Park Quest 2009 - Elk Neck State Park

from the Park Quest Website:

Turkey Point Challenge

Your Park Quest Adventure at Elk Neck State Park requires you to use your detective skills to uncover some secrets about the history and ecology of the area. This will require you to complete an easy-to-moderate round-trip hike of 1.6 miles and should take you 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. Your Quest begins from the Turkey Point parking lot and requires you to solve a series of puzzles. The puzzle sheet can be found below on this web page. Be sure to print the document before you begin your Quest. As you hike to Turkey Point, you will discover fascinating facts, such as where to view migrating hawks and where poison ivy likes to grow. Once you arrive at the lighthouse, you will find clues on the surrounding signs and monuments to learn which two bodies of water are visible from Turkey Point and other interesting information about the lighthouse itself. Once you have used your super sleuthing skills to complete the final puzzle, you have completed your Quest! Don’t forget to get your passport stamped!

Our experience:

We spent a great day Saturday exploring the park and the lighthouse. We ran into Team LaCasse at the Point as they were finishing up and heading out and had a nice chat. The volunteers at the lighthouse and giftshop were very friendly and helpful. Dad took the 3 big kids up to the top while Mom stayed down with the 3 little ones. After completing the quest we had a picnic lunch under the shade tree near the lighthouse and then hiked the trail down to the waters edge to do some geocaching. It was a nice sunny day and there were plenty of visitors enjoying this great spot and wonderful park. The challenge was fun and informative. The new trees, bushes and grass near the parking lot looked great and look forward to coming back to see more green!

Memorial Day Week-End 2009

Ryan and I went to the same vacation spot when we were children ~ Bethany Beach, DE. Bethany Beach was a children's dream come true. Back then, you were allowed to roam the "town" for hours. My memories include me with my brother and cousins. For me, there would be a big group of us on the same spot on the beach and we would swim and boogie board, then go get a snowcone, play video games at the arcade, go back to the beach, dig a hole, swim, go get fries, play 50 cent miniature golf, go back to the beach, etc, etc. We probably ranged in age from 7-13 or so. Older cousins would always look-out for the youngers. We come from a big family: my Dad is one of 8.

Ryan and his family also sat on the same part of the beach (although a few blocks from where we all sat). Sometimes I like to think of us as kids, passing one another on the street, playing video games next to each other, standing behind one another in line for a snowcone. Maybe we met each other's gaze, in that awkward kid kind of way. I like to think we did.

Now we go back to that same town, although very much changed. We go back with our brood of 6 little ones that look a lot like us. The town has less of a small town feeling, more crowded. We don't venture out into the main "town", we are lucky to have a home base, Ryan's childhood beach house. And there we went to celebrate Memorial Day. These are just a few pictures of us hanging around the house with Baby D!

Signing Time with B.

Park Quest 2009 - Assateague State Park

From the Park Quest website:

“Oh Give Me a Home, Where the Wild Ponies Roam…”

Explore beautiful Assateague State Park as you venture through the habitat of the famous wild horses. People and wildlife share similar basic needs; we all need a place to live and to find food, water, shelter, and space. Your Park Quest adventure will take you on a journey across the island to discover the habitat components that keep the horses thriving on Assateague. You’ll look for clues for other wildlife and plants that share this habitat and will need to use your keen observation skills to create an “Island Field Guide.” Watch for animals scurrying across the sand, flying through the sky, and dancing in the waves, or find the signs they leave behind -- footprints, rubbings, even scat! Pick up an instruction packet from our Campground Office; then get ready to start your Habitat Trek. Use a park-provided map to transect the island and visit the various habitat zones. You may be surprised at the diversity of life that abounds!

Our experience:

We headed to the beach for Memorial Day and spent the afternoon Sunday at Assateague Island. We borrowed one of the video cameras and the kids took turns filming our fun. It was a lot cooler on the beach than we expected but the kids had a great time playing at the waters edge, digging up sand crabs. We also saw a cool sandpiper running along the beach which we used for our Field Guide. We didn't see any of the horses at any of the three zones but saw plenty of "evidence" that they had been there earlier. The walk to zone 3 along the busy road was a bit stressful to us parents but the kids enjoyed exploring the saltmarsh, finding clam and crab shells. There was a great breeze coming off of the bay that kept the bugs away. This was our second trip to Assateague (both times for Park Quest) and we really want to come back this summer and camp on the beach. As usual, the staff at the ranger/camp office were helpful and friendly. Thanks for the fun and the kid-focused challenge!


