Super!

  Yesterday was one of those days that was just busy.  Mookie & Bubby were in high gear and boy was Shorty wired!  But in amongst the hecticness of the day,  there was a bright spot of just being "super".
  The older two had been to Vacation Bible School the night before at the other church in town that is like another church home.  One of those really cool Bible schools that is put together from scratch (I think those are the best!).  The theme for this one was "Hero" and had all things superhero.  So Mookie's superhero cape went with her to VBS.  Shorty got ahold of it yesterday and thought it was the greatest thing.  He kept going around the house, thrusting 2 fists in the air saying "SUPER!"  :)

  He even took down the evil Bubby & Mookie in true superhero form...

the chair got named his superhero sidekick

See that rug in the background?  That rug took almost a dozen liquid hits this week ranging from water, to cappuccino to laundry detergent.  If it had feelings it surely would have broken down in frustrated tears as I almost did at times when it got to the umpteenth time of cleaning the silly thing.  But when you have Super Toddler around, you can't help but smile:)

Double the Blessing

When I was a child I was able to say I had 6 grandparents.  Not because of divorce, but because of some unique circumstances.  My mom had 2 parents, but my dad had 2 dads & 2 moms:)

My granddad Al and his twin brother Bob Murray grew up on a farm near a small town in Coffey County, Kansas.  When they reached high school they became enamored

The Murray boys 1940s

with Verna and Vera Gentry, who were also twins.  Well, how to know who would ask who out on that date?  So, they flipped a coin and my granddad won the toss and when my grandma Verna answered the phone, the rest, shall we say, is history.  Of course, as you may guess, this is no ordinary love story because four years later they were all married in a double ceremony in 1937 and then took up residence together.

Wedding Picture

 They started out in Topeka where the boys worked in a grocery store along side of their uncle Fred Tichenor.  They eventually branched out to owning their own store at 17th and Clay (which was the first grocery store built west of the Mississippi after World War II).  My Granddad ran the meat department.  I can still remember the smell of the meat refrigerator and the American cheese he used to give me pieces of when I'd come to visit him.  They all retired in the late 1980s and the building is still there, but hasn't been a grocery store since.

Murrays Market

My grandparents house was a magical place in my memory.  It was a Mid-Century Modern style home built on a hill overlooking the Wanamaker corridor in Topeka (for those of you that know the area, it was above the Historical Society west of the movie theater).  It had 15 acres and bordered on a creek that kids & grandkids alike took full advantage of.  It was built in the 1950s large enough for the joined families of what would be 4 adults and 5 kids.  At the time they built it, people said they were crazy for building so far out of town (it is only about 15 minutes from where there store is).  The house had huge living areas, and the lower level was at one end my Grandparents' bathroom & bedroom, and the other end their siblings' with the kids' rooms in between.  Their house was in my memory always filled with love and laughter. 

the front of the house

Oh how I miss the back porch

My Grandmas dressed alike every single day of their life, down to the earrings and shoes.  They would alternate days on who would pick out the outfit.  My Granddads were a little more loose with it, and you could catch them around the house with differing outfits, but even at that the majority of the time they were dressed the same. 

Al, Verna, Bob & Vera

My cousins and I could tell which was our Grandparent at a glance, but if there backs were turned to us, we'd just have to say "Grandma" and then we'd figure out which was ours:)  It's funny each set of twins had a more sociable one and a quiet one.  My Granddad was the more talkative of the two boys - I could probably easily count the number of times Granddad Bob and I had a conversation of more than a sentence or so.  Grandma Ber was the more social of the girls, although they both enjoyed going out and about.

Each Grandma had a specific part of the meal that she was primarily responsible for, and they were outstanding cooks!  My Grandma Ber (Vera) did the main course, and Grandma was in charge of the dessert.  My Grandma made a cherry pie that was to die for!  My cousins & I often fought over who could have the last piece, and if we shared, who go the bigger piece of that:)

My Grandma was the first to pass away in 1996, oh how I miss her.  I wish I could say that I had all her social graces and sweetness, but she did teach me so much and I try to be like her:)  Even though it pained the rest of the twins to leave their beloved "Redbud Hill" as they called it, within a couple of years my Grandma Ber and Granddads moved to a retirement community where they didn't have to worry about such a big house and land.  Of course, the proper arrangements had to be made and they had to find 2 apartments side by side where they could break down the wall and continue to be a connected household - why change it after 50+ years?

