Today I am Thankful for Fall Field Trips

This week I have had the distinct pleasure of accompanying two of my children on their school field trips. I love being a field trip chaperone and I'm so excited whenever my kids bring home a permission slip! It's one of the definite perks of being a stay-at-home mom, that I'm generally available to volunteer my time for such a fun purpose. Sometimes it takes a little shuffling to make sure Mathilda is taken care of, but it is so worth the little bit of extra effort.

Mathilda at Westview Orchards

On Tuesday, I went with Mathilda on her very first preschool field trip, to Westview Orchards. In preschool (at our preschool at least), parents or other caregivers always drive their kids to the field trips and stay with them. Therefore, this was my 7th preschool field trip to Westview, and the first one without a baby in tow. Not having a baby with me made the day more simple, for sure, and it was awesome to be able to devote my attention to Mattie. At the same time, I couldn't help but be a little sad that there are no babies to follow in her footsteps! I usually drag along a grandma to make the day even more special, and this year my mom rearranged her work schedule so she could join us.

We had a strange year weather-wise here in Michigan, and it has had a huge effect on many crops. Therefore we weren't able to pick apples this year like we have done every other year. Instead we got to pick pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, and that was really fun too! We took a wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch, then the wagon took us back and dropped us off by the playground and other activities. We took a big group picture, had lunch, apple juice (no cider this year due to huge mark-ups) and donuts with our preschool friends, and then we were free to explore.

A smart goat at Westview Orchards

Westview has a lot of fun things for the kids, but our favorite is feeding the farm animals. There are animal food dispensers - just put in a quarter and get a big handful of pellets to feed the goats, sheep, and donkeys. This time it occurred to me that I should have brought paper cups to hold the food in. I  must remember that for next year. Sometimes the animals don't seem all that interested in being fed, but on the day we were there they must have been starving, because they all clamored all over each other to get prime spots at the fence. We walked through a barn and saw little baby bunnies, chicks, and goats. They were adorable! Then the piece de resistance was a walk-in pen that we could walk inside to interact more closely with some of the animals. This year the pen was full of nothing but goats, but in the past there have also been cows and sheep. We laughed so hard as the goats jumped all over me trying to get to those food pellets, which must taste a lot better than they look. Mathilda wanted to hold a goat so badly, and kept trying to pick them up. They would scamper away at the last moment and she would wail, "he won't let me!" Which is just as well, since as we were leaving we noticed the sign that said not to pick up the animals. Oops!

When we had our fill of the animals, we washed up and headed over to the maze and playground. The maze is new this year, and it is just the right size for little ones. They can't get lost and the hay bales that it's made of are only stacked about three or four feet high, so you can see them at all times. There is also a terrific playground, which has some unique play structures that the kids just love. When it was time to leave, we went into the shop and bought some donuts to take home for the kids. We had beautiful weather, and an all-around super fun day. The nice thing about driving ourselves to these field trips is that we can leave whenever we want and stay as long as we'd like.

Mattie had so much fun at Westview Orchards!

Fall colors on the Clinton River

The very next day, I went with Connor's fourth grade class on a field trip to Lake St. Clair Metropark. Locals, this park use to be known as Metro Beach, but was recently re-named. Maybe you knew that, maybe you didn't. Anyhow, our day started out with a boat ride down the Clinton River. We would be conducting experiments on the river water. Beforehand, I secretly thought this part of the field trip would be a snoozefest, but it ended up being fun. Seeing how excited the kids were to do all the activities really made the day. I had a good group of kids, and we had a fabulous day together. They learned a little about what kinds of microorganisms can be found in water, how to read nautical charts, making knots, how much dissolved oxygen is in the water, and a lot more. Groups moved around to stations that were lead by no-nonsense ladies from the Michigan State University Extension program. They got all the kids involved and it was a very unique experience. The day was foggy and damp, but we still had some beautiful views of the fall foliage.

We disembarked from the boat at the park and walked over to a picnic pavilion for lunch. Again, the weather ended up being nice. We had time leftover after eating and before we were due at the nature center, so the kids were able to run around like crazy lunatics and blow off some steam. We had the entire area to ourselves, so the kids weren't bothering anyone with their games of freeze tag, their shouts, and their kicking up sand in the volleyball court.

