Chicago Museum Trips with Book Lists, a Baby, and a Limited Budget

In my previous post I shared about group field trips my teen daughter and I enjoyed with our Classical Conversations community.  For other field trips we struck out on our own.  This was my intention long before we knew about any group opportunities. 

Using the our DuSable Black History Museum membership, we were able to visit the Adler Planetarium for the first time.  After reading the novel Carry On, Mr. Bowditch as part of the Challenge A reading list, it was fascinating to see the planetarium's extensive collection of nautical instruments from centuries ago, when Nathaniel Bowditch was navigating his way around the globe. I still hope to visit another related place, the Chicago Maritime Museum, to learn more about local maritime history.

Our whole family ventured out to the Chicago History Museum in January as well.  It was free for us to enter through our DuSable membership.  We had hoped to see the organ that Thomas Dorsey played when he wrote the hymn "Precious Lord, Take My Hand," but it was off display.  That song meant a lot to us as younger parents, and my daughter even requested that I sing it at her wedding.  We did get to recreate some playful memories of becoming a Chicago hot dog though!  Also this visit helped me prepare a Chicago history timeline activity, which is now available on the Teachers Pay Teachers platform. 

My little guy and I also visited the National Museum of Mexican Art in January, accompanied by my oldest daughter, who was finishing her senior year of college. She's an artist herself, and together we enjoyed taking in the rich colors and traditions on display in the various exhibit halls.  I was particularly interested in learning about the pioneering muralist Ray Patlan, as the Pilsen neighborhood is still well known for its murals.  Pilsen's murals also are a big feature of the novel Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano, which was set in the same vibrant neighborhood.

And where else are we planning to go?  Chicago and its suburbs have many more places still beckoning us to visit and explore.  At the top of my list is the Pullman National Historical Park, which is free.  Next is the Osaka Garden in Jackson Park, followed by the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum nearby at the University of Chicago.  If you have been around Chicago, are there other budget-friendly places you recommend? If so, leave a comment!

If You Want to Hear God Laugh, Tell Him Your Plans

Since I last shared a post here, our family has grown!  Much to our surprise, a new baby arrived into the mix two years ago.  As a result, this past year we had three children in college, a daughter learning at home with the Classical Conversations (CC) curriculum and local CC community, and a curious toddler enchanting us all amidst the mayhem.  Our oldest daughter also got married last summer, and thus we have added an amazing son-in-law to the family as well!

Making a mid-life transition back to being the stay-at-home parent has been both tough and delightful.  Homeschooling with a baby was certainly not on my bingo card of life goals!  But in my late forties I know better how quickly delicate newborns transform into babbling babies and then energetic toddlers. And I can anticipate how suddenly children sprout into teens and then young adults.  Consequently, I tried hard to savor the early months with our youngest baby boy.

Meanwhile, as a parent who was brand new to the rhythms of homeschooling, I had many expectations that didn't match our challenging reality.  But thankfully my daughter has gotten some of her father's gifts of administration and she managed to stay on top of things. We also were buoyed by the weekly community day where she could interact with an experienced tutor and her peers. I doubt we would have made it through these past two years at home without that critical structure, support and accountability.

This past year I was thrilled that we were invited to go on field trips with the CC students and parents.  Field trips were one thing I was truly excited about doing once we decided to try homeschooling.  I even bought a membership to the DuSable Black History Museum because it offers reciprocal privileges at other museums and educational attractions.

For my teen daughter, going places with her friends added much more to the appeal. Last fall, we went on two field trips with the part of our CC community.  The first was a trip to Broken Wagon Bison, a local ranch in Hobart, Indiana.  Even before we heard about the group opportunity, I had already wanted to go there because we were reading the novel Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers, by Ralph Moody, as part of the Challenge B exposition (ELA) strand.

The second group field trip was to the Illinois Holocaust Museum Presents Experience360 in Chicago.  The exhibits were impactful, and we also heard a live presentation by a holocaust survivor who described how she hid with her sister in a barn in France. One reason we went here was to deepen our understanding of what Jewish people endured at that time, as a follow up to reading The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom.  The previous year, we also read Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry, which was set in Denmark.

