Swiss Heritage Festival

Guess, what!

I'm going to try to catch up on blogging.  This blog doesn't really serve its purpose as my scrapbook, if I don't do it.

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Saturday we enjoyed going down to Berne for the Swiss Heritage Festival, even though I still call it the Village Gathering.   It was a lot of fun to do with our kids at this age.  It cost $9 for our whole family to get in and everything we did was free.  There were no lines for anything.  The kids could play for as long as they liked.

We saw cheese making and goat milking, heard civil war era music, learned about looms, spinning wheels and weaving, and explored the woods, a log cabin and the worlds' largest cider press.

Here are some pics from our day.




Check out this video.  It is absolutely fascinating. Good old Amos!  What a legacy he left with this press!  There's an article about it here.

 

Lunch in a SKYSCRAPER!

Speaking of field trips.

Last Friday we had 

lunch with Daddy 

downtown 

on the 13th floor 

of the One Summit building.

The kids could not believe we would be eating in a "SKYSCRAPER!"

Even though the restaurant over priced cafeteria was only halfway up the building

it gave us a pretty nice view of the city.

(I was actually laying on the ground to get this photo.)

It was a very clear day.

Liam was amazed how far we could see. 

Zane couldn't believe how small the cars were.

Owen saw a train.

Kate observed there were lots of trees in the city.

$31 lunch for our family of 7.

I guess you're really paying for the view.

...which was only second to the marvel that is a revolving door.

Field Trips

Liam and Kate and I went on another great field trip a few weeks ago, to the Auburn Cord Dussenburg Museum, just 20 minutes away.

Other?

We have had quite a few cool field trips this year that I have totally not blogged about because I forgot to take my camera!

That's right, I forgot my camera... hard to believe, I know.

Field trips—exploring new things and places with my kids has been one of my favorite things about homeschooling so far.

Some of our faves:  spending a day at a maple sugar farm, learning about pretzels from Auntie Anne's, behind the scenes at the local news station, behind the scenes at the zoo (which I think I did blog, actually).

But I did forget my camera for all the rest.  

I was bummed.  Really really bummed.

But nevermind... here are some pics from the car museum...

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 We started off the trip with an info session by some volunteers.

Then they sent us off on a scavenger hunt.

Liam was very careful to compare each car with each photo.

Trying out an old fashion car.

They could not believe there were no seat belts.

"Why are we posing by this one again?" 

"It's a Delorean!  Are you kidding me!?!"

We're proud to say, we found them all.

I want a car THIS color!

Designing their own cars in the restored engineering offices.

It was a great time!  I love these kids.  They are so inquisitive and fun.

My favorite part... When we came to a ragged, old beat up car from the early 1900's we had a great conversation about restoration.  I wish I had blogged about it sooner.. but since this was right around Easter, I remember it provided a fabulous illustration of sin and new life.

Zoo Field Trip - What's Cookin'

Behind the scenes at the Zoo

with Potter versions 1 and 2

we made chef hats covered in glitter

listened to stories and

met a lizard

"Mom, did you know some of the penguins respond to their keepers by name?

Too bad the gators aren't tame"

Next stop an armadillo in a tub

and feeling a hedgehogs prickly stub

They really loved this little armored guy

even though he really was kind of shy

You're surprised to know armadillos are hairy, am I right?

Not soft like a bunny in black and white.

Here they are smelling the thawing fish

soon on its way to a sea lion's dish

The kids got to try their hand at preparing animal food

Takes almost this much to feed my brood.

This field trip was really cool from start to finish

After this maybe I'll get Liam to try some spinach

Yes, I know those are dandelions, but that didn't rhyme.

I hope you can tell we had a really fun time.

Liam prepared the tortoises' meal

He thought going IN the pen was a really big deal

Kate made food for two types of magpies.

Learning there were secret passages at the zoo made them feel sly.

Back at the classroom we tasted orangutan biscuits, monkey pellets and red panda food.

But not even the mention of PANDAS put Kate in the mood.

The animal food was gross but the rattle snake was cool.

I think I know two kids who are LOVING home school.

Apple Orchard Field Trip

A few weeks ago 

I went field tripping with Potter versions 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0

(Oh, that Kate, what a charmer!)

We learned all about picking apples

and growing apples

from the Apple Farmer.

It was a beautiful day.

Took a hayride with no hay.

I forgot to take a photo, I guess you could say.

Touring the processing plant was a special treat.

Liam thought the automated sorting machine was really neat.

Owen tuckered out by the end though.

I love this picture of 2.0 and 3.0

Boy, we had a wonderful day.

Plus 4.0 and 5.0 got to play

at PJ & TJ's house for half the day!

Pumpkin Patch

Potter Homeschool is in full-swing these days.

Keeping my time full is an understatement.

But I am LOVING it.

Today we went on a field trip with a group of homeschool families to Kurtz Pumpkin Patch.

We had so much fun!

I don't want to forget fun days like today, so I'm going to try and do better at blogging.

Some Ketchup Blogging will hopefully be coming soon. (I'm only 4 months behind!)

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The kids at "Pumpkin School"

They learned about different types of pumpkins and how pumpkins grow.

Here is Zane doing the motions for the rain that makes the pumpkins grow.

Loading up the wagon to go out to the field.

We had a BEAUTIFUL sunny fall day!

Kate picked her pumpkin carefully, but was rather concerned that it was dirty.

This is Liam examining the pumpkin flowers that he learned about in Pumpkin School.

One little boy raised his hand and said he read that there were boy flowers and girl flowers.

Liam asked me later if this was true.

Zane thought this part was so awesome.

Had to watch that he didn't throw any pumpkins.

(Not that such a thing would happen!)

The whole crew.

Owie and Kater with their baby pumpkins.

a Pumpkin Pickin' Potter Pirate

Not Pictured:

Owen having a melt down, refusing to walk, and me pushing him in the stroller.

Kate whining that holding a pumpkin on the wagon ride gave her a tummy ache.

Me getting lost on the way there and arriving a tad bit late.

Zane licking the barn wall.

And Evie getting bonked in the head by my camera at least 4 times.

Liam making this face...

(okay, so I guess that one was pictured)

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I had so much fun with my kids today.

It truly is a wonderful life.

Happy Fall!