Museum Selfie Day: Kansas Riverkings

  We had a field trip planned this week.  Tomorrow is the school day symphony for kids from around our area in Kansas.  It is fantastic!  So I was not looking for another trip into town this week.  But then there came across my Facebook newsfeed #museumselfieday, January 20th. *pause* Now I really want to do it.  Something fun and spontaneous and would satisfy my 11 year old asking, "where are we going for our next field trip?" for the last several days.  So then I justify it... I do need to get the oil changed in the van... I can take some library books back... I do need to get milk from the dairy.  Well, as much as we didn't need to take another trip this week, we got one ;)
  We didn't need a big one and I had the perfect addition to our schedule The Kansas Riverkings museum is located on the Kansas riverfront in Lawrence, KS.  To find it you need to go into the Abe and Jake's Landing entertainment center.  Abe and Jake's is named for two African-American commercial fishermen who made their living on the river and had shacks just right below the current Abe and Jake's Landing.  We got our picture taken with statues of them...

Mookie and Shorty with Abe and Jake

The Riverkings museum is much of what I expected, a single room with all kinds of fishing implements.  It does an excellent job of telling the story of the local fishermen and how they did what they did.  From the making of their traps and hooks, to how they "called up the fish" with an old telephone that would electrify the water. 

Mookie taking a picture of some of the tools of the trade

I love this picture Shorty took of some of the hooks.  How do you keep a pre-schooler who needs a nap under control?  Give him your camera (with a strap to put around his neck!).

The attendant was very knowledgeable and made sure to point out interesting facts to the kids.  That's a big bonus for me - any kind of extra engagement is good for learning!
  When we finished with our tour, we headed down the stairs in the Landing to take a gander at the Kansas River.  On our way we had to stop and see the HUGE commercial fishing traps hanging on the wall...

And then look at the gulls on the frigid river.  Mookie took her "selfie" responsibilities very seriously and took several with her own tablet :)

I sure like my at home time, especially on a cold and slick day where I relish being a homeschooler.  But, we had a blast doing something new and exciting!

A Short Sidetrip

  Last year was the 150th anniversary of Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence.  The Watkins Historical Museum created a special exhibit featuring it.  I've been dying to go, but hadn't taken the opportunity.  Yesterday we used an orthodontist appointment & our flat travelers as an excuse to finally make it to the museum. 
  The price is right only a suggested donation of $2 per child & $3 per adult.  There are 2 main floors of exhibits.  The first floor used to be a bank and still has the teller windows in place. 

They had some great exhibits on basketball, Langston Hughes, the Old Sacramento cannon and of course Quantrill.  I was most impressed with the Quantrill exhibit.  It was interactive.  Bubby loved using the touch screen to interact with the route of the raiders. It also had some artifacts left over in the aftermath. 

Bubby and Shorty with "Old Sacramento"

I learned something new with the Old Sacramento cannon.  It was used in the Mexican-American War, was moved around during the free-state battles, and ultimately fired in Lawrence in celebration of Kansas being admitted into the Union as a free state. 
  Upstairs of the Watkins used to be the land offices.  They had some local history items and a large Victorian play house that the kids were able to enter and play in.  They were thrilled!

Definitely worth the trip.  We'll be visiting again, Mookie had opted to stay at home, but was bummed when she heard our stories.  I didn't get to see all of it myself, so I welcome the opportunity to go back:)

Field Trip Friday: Lawrence

   Today was WAY too busy.  It was field trip Friday and we have flat travelers in the house, so that means that we were looking for Kansas-y things to do.  Well, only because we had to.  Overdue books in Lawrence changed our plans from roller skating in Topeka instead.  From what I understand, the overdue book is the constant battle of a homeschooler - but I just need it for a little longer for this thing we're studying.... The next thing you know - BAM! Overdue fines! But I digress...
   Gas is terribly expensive and to try to ease the pain of the cost in our pocketbook but still do all the fun things as a homeschooler we cram as much into our time in the bigger cities as possible.  Here was the progression of our day: Target for shopping, an oil change, a drive-thru bite to eat, the KU Natural History Museum, the library, a stop to see James Naismith's memorial, Hobby Lobby, a stop into Sonic's happy hour for a drink, and then to Wells' Lookout for a photo op.  Whew!  But we did it! Here's some pictures from our day:)

Meet our travelers: Hero Harry & Longneck

  The kids had been dying to go to the Natural History museum.  The exhibits really never change (although they had updated some), but how can you top dinosaurs, bugs & that animal panorama?
  Bubby is in the stage where he wants to look at every. single. exhibit.  In the animal panorama, for example, that meant finding every animal that was listed on the guides in front of the glass, etc...  Needless to say, we were there a while.  It took some work keeping a toddler busy through the whole museum, but we managed to make everyone happy, even if some of us did make laps:) 

Shorty in a moment of patience in the panorama

  We had never been to the Naismith memorial before.  Bubby was super excited, because he'd read a biography on him late last year.  Shorty tried to take home a KU basketball from the memorial, but he didn't get far:)

Some ornery brother is giving Mookie rabbit ears in her traveler picture

 Aside from all the interesting stops, the best part of the day was the weather!! 65 degree temps!  After single digits at the first of the week we were ready to be outside!  Come on spring:)