During that first year of homeschooling, my daughter was learning world geography as part of the Challenge A (7th grade) debate strand (which equates to social studies).  Learning all fifty US states and  their capitals was one of the early assignments.  One day as we drove on the highway to Valparaiso, we spotted license plates and tried to name the capital of whichever state was on the plate.  I have since turned that interactive review activity we did into a printable page that tucks into a Geography Fold-and-Go Travel Kit with other printable activities, like ad lib fill-in stories, a prediction game, and a map of the US and Canada to color.  

We hope to go on a short road trip or two this summer and enjoy putting those screen-free activities into action.  Once school starts, our opportunities to roam for field trips and other adventures will diminish, especially since my 14-year-old is registered to attend the same local high school where her older siblings went. For the first time, it will likely be just me and my youngest son at home during school hours.  We will surely miss his big sister, as well as his brother and 20-something sisters and brother-in-law when they are away at college and in the workforce.

Living Below the Line: How Do People Get Enough?

Life balance is still a work in progress for me.  I'm still looking for a way to structure my time at home more productively.  If I can be more disciplined in accomplishing what I need to do at home first, then I can enjoy experimenting in the kitchen more without regret.  While I have taken a break from posting here, I am actively sharing recipes at my other blog, Swirls and Spice.

Keeping things simple and affordable have remained important values for our family.  Last week, though, I was challenged to put myself in the shoes of those who have to live on even less.  Have you heard of the Live Below the Line Challenge?  In keeping with the spirit of the challenge, I developed a Mexican Frittata recipe.  Would you care for a slice?

The cost came in at just under $1.00 per serving, which I think is an excellent value, considering how nutrient dense the frittata is.  And it was delicious too!

And yet if I was allotted just $1.75 per person per day, that would leave only $0.75 left for two more meals.  This would limit our options to things like a peanut butter sandwich for lunch ($0.50) and oatmeal for breakfast ($0.25).  Adding a banana for some fresh fruit ($0.30) would put me over budget.  Even with the fruit, the food would offer only 915 calories for the day, about half the amount needed for a school-age child or adult.

So how do people with limited resources manage to feed their families?  Food banks, it seems, are part of the answer in Canada and the U.S.  Because try as I might, I can't see how to nourish my family of six on $10.50 CDN a day.  Could you do it?

Homemade with Love: 14 Holiday Gift Ideas for the Family to Make

What if instead of rushing out the door to shop on Black Friday, more families stayed home and made some gifts and stocking stuffers for each other by hand?  Here are some lovely possibilities that just might help your budget and help your family slow down and prepare to celebrate what truly matters.

Frozen Winter Sparkle Hair Clips

DIY Pick Up Sticks Game (Made from Chopsticks)

Homemade String Art Kit

Memory Stone Pen Holder

Batik-Style Pocket Warmers

Cardboard Mini Plinko Game

Easy Felt Magnets (for Travel Bingo)

Homemade Baby Mitts

Homemade Soup and Cookie Mixes

Homemade Pumpkin Granola

Snowflake Flying Disks 

Ribbon Wrapped Ring Toss Game

Scrap Wood Geoboard

Stacked Button Christmas Tree Ornaments

Frozen Winter Sparkle Hair Clips

For any girl who loves the movie, Frozen, these sparkling blue hair clips are sure to bring a smile of delight.  We made these as part of a Frozen-themed birthday party gift for a friend.  I can't wait to see her reaction to this homemade gift!

These Frozen Winter Sparkle Hair Clips would make great stocking stuffers for girls too!

Materials Needed:

• Metal Hair Barrettes
• Silver Stretch Cording
• Blue Sparkle Ribbon
• Hot Glue

Directions:

1.  Cut sparkle ribbon long enough to cover the metal barrettes, with enough extra to wrap under each end.
2. Lay the ribbon on the barrette and wrap the silver cording around both the ribbon and the barrette.  Make sure the clip is open and the cording does not interfere with the clasp mechanism.
3. Tie the ends of the cording and trim.  Hot glue the ends of the ribbon over the tied cording, which should be hidden on the underside.