A blue heron at Lake St. Clair Metropark

After playing for a good long while, it was time to go to the nature center. First, we were free to explore. The kids loved seeing the turtles and snakes and frogs and all the other good stuff. We were then treated to a presentation by a very dynamic naturalist, Mr. Nick. He was a lot of fun, he engaged the kids, and he asked for lots of volunteers, which most kids love. Not Connor, but that's okay. He still enjoyed the talk. Mr. Nick then took us outside and led us on a guided nature hike. The kids and I have been there in the past, but having a guide point out all the little details that most of us members of the ignorant masses don't notice was really cool. I can't stress this enough: the kids had so much fun. They saw frogs and turtles and blue herons and deer tracks and poison ivy and so much more. Our guide was a font of wonderful information, and the children just drank it in. They were excited to be learning and to be outside. No one complained, no one dragged their feet and lagged behind, no one even seemed tired at all until they got back on the bus.

This was probably one of the best field trips I've ever chaperoned. I love when there are actually planned activities for the kids, and professionals to interact with them and enrich the experience for them. To me, a field trip to something like the zoo, where all the groups just disperse and meet up for lunch, is just not the same. We love going to the zoo, but unless someone is there teaching the kids something we can't learn from simply reading the signs, I'd rather we go on our own time. I had a teacher tell me one time that some kids will never go to the zoo (or museum, or whatever) unless they go on a field trip, and I get that. So we will still happily attend those types of field trips too, it's just that I definitely prefer something that's more interactive and more of a learning experience.

I am so thankful that I was able to go on field trips with two of my kids this week, and make some really special memories with them. So far, fall has been pretty awesome!

Connor's field trip to Lake St. Clair Metropark

What's your favorite field trip you've ever been on with your kids, or when you were a kid? And what are you thankful for today?

I'm Thankful for Fifth Grade Field Trips: Greenfield Village

I spent my day at Greenfield Village with a bunch of fifth graders. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor field trip - not too warm, not too cool; not too sunny, not too cloudy. Just right. I am thankful that I was able to go with Bethany as a chaperone. The fifth graders are all going roller skating on the last day of school next week, but this was her last "real" field trip of elementary school. After three years at this school, I know many of the kids and the parents, and it was nice walking around with other moms who I have come to consider my friends, and watch our kids run around and have fun together.

If you're from the Metro Detroit area, you almost definitely know about Greenfield Village. It is a huge tourist attraction around here, and for good reason. There is an indoor museum, The Henry Ford Museum, and then there is the outdoor historical museum, Greenfield Village. Greenfield Village is massive. Employees walk around in full costume, doing demonstrations on stuff like glass blowing, candle making, typesetting, and weaving. So you can go in, for example, an old print shop, and an employee will show you how they use to make newspapers in the days before computers. Or you can go in an old house, and a costumed employee might be in the kitchen cooking real food, and pause to tell you a little about what life was like during whichever historical period that house happens to be from. There is also a farm with real working animals, and there are a few different rides, including a train, Model T cars, and a carousel. Once a year Thomas the Train makes an appearance, which Connor and Lucy enjoyed when they each went through their Thomas stage.

Today I am thankful for

• good field trips
• being able to chaperone 
• helpful grandmas who are willing to babysit
• Greenfield Village, which I have been visiting since I was a little girl
• beautiful spring days
• Bethany's friends
• mom friends
• getting back to school early, and signing all of my kids out 45 minutes before the bell

What are you thankful for today?

onions cooking on the cast iron stove

Train rounder from the outside...

...and from the inside

What to Bring to the Zoo With a Bus Full of Kindergarteners

Today I went to the zoo with Lucy's kindergarten class. She was so thrilled to have me come along that I almost forgot how much I hate going to the zoo in May, when it is inevitably packed with kids on field trips. I love the zoo, totally love the zoo, but crowds are not my favorite. But I rode the wave of Lucy's excitement and put my preconceived notions on the back burner.

My mother-in-law agreed to keep Mathilda over-night yesterday so that we would have an easier morning. After she left, I prepared myself as much as possible. I went to the grocery store to get special lunch stuff. I put Capri Suns in the freezer so they would be nice and cold. I checked the weather report and got heat wave appropriate outfits laid out for the two of us. I dug out the sunscreen and set it on the bathroom counter so I would hopefully not forget to use it in the morning. I asked Chris to get out a backpack for me. I charged my camera batteries.