One of my favorite pics of them - appeared in the book Happily Ever After by Laurie Wagner

My Granddad Bob passed away in June of 2000 and my Granddad in December of that year.  Granddad couldn't live with out his lifelong buddy around.  I sure miss my Granddad, there wasn't a time that I didn't leave their house where he didn't tell me how much he loved me or ask me if I knew how special I was to him.  Of course, I would shoot back with did he know how special he was to me?

We were blessed to have my Grandma Ber around for 6 more years.  She was a spunky woman and it wasn't surprising she outlived them all.  She was very much like her other sisters, one of which (Elma) would not hesitate to speak her mind and in later years would drag her cane around behind her - because she had to have it, but didn't really want to be bothered by it:) 

I apologize for the choppy nature of this blog.  It was a hard one to write, because I wanted to include so much, but I was afraid if it waited until it was thought out enough to write, it would never get done. 

Field Trip Friday: Lecompton

   We had a rough week this week, so we definitely were in need of the fun day that our Field Trip Friday promises.  Halfway between our house and Ducky & Grandma's place is Lecompton, an important location during Territorial Kansas.  The kids have mentioned it several times on our trips to see the folks, so it was a natural choice for a field trip:) Our first stop was Constitution Hall. 

Constitution Hall was built in 1856 (the oldest existing woodframe structure in Kansas) and housed a land office in the lower level and a meeting hall in the second floor.  This is where the Kansas Constitutional Convention met in 1857 in order to gain statehood and then passed a pro-slavery constitution (which was then defeated).  Did you know that they attempted 4 different constitutions during this "Bloody Kansas" period before they got it right?

2nd floor in Constitution Hall where they drafted the constitution (background)

  This museum was family friendly (it only cost $5 for the kids & I for admittance), it had an open floor plan and a "kid area" with puzzles & games.  There was also a jail on the ground from early Lecompton days that the kids could walk in. 

  We also stopped at the Territorial Capital building, which is where the Kansas capital had been planned and they had even started building the foundation for it until plans were changed and it was moved to Topeka.  The land was then donated to be Lane University then this building was built on part of the Territorial Capital foundation. 

The building is the county historical society and makes a great use of its rooms (it looks like you're walking into one of your great-grandma's houses). 

This museum was free and had 2 floors and a basement full of exhibits.  The top floor had a "chapel" where it sounds like they host historical re-enactments from time to time (going to have to go back for that!).  The kids really enjoyed this and made me promise to take them back (Shorty was needing a nap and went into hyperdrive, so we cut it shorter than we wanted). 

Field Trip Friday: Lyndon

  We didn't really take a "field trip" per se this last Friday, but we had a lot of fun in the process!  We had rescheduled our Sleeping Heroes (documenting Civil War soldiers) at Lyndon Cemetery from the week before, and boy are we glad we did - the temperatures were SO much better and we got to hang out with more of our buddies too!  We documented over 55 veterans and even found a Civil War nurse!

We had a great time.  It helped that Shorty was in an agreeable mood for wandering through the stones.  He didn't last the whole time, but for a 1 year old, he did excellent!
  Then we ate a picnic lunch at the city park and just played. 

my monkeys:)

  Mom really wanted to go to the Osage County Historical Society too, both to make it an official "field trip" and to visit with a fellow researcher there.  It turned out to be a quick trip (ie. mostly chasing a toddler up and down the aisles) but Bubby got to see some cool fossils, Mookie liked the handiwork, and I found a G.A.R. picture for my research!

checking out the fossils

 

 

an identified picture of the Lyndon G.A.R. band (thanks to the Os. Co. Hist. Soc.)

  I'm thinking next week we may venture north and check out some territorial Kansas sites!

Swapping!

