Well we have actually been home almost three weeks from vacation and it has been very busy! Oldest has been working hard to try and advance to the next level belt in marital arts. Youngest has been doing ballet. We went to homeschooling skating for the first time this school year with our homeschooling friends. We have done our Magic Club which is Harry Potter Science or Magic School Bus Science in the morning and Magic Tree House series in the afternoon. It was a huge success. We did four science experiments in the morning. In the afternoon was Prehistoric Times dioramas and Ivory Soap carving along with some trivia games about the time period. We went apple picking for a second time. I spent an entire day canning apple butter and applesauce with a new group of women and the kiddos played all day. We went to a Reinassance Festival in a local town for a day. The kiddos learned how to belly dance there with the women dressed up as gypsies. We watched fencing and dueling. The kids and I dressed up and fun was had there. We went to a local Arts For Youth performance. It was called Thunder Drums of China. All of us enjoyed it!!
I am sure that I have forgotten something but as one can see, we have been very busy. In the mist of it all, I continue to send out job applications along with doing my newest fun homemaking task of canning. We have a shelf full of apple butter, apple pie filling and applesauce. We have over half a shelf of tomato sauce and hot sauce. Plans to do more canning of all of the above plus pears and green beans. We are also starting on Christmas gifts the beginning of November. Giving Gifts in a Jar along with some weaving by the girls and scrapbooking by me. Baked goodies possibly also. Money is limited so think this will be the best plan. Gifts in a Jar were well received last year as gifts. Also the kiddos are selling Wreaths of Maine again but not sure if we will do as much this year. Well looks like lots of Math on the horizon for our homeschool (baking measurements=Math, high funds of selling items=Math, oh yea and Language Arts with all that reading and Art with scrapbooking and weaving). It's a good thing that the Magic Club and History Club cover Social Studies and Science so well. I love hands on learning!!!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Beautiful Arizona
Tad late but as they say better late than never. We have been sooo busy since returning home from vacation that I never had the chance to write about how much we loved our Arizona trip! We were in the Flagstaff area for one week. It took all day to drive there but it was well worth it. We used some of our points and stayed at Wyndham Flagstaff timeshare.
Saturday night was spent getting unpack and settled in. We were within walking distance of the activity center. That was great for the kiddos as they had activities, mini golf, swimming pool, basketball court, etc.
Sunday we had to do a presentation. Youngest won a prize resulting in dessert for both kiddos later in the week. Afterwards, we drove about 20 minutes away to Walnut Canyon where we saw old Indian cliff dwellings. It was 250 steps down and off course, we had to come back up. There's a sign on the way up that says "185 feet-Easy Does It." It was a nice start for our week. We also went to the local farmer's market and found a new place to get organic pasta from that the kiddos even loved. In the evening we played mini golf and went swimming.
Monday we drove to Meteor Crater. I had been there before but the rest of the family had not. The kiddos loved the simulation game of blowing up Earth, Venus or the Moon using a asteroid, comet, etc. Monday night was really fun with the whole family playing Bingo in the activities center. I was laughing so hard as all four of us were waiting for B1 to be called and it was resulting in prizes for the whole family. Ice cream, snacks and coffee later in the week-free, Yes!
Tuesday we drove the Grand Canyon North Rim. On the way we stopped at Navajo Bridge. The only bridge that crosses the Grand Canyon so we walked across the Grand Canyon. It is really too bad that only 5% of all people who visit the Grand Canyon see the North Rim. It was absolutely a beauty and all agreed that we must go back again. We saw the trees in their fall colors. We didn't have time to see everything but did enjoy Angel's Window and again want to see more.
Wednesday we stayed local and went to Elgin Indian Ruins. They are still excavating the area so that was neat to see how it is done. We did some swimming and more mini golf. Also went out to eat this day.
Thursday we drove to Montezuma's Castle which is really not a castle and not found by Montezuma. It is again Indian Ruins. Afterwards we stopped and got Navajo Indian Fry Bread. Always a must to get when in the Southwest in my humble opinion! Next we drove to Oak Creek Park close to Sedona and went swimming. It was neat seeing the red rock and being out in nature. There was a rope to swing into the water and lots of swimming places. The kiddos didn't want to leave. Since we left soooo late, we didn't get to see much of Sedona and all agreed that we need to return to this area again for more swimming and more red rock seeing. Besides we missed Sliding Rock which has one sliding into water. Think that we may need a week at Wyndham Sedona and another week at Wyndham Flagstaff.
