School Field Trips

We went on a field trip with our co-op to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library which is located at his birthplace in Staunton (about 20 mins away). The girls did the tour, while the boys and I ran errands. So the pictures were taken by Hannah, though they were limited by museum rules. They got a guided tour of the library and the museum, which is located next door in an old mansion. They got to dress up in period clothing, see the famous Pierce Arrow limousine of the President, learned about the Treaty of Versailles, and saw other pictures and memorabilia of the President, from his time in office and his childhood.

We also went on a field trip to Crossroads Valley Brethren Heritage Museum. It is about the local history of the settling of this area by the Brethren/Mennonites. It has an old homestead, school house, blacksmith, kitchen out building and museum. We went on a guided, hands on tour. It was very nice, but a very cold day. The buildings are from the mid 1800's to early 1900's. Though the initial Mennonite settlers arrived well before then.

The house sits atop a hill, so you can see the city and valley around it.

Of course farm animals are always a big hit.

Aaron was so captivated that he forgot how cold it was outside.

Lauren playing an old suitcase pump organ. They used to carry this to peoples houses for Sunday service singing. It was very small, hard to imagine a grown up playing on it.

The one room school house. The lady giving the tour's grandmother attended school there.

The parlor to the main house, where they did a demonstration of carding and spinning the wool for knitting or looming.

They also had a music demonstration in the parlor with some fun instruments and an old pump organ.

The main house also had a kitchen, that had been added on to the original house and they demonstrated cooking over an open fire and talked about the ways this kitchen was different from the one the kids have at home. They got to make some butter and taste homemade apple butter.
We also toured the ice house/kitchen and the blacksmith barn. A fun but very cold and windy day.

Lauren cooking one of our school meals, this one with a Caribbean theme ~ jerk chicken, black beans and Caribbean rice. We also made some fun fruity drinks. She loves doing these meals and it's a fun way to try new things.

Horseback riding

Just a few pictures of the girls riding. They are learning how to cantor, which is a quick trot or a slow gallop, depending on your perspective. It's much harder than it looks. Hannah's first attempt resulted in spaghetti legs, which didn't work very well for maintaining control of the horse. They are enjoying the warmer weather for riding. The horses are shedding their winter coats and are requiring lots of pre-riding grooming. Hannah's horse in particulare was shedding while she was riding, she left of trail of floating fur behind her.

Around the House

Just some random pictures of the everyday stuff.


Enjoying the look of a morning snow. Caleb has been fascinated by snow, not so sure he wants to play in it, but really likes watching it.


He also really likes the fire place.


Our Valentine's Day dessert~ brownie cake filled with Heath Bar ice cream. Loved by all!


Just some moments around the house.

Aaron loves to help Hannah make his favorite cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip. He loves to help pour in the ingredients and then watch as the mixer goes round and round. You can see that he needed to get a close up view of the spinning cookie dough. And of course the fun of baking is licking the batter.

A tease of spring got us out and washing some really winter dirty cars.

Well, do I really need to add anything, too much clean cuteness!

Aaron finding Ken's snorkeling gear and testing it out.

Caleb loves to ride piggy back and Lauren is always willing to accommodate.

Snuggling with a good book.

Hope you enjoyed catching up with our everyday.

Sledding

The Girls........



The Ride...........

Lauren goes....

Hannah goes...

The finish......

They enjoyed having the stairs that Ken put in, much easier to climb than straight up. Great fun that ended, of course, with hot chocolate and extra marshmellows.

Winter Nature

I think winter can be very pretty in it's own way. The gray skies, the bare trees the less brightly colored birds~ it seems quieter, more somber. Some pictures from around our yard in winter.


One of the things I like about winter is the sky seems crisper, the stars and moon brighter. Here is a picture just before sunset, where the moom is already full and out. Thought it was kinda neat, how it was hanging over the mountain. You can see the orange hue just starting to show on the mountain.

We've had bluebirds all winter, it's been fun to watch them, they are so much easier to spot without all the greenery of spring. They like to perch on the gutter outside our family room window.

Snow, a beauty of winter. Here is a view of Massanutten Mountain, from our front door.

These are the wild rose and blackberry bushes. I liked how the branches were all arched, laden with snow instead of flowers and fruit.

The back corner of our yard. Love how blue the sky can look against the snow. I also like the lacey look of the trees.

A view out the back, the cow pasture and the mountians in the distance.

The view off our driveway, love that blue sky.


We've seen lots of tracks in our yard this winter. It's been fun to think of all the activity that occurs out there without us even aware of it. We've had trouble identifying all the tracks, but it's been fun guessing. We've also seen mixed tracks that tell a story~ such as finding fox tracks mixed with rabbit tracks. They criss-crossed the yard, but it looks like the rabbit faired well.

rabbit tracks

??????

deer

We have no idea, but they were everywhere. It's a strange pattern, we thought maybe deer with the snow flicking behind there hoof.

racoon

chickadees on the front porch

Not sure but it was fun to follow them out of the woods, across the back of our yard and back into the brush, we think maybe racoon.

Again, we have no idea, but it looked so fun, like some animals had been skiing down this little slope in our yard.

The deer with their darker, thicker winter coats.

We've had fun enjoying winter nature. We've tried to catch snowflakes and view them under a magnifying glass. We've also enjoyed some snowcream. And the way that winter makes you anticipate spring.