Although only 8 park quest challenges are required for the finale picnic, we are planning on trying to complete all 14 challenges! So...5 down!

Park Quest 2009 - Tuckahoe State Park

from the Park Quest website:

Paddling the Creek Nature Exploration

The Quest at Tuckahoe State Park is a self-guided canoeing experience that will take participants upstream from Tuckahoe Lake into the flooded woodland in search of clues and signs of six animals native to this beautiful area. Quest teams will be able to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of this rich habitat. The paddling is easy, as there is very little current to contend with in the creek. Teams will be given a canoe, paddles, and life preservers along with a Quest Exploration worksheet. Teams will also receive a map of the lake and stream valley showing the locations of the clues that may be found while on your paddle. Along the way, teams will learn about the benefits of this unique habitat and see some of the many animals that call this area home. The paddle excursion should take two hours or less to complete. The Tuckahoe State Park staff hopes you enjoy your tour of our beautiful flooded woodlands. And don’t forget to get your Passport stamped before you leave!

Our experience:

We stopped for this Challenge on our way to the Beach for Memorial Day weekend. The park was busy with people enjoying the nice weather. The young man at the boat house was friendly and helpful. He quickly got us set up with all the gear we needed and a camera. The 4 oldest kids joined Dad in the canoe, while Mom kept the two babies on shore. After paddling across the lake to the beginning of the creek, we briefly got stuck on a submerged log and this freaked out our 3 and 5 year old kids. They had enough boating fun and wanted to get back on land with Mom. So we paddled back and dropped them off and then it was just Dad, and the two big kids. We enjoyed the slow cruise along the canal spotting all sorts of wildlife including a bunch of turtles, a couple water snakes, an otter or a beaver (not sure which, it splashed into the water very quickly), and lots of different birds including a large blue heron. We collected the letters and were back to the boathouse after about 2 hours. We really enjoyed our time on the water and the younger kids had a blast on the recycled tire playground. Thanks for the fun challenge and for bringing us back to this great park for another Park Quest Challenge!

Small Successes~5/21/09

Sadly, I couldn't think of 3 things to post this week, so I asked my husband to think for me.

1. I've walked every evening so far this week.

2. I helped baby-sit my cutey niece, D, with the help of my cousins today!

3. Had a great homeschool review this week.

Go check out more at Faith & Family Live!

The Simple Woman's Daybook~5/20/09

FOR TODAY 5/20/09...

Outside my window...
66 degrees and sunny. It's supposed to get up to 74 degrees today.

I am thinking...
how plans change and with 2 babies nothing is set in stone.

I am thankful for...
a well-done homeschool review. (Thanks, hon!)

From the learning rooms...
Still chugging along indoors. We seem to be leaning towards a Botany science lesson for R for late spring and summer. J is still learning about Native American History. We are having a wonderful time reading aloud from the book: The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich. I love it when I begin reading and little bodies start plopping on the floor to listen. B has been learning subtraction and I can see the lightbulbs bursting with brightness above her head! And S is doing a great job counting.

From the kitchen...
As you can see from older posts, we have been having fun in the kitchen. Tonight is pork chops. I don't know if Ryan has a recipe, or if he'll just wing it!

I am creating...
I will have to start creating a summery schedule which will include more geocaching and outside time!

I am going...
to try to get all of us outside today!

I am reading...
Magnificat, and a book I found...in my house...(how did it get here?) called Healing Through the Mass by Robert DeGrandis, S.S.J. with Linda Schubert and a book that was given to me called Making God the Joy of Our Soul: Homilies of Fr. McLean Cummings.

I am hoping...
that my 2 littlest guys sleep better tonight!

I am hearing...
B is reading out loud.

Around the house...
the spring cleaning list has come to a halt. We need to re-start...

One of my favorite things...
a "girl's day" we had on Saturday!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
I am baby-sitting my cutey niece tomorrow. On Friday night, we are going to M's graduation party (Congratulations, M!). Memorial Day week-end...to the beach! (And knock out some park quests!)

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Go check out more at The Simple Woman's Daybook!

From Hillbilly to Heaven

My husband can take beans (and tuna) for dinner for only so long...must be the caveman in him that craves MEAT. So, he goes out and shops for his MEAT (kill?) and prepares and serves the MEAT to his happy family.

