Tuesday & Wednesday of this week I had the pain pleasure of going on the 2nd grade field trip. Don't get me wrong it was a lot of fun but two days in a row is a little much.
Tuesday three of the classes went. It was a lot of fun. We drove an hour to Huntsville and arrived to characters dressed in 19th century dress ready to take us on an adventure back in time to learn all about Sam Houston and how he and his family lived and played on their farm.
After a quick introduction video which pointed out how Sam Houston was married 3 times, had 8 kids, was known as "The Big Drunk" (great for 2nd graders, right?) they got to go out to a log cabin and play with toys from back then. It was really interesting to learn why they created each toy- such as "climbing bear"- he would only climb the strings if you were pulling right- which happened to be the same way you should milk a cow- or "Chicken Platter"- it taught you how to properly move your wrist to feed the chickens so they all got fed- yet they were in the form of a toy. The kids loved it. They played and played.
When time was up we moved to the next station which was touring the houses. The houses on the site are the actual site and house that were there when Sam Houston built them. One of the houses was the "Steamboat House" which is where he died.He didn't actually build the "steamboat house" but rented it when he died of pneumonia. Of course in true second grade fashion they all assumed since he died there (and there was a coffin in one of the rooms) that it was haunted and were scared of it. It is a little creepy that they have a replica coffin in one of the rooms. And describe another room as..."this is where Sam Houston lay as he died" and "this is the room he died in" - a little much for second graders- but some of them loved it. (figures right?) After the "Steamboat House" we walked over to the house that Sam Houston built for his family. We got to look in all the rooms and see how everything was. Really neat to see.
Lastly, they moved to their last station which was where the girls put on aprons and boys put on vests. The boys planted potatoes, carried water and firewood while the girls made cornbread on the hearth and washed and hung clothes on the line. It was neat to watch how the kids all interacted- all saying they loved doing it. HA- if only their moms could hear it. After they had finished their "chores" they boys faced the girls and thanked them for washing and baking and the girls thanked them for working hard. We then got to try out our cornbread. (and the butter we made by shaking a mason jar)
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| one of the old houses |
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| Bette |
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| About to play with the old toys |
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| The Old Toys |
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| The Girls Washing Clothes |
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| The Chimney to the old kitchen |
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| Natalie playing with one of the old toys |
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| The girls feeding the boys cornbread after they planted potatoes. |
*I got some really cute photos of the kids but I had to put photos up that don't have faces*
When they were done we walked to the bathrooms, washed hands and then headed to the gazebo where the kids ate lunch and played until it was time to get back on the bus and come home. Tuesday was a success. One day down one to go.
Wednesday morning started out about as normal as a chicken coop. The last three classes were going and I got to go along again because they needed the extra hands. Well we are starting to get loaded up and all hell breaks loose. Two girls (twins) are having an allergic reaction to something and their whole faces are swelling up- well the school says they cant do anything and they have to come with us. AHH! So they get on the bus crying because their faces are burning and swelling and itchy. YIKES! Finally after some time and Benadryl they calm down.
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| Lauries Boys planting |
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| Tricia |
We get there and the day continues on. It is beautiful outside for the second day in a row and the kids are loving it. We got through the same three stations as Tuesday and before long it is time for lunch again. We head back over to the gazebo, eat, let the kids play and load the bus.
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| Washing Clothes Day Two *the girls loved it* |
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Laurie's girls going to wash clothes
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We told them they had a competition to see whose class would have the most people fall asleep (with a penalty for snoring-haha) and the winner would get extra recess on Friday. Worked like a charm- the bus was silent (except for the teachers talking-haha) However, about 20 minutes away from school- we all hear what sounds like rocks hitting the ground...WRONG! VOMIT hitting the ground is what it is. We had just kidded about the "Bodily Fluid Clean Up Kit" and how reassuring it was- saying great- now we are doomed- well YUP! DOOMED! The smell of vomit reeked on the bus. We put down windows and covered our mouth & noses with our shirts. Poor kid. She got car sick. By the time we got off the bus the vom had traveled down the floor all the way to our seat. We all tried very carefully not to step on it. What a day and think I still made dinner after that day. : )
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| Megan & Me on the way home after the vomit accident |
