Another Field Trip!

This morning at the breakfast table I looked out the window and said, "Today would have been a perfect day to go on a field trip." It was beautiful weather, we had nothing going on, and it was the middle of the week. I find Wednesday's to draw less crowds than other days. (I was right. We practically had the place to ourselves.) We all agreed we should go somewhere and jumped up to get ready. We went to a free nature and science center about 40 minutes away. It was fabulous! In the science center there was a walk through digestive system and heart, a hospital to play in, a fire safety area where you could dress up in real fire fighter and police clothes, nutrition area, weather area, and much more. Everything was hands on. My kids could have stayed in any one area all day. There was also a planetarium with lots of hands on activities and we got our own private planetarium show since we were the only ones there. It was great because we could talk and ask lots of questions. I could point out to the kids things we've learned before or quiz them on it. I could follow-up at home by having them do reports or look at the night sky with them tonight. It's so fun being a part of their learning. If they had gone there on a school field trip I wouldn't have been able to do that. (And they probably wouldn't have learned much.)
In the nature center there was a touch tank, lots of reptiles and animals, a cave with more animals, and an aquarium. We all liked the parrot the best who actually talked to us. There was also a cockatoo who said, "Happy Birthday," which we got a kick out of.

The most ironic thing that just makes me laugh is this: There is an area that talks about the evils of tobacco and all that. Then we go outside to eat our lunch at the playground and picnic tables and I smell smoke. I look over and see a lady smoking. I can't believe smoking would be allowed at a health and science center so I look around and not too far away there is a "Welcome to our tobacco free park" sign with a picture of a cigarette and a line through it. We eat our lunch, she's done smoking, I wish I had said something, we go on the train ride. We come back, she's lighting up again, and as I walk by I have the courage to point out the no smoking sign. She says she didn't see it. We go over to the fossil dig. There's a dad smoking. I politely point out the no smoking sign. Then I'm thinking I should have asked if they saw the tobacco display in the science center. I'm wondering, "Who brings their kid to a health and science center which has all these things on fire safety, bike and car seat safety, nutrition, and health, then goes outside and smokes? For some reason I found it funny.
Ok, here are the pictures now.

Sitting in front of a fountain

Madalyn being a piece of food and getting eaten! There was a cool walk-through digestive system that the kids loved. They even made me squeeze through it.


Trying out the fire fighter and police officer gear.

Thomas hitting the pipes to make music.

Riding the train! It was fun to have it to ourselves.

Digging for shark's teeth. We found quite a few.

Attempting the rock climbing wall.

Kylie as a human sundial. You stand on the month and put your arm straight up. Wherever the shadow is, that's what time it is. If you look closely you can see Kylie's shadow between the 12 and 1.

The Pumpkin Patch

We love this pumpkin patch. It's just a house that grows a lot of pumpkins and they're really nice.

We were the only ones there and the kids had a great time running around through the maze of pumpkins. On the way home Kylie said, "You could ask them to baby-sit us and we could play outside all day there."

Winter Jammies

The girls get the giggles the first time wearing warm jammies.

Bring out the sleepers!

Once Upon A Child had a deal of buy 3, get one free, so it was easy for us to stock up on sleepers. I didn't realize Lexi was the only one to not pick out patterned. We'll have to go back. :)

I can't believe how cool it's been already. We had the heater on all last week. I guess I shouldn't be surprised what with the cool summer and all. Usually our garden dies by the 4th of July because of the heat. With the moderate temps and plentiful rain this year, it has really thrived. We don't water or weed, but it's still growing strong! Just tonight I picked 2 big bell peppers. Usually they're the first to die in June. Alexis' watermelon plant grew and did nothing all summer, but finally on conference weekend we picked the one and only melon. We also have lots of tomatoes still growing. There's a bunch that are green right now that I hope with the sun this week they'll turn red. I've been so surprised that things are still alive.

Spencer's Birthday

Making pink ice cream cone cupcakes

Nathan took the day off and took Spencer bowling--something he's begged to do for 10 months.

I hit a great boy yard sale and got Spencer roller blades, a mitt & ball, wallet, jeans,
and sneakers all for less than $5.

A few nights later I go into the kitchen to make sure everything is cleaned up before going to bed and I find this. Earlier I had let Thomas stay up after the other kids had gone to bed and I had heard him in the kitchen, but never knew of any damage. Evidently he pushed a chair against the stove and eaten the tops off each cupcake cone starting from the right and moving towards the left. I think he was looking for one with real ice cream in it--his favorite treat. The one in the back on the right is the only one untouched. Nathan and I got a kick out of it.

Field Trip!!

We've had enough of staying home bored, so this week we decided to take our new van for a spin. We're studying the 1700's right now, and since we missed Williamsburg homeschool days the week our old van was broken, I looked online to find a town in North Carolina that had similar colonial activities to make up for it. We found Edenton over on the coast, the first colonial capital of NC, and studied up on it before going. We learned about the famous people who lived there and some of the major events like the Edenton Tea Party, which happened 10 months after the Boston one. Like Boston, Edenton was a major sea port during the 1700's and 1800's until Norfolk boomed and practically put it out of business.
I guess I didn't take many pictures inside the colonial houses we went in--too busy being interested in everything:)--but I have pictures of other things we did. By the way, Kylie got everyone dressed in coordinating outfits before I even woke up. :)

Mesmerized by the fish at the free aquarium.
(I know they're not colonial, but I figured we may as well get a little science in too.)

Having a quick picnic lunch because the ducks were trying to get our food. After a few minutes there were about 40 swarming around us, scaring Alexis and Thomas.

A walk onto a pier.

Taking a trolley ride! We learned a lot of history about the town and got to see houses from the 1700's, the very first church built in NC in 1701, a cotton mill, and lots of other cool places. We mostly loved looking for Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, and Victorian era homes and buildings. We studied up on the eras from my BYU interior design textbook and the girls really soaked it in. The tour guides were impressed they were picking out chippendale wing chairs and Queen Anne high boys. It's fun to feel smart once in awhile. :) It was mostly fun to have so many houses to practice on and see so many real examples.