End of the Year

...for our school lessons!  YAY!!!  We are wrapping up a research paper for the older boys and some spelling for Edward.  But, for the most part we are done for this year.  It was not easy for us to stay on track last fall when we were moving; however, we persevered and are coming to the end of another successful school year!

This year we decided to split Sean and Henry up again after several years of sharing grade levels.  I really wanted the boys to have their own special time for graduation and Henry would have been a very young graduate if we had stayed with the old plan.  That does not mean they did not share books and class schedules.  Really the only difference to them is the English requirements and knowing that Henry will be able to complete a few extra courses his senior year that Sean will miss.

Our favorite course work this year was the Apologia Biology course.  We complete several experiments and learned a lot of new facts to compliment their growing knowledge of the world.  All of this with the easy reading from the author and extra lessons found on-line.  The boys especially enjoyed the dissections with Michael as guide.  I am so thankful I did not have to do this again!  They are already looking forward to Chemistry for next year!  Lord, help me not blow up our house!  Maybe I can find a co-op that will do experiments together.

Edward enjoyed the Apologia science books also, but his favorite course was Health!  We had completed his science book with several weeks left in the year.  Then I realized that we should probably add a health section to his fourth grade year.  I had some text books but they were boring, so we looked to the internet and found a great set of lessons that he begged to do each day!  He especially loved the videos.  To end our year, a local museum was opening a new exhibit dedicated gross parts of our body!  How perfect was that?!
to the

Brendan is not out of the mix...he loves doing his activity book we found at the store.  However, he does this so he can have time on the computer learning how to read at Starfall.

We also used the following books (for anyone interested in our eclectic method of homeschooling through elementary and high school):

Religion (all ages at their level of learning):  Chief Truths of the Faith by Fr. John Laux

Spelling 4:  We used a free spelling program on-line...YAY!!!  It has all grade levels and vocabulary so we will be using this again!

Vocabulary:  We combined two great books to cover a lot of words this year.  I hope to re-do with Henry in his senior year to help him boost his SAT scores for college.  Vocabulary for the College Bound and English from the Roots Up.  We also found a lesson plan for the roots book that included tests and answer keys!

Math 4:  We were glad to go back to our favorite math curriculum this year...Saxon 54 was a great review and step up from our curriculum from last year.  And, now that he has completed his lessons, I found a Kindle app to him to practice his multiplication over the summer.

Geometry:  I am so glad we are able to continue the use of an old out of print geometry book I have used over the years.  I have used this book to teach three of my own children and several other students.  Some believe this is not a useful course any more but I like to have the children use their higher level thinking skills to work through proofs for mathematical concepts most of us take for granted.  It will be a added benefit when we work through Algebra II and Calculus over the next two years.  The older boys are also enjoying an algebra app we found to help review over the summer...it is called Dragon Box.

Reading 4:  We decided to take some time building up reading skills...comprehension and reporting..this year with some of our favorite books.  Edward read:

• Ralph S. Mouse
• Charlotte's Web
• Bridge to Terabithia
• Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library

These books were read and then reviewed with a special book report form I found on line (of course!).  Then I looked for quizzes for each book as well.  There are a lot of options that will work for any child, just use your favorite search engine to find what fits.  We also looked for the movie version so we can have a lesson in comparison throughout the year!

English/Literature 10:  We doubled up on this requirement this year to get Sean back on track for English requirements as he has done everything needed to give him English 9 course credit except reading and analyzing the required classics.  That means we had the joy of reading the following books (along with a poetry study):

• The Lilies of the Field
• The Merchant of Venice
• Where the Red Fern Grows
• As I Lay Dying
• Animal Farm
• A Tale of Two Cities (We are actually going to read this one over the summer for "fun.")

The hardest part is having the boys write their research papers!  We will get this done before the new school year begins in the fall!