Once Maurisa kindly directed us to this website where she made the baked lemon pasta, Ryan was hooked. The man loves lemon on everything, as most of you know.

The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, (yes, Drummond!), cooks for her cowboy husband, so has dubbed some of her recipes "cowboy food". And this is where Ryan found his recipes. The other night he cooked steak with asparagus (and corn on the cob).

Ready for the grill!

Preparing the asparagus...

There is order in the chaos...

He even makes the pretty grill marks...

Hey, Dad! Is dinner ready yet???

Hey, Mom!!! Meatloaf!!!

Yes, it was delicious...

Good dinner, Daddy!

I almost forgot to mention that he also made the "Marlboro Man's Second Favorite Sandwich" last night for dinner...(she calls her husband Marlboro Man), and he is planning on making the asparagus again Thursday night with Marinated Flank Steak and Crash Hot Potatoes...

Homeschool Review, Success!

Ryan here, Amy took Ray and Josie to their semi-annual homeschool review with the county Board of Ed. The kids both got good reviews and "seal of approval". I never had a doubt, as I know what a great teacher-mom Amy is.

There He Goes!

Ready for a hearty chuckle?

Ryan and I were laughing so hard last night at this skit on SNL. The kind of laugh where no sound comes out of you, where your stomach hurts, and you can hardly see the T.V. because there are massive amounts of tears blurring your vision...Enjoy!

Park Quest 2009 - Patapsco State Park

from the Park Quest website:

Disc Golf Challenge

The Patapsco Park Quest is to complete a nine-hole round of disc golf. Invented in the 1970's, disc golf is similar to regular golf, but instead of a small white ball and an assortment of heavy, expensive clubs, you will use a few light inexpensive discs or Frisbees. The object is the same as regular golf, but instead of using a ball, you try to get your disc into the "hole" in the fewest number of throws as possible. Disc golf is a great outdoor activity that provides good exercise with a very low chance of injury. You will be given all you need for your Quest when you check in at the McKeldin Contact Station. To complete the front nine holes of the course, you will throw your discs over fields and through the woods as you go. The Quest will take about an hour and a half and require about a mile and a quarter of walking. On each hole there will be some letters. Write down and unscramble the letters to come up with an answer to the question that will be presented at the Contact Station upon returning the discs. Don't forget to get your passport stamped before you leave. Anyone can play this fun game!

Our Experience:

Friday, May 15 -- Another beautiful day in a Maryland State Park. We had been to this great park last year for a geocaching picnic, but had never played Frisbee/disc golf before. The friendly guy at the check-in station got us all set up with discs, scorecard and the map. We made our way to the parking lot near the first tee and the kids played on the playground while we packed up and then we had a few practice throws at the practice basket. It was fun but tougher than we expected. After the first round of short throws from the first tee, we decided to play “best disc”. Either Mom, Dad or our oldest son would have the farthest throw of the group, then we would all grab our discs and take our next shot from the farthest thrown disc. Mom had to quit after the 3rd hole since Baby B. wanted to be held instead of riding in the stroller. The kids really got better as we went on and trees kept jumping in front of Dad’s throws. Our almost 2 year old, E., eventually got out of the stroller and explored the course with Mom and Baby B. while they rest of us played on. E. was playing near a large fallen branch and walked right into the end of it, missing his eyeball by about an inch. His guardian angel works overtime. We only played 9 of the 18 holes (baskets?) but that was all that was needed to solve the puzzle. We brought a nice picnic lunch but the gnats were terrible and we ended up eating in the van in the shade with the AC cranked. Thanks for adding disc golf to Park Quest this year, we really had a great time as a family in this wonderful park.

Park Quest 2009 - Greenwell State Park

From the Park Quest website:

River Trail Trek

The Quest at Greenwell State Park is an easy and short self-guided walk through the grounds of the beautiful Rosedale Manor House and a fun scavenger hunt for letters that unscrambled form the answer to the Quest question. The hike along the River Trail is a delightful three-quarter mile walk that winds down to the pier, around the point along the river shoreline, and through woods, fields and the Manor House grounds. Along the way you will pass Quest signs featuring native animals that will give the clues for the missing letters. Enjoy the historic landscape and the peaceful views of the river and explore the woods and fields while solving this fun letter puzzle!

