Camps

This past week both Daniel and Emily had camps.

Daniel had tennis camp in the mornings. You have to be nine to attend, so he has been waiting two years to be able to go! He learned a lot and had fun with a few of the kids. He also got to drink Gatorade since it was so hot, which was a first, and a favorite! Each day the coaches watched for particular behaviors and prizes were given at the end of each day to one child in each group. On Tuesday, Daniel won the prize for Listening for his group and got a gift card for a free hair cut (at the place where we go already, too!) Friday the prizes were for things like "Most Improved." Daniel won the top prize of the week, for Sportsmanship, and got a $20 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods. Eddie had the red-eye home from Alaska the night before so he was able to be there on Friday, so we both got to watch him play and receive the award. Our eyes got leaky.

Emily had an all day science camp taught by the public school teacher of one of her friends. They attended together, and enjoyed each other's company as well as the activities each day. Each day Emily would tell us about the things they made and did in the car, and at home she would show us how to do some of the things, like making duck calls out of straws. It was neat to see her so excited and happy. The family had three dogs, so Emily also enjoyed petting them every day. The treats -- brownies, cookies, Rice Krispie treats, etc. -- weren't bad either.

Daniel and Emily are rarely apart so it was neat to see them get to do their own thing and then tell each other about it.

I spent mornings (while both were in camp) at the library working on my science class for this year. I put together notebooks for the kids, make quizzes and final exams, and note cards for review games. It is a load off my mind to have that done!

Vermont Vacation

We decided on a northern vacation this year to beat the heat, which we did as the heat index in Smyrna one day while we were gone was 114! My friend Joy grew up in Vermont and worked one summer at the Inn where we stayed. The Northeast Kingdom, as the area is called, boasts miles upon miles of hiking and biking trails interconnected through private property and accessible right from our Inn. We took several day trips around the area, let the kids go to "camp" two times, and hiked and swam and restored our spirits. Here is the trip in a (still rather large) nutshell:

Our lodgings. The Wildflower Inn, Lyndonville, Vermont. Our room is on the right. Playground on one side, barn on the other. The food was excellent and it was so peaceful and pretty. Cool nights with the windows open. (We didn't see Larry, Daryl, or his other brother Daryl, either.) We were awakened to the bellowing of belted Galloway (oreo) cows, a braying donkey in the distance, and a white-throated sparrow singing his heart out. Observation Tower at the top of Burke Mountain, Vermont. Note the lack of sufficient railings and forms of protection. I almost didn't make it up, and then barely made it down. (I have a fear of falling. This was freaking me out! Had B.O. at the end of the day like never before. Must be a nervous sweat smell!!!Ski lift ride up Burke Mountain, Vermont Skinny dipping in the East Branch Passumpsic River, Vermont (just the kids!)

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Airheads popsicles at the park, Lyndon, Vermont Observation Tower in the middle-of-nowhere, Vermont Oldest grave at a cemetery in Vermont. I love to look at old gravestones and consider the stories they tell. The raspberries were good, too, and the cows next door were entertaining. A young bull kept pawing the ground and trying to bellow. Echo Lake, Vermont. Cool swim on a hot day! The minnows even nibbled our toes, just like Laura talked about in On the Banks of Plum Creek! Swimming in the Passumpsic River, East Branch, Vermont. I set the timer and ran for it, only to twist my ankle and then have a submerged (but smooth!) tree limb go up my swim suit leg and out the top of my suit. Take a close look at my face! Portland Head Light, Maine coast. Glad we took the drive! More Portland Head Light Family of mountain goats (we love to climb rocks!) Looking out from Cannon Mountain, Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire, after the tram ride up Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire, Flume Gorge, "The Pool" with covered bridge. Beautiful! The pool, which wasn't as cold after swimming in river water! (Caught mid-jump into the deep end) Cog Railway ride up Mt Washington, highest peak in the US east of the Mississippi and location of the world record wind speed. (All more significant since reading Not Without Peril, stories of tragedies on the peak.) Beautiful chapel just down the road: One of Emily's friends:She also loved the donkey, goats, and horses. The barn was right by our room so she hung out there a LOT!

Lake Champlain (major festival going on so we couldn't take the ferry across to NY.)

Summer School Class

This summer I taught a class on the book Minn of the Mississippi for eleven students ages 5 to 11. Moms read the chapters to kids, and then met once a week for two hours of activities.

It ended up being the best class I've ever taught!

The book is about the Mississippi River, from end to end, taught through the journey of a turtle named Minn. I took the platform and ran with it. We learned about water with lots of experiments (bending water, counting drops on one side of a penny, floating and sinking, solid/liquid/gas, and more); boats and nautical terms (starburst -- oops, I mean starboard); tying knots (and making knots with pretzels we then got to bake and eat); Indians and Indian Mounds, including making our own in sand; state names, two-letter abbreviations, and name derivations; drawing boats; fishing & lures (this part taught by one of the students!); egg parts; turtle types, diet, nesting, and finding nests; turtle in sign language, Spanish, and Mandarin; canals, dams, waterfalls, and floods (including making our own flood, dams, and sandbagging to save a farm); and more!

In addition, I read my kids a biography on Marquette (one of the first white men to see the river,) a condensed version of Huck Finn, a biography of Mark Twain, and some of a book on Indian Mounds and the Indians who made them. Our field trip on the paddleboat was also part of this supplemental material.

I have never laughed so much with a group of kids. There were times when I laughed to myself (they say and do the funniest things) but there were many times we laughed together. The older kids helped the younger kids. The moms got to talk while I taught. The kids stayed after and played.

It was just fantastic and unforgettable!

The last day I asked the kids what activity they liked the best, and each said something different. Considering that the class extended over six weeks, I was glad they remembered activities from weeks past, and was thrilled that some part appealed to each one, making all the work worthwhile.

My next big creative class will be this fall, on Indians, ending with a field trip to the Pow Wow at a state park near here. January will be Junior Achievement, and next summer I'm thinking Seabird.

Independence Day!

I was sick so Eddie took the kids to see fireworks without me this year.

A few days later I managed to make these flag cookies. The last time I remember making them was when we lived in Cody, WY. (Eddie remembers them once since then.) I recall the experience because I made a whole big pan full for four adults and I think we ate most of them. Friend Rae had her pregnancy checkup the next day and had gained five pounds. We blamed it on the cookies! :)

General Jackson Field Trip

We have been studying the Mississippi River. To supplement our study we took a ride on the General Jackson, a paddleboat right here in Nashville. The 2 1/2 hour cruise was great. The buffet was good, and we went up and down each staircase at least two times. We got to see this barge going by, too! The crew:

Paddle wheel in action:

First Day of School!

4th and 3rd Graders!