Spanish 1:  This was a challenge for me...I am not a linguist...Michael is but...well...he is more interested in German and Russian.  I really wanted the boys to learn Spanish so they can be more competitive in the work place...this is the language that is needed most on a job application...and these boys need to be able to take care of themselves one day!  I wish I had been more firm about this with Amanda!  SO...I still hope to find a private tutor for them for next year.  This year we stumbled upon a language course that would suffice for this credit.  If you are looking to learn the basics then Duolingo is a great start!  The boys enjoy using this cyclical learning tool and it is easy to use.  Michael even started a refresher course in German using this tool...he will start the Russian when it comes out as well!

This was our school year!  Hard to believe we made it to the end...now for a few weeks of summer before we start again in September.  Now we can enjoy the summer reading programs and camps.

Of course, a home school mom's job is never done.  I will not get a break as I make decisions for the next year.  If you have experience with Kindergarten, 5th grade or high school...I would love to hear from you!

The Final Stuff about our Vacation

I know I promised a story that would beat a 4000 picture slide show.  If you have stayed with me this long, I hope you are not bored to tears.  I have enjoyed telling about what our family did over the last two weeks.  I end with a few more treasures that we are so glad we did not pass by.

Yesterday, I told you about Pops.  Just hearing the word makes me think back to that awesome stop!  Is there anything that could top Pops?  Well...not much but we did try with a trip to see the Kaleidoscope guy in Pocahontas, Iowa.  This was another one of my internet finds through the factory tours site.  This is a lone man operation, and he was kind enough to let us experience a day in his shop.

I was glad we were the only ones there that morning because he laid out the supplies for five scopes with the children in chairs around the table.  As soon as he started, I could see Henry's fingers itching to master the process.  I made the suggestion to allow the children the opportunity to "help" by removing the parts from the plastic bags.  This appeased all but Henry who immediately started his attempt.  Once he was in action, the others followed suit.  And, after a little assistance (Henry refused help!), all the scopes were completed.

Then he showed us how he finished each scope by creating an egg-shaped wooden case.  Once again, Henry loved watching him at the lathe.  While the children and Michael watched this demonstration, I took a stroll around his shop.  Leonard is an amazing artist with many other creations on the walls.  He also shared with us his desire to work with his creations came after many years of time in the computer industry.  He just knew he needed to do something more and this was bringing joy to others.

What fascinated me the most was the small parts and precise assembly needed for it to all come together.  I guess I have never really considered how a kaleidoscope worked.  It was a good experience for everyone, but I think Henry would have stayed if asked.  He told me later that he was going to become the Kaleidoscope guy of Texas!

As we left he showed us a telescope-type kaleidoscope and how it worked by positioning yourself just right in your own shadow.  How awesome!  He tried to get us to back track to see one of his friends (Robby) who builds furniture.  He dresses up in character and shows how to make things the old-fashioned way...to last!  I wish we had more time on this trip to see everything, but it just was not possible.  Maybe we can make it a family reunion in Iowa and see some of the things we missed then.

So...on we go through the wilds of Iowa...we had many detours along the path to Minnesota because of road construction.  We had to miss many side trips because we were making so many just to get through the state.  We were on a lot of back roads that we normally would not have been on...I think Iowa must name their county roads by numbers...we were seeing crossroads with signs like 750th Street and 249th Street....we were not lost but we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere and at a four-way stop.  After several of these stops, Amanda decided she needed to get out a take a picture...we dubbed this photo..."Busy Intersection in Iowa."  We mean no disrespect to loved ones in Iowa...it was just different than what we know.

and the Little Sprouts

All of this traveling to get to Blue Earth, Minnesota...home of the Green Giant...ho ho ho!  This really was just about having a break from the van and a photo opportunity.  We were trying to get to Walnut Grove, but who could pass up a picture with a giant!

The next day we were trying to get to Rapid City in time to pick up my mom, but there were a lot of miles in between so we needed some stops along the way.  One of these stops was suggested by my brother's father-in-law.  In fact, we was quite insistent that we stop here...the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.  We obliged as we need a stop around this area anyway.

