Deena, maybe we should send the completed book around again, so that we at the beginning could see all of the neat things the others have put in. However, poor Aussie Mom would have a long wait, I'm afraid! This reminds me a little bit of a "Round Robin" that my parents-in-law did with their cousins. They sent a big manilla envelope from person to person down a list, which had everyone's addresses included. Each one contributed a page, pictures, poems, whatever, and sent it on to the next in line. The one at the bottom re-sent it to the top name, and when it came around again, each person removed their previous contribution and put in something else. It was a neat way to keep in touch with a lot of people!
That sounds cool Prairie - maybe it could come back here then around again? Maybe we could put in different stuff the second go around like your family did?
I think that would be such a neat way to learn about eachother's lives and different areas of the world! I'll admit I've thought longingly of doing what you're doing, but we can't each send around a separate book. However, we could maybe share. Something to think about...
We won't get the journal mailed until saturday or monday. Friday is our homeschool group meeting and My 11 yos want's to show the group the journal. I told him that it was a great idea for him to share it with the group.
Well we took the journal to the homeschool group and 11yos talked about it quite a bit. Although only 1 other family showed up for the group son had fun showing the journal to the kids and the moms and telling them about Australia. (his great-great aunt lives in Old Toongabbie and he's talked on the phone with her now and then) So of course he had to tell about that. Anyways, It's on it's way to you prairie home. Went into the mail friday after the homeschool group. Enjoy!
We got both--the book and your message! My! What lush trees and beautiful water you families have been describing! The coast of Australia and Ferries across the Puget Sound--how can a picture of a straw bale on the plains of Kansas compare with that? (On the postcard, it's mislabeled a hay-bale.) Kansas is far from glamorous, besides a few herds of domestic buffalo and a marker denoting the center of the United States. So, I've been contemplating the glories of the sunsets when the entire sky from horizon-to-horizon is lit up with vibrant colors. That is something which first-time visitors to the prairie stand and look at, amazed. The Lord's mercies are new every morning, and so is the sky! I'd also like to describe solitude to you which is not lonely, because we can hear the frogs croaking in the distance and the hoots of the owls at night instead of sirens and car horns blaring. Western Kansas has a feeling of belonging, of history, of comradeship, of love of the soil and hard physical work, which, coupled with the rich, black soil and Turkey Red hard winter wheat made Kansas the Bread Basket of the World. I'll write about some of these things and list where you can look up more history. There are numerous contrasts in KS. One of the most obvious is that the name of Jesus can be freely spoken, because most people consider themselves Christian. Faith is shared. Yet, Wichita, KS. has been nicknamed "The Abortion Capitol of the United States," where late-term abortions are performed daily on women & their babies who are flown in from coast to coast. Also, some gangs have moved into the larger cities. Thirty miles from Wichita, the peaceful Amish drive their horses and buggies. So there are some incongruities here. Meanwhile, while I'm typing, our dd is answering the questionnaire in the book. Then I'll tape our "Hay! From Kansas" postcard in, and maybe tomorrow it will be on its way to Lovetocrochet! But, really, you all just need to come visit. You kind of have to experience Kansas in order to love it.
I've been through Kansas once. It was on the way to Colorado. We decided to go through OK and up into Kansas and then head west into Denver. My dd10 who was 2 at the time just loved seeing "Dorothy Gale's house".
I've never been to Kansas, I wouldn't mind going----to visit! How could I leave the beautiful Pacific Northwest?! But I'd LOVE to visit you!
It sounds like an amazing place.....I can't imagine black soil. Recently we drove across country to Adelaide, and I was blown away by the wide open spaces, no horizon as far as the eye can see, just red soil, some hay fields but mostly salt bush - infact I will include a photo. The thought of late term abortions makes me shudder...both as a woman, a christian and a midwife , I have always found the Amish fascinating..... I think I would like to visit you....
And I, you! We have a friend working with Campus Crusade for Christ in Australia, and it sounds wonderful! He gave us a boomerang from there that we haven't figured out how to use yet. We need you to come teach us. We've been looking at your neat little book that came to our house and longing to see Deena's orcas and take a ferry ride. Two families from WA! What a beautiful state! The skyline in your picture in the previous post could have been taken outside our home: vast, open spaces. I have "fallen in love" with the peacefulness of the prairie, but I also love trees and water and learning new things. I included a couple of websites on our page for you to look up to read more history & some reasons why my grandparents chose to immigrate to the plains of KS. I hope others enjoy our page as much as we have enjoyed theirs! It'll be in the mail tomorrow to you, Lovetochrochet.
That's so cool - I can't wait to see what you've written. You know the thing with a boomerang is that no-one knows how to do it! I have been shown, but they never come back...those aboriginies were pretty clever I reckon!
Can I get in on this traveling lapbook? I realize I am so new, but I've been keeping up with this and would enjoy seeing these things as well as contributing some of my own. Do you only do one page or something?
Yes, you just answer some rally easy questions about you (hobbies, favourite foods, about school...) and about your area. It takes about a page, although more if you are enthusiastic. You also add a photo or postcard of your area. If you want to join in, you just need to pm me your address.
AussieMum, Did you write in there? It looked mostly like kids writing in it, so I didn't write in it.
no, I got the kids to do it. I figure that this is supposed to be their project, but between you and me, I think I am more into it than they are, lol
Yeah, that happened some with my kids too, when we did our project like this. I tried to keep the interest up by putting pins on our map of where it had gone and adding them when it got to a new place. We also did mapwork and flags, etc. But once it got back, it really came back alive when they could see the pictures and things people added! At least we moms are enjoying this project, and that's important too, I think!
