Field Trip with Maren

This was a very interesting field trip, and would have been maybe a great one, except for being out in the sun all day with no shade, and while walking 3/4 of a mile to get to the Clark's Fork River we were attacked by ticks.  I guess they must have just hatched because a few days earlier they weren't around.  Anyway, I didn't find any on myself or Maren, but there were several kids that had up to 28 on them.  Mrs Anderson even found one crawling in her bra. Yuck.  The kids were finding micro invertebrates which are larvae that hatch into different types of insects that grow under the rocks in the river.  Like I said, very interesting.

After we got back from that, we did eat lunch in the shade, everyone was still a little shaken up with the ticks, and some were still finding some on themselves.  I thought it would be a good time to leave, but the workers took us to the next phase of the field trip and had the kids dig holes and plant some trees.  Now it is afternoon, it is hot and there is no shade.  Kids are still finding ticks on themselves.  Some have been so traumatized that they won't go out in the tall grass.  Maren did get brave and went out and dug a couple of holes with her friend Josie.  The trees were pretty small, hopefully they will grow. 

Our class was the first of the 4th graders to go.  There was supposed to be a class each day go for the next week and a half.  After todays experience, we were the only class that went.  The school cancelled the rest of the field trips due to ticks.  I was so glad when that part of the day was over.  I was hot and tired.

Field Trip with Maren - Pompey's Pillar

I'm sad that my field trips with my kids are getting fewer. Aliza had a two day field trip, but too many parents wanted to go, so they pulled names, and I didn't get to go.  So sad, but I did get to go with Maren.  I went with Jackson when he was in 3rd grade, and learned even more this time. I love hearing the history of our country.  Pompey was Sacajawea's 1 year old son and William Clark, from the Lewis and Clark Expedition named this place after him.  Clark carved his signature in the wall of this pillar and is still here today.  

Maren took some pictures on her i-pod from on top and saw the same things that he saw.  She and her friend Jenna were together most the time.  She was glad they were in the same group.  I had a group of about 5 girls.  

I so enjoy accompanying these kids on their field trips, and hope to go as much as they will let me.  

Sleeping Homeless

A week before graduation and Sammy is sleeping in a cardboard box for NHS (National Honors Society).  They were supposed to ask for donations in support of the homeless (Jackson, Aliza, and Maren even donated their own hard earned money), then go to the football field and sleep in a cardboard box to have a sense of what they go through.  Sammy made his cardboard home out of a bunch of little boxes we had and duck tape.  He made it just long enough for him to sleep in and tall enough for him not to be too claustrophobic.  I thought it was a cold night, but he said he slept just fine.  The kids had to get up in the morning and go to school without showering or changing clothes, they had to experience the whole homeless ordeal. He had a blast.  I guess if it was for real, he wouldn't have so much fun.  Then again, maybe he would.

Sammy Goes to Washington

Sammy's 2nd period Honors Civic class took first in the state of Montana for a competition.  Because of that, they were able to go to Washington D.C. to represent the state of Montana for the We The People competition.  (2002 was the last time Laurel got to go).

I wanted to go with him so bad, but we had just gotten back from Maui and didn't feel like I should go, but I told him to send me lots of pictures.

This one below was the first one he sent and posted on Facebook. The caption read:

Natural Habitat

He didn't send many pictures, so I kept bugging him to send some, so he started sending really funny and strange pics with a short caption to it.  I will put the captions he wrote at the top of each photo.

Found a Unicorn

Perfect Picture

Finally got that Itch

(then he sent another one similar and said "Twice")

 Found a new friend

I love sitting on laps

Guess Who?

 My main man James Madison

He send this picture that said "baby ducks", then send about 8 more following the mother duck and babies.  I guess he was sending my pics.

Tomb Guard

These are just a few of many he sent.  I loved his humor and wit.  I think he said they took 13th or so.  I'm glad he had a chance to go to D.C. and have that great experience.  I just wish Sam and I could have been there to experience it with him.

Field Trip With Maren

I was asked to be a chaperone for Maren's field trip this year. I was excited. We went to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. It is about a 2 hour bus drive, which went fast because I had a book to read. While we were there, we were split up into groups of 6 and had a lady show us some great things. T-rex's skull, a baby dino actually hatching while fossilizing, and the stages of a three horn from baby to adult.

Thanks Maren for letting me along!

Cousins Camp Montana Day 3 - History & Golf

After my picture a day post on Aliza's 4th grade field trip to Little Bighorn Battlefield, Jim, Anny's husband, wanted his boys to go and see it as well.  So, we put it on our agenda.

Jackson, Zack and Abby went to gymnastics that morning while the rest of us were getting ready for our field trip along with dental appointments.  When we were ready, we picked them up and headed for our hour and a half drive (little longer with construction).

Anny wanted to have a little fun with the lunches, so this is what we did.  We tried to make it a little authentic, like what they might eat back then.  We had hard boiled eggs, jerky, long carrots, no bake cookies (looks like cow pies), saltine crackers, gogurt (OK, not so much authentic, but fun), and the old fashioned root beer bottles. 