Supposedly, back at the turn of the 20th century, some town leaders realized they need something to draw people to their town.  What better use of the "extra" corn cobs than to create a piece of artwork.  They must have had the thought, "If we build it, they will come."  And, I guess they were not too far off the mark as the population of Mitchell is a robust 15,000+.  This might not seem that great to some but we were going through towns with a population as low as 20!  I thought it was an interesting drive by location, but we did get out and take a walk around before heading down the road.

We did make it to Rapid City in time to get to the airport...partly due to the fact that my mom's plane was delayed.  The next day we took a short drive to see Mt. Rushmore.  However, the big highlight of our day was the Crazy Horse Memorial.  This is the largest of our small treasures.  In fact, it is so large...Mt. Rushmore can entirely fit into the head of Crazy Horse.  It is just an amazing art form that still has a lot of carving (by means of dynamite) to complete.

However, to me there were several factors that make this a treasure for our family.  First, my mother remembers coming here as a young girl with her mother on an amazing road trip.  When they arrived at Crazy Horse back in the 1950's, it was nothing more than a dream (planning began in 1946).  Almost no one went to visit this site because there was not much to see.  My mother remembers arriving just before meal time, and being asked to stay for a meal with the family.  Her mother stayed and talked about the future of the memorial and living on the mountain, while my mother wandered outside.

The other part of this memorial is that it is a part of our history that we would rather forget.  I guess I want my children to remember that our forefathers did not always make the right decisions and we need to protect the dignity of all life and cultures.  My mother's side of the family can trace their line back to the Native Americans of this area, so there is that connection as well.

To add to the memory of this place, we arrived (unbeknownst to us) on the day "Mrs. Z" was in state.  She had passed away the week before after a long battle with cancer.  We were allowed to continue to the museum (free of charge) because she would have wanted it that way.  We were even allowed into the cabin where my mother had shared a meal with the family even though that is where she was laid for viewing.  For those of you who have never been to this memorial, you must realize that it was the continued encouragement of this woman that kept Korczak Ziolkowski and his children motivated all these years.  She saw the vision after marrying Korczak and found the many ways to continue funds coming in from sources other than government grants.

I guess in the end...this memorial represents all I believe our country should be...the hope of a new beginning....the use of personal funds to produce art without government intervention.  The joy of holding on to a heritage that should be cherished.  And, Korczak saw the true meaning of our American dream to work hard for what is important...God...family...country...which should be protected at all cost.

Later in the evening, Michael took the older three boys back for the light show that happens every night along the side of the mountain.  A new memorial blast in honor of Mrs. Z also took place.  They really enjoyed the show, although they all agreed it was too short.

There were other small treasures along the way...In Cheyenne, Wyoming, we walked through a miniature botanical garden designed for the children to explore plants and special effects.  There was a birthday butterfly that showed the degree of the horizon for your birthday on its wings.  The boys also performed puppet shows at this unique theater.  And the best part...we found another butterfly bench to take a snapshot of Zaira!

And to end our story, I thought I would be fair to all the other states in our nation.  I guess not everything is bigger in Texas.  Everyone knows how much our love our grand state, but we were highly disappointed when we arrived in Amarillo to pass by the FAMOUS Cadillac Ranch with the Cadillac art buried in the ground!  After all the amazing sites we had seen, we could not believe how UN-fabulous this tourist-y spot was to us!  Of course, we are OK with that because after two weeks away from home, we still know that Texas is the best place to be in the world!  God bless Texas!!!!

Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska was A LOT better.  I wish we had had more time to spend in this location.  I can imagine a lot of photo opportunities there.  Unfortunately, we only had a dew minutes before spending the day in my Mom's home town.  Looking back now...maybe I should have left the crew there while Mom and I made our tour around Alliance!  There was a lot more to see there...this portion shown is just a small portion of creations made by old cars!  If you are ever in the western part of Nebraska, it is worth the detour to see.  I am sure it is amazing at sunrise and sunset!

