Williamsburg Field Trip - Part 1

A few weeks ago DH came home with the news that he still had a few more vacation days he needed to use this fall. We mulled over several possibilities, but finally decided on a trip to Williamsburg/Jamestown. It is a fairly easy drive from where we live and we could do most of the activities in a two day/one night stay...which made it affordable. My mom offered to come up and stay with Robbie. As much as I hate leaving him behind, it was easier for DH and I to see the exhibits and take tours with the older girls. Plus, he had a blast with his Mamaw.

We left early Thursday morning and got to our hotel a little after 1pm. After dropping off our bags and picking up the tickets we headed down to Jamestown.


First, the National Park Jamestown Fort. Although there was a fairly long walking tour, we concentrated on the Fort and the Archearium.



Jamestown is a working archeological dig.

They are currently digging out the original well that John Smith dug for Jamestown. The well, turned briney and became a garbage pit after a new well was dug. Most of the artifacts they are finding are dating to the starving time, and includes bones of the small creatures (rats) they ate...ewww.
This a a model of the fort. Mary was really excited to see this, as one of her projects a few weeks ago was to draw a map of the fort. It looked very similar to this model.

Since foot traffic was very light at the museum when we were there, the workers were able to stop and talk to us about what they had been finding.

Here the girls are looking at Native pottery shards that no one else has seen in 400 years. They were just screened out of that pile of dirt that afternoon.

The National Park Service also operates a museum, called an archearium, where they display all the remains and artifacts they have uncovered in the last two decades. As we entered the girls were each given a picture scavenger hunt for an award at the end.

Mary had to find a silver "ear picker". Worn around the neck of a wealthy person, they used it to clean their teeth, clean under their fingernails and remove ear wax.


Let's just add that to my Christmas list.

Katie had to find a group of blue glass beads that were used for trading with the natives. And, Emily was sent in search of a double fish hook.

It was a great activity for the girls, and the docent made sure that we had to cover the whole exhibit area to find them all.

After that we paid homage to Pocahontas
We visited the glassblowers.

The day was kind of chilly and damp. Those hot ovens felt so good to stand nearby.
Here the glassblowers are making glasses that are sold in the gift shop. Beautiful pieces. We found out the glassblowing was one of the earliest industries created in Jamestown due to the abundance of sand and trees for fuel.
One of these men had been working at Jamestown for 12 years as a glassblower.
After the glassblowers, a short trip up the road took us to the Virginia Commonwealth Jamestown Settlement museum. Continue this visit in Part II.

Peace,

Amy

Monday before Halloween

I think it is time for a break. The kids are still doing well, you can just sense that they are ready for something exciting.

It is a good thing DH and I have planned a sleep-away field trip for later this week.


No worries though, we will be home in time for the Halloween festivities. In preparation, DH spent the evening carving pumpkins.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that they actually last until Saturday night.





Peace,

Amy

Finally some good days

The last couple of weeks my main focus has just been to hold it all together and get through this series of migraines. The kids have been wonderful, and just generally cooperative. The weather change at the end of last week to cold and drizzly did not help matters. So, by yesterday when the sun came out and the temps warmed up we took a much needed outside field trip.

We went back to one of our favorite places, the education forest at Lake Jordan. It was interesting to see what the shore line looked like after a summer of rising and falling lake depths.

The kids found a lot of animal tracks down at the water. The identified a family of deer and a raccoon that had been there as early as that morning.


We also collected a bunch of rose quartz rock that we will use for some craft project.
It was just a beautiful day to be down on the water.

Being in the trees wasn't too bad either. This area of the forest had recently undergone a controlled burn by the forest service and new growth was beginning. It was interesting talking about what had burned and what had not, and also how burns can help a forest.

We came home for some lunch and a little rest before our evening activities kicked off. Katie's drama class was wrapping up their first quarter with a little play for the families. Katie's group was doing a play based upon the Aesop Fable "Belling the Cat". Katie was the cat and spent most of the play showcasing her snoring ability.


After the play Katie told me that she LOVES being in front of everybody and performing. I really thinks she does.

After the play we had to do a quick change to take Katie to her Brownie meeting where they were being invested as Brownie scouts that evening. I dropped her off so that they could have their meeting beforehand and I could grab a quick dinner. Came back just in time for the ceremony to begin.



My camera's battery lasted through the first part of the ceremony, but died just as I was taking a picture of Katie being pinned.

Next week Mary has her investiture ceremony, even though I am leading I am hoping to get a photo of her. After that I will have to take a photo of the two of them wearing their vest, they look so spiffy.

