That’s what GB called our field trip today. We went to our nature class at the state park. And the subject was Archeology.
We began with a discussion about archeology and artifacts.
Our guide is showing the kids a native necklace made from copper, and tiny little shells. GB felt as if a Chief would wear this to signify his importance.
After the discussion, the kids went outside, where the park guides had staked out a fake archeology dig. They had to stress to the kids that this was for educational purposes only. When you go to a park you should never dig anything up or take anything with you. The kids were supposed to pretend that they lived in the 24th century. The guides had buried items that would commonly be found in the 21st century. The area was staked out with string and the kids separated into small groups to dig.
Here, GB is sifting the loose soil to find anything tiny that might be hidden by the soil.
He finds a clothes pin.
Here is GB’s new friend, H, who joined our homeschooling group last week. 
Each found item was placed on the piece of paper nearest to their dig site. These two young ladies found a water bottle and a cd case.
After the items had all been dug up, the guide led them through a discussion about what those items would have revealed about the people who had lived there.
That’s why GB called it archeology training.
Those of you who are near and dear, and can appreciate my limited level of athleticism, will totally crack up at the following pictures.
Last night I went to get belay certification with about 12 other homeschooling moms. There is nothing like climbing a rock wall to dispel the image of a frumpy mom! We all had a blast and ended up closing the place down.
Here, we are checking to make sure we’ve gotten all the knots, anchors, and equipment set up right. It is my butt on the line, after all!
The beginning…….
the middle…….
Ta, da!! The tippy top! Thanks to my instructor for snapping these proof-positive pictures. I can’t wait for my sister, B, to see them. She’s a P.E. teacher. She’ll be shocked! 
Believe it, or not, I made it up three times. I am so proud of myself because I would have never dreamed that I could do this. It was actually easier than it looks because my legs are way stronger than my arms. So I used my arms to kind of guide and balance me, but I used my legs for the actual climbing.
When we signed up, I just thought we’d be learning without actual people attached, ha-ha-ha!. Or maybe we’d be belaying for the staff….. So I was really unprepared to climb. I only wanted to get certified so that GB could climb at a much reduced price. But this was a very surprisingly fun night.
Thanks to all my homeschool mom friends for slowly pulling me out of my box. I’m getting there, little by little.
We got a bit of snow this past weekend. It didn’t amount to much, but dh and GB had a good time with it anyway. I love my dh’s face in this photo.
We didn’t get enough to actually make a snowman, but we still have hopes for the season.
Up in Harrisonburg, where Aquagirl goes to college, they got a lot more than we did. So she and her friends were able to make much better use of the snowfall. She said it took five of them to get that middle section onto the snowman. And for the top, one of the guys stood on the base while they passed up the head. Huge, huh?
This is Aquagirl and her best friend, Gymbabe.
The word “stencil” is derived from the French estencler meaning to sparkle. The earliest known stencil-like designs first appeared in Western China at the caves of the Thousand Buddhas. Stenciling as a decorative technique spread throughout the Far East and eventually made its way to Europe.
The French first used stencils to decorate playing cards, books, textiles and wallpapers. Often the painted decorative designs simulated brocades and tapestries. Hand stenciled wallpapers became so popular that they appeared in the finest homes all over Europe.
Colonists coming to North America in the the 18th and 19th centuries brought decorative stenciling to this part of the world. Since wall paper was so expensive, this became an affordable alternative. Colonists stenciled on anything they could, paper, wood, and ceramics. Artisans often traveled the countryside plying their trade and talent in homes, churches and public buildings. Eventually their style of decoration became synonymous with American Folk Art.
The pattern for our stencils came from our Colonial Unit cd. I cut it out for GB because with his poor small motor skills, I worried about him using an exacto knife. As you can see from the photos below, he kind of got into the stenciling. I had to remind him that the stipple technique puts the brush straight up and down with a tap, tap, tap motion. He kept angling his brush, which would cause a bit of paint bleeding under the stencil. But other than that he did pretty good.
I don’t think he’s as good as I am about being able to visualize a finished product. Because when he lifted the stencil and saw the pattern underneath, he was very surprised.
He was so impressed with his results, that he claimed it was no wonder the Colonists liked stencils so much. Now that’s a pretty little box. 