The Other Vacation Stuff

I have really enjoyed telling everyone about our vacation.  Even though I have had some longer posts the last few days, I figure it beats having everyone over to watch a slide show with over 4000 pictures.  That is more than one picture for every mile we drove on this trip!  On this final day of my remembrance of our trip, I thought I would tell you about the other stops we made along the way.

The first stop we made was just a couple of hours down the road in Waco, Texas.  We made our way to the Dr. Pepper Museum.  We had been there once before many years ago, and even though I like all 23 flavors I could not imagine look at the same memorabilia a second time.  So, I looked over the website and found a special tour that would allow us a chance to create our own sodas.  For just a couple dollars more than the normal admission fee, we were able to have a guided tour and then the creative juices were flowing in their "lab."  The children and Michael divided into two teams and really enjoyed this time.  Zaira and I just watched and colored pictures on labels.  They came up with some tasty drinks...we finally decide on the top two drinks (one for each team)...Lemon Lime Green Apple (AKA Emerald) and Blue Raspberry and Green Apple with Vanilla (dubbed Ocean Breeze).  I personally loved the Vanilla Mango Root beer.

After having our fill of drinks and floats, we went to have burgers at Health Camp.  This place has been in the same place serving up hamburgers since 1948!  We heard about it on a show called Daytripper.  The burgers were really as good as he said they would be and made fresh while we waited.  This gave Sean and Edward a chance to venture off and find a geocache.  They were proud of themselves for finding it alone.  Too bad we did not have time to get out of the van to eat our food, but we chose to eat on the go because the youngest two fell asleep after a busy morning.  And, anyone traveling with young children knows...when the baby the is asleep, the car is in motion!

We crossed over our first state line, and I promptly lost my camera!  I was so sad when I realized it and no attempts to recover it were successful.  I hope the person who has it now will use it as much as I did.  The only thing I really am sad about are the pictures lost.  After the initial upset was over, I realized I was glad it happened when it did.  I only missed one day of pictures and I had just removed all my old photos before leaving home to ensure lots of memory space for vacation photos.  I guess I will be camera shopping soon. Thankfully, we all had cameras on our phones and Henry never leaves home without a camera in hand.  We just bought him a larger memory card, which of course made him happy.

We found our first hotel of the trip and then headed to a small doll museum held within the walls of the local library.  Zaira and I enjoyed seeing all the dolls.  Henry took pictures and the others put up with us as they were just glad to be out of the van.  There was not a lot to see but it was a good way to end our first day!

The next day was probably one the biggest highlights of the trip.  I saved this surprise until we were directly in view.  It was one of those chance finds on the internet that I KNEW everyone was going to love!  The largest soda bottle we have ever seen...and it was on the legendary Route 66.  The only disappointment of this experience was not seeing it lit up at night!  Imagine the best food ever eaten at a roadside cafe...and being SURROUNDED by over 600 different kinds of "pop" from around the world!

I usually do not brag about restaurant food on my blog but this food was amazing!!!  I was trying to eat "healthier" on this trip so I ordered a seven layer salad.  The waitress asked if I wanted a full or half salad...thinking it was "just" a salad, I ordered the full...Oh my!!!!  I opted for avocados instead of grilled chicken...it was delicious...I did not even need dressing as the creaminess of the avocados along with the blue cheese was just enough.  Did I mention it was in a quart size glass bowl?  It was the never ending bowl of salad but I ate it all!  Then Michael ordered a hamburger that was served on a yeasty cornbread...I have never seen that before but want that recipe!  It was delicious!


Add to all the wonderful food...the staff were all so kind and did not rush us out the door.  The children (and adults!) were fascinated by the outer glass walls that were covered in shelves of soda bottles.  And, then they were all promised the chance to choose one flavor from the various options in the store before we left.

Did I mention that large bottle standing outside the cafe?  Well, we saw a photo opportunity that we could not pass up!

Even I did not see the full potential of this place when I found it.  We stayed here an extra hour then planned and could have stayed longer.  Every one agreed that this place needed a second take.  If we are ever in Oklahoma again (a new trip is already in the making!), we will go out of our way to make this happen!