"There's money in there!"

I went through a lot of trouble because I wanted it to be a good day. I don't get a lot of one on one time with the kids, so I always try to volunteer to chaperone their field trips. It's kind of special mama-kid time, even if there are other kids there too. I get to see their friends and classmates in action, and meet some other parents. And of course I LOVE field trips.

But I think I'm getting old or something. A few weeks ago, I chaperoned Bethany's trip to a Tiger's game, and by the end of the day I was utterly whooped. Today was no different.






The bus ride was fairly short, but  bumpy and nausea inducing, I wished I had brought along some Dramamine.

#1 Dramamine

And the noise. Ugh. Kindergarteners have nothing on the decibel levels that fifth graders can create on a school bus, but they can definitely hold their own. My head cannot handle prolonged exposure to loud noises anymore. At all.

#2 Ear Plugs

When I was packing the backpack this morning, I pulled out a baggie of pills that Chris had stuffed in one of the little zipper compartments the last time he used it. I barely glanced at it, but figured I probably should take it out for a school field trip. It looked like it had a bunch of Chris's vitamins in it, and only later when it was too late did I realize there may have been some pain relievers in that little bag too. Because I really should not have left the house without pain relievers.  Bumpy bus ride + noise + sunshine + heat + hours of walking = huge need for pain relief.

#3 Pain Relievers 

We got to the zoo, exited the bus and headed for the zoo entrance. Before we made it out of the parking lot, Lucy fell off a curb that she was tight-rope walking and scraped her leg.

#4 Band-Aids

It was a warm, sunny day. I had my sun glasses with me because I pretty much cannot survive without them. I've even taken to wearing them in the morning while I'm making breakfast because my kitchen is so bright and sunny at that time of day. Well anyway, I am not the only one who needs to protect her eyes from the bright sun.

#5 Sun Glasses for the Kid

I was smart and froze those Capri Suns for Lucy so she'd have icy cold drinks. But I only brought two, and like I said, it was really warm. So we had to rely on drinking fountains a lot. I could have made things easier by bringing a water bottle for her. Usually I do bring a water bottle, not really sure what I was thinking today.

#6 Water Bottle

Nutella and jam sandwiches are really good. So are chocolate cookies. Unfortunately, when it comes to cleaning faces and fingers after eating these yummy things, paper napkins don't quite do the trick. No one ever outgrows the need for baby wipes, ever.

#7 Wipes

I have been to the Detroit Zoo countless times. Yet, even while consulting the detailed zoo map, I can never quite figure out where the heck I'm going. We got turned around repeatedly. I stood like an idiot trying to wrap my mind around where we should be going more times today than I'd care to admit. This is no fun when walking with two little girls who are dead tired, while facing a strict deadline. Nobody wants to be the person holding up the bus when it's time to leave. And no, that person was not me today! Nonetheless...

#8 A Sense of Direction

Despite the fact that I forgot a few things and came home feeling like I'd been hit by a train, I had the best fun with Lucy at the zoo. We had one other little girl in our group, and the two of them were sweet, well-mannered and well-behaved. The Detroit Zoo is really huge, and we covered a lot of ground, pretty much walking nonstop for four hours. Even though they complained that their little legs were tired toward the end of the day, who could blame them? They were troopers and it was a joy to accompany them around the zoo. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to chaperone today.

Furthermore, I didn't forget everything. I remembered.

• My camera - fully charged and with room on my memory card 
• Tissues
• Extra snacks
• My sunglasses (what am I, a freaking vampire?)
• Sunscreen
• Hand sanitizer

All afternoon Lucy couldn't stop talking about the Best Field Trip Ever. So what if I have a headache and my back is killing me? It's worth every pain, discomfort, and inconvenience, and I can't wait to do it again.