I'm sharing this project at Savoring Saturdays this week.

Recycled Egg Carton Rocket Pods

When I came across a list of 20 indoor ball games, I was excited to try them.  One problem though--no ping pong balls.  So we improvised instead.  I cut egg cartons apart and made "rocket pods" using rubber bands (hair elastics, actually).  Then we used more elastics to make a cardboard tube launcher.

It had been a while since I'd done a crafty project outside the kitchen, and I think I had as much fun (or possibly more) with this toy as anyone!  The rocket pods reminded me of the escape shuttles I had seen recently in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy.  My kids may not be quite ready to see the film yet, but we can still have some space-age fun together!

Materials Used:

• Egg cartons, made of cardboard or styrofoam
• Small rubber bands or hair elastics
• Plastic grocery bags (for filling)
• Cardboard tubes of different diameters (from paper towel and plastic wrap rolls)
• 2 brass fasteners
• Aluminum foil, optional

Directions:

1. Cut apart egg cartons to form cups.  Stuff two cups with the plastic from half of a grocery bag.  Secure the halves together with two rubber bands.
2. To make the launcher, poke holes across from each other in one end of each cardboard tube.  Put the brass fasteners in the holes of the larger tube.  Thread a rubber band though each hole in the smaller tube and form a secure loop.  Put the samller tube inside the larger tube and attach rubber band loops to the fasteners.
3. To decorate the outer tube with silver foil, wrap with foil and secure with three rubber bands.
4. To launch rocket pods, pull the inner tube back to stretch the rubber bands.  Balance a rocket pod on the other end, aim the launcher, and let go of the inner tube "trigger."

I  like to share ideas here.

Lessons from a 6,000-Mile-Long Trip

New discoveries awaited us on our 6,000 mile road trip last month.   Our trip covered the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and a brief jaunt to Ontario (to sign real estate papers).  We certainly experienced America afresh, since we had become accustomed to the flatter landscape and fewer options where we live in Saskatchewan.

After crossing the border into North Dakota, the kids loved mixing their own soft drinks with the new custom soda machines at restaurants.  Peach Sprite was their top pick.  We also discovered how challenging it can be to find accommodations for a family of six.  The mid-range motels often worked best for us because we could get a suite for less than the cost of two rooms.  Maybe some day we will take on the challenge of camping, but our childhood memories tell us to proceed with caution.

As we made our way across the midwest, we enjoyed seeing some of the World Cup soccer matches.  I was impressed to encounter so many soccer fans in Columbus, Ohio.  Unfortunately it was difficult to find radio broadcasts of this worldwide sports phenomenon when we were in the minivan (which was a lot).  Do Americans really love baseball so much?  I guess I was oblivious.

Takeaway #1: Carry Protein

One practical thing that worked well for us was buying high-quality meat jerky as a protein snack on the road.  It helped us make it beyond the next highway exit when we wanted more options for where to stop and eat.  Being the exotic meat aficionado that he is, my husband bought kangaroo, ostrich, bison, and venison jerkies.  No Slim Jims for us.

Takeaway #2: Think Inside the Box

While searching a big box store for a travel container for baby wipes, I was astonished to find that a zippered case travel wipe pack cost nearly four dollars ($3.77 I believe it was)!  Nope, not gonna do that.  But I needed a container that would find in my purse--without robbing me of so much cash.  It took time to search and ponder what to do, but I settled on a refillable green plastic soap case that cost less than a dollar.  It served us well throughout the trip!

Takeaway #3: State Parks are Worth Exploring

En route to my parents in Oklahoma, we thought it would be fun to stop at one of Missouri's caves.  We avoided the steeper prices at the caves you see advertised on billboards.  Instead, we had a wonderful tour of Fisher's Cave, which was less flashy and more scientific.  Just what we wanted.  As an added bonus, the motel at Meramac State Park offered us a more affordable (spartan) room that slept six.  Getting off the interstate a few miles was definitely worth it for us.