As we were driving away from Pop's we looked for a post office and found a round barn instead!  We got a picture but decided we would need to explore this site another time.

Our next small treasure was actually a skyscraper.  What is so unusual about a skyscraper?  One designed and erected by Frank Lloyd Wright in a small town above Tulsa dubbed "the tree that escaped the crowded forest."  I found a children's book about Wright before we left on the trip and Michael read about him as we passed by and on to our next adventure.

Sometimes, in my master plan, I forget important things...like eating meals!  The was mostly true for the mid-day meal because we wanted to see so much along the way, it never seemed a good time to stop.  On our fourth day of travel, Edward asked if we would see any of the Amish country.  If ever there was foreshadowing on our trip it was at that moment (although I told him it was not likely!).  We were looking for a place to eat, when we happened to see a sign stating Amish Country Store (how fitting, right?) and decided that was the place to stop.  We immediately saw a horse drawn buggy going down the road, and the store (also a restaurant) had a spot for buggy parking.  We had a nice meal and wandered through the store with home-made pieces of furniture and crafts.  A nice surprise for all of us!

Then we raced across Iowa to the National Balloon Museum dedicated to hot air balloons.  I LOVE hot air balloons...I have always wanted to ride in one.  I have never found anybody to go with me.  So, (for now) this was my chance to at least look at one up close.  The only problem was we arrived ten minutes before closing.  The volunteer at the desk was very nice and offered to try to find a person who could keep the museum open a little longer.  I told her we would just look for a few minutes and leave.

It turned out to be a smaller museum than we expected, and all I really wanted to do was stand in front of a basket and let somebody snap a picture.  Sure enough...there was a mock balloon set up for just such a photo opportunity!  We look at several of the displays and we were heading back to the van.  Half the family was already buckled in, when the woman told us she had found someone!

I felt terrible...but for anyone who has traveled with a little one knows...if the baby is happy...keep the vehicle in motion...I was not taking Zaira out of the van.  We really had seen all we wanted to see.  Michael did go back in with our little crew and take a photo.  The woman insisted after hearing our story of the LEGO people who were along for the ride.  But, then we were back on the road.

And, with that written...I realize that we have just done too many things on this vacation.  I will have to post about an amazing time with kaleidoscopes tomorrow and finish up my tale.

Following Laura

Like many, I have always been a fan of the Little House on the Prairie books (and television series).  I brought my children up reading them as well.  When Amanda was homeschooling we dedicated two years of our studies reading the books and doing activities.  When it came time to make our trip through some of the states written about in the books, we knew we had to make a few extra stops along the way.  Some of these places turned out to be a little further out of the way than expected!

We started this part of our trip in Independence, Kansas (Little House on the Prairie location) at a replica building of the Ingalls home.  We thought we would have just enough time to visit the buildings before heading toward Kansas City.  And, this plan would have worked had the person running the museum arrived.  We stayed around with another family for almost an hour before deciding to move along to other sites.  But, all was not lost...we still viewed the buildings...peeking into the open shutter windows.  And the best part was watching the younger children pet the donkeys pinned in the farmyard!  Besides, it gave us a sense of what it must have been like alone in the huge prairie land.

A few days later, we came up through Iowa and across to Walnut Grove, Minesota.  This town is not actually mentioned by name in the books but is known by most Laura fans because of the television series.  I loved watching this show growing up....Melissa Gilbert was the perfect Laura and Pa can never be represented by any one other than Michael Landon.

We were able to spend quite a bit of time at this location.  On the Banks of Plum Creek is the main book that tells about the Ingalls time in Minnesota.  Most of the museum is centered around the television show.  However, we were able to walk through a little replica village (including a dugout and outhouse) and see what life could have been like for Laura.  There is also a lot of the television show memorabilia.  There were even a few of Laura's belongings on display.  Edward seemed to really get into the spirit of things.  He entered the little chapel and immediately started preaching a nice sermon.  Then he took over as the schoolmaster... demanding that every be seated and take up their slates!

