Camp Mystic Lake: Red, White and Blue Day

 Also known as the 4th of July, we had lots of fun celebrating this day.  We started off with a red, white and blue breakfast:

We had an outdoor cookout for dinner where the kids cooked for me...

And then we fell asleep to dreams filled with patriots and their daring exploits:

Happy (belated) 4th, America!

Camp Mystic Lake: Snoozin'

As the summer wore on, waking up every morning with reveille was getting harder for the A-team. They preferred to sleep in on the weekends, so we let them.

Mr. T, however, had other plans most weekend mornings.  

Here he is and you can see his utter contempt for being interrupted during such an important, um, viewing:

Homeschooling Lesson #44: Battlefield Strategies

Some insight into today's battlefield strategies from the master commentator:

Lookout

We're lucky to have the sentry on the lookout for us at all times.  Never do know when those colonial-era Brits might invade our home:

Homeschooling Lesson #41: American History 1750 - 1850

Much happened in the North American eastern seaboard between 1750 and 1850.  The colonies found themselves embroiled in one war after another. 

After winning the War of Independence against England, the people were no longer colonists, but citizens of the newly formed United States of America.

Yadda yadda the idea of manifest destiny became incredibly important to many Americans, some of whom:

• wanted to seek better opportunities (read: make money)
• were looking for adventure (read:  escaping the law and/or debt)
• were seeking to escape the winter snow in exchange for blazing humidity and heat, 
• were seeking to live life to its fullest by living far away from any store, person, or ability to purchase a small bag of sugar (pure insanity!).

Whatever the reason, it is this time period which has captured the interest of one of our citizens.  One day he's a colonist; the next a British soldier.  In one clip, MLD is helping him secure a fort.  In another, our colonist trades in his braid and breeches to become a wild west cowboy.

Well, partner, ya never know what to expect in dese here parts, now do ya?

And here he's preparing for his next march:

By the way... remember how I suggested you watch the kids' hair grow out?  Compare the photos above to the post where I recommended this!

Next year, may we be free

Free from the quarantine that keeps us in our homes.

Not quite what the rabbis were talking about when they put those words to paper, eh?

Homeschooling, Lesson #35: American Revolution

Homeschooling today is a different animal than it was 10 or 15 years ago.  Watch this clip!  All you have to do is surrender your phone for a few hours and kids can learn both history and polite manners (thank you, MLD).

Then and Now

Every now and then, Google sends me a "Then and Now".  I love them!  Here's Mr. T over the years:

A "Witch" Way Did They Go?

To Salem, of course! 

We learned about witches and the history of Salem.  The we had lunch and headed back home.  What a fun day we had with our cousins.

Summer Travels

It was such a busy summer that I'm still not finished reporting all that we did!  In today's post we're going to cover the Western MA trips.  First up, an overnight in Springfield, MA:

With a visit to Six Flags the next day:

And even though it's been very hot, humid, and somewhat exhausting to do all of these trips, when I turn to the back seat and see this cute smile:

I know it's all been worth it.

Rebels and Redcoats

We love a good weekend event at Sturbridge Village.  This year's choice? Rebels and Redcoats. Not only did we see the British and their allies in full regalia (in 90+ degree heat), we saw a battle, and got to learn about life in the late 1700's thanks to the efforts of the Acton and Littleton Minutemen who camped out nearby.

Lots of fun for everyone!

Old City in Lego

We used 70,000 Lego bricks to build the Old City of Jerusalem one weekend.  What a wild time!

Crossing the Desert

Springtime at BDPS means learning about Passover.  Here's Tate's lesson this year:

U.S.S. Constitution

The kiddos took a trip to see the U.S.S. Constitution.  What a blast!  They got to sleep in hammocks, scrub the decks, hoist a goat and check out the entire ship.

Vintage Car day at Sturbridge

Want to make my kids happy?  Tell them they're going to Sturbridge Village.

Want to see my kids get excited?  Tell them they're going to Sturbridge and staying overnight at a hotel with a pool.

Want to see my kids swoon and get dizzy with joy?  Tell them they're going to Sturbridge, playing in the pool and that there's a vintage car day with only pre-1945 cars.

Yes, they almost fell over.  Here are some clips of our fun trip:

Does it get any better than this?  Nope!

Learning how to wash cutlery

Trying to drive

Learning how to fetch water for the family:

Surprise pottery lesson because we were the only one visiting at the time!

Watching the cars leave the green:

Swingin' from the rafters in the outhouse:

Rocket Man

Rocket Man blasted off in his time capsule at the Museum of Science. 

It took a while to find the right button to set the time warp.

Tate turned the clock back over 1,000,000 years in time.

My, my, Mr. Dinosaur.  That's one big scarf you have!

Old Sturbridge Village

We had one of those mornings where the kids were whining and didn't want to do anything, least of all leave the house?  So MLD and I did what any parent would do:  bundle them up and take a long car ride to a historical site from the 1830's.  OK, maybe not every parent would do this, but it seemed like a good idea.

Complaining turned into compliments within 10 minutes of our arrival.  I think the water pump played a huge role in turning around attitudes:

Adam learned about old-fashioned horsepower:

Ashley learned how to throw a pot:

And then both Tate and Adam refined their wheelbarrow handling skills:

We even got to drive a team of oxen!

We had so much fun that we went back a week later!  This time we took family:

Can't wait to visit again to see how the early Americans fared in other seasons.

Mommy Goes to the State House

Mommy was nominated to serve on the Designer Selection Board for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Part of the process was to go through a background check (boring), fill out paperwork to become a "special State Employee" with badge privileges (mildly interesting) and then be sworn in to office.

Yowza!

Sworn in? At the State House? Whoowee!

Daddy didn't want to miss this, so he and a "real" digital camera made the trip with Mommy to 24 Beacon St, Boston.  It was a slightly gray day, but that didn't dampen our mood.

Here's the State House:

If you look toward the light at the top of the gate, you can see a balcony behind the portico.  No, not the roof line, silly.  The big colonnade, like where a President might stand to deliver an address.  That's where I was sworn in!

View from the balcony of the Boston Common

Here's me (and my photographer) getting ready to be sworn in:

And then I swore (just a little bit):

Then it was official!

After that, Mr. Palleschi quickly showed us an interesting spot in the State House:

Mr. Palleschi's grandfather served here, in this room, as a State Representative in the 1930's.

Daddy and I took a little tour of the remaining public spaces. One day in the not-too-distant future we'll bring the kids so they can learn about Massachusetts history and their Mommy's teeny-tiny role in it.

Us the Hall of Flags

Near the Grand Stairs

In the Hall of Flags

What an exciting day!  Now the work begins!