Adventures in Life
I bought blueberries, I hid blueberries. They found blueberries, they ate blueberries.
I walked in on one of the sons eating the last of the blueberries, the ones I thought I had carefully saved to make the most amazing baked oatmeal recipe ever.
Fortunately, I recalled the recipe stated you could use raspberries instead. So I went out to the side yard and picked almost a cup full.
I’m not sure which way I like it better.
Mmmm, mmmm, good! You should try this recipe!
Tonight #1 son finished his final state project of the fifth grade. Of course it’s due tomorrow…
He had to write 10 Fast Fact cards about Rhode Island, his selected state. One to two sentences on one side and a drawing of said item on the other, all outlined in Sharpie, hole punched and strung together like a flip pack.
In addition to that he had to create a “Maker Project” depicting a noun from his state using any materials we had on hand. Well, Mr. No Imagination, I mean John, couldn’t think of what to do so I started listing all the materials we had on hand to make stuff with, clay, paint, etc. and he stopped me and asked if he could make something out of the super soft stuff I made my hand warmers from. And from that a genius idea was born.
Did you know the state flower of Rhode Island is the Violet? After deciding on a needle felted violet I suggested we could make a wearable and give it to the teacher. He wanted to do earrings and I said we didn’t even know if she had pierced ears. But he didn’t let it go and came home from school with the affirmative, “She has her ears pierced,” so he was standing firm. Of course, when I demonstrated the making of a very small violet using the teeny tiny cookie cutter, he said maybe it’d be better if he did the big one (unlike Joe who loves needle felting, John is very worried about his fingers getting poked). That and he could use the three needle tool instead of a single needle which is what he really wanted to do anyway. Sewed on a pin back and voila! No actually, viola!
I made the earrings and made John swear not to tell her the brooch was for her. We’ll give her all three on the last day of school.
We were asked to write a letter to our soldier stationed at Camp Reynolds on Angel Island. Instructions stated to write it in the tone of the times, 1864. It took me over half an hour to carefully hand write the following, making sure that every cursive letter was drawn correctly. If you’ve ever seen my writing, you’d know that this was an artistic feat, not just a letter. My sissies would be so proud of me!
My private said to me, “But I can’t read cursive!” So I had to read it to him, by oil lamp. HA! What is this world coming to?
1863
Dearest Johnny Lee,
It has been a great while since you endeavored to enlist to defend our Country’s cause in this great and terrible war. Yet word has reached us that the rigors of your training and your duty at Camp Reynolds do scarcely compare to the comforts you left behind. Your patriotism and commitment to service for our great Country are a source of pride yet the accounts of the difficulties of a soldier’s life are no comfort to us.
Little Joe is sprouting up taller than the weeds and I fear you will not recognize him upon your return. He is most anxious to be regaled by a detailed account of each and every one of your adventures. He misses you terribly and often asks for us to provide him with another sibling to keep him company while you are away.
Please do write at your earliest convenience, we are eager to hear that you remain in vigorous spirits and long see you safely returned.
As always we remain yours lovingly,
Mother, Father and Little Joe
His next writing assessment test will be to write a letter using colonial period language. I am quite sure he won’t do it in cursive!
Craig and I got to chaperon a 5th grade overnight field trip to Angel Island for a living history reenactment with John. Boy did we have fun!
We spent a day in the life of a civil war soldier stationed at Camp Reynolds in 1864. Kids made their own vittles (and cleaned all the dishes), learned how to navigate by compass and how to send and read Morse code signals. Did I mention we slept in bed rolls on a wooden pallet and had to wake up during the night for 90 minute watch duty? That too.
It was my first time to Angel Island. I found a lotta love there.
Looking forward to going next year with Joe!
