First day of school 2011

Our yearly tradition is to have the kids pick out a favorite outfit for their back to school picture. It seems we keep adding bodies to the photos.

Civil War Days

(Mom here.)

Two days in a row we got to travel to the small town of Port Sanilac -- girls in costume -- for excellent historical events that tied in with our American history studies this year. Yesterday was Columbus' ships. Today's trip was to Civil War Days at the Sanilac Historical Museum.

Bob and I most enjoyed the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Both reenactors were very good and drew in crowd interaction. The girls especially liked the Punch and Judy puppet show held in the old schoolhouse on the grounds.

The boys liked crawling and running around. Elias crawled up on a bench to see the Governor of Michigan at the time.

Dori spent a lot of time playing a game of gracies with a little reenactor boy, coached by a Union soldier. Addy is shown trying it. Two sticks are held in an X with a hoop on them. When the arms are opened the hoop shoots out for the other player to catch and send it back. I promised we could make our own set. The soldier recommended an embroidery hoop with 3/8" dowel.

A Civil War event needs a battle. We watched a small one with a handful of reenactors with their muskets and cannons on each side. Before we left the house that morning, Bob quizzed the girls about which side they were on, so they were proud to be little Union girls. While taking the picture below, it seemed to me that if this were a good reenactment my good little Union girls might have kicked that Johnny Reb in the crotch while he laid in front of them reloading his musket.

Going to the replicas of Columbus' ships

Wow, this is really cool. I'm looking at a replica of Columbus' ships, and it fits right in with school.

We got to go on the ships. A crew member took us on a complete tour of the Nina and Pinta. Being a sailor sounds like a rough life.

We are dressed up like ladies of the royal court in 1492. Dori is Queen Isabella. Queen Isabella is the one who gave Columbus the money and permission to go on his expensive trip.