I'm Thankful for Baseball Games

It might be something of an understatement to mention that I'm not too into sports. I just never have been. I've never played a sport. I know nothing about sports. While I do enjoy watching my kids play whatever they're into at the moment, one would never find me willfully watching a sporting event on television. Once in awhile, though, attending a sporting event can be fun. When I was a kid, my Grandpa would occasionally take me to a Tigers game. This was in the 80's, around the time they won the World Series. Tigers roar in '84, and all that. I think what I really loved was hanging out with my Grandpa, just the two of us. And also getting to stay out late on school nights. But I remember when the Tigers won the World Series. I must have been watching the game on t.v., because we ran outside with the rest of the neighborhood - screaming and hollering and cheering for our Tigers.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to be able to accompany Bethany on a school trip to a Tigers game. One hundred twenty kids from her school - members of Student Council, Safety Patrol, Community Helpers, and a few other groups, were treated to free tickets by AAA and the Tigers. We crammed into two school buses for the ride downtown and sat in the upper deck of Comerica Park. Because spring time weather is a crap shoot in Michigan, I was a little nervous about freezing, but as it turned out we had an absolutely perfect day for a ball game. The sun was shining and I actually had to take my sweater off for awhile because I was a little too warm. The organizers of the trip wisely set forth a rule that we were allowed to take the kids for snacks and bathroom breaks during the 3rd, 5th, and 7th innings. That way, we avoided constantly trudging back and forth and actually spent a lot of time in our seats, watching the game.

Going to a baseball game with a gaggle of third through fifth graders was an entirely new experience. I can sum it up by saying those kids were there to have fun. They were screaming,cheering and clapping, many of them  wearing their Tigers gear and Tigers colors (blue and orange), waving banners and chanting for their favorite players. It was a group of young Tigers fans. When music was played between innings or whenever, 90% of the kids shot out of their seats, singing along and dancing their little hearts out. I thought they'd lose their minds when the unfortunate anthem of our youth, "I'm Sexy and I Know It", came on. Girls and boys alike, these kids love to dance. When I picture my fifth grade class, I remember having lots of good times together, but somehow we seemed much  more reserved than the kids at Bethany's school. As they danced and sang, I looked around at the other parents (most of us still sitting in our seats), and I think we were all grinning from ear to ear, loving that our kids were enjoying themselves so absolutely. The cherry on top of all this fun was that it was a good game and the Tigers won.

After the game we hustled out (all the while doing my familiar 1-2-3-4 count, as I tried not to lose the four girls in my care) to wait for the buses. Outside, the kids were all too happy to donate the remainder of their spending money to street musicians and homeless people. The ride back to school was slow and loud, and by the time Bethany and I got home, I had a killer headache. But that was a small price to pay for the wonderful day I shared with Bethany and her friends.

(Because of the long day yesterday, and the killer headache, I never got around to doing my Thursday Thankful post. So please accept this as my substitute.)

November Thankful #15

In honor of Thanksgiving, I'm doing daily thankful posts. I'd love it if you'd join me by commenting here or on MichiGal's Facebook page.

November 15

Today I am thankful for chaperoning field trips. When I was in school, field trips were my favorite part of school. Now that I'm a mom, I sign up to be a chaperone for just about every single field trip Bethany, Connor, and Lucy go on. Unfortunately there's often only enough room for a certain number of parents, so I don't always get picked. 

Some places I've been on field trips with my kids:

• Apple orchard (many times)
• Farm
• Science center (I can think of 3 different ones)
• Theatre
• Henry Ford Museum
• Fire station
• Detroit riverboat tour
• Circus
• Zoo
• Nature center (I can think of at least two different ones)

Just today I accompanied Bethany's fifth grade class to the Imagination Station in Toledo, Ohio. My observation of the day is that 10-year old girls do not walk, they run, or maybe flit would be a better description. I basically spent my day chasing after my group, as they flitted from one exhibit to the next. The Imagination Station is over an hour from school, so that wasn't the most comfortable bus ride I've ever been on. And I wasn't feeling stellar either, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Why do I love field trips and chaperoning for them so much? 

• No amount of book learning can beat real world experiences.
• A change of pace and change of scenery is great for kids (and me) from time to time.
• Being someplace other than school with friends is such fun for the kids.
• One-on-one time with my kids. Even though there are dozens of other kids around, those other kids aren't siblings - and that makes all the difference in the world.
• Getting to know the other parents and the teachers a little bit.
• Getting to know the other kids. I think this one is so important. Seeing my kids interacting with their peers is very telling. I can place names with faces. Many of the kids know me and are comfortable talking to me. I know that once they're in middle school, these opportunities will be few and far between, so I have to take full advantage now.

