A field trip to go with The Big Green Pocketbook!

Did I mention in the last post that I love this book?  Some of it may be due to the sweet memories I have of doing this book with all of my children.  It was such a favorite of Rebecca's that her 3rd birthday party was a Big Green Pocketbook birthday party!  And part of the delight of this story is actually going on a bus ride just like the girl in the book.  We met some of our co-op friends (and siblings) to go on a local bus ride.  Doesn't she look excited for this adventure?  And check out that cute pocketbook!  :D

We had a beautiful day!  It was cooler than normal (end of May) which was just perfect for walking around without even breaking a sweat.  We met our friends at the bus stop at a nearby mall.  Here it comes!

 Several siblings joined in the fun - Rebecca and Daniel and Joshua came too.  Isaiah stayed home with Christopher.

 We took a ride to Chapel Hill and everyone brought their green pocketbooks/tote bags.  :)

 We were dropped off in the middle of UNC campus and spent some time exploring as we walked through the campus to downtown.

 Lots to see.

 We just had fun being together too.  I wasn't sure how much of this Eliana would be able to do, but she did a fabulous job of walking the entire day!

 Checking out the tall monument.

 When we got to town, we explored a variety of shops just like the little girl in the story.  This is the post office.  A nice lady there let Eliana mail her letters.  (I should have thought ahead to bring some and was grateful for her kindness.)

 We went into a bank and several other shops on main street.

We walked up one side of the street and then down the other.  Just on one block.  

The kids enjoyed interacting with this mural.  

The man "beside" Daniel is actually someone that we met many years ago.  It was fun to see him there.  

Eliana was delighted to see her Daddy waiting for her as we crossed the street.  

 We went into Sutton's for lunch.  Its a tradition here - kind of like the lunch counter in the story.

 It was busy, but we were there early and able to get great seats.

 This was a fun place to eat lunch.

 And especially since we were with family and friends.

 It was a squeeze, but we did all fit in the booth.  :)

 After lunch, we started walking back towards the bus stop.  On the way, we visited the church where Roger and I got married.  There is a beautiful rose garden outside.

 And here is a picture of the inside.  Roger was friends with the minister here when we met.  :)

 Back through campus.

 Just thought this picture was adorable!  :D  Love seeing her holding on to that pocketbook.

 I love watching kids explore and have fun!  They can truly make the most of anything when they are outside, can't they?

 Another sweet one with her big brother.

 This is the group at the end of our adventure.  So thankful for these friends.

 We made one last stop before going home to get some ice cream.  Christopher and Isaiah met us there.

It was a sweet ending to our trip.

If you are reading this book (and I do recommend it highly), this trip is an awesome way to really make great memories with your child.  It was a simple outing, but so much fun.

Blessings

Leslie

PS  That wraps up May and I'm on to June next!  Getting close to being caught up!  

March catch-up post

So far, I'm off to a good start on my catching up with my blog, right?  I've finished February and now its time for a whirlwind tour of March.  I'll post our Five in a Row co-ops in a separate posting.

As we spent time learning about pigeons in our last Five in a Row book, Daniel began to be very interested in the birds around us.  Our next FIAR book was also about birds which helped to encourage this new interest even more.

He enjoyed spending time watching and taking photos of the birds at our feeder.  Its been fun seeing him enjoying God's creation and wanting to learn more about them.

Our FIAR group went on a field trip to a skating rink.

Its harder than it looks or seems which I think was a surprise to some of them that had never been before.

Eliana didn't even try.  After we tried roller skating last month - which she hated, I figured this would not be on her top 10 list.  We hung out in the lobby with some other young friends that weren't skating.  Daniel loved it and is hoping to go back again during the summer.

Just liked this photo of these beautiful young ladies.  :)

As part of our Robin Hood co-op, we talked about fires and then proceeded to make one.  Each person worked to gather materials, build a fire and then strike flint to get it going.

I loved seeing the looks of satisfaction on each face when they succeeded.  And each one did!

This was a huge hit.

And of course, we had to cook food over the fire too.

Eliana liked having a hot dog too!

We celebrated Christopher's birthday at the beginning of his spring break before he headed off to the mountains with friends.  Happy 21st birthday!  I love you Christopher and am proud of you.  I love seeing how God is working in your life.  I pray for you daily that you would grow in your faith and love for God and that you would have the courage to follow where He leads.

He brought home one of his roommates for the night (Joe!) which we were all excited to spend time with too!

Joe and Christopher both were invited to to join in the game of Axis and Allies.  This is no small game and it takes no small time to play it either.

We also played some medieval games during one of our co-ops with Robin Hood.  (We also did some inside work but that doesn't always make for great photos, kwim?)  One of them is jingling where the person who is it is NOT blindfolded and everyone else is.  Nice twist, huh?  "It" has bells which he jingles and the others try to catch him.

Another game we played was How Many Miles to London.

 This game begins with “It” being blindfolded. The other players then stand in a line and ask “It” for directions. “It” tells them how many steps to take forward backward, left, or right they must go. Then “It” is led to the starting point and must follow his own directions. When “It” has reached the final destination, he must try to touch another player. The other players may duck or sway to avoid being touched, but they cannot move their feet. If a player is tagged, then he is the next “It” otherwise “It” must try again. 

We always end with a delightful spread and this time was no different.  Yum!  :)

For book club this month, we read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  This book had so many ideas to explore and discuss.  It is an interesting comparison to see how things were done and handled then versus now.  There are ways in which I see great improvement and some which I see great decline.

Dinner out with two of my dearest friends.  Thankful for both of these women and all that they have poured into the lives of my family.  Thankful that God has given me such wonderful friends to hang out with.

Nature journalling.  Its a very sporadic activity around here, but we do it when Mom things about it.

And some just hang out with their siblings.

At the end of the month, Rebecca and I drove to SC with a dear friend to attend the Great Homeschool Convention.  Afterwards, some of us from the FIAR website staff hung around for a couple of days with Steve and Jane Lambert.  It was a time of  refreshment and encouragement.

I'm thankful to see God's hand at work in building friendships that span many states.  We all met through the internet and it has been a blessing indeed.

March was filled with laughter, love and adventure.  What more could I ask for?

More (hopefully tomorrow) on our next FIAR co-op... Albert.

Love
Leslie