Our experience:

Saturday, May 9 -- After the long hike at Calvert Cliffs, we were glad this next Quest was a simpler one. The staff at the gate were very friendly and pointed us where to go. There were lots of cars in the lot from the many lucky people who live near this great park who get to enjoy the fishing, hiking and beach. We packed up the stroller and baby carriers again and made our way down to the waters edge after grabbing our quiz sheet. The kids would dash ahead to get to the signs and figure out the answers first. This was a really well done challenge designed for kids of all ages. The big kids had the puzzle word figured out before we were halfway done. Walking along the waters edge, there were tons of caterpillars crawling along the rocks. There were so many, it was kind of creepy. We finished all of the sign puzzles and only had a bit of trouble with one. Then we were off to the horse barn to finish it and drop it off. We really enjoyed this Quest and this wonderful park.

(the new banner pic at the top of this page is a panoramic view of the Patuxent River at Greenwell SP)

Park Quest 2009 - Calvert Cliffs

From the Park Quest website:

Seize the Treasure of the Southern Maryland Seas!

Your Quest at Calvert Cliffs is to hike the Red Trail to the beach and hunt for fossils of the marine animals that lived in the warm shallow sea that covered southern Maryland over 15 million years ago. The Red Trail winds through woodlands and follows the course of Grays Creek, which widens into a marshland that is home to a variety of plants and animals rarely seen on upland trails. Finally, the trail opens to a breathtaking view of the Chesapeake Bay and a sandy beach where fossils eroding from the surrounding cliffs have washed ashore. The easy-to-moderate hike is a total of 3.6 miles round-trip, and depending on how much time is spent at the beach, the entire Quest may take several hours to complete. Enjoy the hike and the beach, hunt for fossils, the most common are sharks' teeth. Before you leave, take a picture in front of the Calvert Cliffs Park Quest sign (with teammates and fossils) and make a rubbing of the model of the fossilized shark's tooth on the interpretive sign at the Trail head in the space provided in your Passport. Later, make a print of the photo and attach it to your Passport. Your photo and rubbing will verify that you have completed this Quest. Enjoy your journey to Calvert Cliffs and your hunt for evidence of the Southern Maryland Seas!

Our experience:

Saturday, May 9 -- We were excited to start Park Quest and decided to head south to Calvert Cliffs and Green Well State Parks, as they are two of the closest ones to home. It was a warm, sunny day and we really enjoyed this park. The kids played on the recycled tire playground while we packed up the stroller, baby carrier and backpacks. We weren’t aware it was a 3.6 mile round trip hike but the end result of playing on the beach and fossil hunting was worth it. We saw lots of wild life along the way including two big brown snakes sunning themselves on the beaver dam, frogs, lizards, a woodpecker and a small water snake. The kids took time to explore the many stream sections along the way. When we got to the beach, they shed there shoes and splashed at the waters edge and scoured the beach for fossils and shark teeth. We had been to the northern end of the Calvert Cliffs at Chesapeake Beach to find shark teeth, but we weren’t quite sure what to look for as fossils. We didn’t know if the pieces we found were fossils or shells. We brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed it at the picnic table near the beach. After that the kids played some more on the beach and then we headed back to the van to hit the road for Greenwell SP. Our kids had so much fun they barely had time to complain about the long hike.

Small Successes~5/14/09

1. I've been inspired over the past month to start a "teatime" around 4 p.m. to wind down the school for the day, to turn back into "MOM" again, and to sit and talk about our day. This has worked out beautifully...who knew? Thanks to our Keurig coffee-maker (Thanks, A!), I can whip up some tea in no time. We use real tea cups, with plates, and I set out the sugar bowl, and milk in a dainty little milk-pourer-thingy (I can't remember the correct name for this dish!) We always have a sweet treat to accompany the tea, be it muffins, cookies, or a cake! Only the big 4 have tea, but even our 3-year old slurps it up with his spoon. They love it!

2. I've taken over bathtime this week. Usually, this is Daddy's job at the end of the day. But I've been relieving him by bathing the little kids during the day, before they get dressed.

3. When we need to tighten our belt a bit-- grocery-wise -- I can always turn to the Hillbilly Housewife. This website lends recipes for those types of weeks. Two nights ago, I made the creamed tuna and peas over rice, which was a hit. Last night I made refried beans and flour tortillas with onions. Everybody gobbled it up. Even Baby B loved the beans.