We also brought some whip cream to shake and made butter to put on the crackers.  That took a little long, but it finally was done, and the kids loved the buttery crackers.

We also found Indian names on the Internet and what they meant, then named each child what fit them best.

I think the names of my kids fit them well.  Jackson "Kills in woods", Aliza, "Singing voice", Maren "Motherly", and me "Guardian of the people" (I did not pick that)

After a great lunch, we watched a movie on the battle, who was where and who did what, then headed up the hill where Custer fought his last battle.  All those white markers are where soldiers fell and died.  Not one was left alive.

Just to the right of Maren, you can see a black head stone.  That would be Custer's place of death.  It was a very sad story, and sad to see what happened to the American Indians after that battle.

As you can imagine, it was a bit crazy with all those kids.  So when we got in the vans and headed home, we were looking forward to a little R & R..... playing a little golf.  This has become a must with the three of us.  I think we have as much fun taking pictures than we do golfing.  We were the last ones on the course, so I didn't worry about being pushed.

Don't we look like pros?  I actually think the ball is still there behind Kass's shoe.   

We were going a little faster this time, because we played best ball.  So, whoever hit the furthest, the rest of us picked up our ball and put it by theirs.  I think we were all equal at being best ball.

Anny had to sit a couple of holes out, due to her foot hurting.  She needed to keep it elevated.  She took some great pictures of us while waiting.

It was evening, with the sun going down, so we had some great shadows to work with in our pictures.  I'm sure whomever was watching thought we were crazy.

Here we are at the last hole.  We of course had to take our traditional picture of us on our bench.  We made it in a little before 9, then had a very yummy dinner at the club house.  I love golfing with my sisters.  I'm just glad we weren't in the trees this time.

Field Trip With Jackson

I got to go on another field trip!!!!

A few weeks ago I went to the Museum of the Rockies with Sammy and his biology class to learned more about Dinosaurs.

This time I went with Jackson to the Little Big Horn Battlefield near Hardin, MT. I was the chaperon for these five boys. Lane, Jackson, Trever, Dalton and Bayne. They were pretty good for the most part. I had to tell them to walk a lot and to calm down a few time, but over all they were great. Probably because........

They were learning about a great and famous war. Known more for Custer's Last Stand.
We mainly were at a top of a hill and could see for miles in all directions. The Park's Guide was pointing in every direction with the positions of different groups of soldiers. See those mountains way in the back?? Some came from way over there. They were trying to surround the Northern Cheyenne and the Sioux Indians because they wouldn't sign a treaty and go to a reservation.
There was a great battle fought right where these kids are standing. They're not there now, but shell casings were found all over this area from the soldiers defending themselves from the Indians. See, the army didn't know that they were surprise attacking 10,000 Indians. Sitting Bull the chief had a vision and gathered all the different tribes together to have a meeting a few days before the attack.

The soldiers were buried where they died and later the government buried them else where and left this white marker in their memory.
This hill is in a different part of the battlefield. This is where Custer and his group were, and were slaughtered. Nobody knows what happened here, they just found them all on this hill later. General Custer was in the middle of his men.

While traveling to the top of the hill, we saw some wild horses. Jackson thought that was pretty cool.

This is General Custer's uniform that he wore. Jackson bought a hat that goes with this uniform. He's pretty happy with his purchase.

Thanks for letting me come Jackson. I love to experience these times with my kids as much as I possibly can. I'm still surprised Sammy asked me to go with him, he being in HIGH SCHOOL and all :)

Pompeys Pillar-Jackson's Field Trip-A Little History Lesson

I was able to go on a class field trip with JACKSON'S third grade class today. We went to Pompeys Pillar. The place is a national monument which William Clark named after Sacajawea's son. Pomp was the name given to Jean Baptiste by the explorers. It is a big rock formation. On the Lewis and Clark expedition, Clark and Lewis were separated, and Clark autographed his name on this rock. (Wm Clark July 25, 1806)Jackson was amazed that Clark knew how to write in cursive.


The Indians named this rock "sleeping lion rock". You can see the mouth and nose on the left, and a white looking eye just to the right, his back, then tale at the end.

Failed Field Trip

We, Aliza and her 2nd grade class and another class, and I were going to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT, great fun! We had to be at the school at 7:15 to get on the bus, not fun. That would be a 1 hour and 30 min. drive, not bad. I guess that would be if Sam was driving, so about a 2 hour or so bus drive, not good. About 45 min. into our drive, we got into some snow, the roads turned slushy and slick, not good. The two teachers decided that we should turn around, the worst roads were yet to come, good call!!! After about 15 min. driving back, the bus driver stopped the bus on the side of the freeway. Apparently the brake alarm was going. No brakes, not good. They called and another bus was on its way! Very good!

We had to wait about 40 min. for the bus to come, not so bad.

Aliza and friends biding time waiting for the rescue bus to come.

The rescue bus came, and we transferred over, yea, very good!

30 min. later, we were back at the school, the kids did a pretty good job accepting whatever was thrown at them today. I got to stay and eat our sack lunch in the classroom with Aliza and the kids. All in all, it was a GREAT adventure. And to think we get to do it all over again on Monday, hoping to actually get to our destination.