I am so thankful that I can usually arrange my schedule and line up babysitters so that I can chaperone field trips. My mother-in-law came to pick Mattie up at 8:00 a.m. today, then picked Lucy up from school, and then took Lucy and Mattie to work with her until I could get there to pick them up.  Wow! Now that's a dedicated grandma. If not for her help, I would not have been able to go. I am thankful that my kids are able to go on multiple field trips every school year, and that they always want me to chaperone.

Do you like to go on field trips with your kids? 

May Flowers

I'm feeling slightly guilty because I sort of did a bait and switch with Lucy. I convinced her we should skip her preschool field trip tomorrow morning by bribing her with a trip to the library. She actually said, "sure mom, that would be wonderful!", so I'll try not to feel too guilty. It's not that I don't want to go on the field trip, I'd just be much more enthusiastic about it if it were later in the day. We had a rush around morning today and by bedtime I just couldn't face the prospect of another one tomorrow. With Mathilda screaming while I try to get clothes on her squirming body and attempt to feed her breakfast in the car. Oh wait, that was Lucy. I'm getting my days confused. Or, more likely, it was both of them. Lucy did, in fact, dress herself, but not without a great many tears about how unfair it is that no one ever lets her sleep. (See? My mottled brain is at its limits!)


Anyway, it was a busy day today, which included Kindergarten Orientation for Lucy. A couple months ago she was not at all enthused about starting kindergarten this fall, but now she is totally excited about it. She ran off to the kindergarten room with the other kids without a moment's hesitation. (Meanwhile, us parents stayed in the cafeteria and were bombarded with information that those of us who have school aged children already know. How about an orientation for us where we just drop our kids off and pick them up in an hour? kidding, sort of) On the way there, I instructed Mathilda not to fall asleep in the van, but that she was welcome to go to sleep in her stroller as soon as we got there. Of course she didn't listen (keeping in mind the school is less than a 5 minute drive), but she must have really been tired because miraculously she stayed asleep when I transferred her from her car seat to the stroller, and remained in deep slumber throughout the entire orientation. It was hectic, which I hate, and I didn't get a chance to talk to the kindergarten teachers like I wanted to. What I'd like to know is whether or not we're the only half-day hold-outs so far. The school gives us a half-day option, but because interest is so low, the kids have to stay in a class with the full-day kids and leave just before lunch. We'll have the opportunity to switch her to full days when and if we think she is ready. Boy I am going to miss her, even just for half days. But I'll save my boo-hooing for another day.


I am happy to say my yard is beginning to wake up to the fact that it is spring, even if it doesn't feel like it (the temperature in my house has reached a new low, but so help me that furnace is not getting turned on in May!). My tulips are still straining to open, but my rhododendrons are in full bloom, and since we had a reprieve from the rain today, I had a chance to photograph them, along with a cuddly little bumble bee.

Now I'd better buzzzzz off to bed (Chris loves when I talk like that...hehehe), since I'm pretty sure no one is going to let me sleep in tomorrow.

Out In The Field

With the help of two very accommodating grandmothers, I was able to accompany Connor on his second grade field trip to the Detroit Science Center this week. I rode on the bus with him, and I love riding on the bus, not because it is comfortable but because I'm not driving. I can text people or write blog posts on my iPod while eavesdropping on Connor's conversations with his friends. And I don't have to use my gas or worry about missing my exit and getting lost in the ghetto, because you know, sometimes even your GPS can't save you. I almost always try to go on field trips with my kids because they don't often get me to themselves (I need to work on that...) and also because I love field trips. I myself take my kids on field trips whenever I can; I think getting out in the world is the best way for them to learn. I think perhaps that has a lot to do with my homeschooling fantasy because when I think of homeschooling I think of endless field trips. One thing I love about Bethany and Connor's school is that the teachers take the kids on good field trips.