We are still managing to balance all the evening activities. It is a good thing the kids don't have to get up in the morning to meet a schoolbus or do all that homework, they would be burned out...or I would. Tonight we will be having a "family dinner". Mary is helping me plan and cook the meal, and we will sit down to catch up and enjoy our time together.

Peace,

Amy

New and old learning techniques

Back when I was a newbie to homeschooling I fell in love with The Well-Trained Mind and Charlotte Mason. It was the education that I wanted for myself. Unfortunately, the approach did not mix with Mary at 6, or 7, or even 8. She wanted to DO, to be on the go and of course her reading lag did not help. So, we fell into a mix of materials and a lot of child-led activities. By mix and blending; sometimes pushing and sometimes waiting Mary, and then Katie, have grown and learned.

Ever the optimist, I planned out to start this year trying out a literature-based approach to history, a blend of living books for science and keep my fingers crossed. And, wow, at 9 & 7 they are really enjoying learning this year. I'm enjoying teaching this year. Add in that they LOVE Math Mammoth and the style it is presented so far...and I am almost giddy.

Today, we finished with school by 1:30pm but the girls were so into the the books we are reading that we kept going until just before 3pm.

Yesterday I found out something nifty...I could download You Tube videos to our mp3 players. Which means Mary can listen and watch videos such as these as often as she wants.





And, yes, she just about has the Presidents all memorized.

Homeschooling is FUN!!

Peace,

Amy

The Miracle Fish

Last week Mary used her money to add another member to our family, a betta fish she named King.

On Monday, unknown to the rest of the family, Robbie managed to sneak in her bedroom. Inquisitive 3-year-olds and fish do not generally have happy endings. At least 30 minutes later (Robbie had had a bath and eaten) Mary realized that her fish tank was empty. We searched her floor and the table it was on...no King. When Robbie was asked about it he pointed to one of the kittens. We figured that King was no longer with us. Mary was heartbroken that she wouldn't even be able to bury the poor creature.

When Mary went to her bed to mourn, she found King on her comforter still flopping around. We quickly got him into some water and three days later he is still swimming and looking stronger every day.

So far, he is our miracle fish.

Peace,

Amy

Reading Day

Woke up this morning to the third consecutive day of heavy, gray clouds and drizzle. Combine that with generalized depression from the migraines and I really wasn't looking forward to another day of table work. Checking emails this morning I was reminded we have books due on Saturday...so today became reading day. We have read about early settlers, pilgrims, volcanoes, trains and firetrucks. We have read three versions of The Little Red Hen, "Click Clack Moo" and another chapter in "The Magickers".

By the time my voice gave out the sky had cleared and the temperature was perfect to be outside. The wind had even died down enough that we might not even get beaned by the gigantic acorns falling.

The big girls wanted to help plant our fall/winter garden.


At this point I'm just going to try to grow some cabbage and broccoli. Two crops that I have never had much success with, but am always up for the challenge.

The peanut gallery watched from a safe distance until they figured it would be more fun to play on the swing set.



The kids are off playing with friends, since it is early-release Wednesday and I am enjoying a small bit of quiet in the house. A pot of Brunswick stew is simmering on the stove, made from the leftover pork roast from last night. Later tonight after a good dinner we will pull the books back out and read some more.

Peace,

Amy

Another picture-heavy post

Last week was basically a sane-normal week. Or, would have been if not for the attack of cluster migraines. Basically sharp, intensely painful migraines that hit suddenly and last for 45 minutes-2hours, one or two times a day for a period of weeks. After they pass I can function, but feel like I have been hit by a truck.

It was all about making it until Friday for Robbie's birthday. I can hardly believe that he actually turned 3. Has it really been three years since all the chaos that surrounded us at the time he was born. My mom came up for the weekend and our planned field trip to the zoo. With my headaches I bowed out of the zoo, not wanting to disappoint the kids by a sudden attack. DH was able to take the day off and go with my mom for crowd control.





While they were gone I was able to bake his cake and get some well-deserved rest. Wow, a day of quiet will do wonders for my spirit. And, I was ready to do some three-year-old partying.




With mom here over the weekend we could get some much needed shopping done. I found a winter coat for all four of the children. The long-range forecasts are calling for an actual winter this year and I want to be ready for it in case we have another surprise ice storm in early December.

Sunday, of course, was another trip to the soccer fields. Mary's team did okay. Not as sharp as last weekend, but better than the week before.



Back to the grind today... school was done well (lots of good job stickers handed out today) and the house is a mess. But I couldn't pass up the opportunity to sit outside and watch the kids play this afternoon between rain showers. Paper airplanes and gliders have been made in bunches Sunday and today. This afternoon was time to see how they flew.






We will just have to see what the rest of the week holds for us.

Peace,

Amy