I also convinced Amanda to let me take a picture of her walking through the "prairie."  I just wish I had my video on when she decided to skip through the prairie!

We missed going to see the site of  the little dugout where the family lived that first winter.  I think we were thinking about getting to the hotel at that point in the day.

Our last stop along the way was in De Smet, South Dakota (location for the last five books in the series).  Most people will remember this place most from the books because most of the stories are centered around this town.  Unfortunately, we arrived on a Sunday so the main buildings were not open.  However, we still drove around the area to see what we could see.

There was the family homestead site where buildings were replicated for tourists.  Even though the original buildings were not around, the five cottonwood trees Pa planted in honor of his wife and four daughters were still standing strong.  Also, the prairie of grassland known as the Big Slough is still just as vast as ever.

Heading into town, the old buildings that have been saved have been moved into one area of town for easy viewing.  We saw the old Surveyors' House where the family spent their first winter in the area.  It had been moved from Silver Lake (By the Shores of Silver Lake).  Later, we actually saw the site where Silver Lake was before it was drained in the early 1900's.  There is also the house that Pa built, but Laura never lived in (She was already married to Alonzo by then.).  And there was also the old schoolhouse that Laura and Carrie attended.  I happened upon a store while driving through town that sounded familiar.  It was not until I returned home that I realized that it was in fact a store from the books.  The Loftus Store is still in the same spot.  If you have read the books, you might remember this as the place where the precious bag of wheat was purchased (The Long Winter)!


We were also able to go to Mass in this small town.  It was a simple church but it reminded me of a simpler time.  The families lingered after church and enjoyed each others company.  There was also a statue of the first missionary that the own was named in honor, Fr. De Smet.  I wish we could have stayed longer!

Going to the other stops along her trail would have been nice, but there just was not enough time to see it all.  Mansfield, Missouri was close to our path, and I would have liked to to see where Laura spent her last days with Alonzo (especially Pa's fiddle and the desk where Laura wrote her books).  We did go through Keystone, SD but I did not realize this is where Carrie lived out her adult years.

I think after making our way through this area, we were most impressed with how much time it took the family to travel.  We were grumpy and bothered by each other with a two-day drive through this countryside.  The Ingalls family took months to make the same journey.

However, just as the Ingalls family made stops along the way, so did our family.  We still have more of the story to tell.  I have to tell you about the smallest of treasures on our journey before I am through with our vacation tales!

PS...if you ever want to make the journey yourself to any of these sites...go to the link here for Laura Ingalls Wilder information.

Discoveries of All Kinds

When we started out this trip, we had no idea what we might find along the way.  I had done a little research on the path to take and what me might see, but nothing was set in stone.  To help us choose sites, I had a folder for each day with a map to our goal for the day...usually this meant the next hotel.  Then I wrote on the folder "options for the day" with locations of interest.  Sometimes we would go to these stops and other times we would make discoveries on the fly.

Last fall when we moved to San Antonio, we discovered the Witte Museum (If you are ever in the area, it is great place to visit.) and it cost less for our family to buy a annual membership then pay the entry fee.  I jumped at the chance because not only did it cost less, but it also had a reciprocal museum program throughout the nation.  This came in handy when I was trying to find places to visit.

One such place was The Science City at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri.  On the third day of travel, we drove almost 300 miles with two other stops along the way.  To be quite honest, I did not think much of it...we drive that distance without the blink of an eye in Texas.  However, we had found this amazing museum that would be closing at 5pm, so we hurried ourselves through the rest of the day to get there in time to explore.

We were not disappointed!  It was a great place to run and play with lots of hands-on activities.  The children especially enjoyed the Mr. E. Hotel which was full of illusions.  The sky bike was also interesting.  They even got me to ride a bike that was attached to a wire 20 feet high.  I was scared to death as I do not balance well.  However, they assured my that it was impossible to flip.  I learned going backwards was not as scary as going forwards!

