Tuesday, January 15, 2008

We're back!

DH had a training class last week, so the girls and I joined him mid-week and we stayed through Sunday night.  Got out before their storm hit!   Wow, is it ever beautiful up there.  It was our first time in New England and the girls' first time flying. 

While waiting for our plane to leave, we read one of the Home School Share units, The Bobbin Girl.  Then the next morning, we did a few lessons talking about the Industrial Revolution, textile mills, and the town of Lowell, MA that was the first PLANNED industrial city.  THEN, we WENT to Lowell!  It was only about 5 miles from our hotel! How cool is that!?!   We toured the factory and learned even more.  The factory is still producing cloth and one of the workers gave the girls some samples. 

We went to the Boston Museum of Science, which we got in free to because we are members of a local Zoo and they are one of the recipricating zoos/museums.  
Three stories and lots to do! 

We did a coastline drive Saturday and went to Maine.  On the way there, we drove up through New Hampshire (more inland before heading to coast) and saw a castle and "America's Stonehenge."  We saw some men ice fishing and the girls wanted to walk on the ice, so we stopped.  Boy, did they have some large, beautiful Rainbow Trouts!  

Then, we continued east toward the coast.....we couldn't have picked two more beautiful days to do the coast!  It was in the lower to mid-40s with blue skies and just a few clouds.   Gorgeous!!! 

The girls got to walk the beach, chase the waves (well, really the waves chased them and they ran like mad!), see sand dunes, gather shells and pretty rocks.  We visited a lighthouse Saturday night, Sunday morning to see the sunrise, and then went back later Sunday morning to see it in the broad daylight.  That afternoon, we took a cliff walk and hiked up on top of the cliffs above the ocean.

Sadly the time passed all too fast and we had to head back down to Boston for our flight out.  But it was a lovely little trip!  We'd like to go back! 

One thing that DH and I both noted was how *friendly* everyone was!  Almost everyone you passed, looked you in the eye and smiled or nodded or said hello.  Some even stopped to talk awhile.  Thanks, New England, for a warm welcome!

I'll have to post some pictures another time.  I've got a couple thousand to go through.     Filled up three 2G cards!



Thursday, January 3, 2008

Ever play the game

"We're Going On a Trip?"  (And I'm taking an apple, a basket, a cat, a dog, an elephant, a fishing pole, etc...   It's a great game for memory and alphabetizing, since each person has to start at the beginning and say each word in order until they get to the next letter and they get to add a new one beginning with that letter.  We've had lots of fun with it in the car.

Well, last night, I printed two copies of this out:


Mommy's going on a trip

on an Airplane

to Boston

and I'm taking my Coat



then way down below in tiny letters, I wrote

and I'm taking YOU!






Then I folded them into a paper airplane and after supper they sailed across the table to the girls.   

They were  quite excited--once they read the fine print!    Well, dd7 wasn't at first.  They had been told that only Mommy and Daddy were going to Boston and that they would be staying with Grandma and Grandpa.  They were really looking forward to staying in Grandma and Grandpa's newly redone guest room, with its bed full of pillows (and bounciness!).   But then the realization she was going on an AIRPLANE sunk in! 

Boston, here we come!


Wednesday, January 2, 2008

It's off!

DD10's salmon picture (see other blog entry) is off to Washington state.  Who knows, maybe next month we'll be taking a trip to Washington DC to the exhibit!  We told her if she wins first, we will go down to see it on display! 

I won!

Wow!  I won books!  Those who know me, know that my idea of heaven includes a large (very large!) library!  And, those who know me, know I love unit studies! 

So, to win Book 1 of the Terrestria Chronicles entitled The Sword, The Ring, and the Parchment and the Study Guide for the entire series, means I feel like I'm almost in heaven!

"The Terrestria Chronicles were written to honor Christ and be as true to Scripture as possible."

"
The Terrestria Chronicles allegory series was written with a three-fold purpose: to honor Jesus Christ as King, to challenge young readers to love and serve Him, and to teach them to guard their hearts for Him. The focus of the series is always on the King."

"
Alive with fast-paced action in a medieval setting, Book 1 of the Terrestria allegory series encourages the reader to live as a child of the King."


Ooooo...sounds great!  I can't wait to read it!

Thanks, HSBlogger, for putting on this contest and for making my day!