Friday we went to Sunset Crater Volcano and more Indian ruins. We had been here on our last trip to this area but still love it. The kiddos found Ice Cave which is lava tubes resulting in very cold air coming out of the earth and forming ice. The kids also like that Mom and Dad can't fit in some of the Indian Ruins but they can. It is nice that they can go into most of the Indian ruins here and see up close.
Saturday was the drive back home. The kids were very, very disappointed due the rain on our return drive home. We had planned to stop and swim in the Colorado River but not safe with lightening and thunder. Instead after much searching as there is absolutely nothing to see or do between Flagstaff and home, we found a Wally World. Youngest got her Halloween costume there and Oldest got a book that she is still looking at.
Vacation was a huge success. Hubby and I really, really did not want to return home but work and committments to activities were made so back home we are. Plans are to do some scrapbooking with the kiddos of our trip with some Christmas presents from some of our memories.
Flagstaff, We Will Be Back!!!
Saturday night was spent getting unpack and settled in. We were within walking distance of the activity center. That was great for the kiddos as they had activities, mini golf, swimming pool, basketball court, etc.
Sunday we had to do a presentation. Youngest won a prize resulting in dessert for both kiddos later in the week. Afterwards, we drove about 20 minutes away to Walnut Canyon where we saw old Indian cliff dwellings. It was 250 steps down and off course, we had to come back up. There's a sign on the way up that says "185 feet-Easy Does It." It was a nice start for our week. We also went to the local farmer's market and found a new place to get organic pasta from that the kiddos even loved. In the evening we played mini golf and went swimming.
Monday we drove to Meteor Crater. I had been there before but the rest of the family had not. The kiddos loved the simulation game of blowing up Earth, Venus or the Moon using a asteroid, comet, etc. Monday night was really fun with the whole family playing Bingo in the activities center. I was laughing so hard as all four of us were waiting for B1 to be called and it was resulting in prizes for the whole family. Ice cream, snacks and coffee later in the week-free, Yes!
Tuesday we drove the Grand Canyon North Rim. On the way we stopped at Navajo Bridge. The only bridge that crosses the Grand Canyon so we walked across the Grand Canyon. It is really too bad that only 5% of all people who visit the Grand Canyon see the North Rim. It was absolutely a beauty and all agreed that we must go back again. We saw the trees in their fall colors. We didn't have time to see everything but did enjoy Angel's Window and again want to see more.
Wednesday we stayed local and went to Elgin Indian Ruins. They are still excavating the area so that was neat to see how it is done. We did some swimming and more mini golf. Also went out to eat this day.
Thursday we drove to Montezuma's Castle which is really not a castle and not found by Montezuma. It is again Indian Ruins. Afterwards we stopped and got Navajo Indian Fry Bread. Always a must to get when in the Southwest in my humble opinion! Next we drove to Oak Creek Park close to Sedona and went swimming. It was neat seeing the red rock and being out in nature. There was a rope to swing into the water and lots of swimming places. The kiddos didn't want to leave. Since we left soooo late, we didn't get to see much of Sedona and all agreed that we need to return to this area again for more swimming and more red rock seeing. Besides we missed Sliding Rock which has one sliding into water. Think that we may need a week at Wyndham Sedona and another week at Wyndham Flagstaff.
Friday we went to Sunset Crater Volcano and more Indian ruins. We had been here on our last trip to this area but still love it. The kiddos found Ice Cave which is lava tubes resulting in very cold air coming out of the earth and forming ice. The kids also like that Mom and Dad can't fit in some of the Indian Ruins but they can. It is nice that they can go into most of the Indian ruins here and see up close.
Saturday was the drive back home. The kids were very, very disappointed due the rain on our return drive home. We had planned to stop and swim in the Colorado River but not safe with lightening and thunder. Instead after much searching as there is absolutely nothing to see or do between Flagstaff and home, we found a Wally World. Youngest got her Halloween costume there and Oldest got a book that she is still looking at.
Vacation was a huge success. Hubby and I really, really did not want to return home but work and committments to activities were made so back home we are. Plans are to do some scrapbooking with the kiddos of our trip with some Christmas presents from some of our memories.
Flagstaff, We Will Be Back!!!
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