Field Trip!!

What a difference a week makes! This time last week, I was stressed out and feeling resentful about our visitor. SD took him to the airport Monday morning. He got home and from what SIL says, he is feeling much better. Imagine.

That little trip to the airport - no, not the close one, the one farther away and just over the state line since there were no seats available on flights out of the local airport (not that I'm complaining, he's gone, right?)- forced SD to reschedule his physical to this morning. The morning of SugarPlum's field trip. The trip that left at the exact same moment that Bear has to be at school. So a quick call to a good friend (Thanks, Billy!!) saved our butts. Billy came over at 8:00 this morning and I walked over to SugarPlum's school to join the third grade on their trip to the Historical Park for a lesson in pioneer living.

They were encouraged to dress appropriate to the period (1800s). Yeah, because bonnets are a staple in my eight year old's wardrobe. (We actually have these great jumpers that I bought her when we lived in England. They are so sweet and old fashioned and girly. I bought them in several sizes before we moved. The best thing about them? She loves them!) Since we were without a bonnet, I suggested we just braid her hair down her back. She also wanted to wear a bandanna as a kerchief. She looks like a cancer patient with it on. But she was happy.

We were also encouraged to pack a lunch that was period appropriate. That was fun. No PB&J. No go-gurt. You get the idea. So I had SD get some fried chicken and biscuits at Kroger last night. That's as pioneer as I get. SD pointed out as I packed it today that the pioneers didn't have ziploc bags. I told him to shove it. I wrapped it all - chicken, biscuits, some apple wedges and a bottle of water - in a towel and placed it in a basket. Very pioneer-y, no? Then I put my Diet Coke in my purse & headed out.

I know. I never saw Ma Ingalls with a 20 oz Diet coke out on the prairie either, but work with me people. If the Olsens had carried Diet Coke in their store, you know Ma would have had some. Shut up.

The "pioneer experience" was really pretty cool. They got to do a lot of hands-on stuff. Everything went well until the very last activity of the day . Their group was looking through the herb garden. SP was fascinated. They were allowed to smell the plants and encouraged to take leaves from a few of them. She dropped one of hers and then the bell was rung signalling that it was time to leave. I told her it was time to move along and (cue the music) she broke down sobbing. "But Mom! It was MINT!!" As if you can't get that at Kroger. She was pissed at me all the way back to the school. I was so aggravated with her. I wanted to just yell, "Shut up and get over it already!" But I didn't. Thank heaven for Diet Coke.

I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story. They'll be on flickr soon too.

My chemo kid looking totally enthralled with the whole knitting lesson.

That's her in the back churning butter.

Scrubbing laundry on the washboard.

Spinning wool into yarn with a Drop Spindle. (dig those "pioneer sneakers!")

Playing old-fashioned games: The hoop

Grinding corn into meal.

The kids were so good. I was a little apprehensive, but pleasantly surprised. They are a pretty good class. It was a nice change from some of the kids in her class in Texas. The stories I could tell...

Wait! That's why I have a blog, isn't it?! Well, then. You may have to hear about that sometime soon.

Anyway. Gotta get to bed. My pioneer ass is dragging. So, I will take it up to my pioneer tempur-pedic mattress. Bite me, Ma Ingalls.