This time I had only one other kid in my group besides Connor, which was a breeze. After all, I'm used to minimum four (add in the occasional friend or two), one of them being a persnickety toddler and three of them being High Drama. So walking with two well-behaved boys around the Detroit Science Center was a walk in the park, a real pleasure. They kept us pretty busy all day with shows and demonstrations, which was great, but we also had plenty of time to look around and play with the hands on exhibits. We saw an IMAX movie about dolphins, and I hardly had to close my eyes. It was really interesting, and it really made me want to go to a tropical island and swim in translucent turquoise waters. We saw two demonstrations, one about electricity and one about living green, and they were both interactive and lots of fun. Then we ended our visit with a show about engineering, which sounds boring but wasn't. We were in the Toyota Engineering Theater, which has crazy moving, water spraying (more like misting) seats. It was kind of like being on a simulator ride. 

If you haven't been to the Detroit Science Center, you should go. I can't wait to go back with Lucy and Mattie so we have an excuse to go in the 5 and under area, Kids Town, which looked pretty cool. I'd also like to see their special dinosaur exhibit they've got going on right now (through early September).

In the jam room

Goofy kid

Feet Firmly Planted In The Here And Now

Sometimes I feel like I live for summertime. It's like the whole year is just divided into waiting for summer to get here, and summer itself. Maybe if you've read any of my other posts, you might have gotten the idea that I'm not such a big fan of the cold. Cold weather depresses me, fills me with lethargy, makes me want to never leave the house. But that is not the only reason I so look forward to summertime. I crave the freedom to do whatever I want with my kids day after day after wonderful day. Sleeping in late, meeting friends at the park, trips Up North, going swimming...I love every second of it. This is sort of a problem for me and I'm working on it. I mean, I need to spend more time embracing the "now" instead of anticipating summer. I'm improving, but just right now, at the moment, I'm really looking forward to the break. Probably just because we've been having such a great Spring Break, and I'm getting sad about the kids going back to school on Monday. Deep breath. Live in the moment. Carry on. 

Yesterday we met friends at McDonald's to play and have ice cream sundaes. The best part was (well other than seeing my friends...) watching my big kids playing with Mathilda and taking her into the play structure with them, and boy Mathilda was having a crazy good time. Then Connor and Bethany went off to sleepovers and I tried to convince Lucy to have movie time with me and watch Tangled but that little stinker was not interested.

This morning Lucy had a field trip at a local Chinese restaurant where the preschoolers got to learn how to count in Chinese, make wontons, and eat chicken tenders and fries (???) while the parents sat at separate tables, had adult conversation and actually ate Chinese food (at a Chinese restaurant? go figure!). Bethany and Connor went on the same field trip when they were in 4-year old preschool. I think the best part for the kids was running around the restaurant as much as they wanted because it was not yet opened for business for the day.  When it was over I picked Bethany & Connor up from their friends' houses and we went to my mother-in-law's (where Mathilda was during the field trip) and all of the kids got to see their grandpa who has been out of town working for the past couple months. It was a happy, tickly, giggle-ish reunion. Yes I'm making up words here, but please just go with it.

Then Connor got invited to another sleepover, and I had to say yes because he has been the best sport about spending pretty much every minute of his Spring Break surrounded by girls. And then Lucy and Bethany were invited to play at a friends' house, so Chris and I dropped them off and went to dinner with Mathilda at Achatz Burgers, where we ate greasy but yummy burgers and fries and laughed at Mathilda's silliness without any other kids around to distract us from paying her our full attention. We went for a drive and looked at beautiful old houses in Mt. Clemens, the kind of houses I dream of living in someday because I love big old houses full of unique little quirks and nooks and crannies. I dropped Chris off at home and went to pick the girls up, and ended up staying there forever chatting with my friend while the kids played for "just one more minute" and it was really a lovely evening. We got home and the girls and I decided to pile into Connor's room (I think because he has bunk beds...although all 4 of us ended up on the bottom bunk) and watch Tangled together. Bethany was asleep within 5 minutes, and Lucy followed suit about 5 minutes later. Mathilda, however, stayed awake and watched the entire thing with me. I love that movie! 

The best part of the whole day was a late night text from my friend with some really fabulous news that she had been hoping and praying to hear but didn't think she would for quite awhile. I am so happy for her and her family. Good things do happen to good people.  Perfect ending to a perfect day.