ‘Treetop Clinic’ which focuses on environmental issues: the water cycle, the solar cycle & path of the sun, and the plant life as seen from the treehouse.

Related article: Treehouses at RMSC

On the opposite side of the pond from the butterfly garden is the Wildwood natural play area. A relatively new addition, children can play with natural materials such as stumps and sand, building, digging and creating to their heart’s content while parents comfortably watch from one of the benches. A big part of Wildwood is in the shade, and the little play house along with various slides, bridges, seesaws and even a canoe will keep the kids busy learning and exploring.

Related article: Big Changes at Roper Mountain

Beyond Wildwood and Harrison Hall of Natural Science are the arboretum and the Living History Farm & Schoolhouse. The farm is open to the public only during special events but is definitely worth a visit during one of the Second Saturdays; history comes to life with authentic log cabins, corn cribs, a barn, a blacksmith shop, a school and a former slave cabin. Gardens, fields, pasture, a farm pond, and farm animals typical of life in the Upstate in the early 1800′s complete the scene.

Winding through the RMSC forest are a 1-mile asphalt nature trail and multiple forest trails. The Nature Trail loops along the hardwood and pine forests of the science center grounds and features signs informing visitors about native plants and animals that might be found in our region. The BeWell fitness trail (which utilizes a portion of the Nature Trail) starts by the main parking lot, and has ten fitness stations that include different stretches and exercises along with instructions on properly completing them. There are several picnic areas along the way, and multiple loops on the east end, connecting the Living History Farm to the butterfly garden and Wildwood. You can find a map of the trails here.

On the Symmes/Daniels Observatory end of the Nature Trail you might notice another of RMSC’s new activities, the Low Ropes Course. Visiting groups can schedule sessions for team-building activities by contacting the Roper Mountain Science Center.

Stumbled upon this #triceratops on our #blueberryfest adventure @ropermountain this morning! Have you been to the Neogene #fossildig yet? #yeahTHATgreenville #secondsaturday #butterflyadventure #sciencecomesalive #sciencecenter #dinosaursrule

A post shared by Liene • South Carolina (@femmefoyer) on Jul 8, 2017 at 10:37am PDT

Another fun feature along the Nature Trail is the Stegasaurus near Harrison Hall. RMSC is hoping to add a dozen replicas of herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs to field stations along the trail, with panels giving details about the dinosaur and its habitat. Keep your eyes open for the 19-foot Tyrannosaurus rex! The Dinosaur Trail is expected to be open the summer of 2020.

Events at RMSC

Starting this Friday, June 1^st, Butterfly Adventure is returning to RMSC for its third year! Visitors will be able to enter the living exhibit in the Fred W. Symmes Tropical Rainforest where hundreds of colorful butterflies will be flitting about until July 13 from Tuesday through Saturday. In addition to the up-close butterfly sncounter, visitors will be able to explore the Harrison Hall of Natural Sciences including the Marine Lab, and experience life in SC in the 1800s in the Living History Farm.

Related articles: A Butterfly Adventure, Year 1

Butterfly Adventure, Year 2

Another great way to experience RMSC is during one of the Second Saturday events. On these select Saturdays the Living History Farm, Harrison Hall, Hooper Planetarium, Daniel Observatory and Symmes Hall of Science are opened to the public for STEM and other programs with hands-on demonstrations and special exhibits. Upcoming 2018 Second Saturdays include Blueberry Festival on July 14, Star Wars on October 13 and the Fall Harvest Festival on November 10.

Related articles: Blueberry Festival at RMSC

Star Wars Second Saturday

Fall Harvest Festival at RMSC

A Green Halloween

On Friday nights (January through November) the Planetarium opens for Friday Starry Nights with 6pm and 7:30p Planetarium shows that include Carolina Skies (a live sky talk), the feature show, and the SpacePark 360 Virtual Rollercoaster.

Related article: Starry Nights at the Newly-renovated Hooper Planetarium

During the months of July and August the Planetarium is also open select Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights for planetarium programs. There are shows suitable for all ages; for a schedule and more info check out the calendar here. If music is more your thing, check out one of the laser shows featuring music ranging from pop to country, from the Beatles to Pink Floyd. Laser Shows in the Planetarium will be taking place from July 17-28, see website for schedule.