Go check out more Small Successes at Faith & Family Live!

The Simple Woman's Daybook~5/12/09

FOR TODAY 5/12/09...

Outside my window...
60 degrees and sunny, high of 68 degrees

I am thinking...
what's that prayer to St. Anthony again?

I am thankful for...
good health, spring, and homeschool

From the learning rooms...
the beautiful days taunt us to leave the house, to explore outside...

From the kitchen...
Looks like red beans and rice for lunch, I have a chicken thawing on the counter for tomorrow's chicken soup

I am creating...
quickly creating a blog post!

I am going...
hopefully going for a walk when Ryan gets home!

I am reading...
Magnificat and re-reading A Family Journal: A Homeschooling Mother's Companion by Rita Munn

I am hoping...
we find what we are looking for!

I am hearing...
"Ready or not, here I come!" Kids playing hide and seek.

Around the house...
The usual chores today...

One of my favorite things...
Assigning a book to read a couple chapters at a time, and the child takes it upon himself to read ahead on his own.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Last Writing class for R tomorrow. Ryan and R are going to Fr. Kevin's house with R's Blaze group on Saturday for an end of the year picnic! I also have to organize the kid's school papers and books for their homeschool review on Monday afternoon.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

If you know my mother,
And maybe you do,
Because maybe your mother,
Is like my mother, too.
Then you know a mother
As strong as a trap,
As soft as a pillow,
As warm as a lap.
You know a mother
Who grandmothers
Your children...
(source unknown)

I love you, Babs!

Shave and a Haircut (Well, not the shave part)

Photo credit: R.L.

Small Successes~5/7/09

1. The kids and I went to weekday Mass yesterday.

2. I just got back from taking the kids to the children's hair salon to get a couple of little boys haircuts.

3. Planning more! I've been meal planning and shopping, and I've also been doing more lesson planning. This is necessary!

Go check out more Small Successes at Faith & Family Live!

Rejoice

Each day, upon my daily round,
I find myself on holy ground -
The morning-glories on my fence
Inspire quiet reverence.
Just one small, tender seedling grew,
And now, this miracle in blue.
A robin in the apple tree
Sings out his glad doxology.
I hear the pure, unsullied joy
Of laughter from a little boy;
I bow before the firm belief
And faith of one who lives with grief;
I watch a jet plane skim the skies
And marvel at man's enterprise;
I look upon a field of wheat
And thank God for the bread we eat;
I watch the benedictive rain
On low-bowed heads of flower and grain.
A friend drops in, a neighbor calls,
The lamps are lit, night gently falls;
Contentment settles with the sun
In labors of the day well done.
So many little altars there,
So many simple calls to prayer,
So many reasons for thanksgiving -
The sacraments of daily living.
~ Helen Lowrie Marshall

To Mom

This post is regarding an incident that happened this afternoon between B (5) and S (3). Apparently B SPIT on S, and was not sorry for doing it. As it had just begun to rain, I thought it would be a good idea for her to get a taste of her own medicine. I told her to go stand on the back porch, so the sky can spit on her. She lasted approximately 1 second outside, running back in, weeping.
Moments later, I caught her doodling/writing at the table. When I inquired, she wouldn't tell me what she was doing. Very hush-hush. As I was throwing yet another load of laundry into the washer, she runs up to me, holds out a homemade card, and begins weeping again! I sat down and read the card:

"to MoM
IM Sorry For Being Bad and For SPiting in Seans Face So See You Soon"

I told her to go tell S she was sorry, and to hug it out (always).

The Simple Woman's Daybook~5/5/09

FOR TODAY 5/5/09...

Outside my window...
56 degrees and cloudy, high of 61 degrees

I am thinking...
so many things to do this week-end!

I am thankful for...
today.

From the learning rooms...
I am so proud of R, he has been finishing up his daily work every day. J has also, but she has never struggled with it. I've decided to have all of the kids working on the same "Science" lessons using Serendipity. The wonderful ladies who have shared their ideas on that blog have designed it for families with multi-aged children. I also have J working on the American History lessons they have designed. B has been doing a ton of reading lately, so I haven't been pushing her to do table work lately. Same with S: he has been listening to B reading stories, and he will look at the books so intently, reading the pictures.

