Here Comes Science Sampler: Dinosaurs!

I am a payyyyyy-leon-taaaaah-lo-giiiiist!
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I aaaaaaam.
(Watch the video -- it's a jazzy song you just have to sing all day.  At least that's what we do.  It's Linus's favorite.  It's good, I promise.  Even if you don't love dinosaurs.)

We're back!!  The Here Comes Science Sampler is BACK!  Resurrecting a lot of things lately (no seasonal pun intended)!

We've read a lot of dinosaur books.  This is the best glossary we've unearthed -- hands down.  (Bonus: minimal number of pictures of bloody, fleshy predator-prey situations.  It is what it is, of course, but so many dinosaur fans are about 3 years old -- it's nice to have books that are enjoyable and less likely to cause this question to be asked at bedtime, "Mama, do predators come to our house?"  No, honey, they don't  <3 )

I could go on (and on and on and on) with good titles.  But, you can discover your favorites at the library.  The section is usually well marked.  Or, the carpet is worn in that patch, about the size of three-year-old feet.

If you like dinosaurs, why not:

put together little dinos? (Thank you, Michael's dollar section.)

 Or BIG dinos?

Or excavate dinos? (We ARE paleontologists.)

There's also Diggin' Dinos Monopoly Jr. and breadstick "bones."
We're starting some dioramas next.  Sela renamed them "dinoramas."  That cracked us up.

I'm actually really fascinated at this point, too.  How to hold the dinosaur phenomenon in one's head??  The geography of it, the climates, the concept of time, extinction.  The factoids.  For instance, the skull of the T. rex weighed... 750 pounds.  The brain of a stegasaurus... size of a walnut.  A creature that weighed 100 tons.  100. Tons.

It's good stuff!

Be Inspired Today

Game Spotlight: Is Back!

Why not pull out a game this weekend?!

Maybe a new one, maybe an old classic -- like Linus and I enjoyed.  Every time we play a game, it goes a little differently.  We're all different each time, after all, having had a different kind of day, full of different experiences, people, thoughts, and moods.  We've learned new things and gained new perspectives since the last time.  But, mostly -- it's just fun.

This time, we made up stories for how exactly that bucket kept getting kicked over, spilling all of our delicious cherries, and what we did when the bird stole our cherries.  And that dog -- well, she just usually wanted us to play fetch with her.  She always returned the cherries, and we usually found a good stick to throw for her.

Happy weekending.

For the Love of Pi. (Okay, pie.)

Experiment with pi.

Notice circles.

Really think about pi.
Really, really think about pi.
Be open to pi.
Be serenaded by pi.

EAT pie.

Happy Pi Day

...yesterday.  

BUT, every day is a good day for pi(e).

See the World with New Eyes

I'm not a good photographer.  Getting better is on my list of things to do "when my kids are bigger," but, while they're small, I don't want to get so distracted.  And the dishes and laundry are not going to do themselves.  Darnit.

In the meantime, I'm getting a kick out of a Photo A Day project that Suzie sent my way!  It's just the boost I need, in just the right size package.

Today's challenge was "Under."  It was so much fun.

At the library, I started here --

Okay.
Getting warmed up.
Getting the feel for noticing "under."
But -- I think I can do better.

 Oh, I like this...

Under! (and under, and under)

Oops.  I did it again.
Book Sale.
Asked my friends to "keep it under wraps."
Shhhh.

Had to snap (tap?) this one for a friend.

I'm seeing "under" in more places and in new ways.

We put lunch "under Linus's name."

 Under the Starbucks counter.

I was so focused on being Under that I was surprised to
see what was Next To.  Just two pals out for a stroll.

Linus wanted us to take a picture of what was Under the roof of the car -- it was us!
And things got Silly!

 Silly!

 Silly!

He crawled to the front of the car & just look what was Under his shoe.

Under is everywhere.

Under Linus's tongue...

On the way home we drove by the Bicycling Hall of Fame.  Hmm-- a sport under scrutiny lately.

Now I can't stop.  I'm seeing it everywhere.  Things that are underrated, underserved, understated.  And, of course, things that are just plain under.  A woman waiting for a bus while standing under a bus sign that is under a tree.  And I find myself wondering as I drive along: what does it look like under that?  And that?  And that?

Now I'm just noticing more.
I call this one Garbage Day.

 

 We end the day with a

Pinata under construction.

And, I end the day with new inspiration.  

Check out the Flickr group, FMS Photo a Day, to see some beautiful and creative photography.