RMSC also has summer Science Exploration camps, however all the programs for the 2018 season are currently full. The robotics, Lego, nature and other programs are in very high demand, often filling up during the first weeks of registration.

Patch programs and group programs are available for Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts ranging from a self-guided program to Webelos Activity Badge Workshops in Harrison Hall. See website for more information.

Admission Info

Fee info for the various RMSC programs can be found on their website, here. However possibly the most convenient option is to purchase an annual family membership. We have been RMSC members for years, enjoying free admission to Friday Starry Nights, Second Saturdays and Butterfly Adventure. Members also enjoy discount ticket prices for special events such as the laser shows, and early registration and discount to summer camps. Family memberships are $65 – see website for details.

Along with a RMSC membership you’ll also get the benefit of admission to more than 300 different science centers and museums through the ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers) Passport Program. They include nearby favorites such as EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia and the Spartanburg Science Center, as well as North Carolina’s Greensboro Science Center, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill, the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, and the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville.

Related article: There's so Much to Explore at Roper Mountain Science Center 

Stone Mural Project

Ribbon cutting of the 4th mural in the Stone Mural Project series

In 2014, the first mural appeared - this one on the Rite Aid building at 1 East Stone Avenue, at the intersection of North Main and Stone. “Sunday in the Park a la Reedy River” was directed by Stone art teacher Eric Benjamin, and was modeled after Georges Seurat’s 19^th century "Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande-Jatte" but with the inclusion of several well-known Greenville figures such as Shoeless Joe Jackson. The unveiling of the mural included the Stone Academy fifth-graders who helped paint the mural, as well as Mayor Knox White.

The following year a mural was installed on The Scout Hut, a West Earle building owned by the Earle Street Baptist Church. “Be the change you want to see in the neighborhood,” urges a boy scout looking through the aquarium. The artist, Calista Bockenstette, used interferon paint that changes color depending on the viewer’s perspective, bringing the aquatic seascape to life.

Then last year, the Stone Mural Project gained its third member, flower and plant-themed mural “Whatever you are, be a good one.” A group of North Main area artists, college students and fifth-graders painted the vibrant floral tableau on the blue-gray background of 217 E. Stone Ave. The mural was based on Stone Academy’s theme “Live Big,” and was directed by guest artist Jean Wilson Freeman.

This year’s theme is “New Beginnings,” and what more appropriate subject than the life cycle of the butterfly? Local artist Sunny Mullarkey Studio designed the mural depicting the life cycle of the SC state butterfly (the eastern tiger swallowtail), which has also been painted by the 5^th graders and Furman University art students. 233 Stone Ave, what used to be WESC-FM Greenville’s country radio station, today houses Hammack Law Firm.

“Every day is a new beginning” marks the 4^th in the series of 12 murals that is the brainchild of Stone Academy parent and North Main resident Stephanie Burnette. Speaking of new beginnings, the first group of 5^th graders that participated in the Stone Mural Project will be graduating college when the 12^th mural is being painted, resulting in a dozen Stone graduating classes that will have left their mark on Greenville.

The artist with the mural she designed at the unveiling

The ribbon cutting of this year's mural was today, Wednesday, May 31^st at 11am.

Garden to classroom salsa

Joining the student garden team at Lauris’s elementary school has been an exciting adventure! In our first year we reestablished a vegetable garden in what is affectionately called the “Secret Garden” and in the spring installed a butterfly and pollinator garden with indigenous and drought-tolerant species. We succeeded in our goal to get every single classroom out to the garden, and although our seed-starting in the classroom program got off to a rocky start, we learned many valuable lessons along the way and gained insight into how best to allocate our time and resources during this school year.

Planting the seeds of our fall garden

One of our main goals in the current school year is to get the fresh food we grow onto the students’ plates. Although we had classrooms in the Secret Garden to taste carrots, radish, lettuce and other goodies last year, a good percentage went to seed or was gifted to volunteers, as sometimes there wasn’t enough for an entire classroom to taste or take home. Other times we did send a classroom home with a treat (like a ‘make your own salad’ baggie) and heard that students forgot, meaning parents found an unpleasant surprise in their backpacks a few days later. While brainstorming the issue we decided we would have to bring the garden to the classroom... and that is just what we’re doing with our Secret Garden Salsa!

"Check out these peppers, mom!"