We recently found this great little group on Facebook, Homeschool Swapping Adventures.  We had previously been a part of another postcard swap group where we swapped postcards with families from across the U.S.  We received about 30 of the states, and when I found this group had a postcard swap we made it a goal to pick up the ones we were missing.  For the postcard swap, you can swap with 7 other families each month.  We exchanged with Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Japan, and England (we're still waiting on this one). 
  So far so good, but the swapping opportunities are not limited to postcards.  We also participated in a Geo-box swap with a family from Georgia.  A Geo-box is where you exchange items that symbolize your state.  Geography freaks that we are, we were very excited to learn about one of our southern states! 
  It sounds like you can set parameters for swapping, but we and our swapping family, just jumped in and it worked out nicely:)   Here is a pic of what we sent. 

  We included a Kansas archaeology curriculum (of course), flyers and pamphlets from all over the state, some Wizard of Oz stickers, a postcard we send out with our postcard swaps, honey (the state insect is a honey bee), sunflowers (state flower), buffalo bookmarks (state animal), Russell Stover candies, and several other worksheets & fun trinkets:)  
  Our swapping buddies sent us (my picture isn't the best because I had hidden the camera from Shorty and forgotten where I put it, so I used the phone's camera): 

a Georgia mug, Coca Cola glass, some Georgia bracelets, fans, a Lego keychain from Legoland (of course this caught Bubby's attention), a dolphin (Mookie latched on to), and shell, apple snacks, a science experiment from their Science Center and some great fliers and pamphlets, and other neat trinkets:) 
  The kids are all ready to jump into another swap again, and the site offers new swapping opportunities every month.  So I think that this is just the start of our swapping adventures:) 

First Field Trip Friday of the Year!

Downtown Burlingame.  Streets wide enough for oxen teams to make a u-turn

  This week we started our school year.  I know, I know you're thinking "What!?!".  Think of it this way, we start school when it's hotter than blazes here in Kansas and then let out in late March/early April when it's getting nice!  We've done it the last couple of years and it's worked out great, well, except for this year when it was still cold when we let out, but one out of 3 isn't bad:)
  One thing we started last fall was "Field Trip Fridays".  We've been aiming for local and low cost for most of them.  Today Bubby chose the Schuyler Museum in Burlingame.  The Schuyler Museum used to be Burlingame's school and it has been turned into the town museum and research center.

  It's a typical small town museum, but it seems like we notice something new each time we go.  Burlingame has been around since the 1850s.  An uncle of Hubby's, George Bratton, was one of the town founders. 
  Today we got to see inside the military room, it's usually locked for security reasons.  It was lined with reproductions and donations of uniforms and accessories from every war in the United States.

  One of the favorite parts of the museum for the kids is the coal mine exhibit...

  Ok, so I had my flash on, but this room is lit only by black lights and just thrills them to no end:)  They thought it was pretty cool when I told them that their gggg-grandpa J.J. Parrish was a coal miner there.  One of the best ways to get kiddos interested in history is to make it personal!
   Our trip would not be complete without me making the kids wait while I do a little research (I like to torture them a little, actually it becomes torture for me if I make them wait too long!).  This is what I found today:

it is a picture of the Burlingame G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) members.  Unmarked.  It was a new acquisition to the museum and they had it displayed in hopes that people would identify the gentlemen in it.  Oh, how I'd love to know who they all are!  After documenting all those soldiers in Burlingame Cemetery last year I've come to feel like these guys are my buddies:) 
  After a totally successful field trip, now we're wondering what's on tap for next week!

A Morning of Horses

Our Keepers of the Home scout group had a simply wonderful meeting today - every girl's favorite subject - horses!  Mookie was SO excited! We met at the house of one of our buddies who used to be a jockey.  Sitting on her lovely porch, we started out with the going over basic terminology.

Next we learned about the proper brushing, maintenance and mannerisms of horses, followed by saddling and bridling.

Some of the families in our scout group either have or work with horses often, so the older girls took turns in showing how certain things were done.

Then came the best part - riding!

Each girl worked according to her own ability.  So, if they didn't need just to try out riding, they worked on training, etc...

We are so blessed to have such a great group of scouting friends!