Brendan and Zaira liked playing with the engineering display because there were balls to roll around.  Everyone liked the dinosaur exhibit and the live animals in the nature room.  There were also cute "nerdy" t-shirts in the museum store.

Not all of our discoveries were found in buildings.  We were intrigued by the towns that picked up on painting themed objects.  We have seen this before...painted horses in Kentucky...painted trains in College Station....and even painted tomatoes in Jacksonville, TX.  This is usually a way for some group to raise money for a special project.  Running the roads of the Midwest were no different.

We found painted bison in several states...starting in Oklahoma and then later in Kansas, Missouri, and South Dakota.  The little town of Custer, SD seemed to have the most with one at every corner of the midway.

When we arrived in Tulsa to see my Aunt Peggie, one of the first things she showed us were her photos of the painted penguins.  The local zoo wanted to have a penguin exhibit, so they raised funds by having businesses paint penguins for their front lawns.

Then in Cheyenne, Wyoming we found painted boots.  We are not sure why but maybe it had something to do with all the ranchers roaming the prairie.

We decided Fort Collins, Colorado just likes to paint anything they can get their paint brushes on.  They painted sides of buildings....generator boxes....and then random pianos were found scattered around town just for fun!  It does seem to be an artsy town with a small university.  Also, my mom says it is an up and coming retirement area.

The last painted objects we discovered were back in San Angelo, Texas.  We stopped to go to Mass at the cathedral (hoping to see our friend Bishop Sis) and have a bite to eat before making the final dash for home.  And, there they were...painted rams!

We also discovered a sunken garden with art pieces scattered under bridges and the dips of a park in San Angelo.  Henry told us that he WAS GETTING OUT OF THE VAN for this photo opportunity.  So, the rest of the family enjoyed a playground while he and Michael explored the modern art garden.  They also discovered that our little LEGO guys should not be set up by snapping turtles!

We did enjoy one other discovery center along the way.  We were trying to find a stop between Cheyenne and Estes Park.  I had Michael pull up our trusty list of reciprocating museums, and he found the Ft. Collins Discovery Center.  What a special treasure for our scavenger hunt of fun spots along the way!  We had so much fun!  We only had an hour to explore but two hours would have been a good amount of time to spend in this museum.  Even though you could feasibly see what you needed in a morning or afternoon, it was one of those places the children would beg to go back to often.

The main exhibit the children enjoyed was the sound experiment room.  There was every kind of musical instrument simulator imaginable.  All the children were drawn to the guitars. Henry got to try the trumpet, which was his new interest right before we left for our trip. There were also a few odd sound experiments to try.  One experiment demonstrated how sound can be heard through your teeth by placing your mouth over a metal tube (covered by a throw away straw) that had music played through the interior.  Amanda had me try this without telling me what would happen.  It was definitely a surprise!

There was also an exhibit with all the creatures (past and present) found in Colorado.  Sean especially enjoyed seeing the insect collection.  There was a very interesting blue beetle that I watched for a while as well.  This beetle is actually black but secretes a blue powder when it is in the sun to protect itself.  Would that not be an awesome feature on a hot Texas day?  They also pretend to be dead to avoid being eaten!

Brendan and Zaira  loved the ball run puzzle and the wind wall.  Then there was a little cubby of a room that had a waterfall image that you controlled with round mats.  Brendan found it hard to leave the molecule building puzzle area.

I say the children enjoyed it, but I think the adults enjoyed it as well.  Amanda liked the wind wall also because it sparkled.  (It made me think about Christina with her love of sparkly things!) Amanda also enjoyed the tornado chamber!  Michael was playing along with the children and found it frustrating that there were so many things we did not get to see.  My mom was also seen enjoying the instruments with the children.  And, I just loved watching everyone having fun!  I took as many pictures that I could but it was hard to get them to sit still long enough to not have blurry pictures!


Do you think you have heard it all?  There is so much more!  Tomorrow I will have a post about our time with Laura Ingalls Wilder!