The tomatoes (including our Ark of Taste Cherokee Purples) are currently one of the most prolific crops in the garden, and with a class of 20-30 students it is possible to time the harvest so that each student can participate in the gathering. After a tour of the garden we let them search for and pick the tomatoes, gently coaching them on how to tell if a tomato is ripe and the correct way to harvest. The kids gather their haul and then we head to the classroom.

Splitting up into groups allows everyone to get involved while also allowing for adequate supervision (and enough tools) for the children doing the chopping. As we’re working with children as young as the 1^st grade, I invested in a couple sets of these Curious Chef nylon knives. This doesn’t eliminate the need for a little tutorial on knife safety, but it does cut down on the possibility of injury; the serrated cutting edge can slice a tomato, but the blunt tip, ergonomic handle (made for small hands) and soft touch button grips prevent slipping and are designed to protect from cuts during proper use.

It was necessary to supplement the ingredients we picked from the garden. The previous week I had picked the tomatoes that were ripe and stored them in my fridge; this way an unforeseen harvest the previous day (or maybe just a hungry squirrel) didn't ruin the activity. In addition to these back-up tomatoes we bought cilantro, limes and onions for the making of our pico de gallo. I currently have onions ready in my personal garden, but the school onions were harvested this spring to make room for one of the summer crops, and cilantro just doesn’t do well in the summer heat - otherwise you could really harvest all the ingredients from the garden. The children cut everything but the lime (an adult used a real knife to cut that in half), and the ingredients were combined in a large bowl and mixed well by the students.

While the last of the onion was being chopped, another team set the table with small plates and chips, and soon the whole classroom sat down to their home-made snack. We had some concern over whether the kids would eat salsa (that doesn’t look like the stuff that comes out of the jar), but were actually impressed with the percentage of kids who tried it. The first week of school a friend of the Secret Garden brought fresh tomatoes in for the class to try, and more than a couple had declared they don’t eat tomatoes…  Well, apparently they do when they’ve made their own salsa!

While a portion of the class was busy with the cutting and mixing, the teacher was educating the rest on the meaning of the term ‘recipe’, and how to share our salsa-making experience with others. Together they composed a list of ingredients, tools needed, and created the step-by-step instructions seen below on how to make pico de gallo. As an added bonus, this recipe (along with some pictures) will be sent home to the parents, possibly encouraging them to take a shot at creating some fresh salsa in the home. We’ve since expanded our garden to classroom repertoire to include cucumber salad, and also shared our golden watermelon harvest with a couple of classrooms; now to figure out what to do with our green peppers and the bevy of parsley, basil and thyme! Any suggestions?

On the hunt for tomatoes!

Secret Garden Salsa Recipe 

(by Ms. B's 1st graders!)

Tomatoes

Peppers (optional, we used a couple of pimiento peppers from the garden in lieu of jalapenos)

Cilantro

Onions

Lime

Salt

Knives

Chips

1.    Pick the tomatoes

2.    Cut the tomatoes, peppers and onions

3.    Tear cilantro leaves

4.    Put it in the bowl

5.    Squeeze the lime over it

6.    Sprinkle with salt

7.    Mix it up

8.    Eat with chips!

Moving art outdoors

Taking note of the global trend of outdoor education, one local Greenville public school has taken steps towards a more nature-oriented art program with the installation of an outdoor art studio. Stone Academy, in Greenville’s North Main neighborhood, yesterday hosted the ribbon cutting for their new outdoor art space.

Funded partially by volunteer hours and labor, and partially with funds donated through last fall’s Boosterthon event, the outdoor studio will be fully operational by the start of the 2016-17 school year. Landscaped with slate in lieu of mulch in hopes of eliminating yearly maintenance needs, the space will feature 15-30 wrought iron easels, picnic tables and a bright red shade sail.

During the ribbon cutting for the Outdoor Art Studio, art teacher Mr. Benjamin emphasized the importance of bringing the students outdoors in their studies before longtime Stone Academy principal Mr. Ed Holliday cut the ribbon. Mr. Holliday is retiring at the end of the year after 23 years at Stone Academy, and the Outdoor Art Studio features an inscribed stone in his honor at the entrance to the studio.

The ribbon-cutting was the climax of the first annual Stone Artist’ Sidewalk Sale, proceeds of which will go toward the Stone Academy art program.

A weekend of 2 great causes - Arts Alive and Project Host

There is TONS of stuff going on in Greenville now that the weather is nicer. There is always something going on, but right around this time of year there are more festivals than you can attend! We kicked off the weekend at Arts Alive, the annual spring fundraiser for Stone Academy. With food, live music, rides, games and a silent auction we had our work cut out for us; the boys voted to start with the rides and games.

Stone Academy is one of three magnet elementary schools in Greenville County. The emphasis at Stone is on the arts, and the silent auction featured artwork created by the students. There were also a few art-related booths like the one allowing kids to take a turn at a pottery wheel, however the majority of games and rides are the sort you would find at a carnival: a dunk tank, cake walk, bounce house and so on. In my opinion the top attraction was the music lineup, which included Greenville percussion guru Jeff Holland and singer/songwriter Darby Wilcox.

Vilis watches Darby Wilcox takes the stage while Jeff Holland packs it up

After hot dogs and a snow cone the youngest member of our entourage was feeling tired, and so we headed home just as the silent auction was ending and the Rolling Stones cover band consisting of all Stone parents took the stage. You can find my 2013 Arts Alive recap here, and the one from 2014 here.

It was pure chance that we ended up in downtown Saturday for the second half of the BBQ Cookoff festival. Roberts and the boys took the trolley downtown while I was out running errands, but once I heard there was a BBQ festival on, I hurriedly took the groceries home and went to join them! In its sixth year, the people’s choice chicken wing competition was on Friday night while the judged barbeque and rib cooking contest was Saturday. We tasted pulled pork BBQ from a majority of the cooking teams including a couple of our favorites such as Henry’s.

Put on by Project Host, the event was a fundraiser for the following: Project Host Soup Kitchen, the C.C. Pearce Community Culinary School (teaching culinary and life skills to the chronically unemployed including job placement assistance), Project Host Catering (offering catering by the culinary students and benefiting the Culinary School) and the Feeding Hungry Children Project (which provides 450 healthy after school meals weekly to children who are at risk of going to bed hungry). According to the Project Host website, it is the first soup kitchen in the country to have a garden on-site. In addition, on the third Thursday of every month they host a reservations-only dinner designed to give the culinary students more practical experience. For more information on Project Host and how you can get involved in this organization benefitting our community, please visit their website, www.projecthost.org.

Falls Park selfie!

For more stuff happening downtown check out the City of Greenville events page here. There’s something almost every night of the week! Thursday evenings; Downtown Alive at NOMA Square on Main St. - featuring rock, blues, funk, and cover bands. Fridays are also at NOMA Square - Main Street Friday featuring jazz, blues, oldies and soul music bands. The Saturday Market reopens for the year Saturday the 2^nd (Main St. at McBee Ave.), and the Moonlight Movies classic movie series in Falls Park will be starting up again on Wednesday, May 6^th (click here for schedule). The Rotary Club of Greenville is hosting the annual Reedy River duck derby on May 2^nd, and Artisphere is scheduled for May 8-10. If that’s not enough to keep you busy for the next couple of weeks let me know, and you can come help out here; the month of May will be all hands on deck!

A spring fling with Park Hop, Storyventures and Arts Alive

With summer slowly approaching the calendar is filling up! A few of our favorites include a new program at the Greenville Library, Storyventures, and the LiveWell Park Hop, an annual summer-long event with LiveWell, all the parks and recreation departments in Greenville county, plus Paris Mountain State Park. The opening celebration was Saturday in Conestee Park, and despite the gloomy weather we headed out to play games and compete in the scavenger hunt. The new Park Hop passport was unveiled, and this year’s clues can be found spread wide over Greenville County, from Paris Mountain State Park to the Greenville Drive and Children’s Museum. Designed to help participants discover parks within the community as well as stay active through physical activity, we found it last year to give us motivation to visit areas we might not otherwise have seen, such as Cedar Falls Park. To register and download your copy of the park passport, visit the LiveWell Greenville website. 

Storyventures is a new program at the Hughes Main Library, and we signed up for the April program featuring the senses. Based on the Reggio Emilia learning philosophy, the hour-long program is geared towards children age three to five and takes place every Friday over the course of a month. During April we explored the senses, discovering the color green, texture, smell and light. Mikus tagged along, even participating in storytime and some of the activities. I had the opportunity to learn techniques for guiding and documenting the boys’ explorations and discoveries, and we are looking forward to the program restarting in October. For more information and registration, please contact the Hughes Main Library.

We will be participating in the summer reading “Explore Your World” program as well, which kicks off Friday, May 30^th at the Main Library with children’s activities, a children’s book sale and Lollipops concert. Starting that Friday you will be able to register at the library location you visit most frequently to pick up a reading log. The program runs through July 26^th and more information can be found on the Greenville Library website.

A few weeks ago we headed out to Stone Academy for the annual fundraiser, Arts Alive. Organized by the PTA, it featured dozens of games and activities for children of all ages, food, live music, auctions of artwork created by the students, and a raffle which this year included prizes such as a diamond necklace and a restaurant dining package worth over $1,000. Although we didn’t luck out in the drawing we had a great time, filling up on snowcones, popcorn, M&Ms, hot dogs and iced coffee.

Even with all the programs and festivals taking place, we have a few projects going on at home. Plus, the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship is taking place in Belarus. Coming through with a big win against the US last week in the preliminaries, the Latvian team is once again surprising the world with their excellent defense and teamwork. Back to back games Monday and Tuesday landed them just outside of the quarterfinals, but I know we’ll be seeing more of phenomenal goalkeepers Gudlevskis and Masalskis, as well as legends Daugaviņš and Girgensons.

source here

Enough to stay busy for a while, don’t you think? Greenville has an amazing list of programs for kids this summer, and if you are looking for fun activities to participate in I hope you'll join in! 

PS I wrote about last year's Park Hop and summer reading program here.

The Latvian School of Chicago

One of the cornerstones of the Latvian society in Chicago is the Krišjāņa Barona latviešu skola (KBLS), the Latvian School of Chicago. The elementary and high school was founded in 1950 by Latvian immigrants who fled to the United States from Latvia after WWII, and moved to the present location at the Chicago Latvian Zion Church on Montrose Avenue in 1976. The stated objective of the school is to “involve children and youth in Latvian community life, and to provide interested families and their children a program of instruction in the Latvian language, culture, history and current events.” The school uses the American Latvian Association curriculum as a basis for its program, and there are a growing number of children who homeschool through KBLS in cities that don’t have Latvian school programs.

I graduated KBLS in 1998, after 14 years of Saturdays spent in the kindergarten, elementary and high school classrooms learning how to dance traditional Latvian folk dances, play the kokle (a wooden string instrument most similar to the zither), soldering silver jewelry with Latvian motifs and amber inlays, and making friends and connections that will stay with me for years to come. In a sense I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity, as there are only 10 to 15 year-round Latvian schools in the US, in addition to the 3 summer programs and one or two preschools. However, none of these are in South Carolina, and short of starting up a program ourselves, Lauris and Mikus will not have this opportunity – which is why we jumped at the chance to visit the Lāčbērni preschool class while in Chicago.

Lauris sporting a Nīcas costume

It was like a French reunion as our friends from Chatenet, France were also in town visiting. All three boys spent the morning working on their counting and sorting skills, practicing their letters and phonetics, and learning about the traditional Latvian folk costumes. Lauris immediately recognized his old friends from the Biz Biz program he attended this summer in Gaŗezers, and even though Mikus preferred the train table to the school table I believe he did get something of value out of the morning’s lessons.

After lunch in the cafeteria we stayed on to bake some piparkūkas (the Latvian Christmas cookie), lending a hand with the community cookie bake. The results will be sold at the annual Christmas market, with proceeds benefitting the school. The next bake will be on December 7^th, so I urge all you Chicagoans reading this to pencil it in your calendars and go pitch in; it was a fun time socializing over a cup of coffee and the cookie cutters, and everyone is welcome to join in.

Lobster claws!!!

Then snow pants, gloves and hats went on, and the three friends ventured out to the playground. The boys had prime spots to watch planes passing overhead on their approach to O’Hare airport, but soon even this couldn’t distract them from the cold wind on exposed noses and cheeks…

After helping decorate the scout and guide Christmas tree we watched folk dancing rehearsals, laughing at our polka memories as both of us moms had danced similar steps in the very same room many years ago. Another cup of coffee, more antics on behalf of the boys and soon it was time to head to grandmother’s house for time with family and a delicious dinner. A big thank you to the Latvian School of Chicago for so graciously accepting us into their fold Saturday, and maybe one day we’ll be joining the ranks of Latvian school students homeschooling with the KBLS materials.