In Oklahoma, we visited a park I remembered enjoying as a girl with my parents, Red Rock Canyon.  Even my two-year-old now has memories of our adventures hiking and swimming there.  I am so glad we went, and thankful that the weather was not too hot to consider spending time outdoors.

Upon Reflection

We were thankful to connect with family and friends we had not been able to visit in three years, and many got to meet our youngest daughter for the first time.  What's more, we celebrated a golden wedding anniversary for my parents-in-law and the wedding of our oldest niece.  It was an important trip, but not a vacation per se.

My husband and I returned to Canada feeling like we needed to get away more often.  Even if it's just to the nearest larger city in our our province.  Refreshment needs to happen.  We got a taste of it at family camp in May, which was helpful.  But we are nearing the end of summer wishing for more.

What do you consider to be the difference between a trip and a vacation for you? 

This post may be linked here.

15 Favorite Summer Picnic Dishes

Got any picnic plans?  We had our long weekend at family camp, but I know that many of you in the States are gearing up for summer and school getting out soon.  Here are three recipes to make when you are ready to enjoy some fresh food outdoors:

• Creamy Sweet Pea Salad - Always a favorite!
• Tapas-Style Deviled Eggs - These eggs are deliciously different!
• Mango Lemon Bars - Delightful and healthy and gluten-free!

Looking for more ideas?  There are 12 more of my favorite picnic dishes featured at Swirls and Spice this week!

3 Reasons Why Family Camp Was Just What We Needed

 I have good memories of going off to summer camp as a kid.  But my own family hadn't had a chance to go away to a camp until this past weekend.  And I'm so glad we went.  Here are three reasons why.

1.  The Fresh Air and Scenery

Where we live the land is flat and not particularly interesting.  There are no lakes, rivers, or ponds in our community, nor are there many flowers around, even after all the snow melts.  So it was lovely to enjoy the view at the water's edge and see the green hills of the Qu'Appelle Valley on our way there and back.  I spent many hours roaming the grounds with my youngest daughter and skipping rocks at the shoreline of the lake while my other children explored and collected rocks and shells.

2. The Food

I was unsure what to expect from the dining hall.  Memories of camp food from my childhood did not inspire me to expect much.  However, the volunteers at our camp made some fantastic meals and evening snacks for us.  The highlight was fresh donuts.  Move over Tim Horton's. Eunice makes some of the best in the country!

3.   The Freedom!

The best feature for me and my husband was that our kids were not always with us.  Not only that, I was free from my household responsibilities like preparing meals and doing laundry, while my husband was able to leave his job responsibilities at the office for the whole long weekend.  So we relished the opportunities to listen to Bible teaching twice a day while our children were engaged elsewhere in the children's program.  And there were other moments to sit and talk when our kids were busy playing and running around the campground.  We came back truly refreshed.

What are your summer camp memories?

Do you have a favorite spot you like to go for getaways?

I'm sharing this at the Pintastic Pinteresting Party and Thrive at Home Thursdays.

3 Recipes Featuring Blueberries to Eat, Drink, and Celebrate!

Blueberries might be the secret to my grandfathers' long lives.  And I've had the privilege of picking wild blueberries with one of my grandpas, who is now 97 years old, when I was young.  I think I might have even used a tin pail like in the book Blueberries for Sal.  Or perhaps I used an empty ice cream bucket.  In any case, the fresh berries were marvelous!

Here are three delicious recipes that feature blueberries, to inspire you to indulge in some blue goodness this weekend:

Blueberry Peach Clafoutis - Grain Free & Dairy Free 

@ Swirls and Spice

Sparkling Blueberry Punch

@ Roots of Simplicity

Blueberry English Muffin Toasting Bread

@ Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice

I share ideas here. 

This post contains an affiliate link.