Field Trips and Costume Parties

Abby had her first field trip this week. Her class and the other 1st grade classes at her school went to the West Point on the Eno Park. I went as a chaperon (I just want you to know that I really want to spell this with an e at the end, but firefox is telling me that is wrong). It was fun. The kids learned about Early American Life. Apparently people lived there and farmed 250 years ago. The park guides asked the kids what they would have seen back then. The kids agreed that they would have seen dirt but no Kroger's Grocery. They are pretty smart for 1st graders! It was a great opportunity to see Abby's teacher in action since I haven't spent any time at the school yet this year. I really like her teacher. She is very gentle when needed, but also very stern when needed. And she wasn't afraid to call out a student even if their parent was there. That's my kind of teacher! So, back to the field trip... Abby learned about washing clothes in a bucket. She had to help her classmates gather water from the creek to do it. Then they learned about making a fire with steel and a rock. The spark was supposed to land on charred cotton and then put in cedar bark. Pretty awesome stuff. Then they learned how to play games with sticks. The guides told the kids that 250 years ago kids didn't have toys, just sticks. I remember those days... Then they made butter and chanted a song that goes "something something, Abby waiting at the gate something, something for her butter cake, turn butter turn." Or something like that. But they made butter and ate it on saltines (I can't be sure if these crackers were from 250 years ago, but the kids liked them). Then they learned about shucking and grinding corn and the grain mill. Good times. All I know is I was born in the right time. No thanks on the fire starting, butter making or corn grinding. I'll take my 21st century luxuries, thank you! Here are some picture for you to make the experience more real.

Abby washing some 250 year old exercise pants-- Abby was convinced these were from back then.



Making Butter-- Notice that Abby is shaking it so hard it is blurry... way to go Abby!


"All I want for Christmas is a stick and ring, a stick and ring, a stick and ring..."



"Let me get this straight, you want me to pluck this corn off, grind it up and then eat it? I think NOT!"



Tonight our HOA had a Halloween Party with a costume contest. For those of you who have memorized every post of mine will remember that Abby won 2nd place in the costume contest last year. This year she won 1st place as a Spider Witch (contest for 6 years+). She won gooey toys, lots of candy and an I-tunes gift card. Too bad we don't have an I-pod. I guess it will just have to go in our pile of I-tunes gift cards... SIGH! (And yes we have a pile of them and we are holding on to them just to spite Apple.) Unfortunately, Iris didn't win a prize (contest for 2 and under). She came in 4th out of 4, but she didn't care. She's only 18 months after all. And I'm not bitter... WHAT? I'm not! Of course I think she was way cuter than the pumpkin and lion which won above her, but I'm not bitter. Although I just don't see how anyone could not judge her cuter than the others. She has really cute, curly hair and big blue eyes! What more do they want in a kitty for crying out loud! And I know what you are thinking and I'm NOT bitter, just, um, surprised... ya and disappointed... ya but not bitter. The first place went to our friend's little girl. She was batman. In an ironic note, the pumpkin won a prize that was recommended for children 3+... he was only 1.

Here are my Halloween Treats:

1st Prize Spider Witch with her Spoils


Honorable mention Kitty with her consolation sucker


So it's been a pretty exciting week. I did an extra load of laundry yesterday so that's pretty eventful. I'll be washing Iris' kitty suit on Monday since I gave her a big sticky sucker! Even with cute sticky sucker dripping all over her costume she still didn't win (roll eyes). Okay, I swear I'm not bitter. I cried like a baby at book group (we read A Grief Observed by CS Lewis) then I sent an apology email to the group leader but accidentally sent it to everyone, so that was embarrassing. Oh and I vacuumed out the van. Soooooo exciting! I'm glad Abby won at the costume party or else my life would seem boring! Thank goodness I can live vicariously through her. Oh and her costume we bought off of Craiglist and picked it up last night... not bad. Iris' I just bought the kitty accessories and black onesie... apparently I should have dipped it in gold or something!

Until my next post may you have great Halloween celebrations and eat lots and lots of candy!