From the kitchen...
Ryan and I made chicken pot pie yesterday. This recipe is not quick, but we all love it. Tonight looks like some sort of mexican sloppy Joe's (it just so happens to be Cinco de Mayo! didn't plan it that way!)

I am creating...
order out of chaos.

I am going...
yucky weather. We need to get outside, though.

I am reading...
I am still reading my Magnificat and re-reading Elizabeth Foss's book, Real Learning.

I am hoping...
to get up earlier and get outside more during the week.

I am hearing...
B is cleaning up her little people.

Around the house...
slowly ticking things off of our spring cleaning list!

One of my favorite things...
Older siblings lovingly caring for younger siblings.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
R's writing class Wednesday, Last CCD Wednesday, and a Mass for the Holy Innocents Wednesday evening. My Seester's b-day on Thursday!!! Brady's Baptism anniversary on Friday...5 years ago when she pooped all over her Godmother's nice white suit! This week-end is up in the air. We might go and do a Park Quest Saturday, or meet my MOTHER for lunch. Sunday is Mother's Day! Gammy will be 85 and we will be celebrating her birthday with her!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Go check out more at The Simple Woman's Daybook!

CAM 2009! Finale and Picnic

Yeah! We got to attend the CAM Finale and Picnic at Sandy Point State Park yesterday. Although the weather was chilly and it sprinkled here and there, we all had a good time. The kids had fun playing on the beach with sand toys and bubbles with their geocaching friends, and the adults had fun swapping stories and catching up with our geocaching friends! What now? (Park Quest 2009, of course!!!)

Seven Quick Takes~5/1/09

1. "Chicken wig" is a new term in our household that has been started by S (3). He first used it when he was describing Diego's hair (as in Dora the Explorer).
I'm assuming it's referring to Diego's unusually fluffy hair. So, now, if anyone has fluffy hair, they are endearingly known to have a "chicken wig". As in:
Also, when Gammy and J came over yesterday, S noticed Gammy also had a "chicken wig". B's "chicken wig" was also in fine form yesterday.
2. How can we top that? We decided to start Ray in beginner Latin. We finished up lesson 1 this week, and he seems very interested. Although Daddy said he took Latin in school, and all he remembers are the curse words. But onward we go. It is a very nice program, except...it came with a CD so we can learn the proper pronunciation and the woman who pronounces has a very thick southern accent! So all of our "Ora et labora"'s are coming out "O-RUH et Lu-BORUH" (said in a southern accent). I'm sure the woman is very nice, kind of like talking to some of my southern relatives, and I'm sure they didn't notice while they were recording, but it still makes me giggle. Hopefully it will get better.

3. We are learning more signs! Thanks to Signing Time, E (20 mo.) and the other kids are learning to sign their ABC's, colors, fruits and veggies, and words like walk and run, etc.

4. S (3) has started dressing himself, and he is very proud! Here he is in action:
5. Every once in a while, I am contacted to make a meal for a family from Church who has just had a new baby! We really had a fun time doing just that today. Ryan made a wonderful baked ziti, and I made brownies. We also brought salad, garlic bread, and soda. I ran up to the $ store with B and S and we picked out "Happy Birthday" plates, napkins, and cups. B also picked out some special items (coloring book, crayons, bubbles, etc.) to give to the big sister, who just happened to be 5 also! Once again, I can't claim credit to these ideas. Families from our Church just so happened to do the same thing for us after we've had our new babies!

6. I have a love/hate relationship with geocaching. I really love doing all of the CAM caches, I love getting FTF's (First to Find) and I like going to events but I seriously dislike hiding caches. We happened to do this today, and I was just thinking how much I would rather be at home. Ryan happens to love hiding caches, and he really has a talent for it. He has wonderful ideas and puts together some pretty crafty caches. My problem is that they are seriously time consuming re: the planning and actual hiding once you find a place to hide it and you have to perform maintenance on them quite often because they come up MISSING or vandelized, etc.

7. Josie has started learning about American History and Native Americans, thanks to Serendipity! We decided to start out by reading some of If you Lived with the Sioux and then

Look for examples of Native Americans on horses in Native American art or in the illustrations of the books you are using. Use these as a guide to create your own illustration of a Native American and his/her horse. Offer as much explanation as you can of what the person is doing with the horse and of their relationship.

I thought she did a fine job!
Go check out more Seven Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary!