Friday, April 29, 2011

Field Trip~Very FIRST homeschool field trip with the TPA




I chose to go to the homeschooling event at the Botanical Gardens. It was really nice. There was 2 planting stations, one was germinating a bean seed, and the other one was planting sunflower seeds. There was also two crafting stations, one was making a paper flower, and the other was making a wooden necklace. There was also story telling the whole time, with a lady who read different books to the children the whole time. My dad took us and the kids had a great time. And then of course all the beautiful flowers, and exhibits. It was really nice. I really liked the home school co-op that sponsored it too. It will only cost 20 dollars to join and they give you discounts on all the events like this. Sounds like it will be well worth it as this was really fun and I want to do more stuff with them. We for sure got our moneys worth cause at the end the kids even got free ice cream cones.



Which between all the craft and planting stations, and the ice cream cones, and the group discount of the garden, I wouldn't of been able to do all that for the price I paid with out the membership discount. I know that would of all added up to more then 8 dollars in supplies. And where that would come in even more valuable is they charge per a family for these events rather then per a child. I seen many parents with a lot of children there, they probably really saved in crafting/planting supplies, they got their money back in the free ice cream alone. haha

Afterwards dad took us to a new Indian buffet called Kabobs. It was delicious! It had chicken tandori, seekh beef, curry chicken, curry vegetables, rice, and a bunch of other things I can't remember the names of nor have I ever had before. I really liked the ginger mint sauce I chose to go on the seehk beef, it was kind of like gyro lamb/beef with a bit more mint. Dessert was this sweet milk like stuff (very similar to Mexican dulce leche with out the cinnamon) that had vermicelli, candied ginger and candied citrus peel in it. Delicious. Even though it was dessert I think the seekh beef would of been really yummy in it! They also had fresh naan bread which Belle and dad loved. Lela liked the curried potatoes and onions best. We will for sure go back.

Then we went to a gardening shop. Dad wanted to buy some of the plants we had observed at the botanical gardens. While he shopped for plants, I shopped for garden decor cause I have been wanting to beautify the garden. Ever since I lost the boys I have had a vision in my mind of a meditation garden dedicated to my boys. I have wanted something (besides plants) to represent my boys in the garden though as well. There is a cemetery here in Wichita that has a head stone that is a three d carving of two little girls hugging each other in a big sea shell. It's very sweet and beautiful. I will have to go take a picture of it some day. It was for twin girls who died during the flu epidemic a little over 100 years ago here in Wichita, or the Kansas area. A few years ago they searched for the girls relatives and could find none, the head stone was in need of some repair. When they couldn't find the family some local people put up a donation fund to repair it, cause it's such a monument in the cemetery. (it also says under it who the twins were and what they died of and their ages, I believe they were 2 years old). Any way, I didn't care if what I bought for my garden had the shell or not, but the image of the girls for that headstone hugging is what I kind of had in mind for my boys garden as well. Well, the garden shop had exactly what I have been picturing in my mind of wanting! EXACTLY! And it's boys! One is hugging the other and they are babies. It's huge (about 2 1/2 feet tall, and about the same width since it's two boys). Any way, I had been looking at the other garden decor, and even small cats/squirrels were priced around 80 dollars. Ones the size of the baby boys were around 300 dollars, so I was afraid to look at the price at first, then I did and they were only 140.00! That is pretty close to doable for me. Much closer then 300! So I went to the front and asked if they had any percentage off coupons for their garden decorations. And they said not now but they will soon. And then I asked specifically about the baby boys and took them to it, and they told me they will go on sale in July. When Vince got home I told him about it, and he agreed we can get them. I am so happy. I was thinking I was going to wait till we got a home of our own to buy something for the boys garden, and was really only looking for just regular garden decoration, something in the 20 dollar or less range. But, I am so happy when I seen the baby boys. I knew that's what I had to get right away. I have done a lot of searching in the past for just the right decorative piece I wanted to represent the boys in the garden, and had really came up with nothing I wanted. I just kept having that picture of the girls in the seashell that I had always liked so much, and nothing was even comparing to them. I had looked and looked. It was really neat when I came upon them, and like they should be mine at such a reasonable price when every thing else was so much more expensive! I think they will be perfect for their garden.

Tonight was also La Leche League. They really liked my swap meet idea and are going to do that in June. We also came up with some ideas for July and again they liked my ideas for that too. I also suggested we get our own group a face book group page, and they are going to work on that as well. I think that will help raise  money and membership a lot. I asked about other homeschooling co-ops and they said they really liked the one that I went to today, and there was more in the area. One of the leaders is going to email me with some of the others in the area. But, they all said that the one I went to today was a really good resource. So it turned out to be a really good meeting. We got free hot donuts from Krispy Kreme on the way home. And every one had a fun day. So off to bed now!