Native American Custom and a Spinning Tale

We went to see a performance called "Native American Custom and a Spinning Tale,” an  event at Maudslay State Park where kids and adults learned about the lives of Native Americans.

While waiting for the program to start, the kids colored pictures.

From the program we learned that the Native Americans who lived near Newburyport ate  seafood that they caught along the coast, such as lobsters and fish. They harvested crops such as corn and squash, as well as hunted animals for food and clothes. My favorite moment of the day was when the kids touched that dead skunk on the bottom of the first pic below. Jayden thought it was fake so he pet it. I told him that it was a dead animal that Native Americans used it for food and as an accessory. He didn't say a word, just quickly walked away, wiping his hand on his shorts.

Cait's reaction was even funnier. She pet it and picked it up absentmindedly, looking at other things on the table while cuddling it. I told her that it was real and she launched, and I mean LAUNCHED it, back to it's spot. I tried explaining what the Native Americans used it for but she was trying to convince me that I was tricking her and refused to listen. She finally believed me when May walked over and told her that I was telling the truth.

 

 

 Theater in the Open came and performed a folk tale called How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun. Cait and I only caught the end of it because her small bladder was about to explode, but what we did see, we enjoyed. There were masks of a fox, bear, opossum and buzzard. I'm not sure what happened in the beginning and middle but in the end, the buzzard had the hot sun on his head, taking it back up to the sky where it belonged. 

After that, they allowed the children to look at and touch the masks. They even gave us pointers on how to make our own. I know that I am challenged in the creativity department, so hopefully Vanessa will help us with this! I DID hear them say they made most of the animals with pizza boxes. I guess I'll have to order pizza, you know, for the kids' education and all...

The kids also played a version of basketball that the Native Americans played.

Native American tools

 I made The kids made a spider web out of a plate.

What a terrible photographer I am, cutting off the top of his head!

 

Cait showing an acorn she found

 

The Beach

Apart from the fiasco in April, we have not been to the beach all summer. I think I was traumatized by the gazillion hour ride that May claimed would only take 30 minutes. Stupid traffic had other plans for us. I digress!

We met up with some friends for some beach fun and to celebrate Vanessa's birthday. It is a beach in Newburyport, about 30 mins away. There was hardly anyone there but our group. It was so peaceful and beautiful!

This was my childrens third time at the beach. Cait FREAKED out the first time. (She was about 18months old). So we didn't go back until this past April. And even then she was not too fond of it. This time was different. She let the water creep up her ankles and splash all the way up her dress and in her face.

Her lips were purple and she was shivering but she insisted she wasn't cold and wanted to keep going in. I think she might be ready for swimming classes, unlike last year!

Jayden and Cait made Vanessa a card for her birthday

Jayden had so much fun with Hayzel, Owen, and Vinny. He thinks they are the greatest kids ever. He thought he  could take on the big waves. He tried inching deeper and deeper into the water. I ruined the fun by telling him he couldn't go in so deep. Oh well.

All of the kids hugging Vanessa after we sang to her

Cait became pretty ornery (surprise) after I said no more water.

I love how engaged everyone is in Jayden's story

She wanted to bring some of the beach home with her

The kids fell asleep within 5 minutes of being tucked into bed. I wish we lived closer to the beach! We would visit every afternoon!

Park, Nature Walk, and Library with Friends!

Still enjoying the last days of summer. I have to admit, I am excited for shorter days, colder nights, and the upcoming holidays!

This face tells you all you need to know about her attitude lately.

Jayden finally made it all the way to through the monkey bars! This was a huge thing for him. He and I have had so many discussions about the monkey bars. He wanted me to hold him through it because he was scared. I told him that he was strong enough to get through it without me carrying him, but I would be right there in case he fell (life lesson, anyone?). What I loved best about this whole thing is that even though he was scared, he kept trying. He would always freak after the second bar, but he went back and tried again and again.

 Suddenly he was at the fourth bar, and I kept cheering him on.

He was really proud of himself for making it through to the end, and so was I. His hands burned but he was thrilled with his accomplishment.

"Mom!! DID YOU SEE THAT?! I DID IT!!"

 After that, I got conned into joined everyone for a nature walk. Have I mentioned how gross I think bugs/snakes/etc. are? If there were just trees and pretty animals, like deer, I'd be fine with a nature walk. But Cait grabbed a big log and all I saw was the end of a snake slithering deeper into the pile. I nearly ran.

Carolyn and Olivia found some little frogs in the pile. Carolyn was brave enough to even try to catch one for Olivia.  1. note how far away I am from the pile, taking this picture. 2. the camera was zoomed in, so I look like I am closer than I really am.

 Thankfully, we went back to the park.

Earlier this week, Juan was sick and actually (for the first time ever!!) called out of work. I decided to take the kids and disappear so he could rest quietly. I'm an awesome wife, I know. (I won't mention that he got sick because he caught my cold. I also won't mention that he let me sleep in until 10:30 on his only day off so that I could get rest. If I mention it, then he gets to be awesome too) So I, being as fabulous as I am, decided to make him a big pot of chicken noodle soup and braved the scorching heat.

We stopped at the air conditioned library. The kids spent time on the computer, doing puzzles, and picking books.

The heat nearly cooked us. We went through SIX bottles of water in a couple of hours. We had a picnic lunch in the only shaded area we could find. The kids were so thirsty they even grudgingly sipped on May's lemon water. I wish I had a picture of their face when they tasted it. It was PRICELESS!

Finally someone suggested we switch parks. Talk about a brilliant idea. The other park is almost completely shaded by huge beautiful trees.

 

Most surprising thing of the day: these two got along. The heat must have made them temporarily insane.