The Creation Museum, Petersburg, KY

Benjamin and Leah have just wrapped up a study on dinosaurs (again), it seems to be a favorite in our house. But some new questions have been posed about when God created the dinosaurs since we are often only fed the evolutionary theory that dinosaurs existed 250 million years ago and did not coexist with humans. So, in search of our answers we stumbled upon The Creation Museum. Our friends, Ella, Carly, and mom, Kristi joined us for the weekend trek.

The Museum was great. However, it truly deserved several more hours (without children) to grasp all of the information. Here are just a few photos we were able to get. I was so overwhelmed with the exhibits and information, that I forgot to take my camera back out after this first exhibit.



The campground at which we stayed, The Little Farm on the River, in Rising Sun, IN was right on the Ohio River. It also had its BIG Halloween Festival complete with haunted house and TRICK-or-TREATING! Yippee! (photos coming soon)

Fall Creek Falls State Park, Pikeville, TN--Take 2

We have found our new favorite state park and promise to visit often. There are beautiful trails and hikes to the falls. We ventured on one to the bottom of the main falls. Although it was only .4 miles, it was a fairly difficult trail (rocky and steep) for a three-year-old. Leah was quite a trooper and is coming into her own. Benjamin commented on the incline back that he didn't remember it being as steep on the way down! We got some good shots, here are some that show off the trail.

Want to get away?

Dear Southwest Airlines,
I have an idea for a new AD to compliment the embarrassing moments you use for your airline. Unfortunately, it was a real-life moment for me. I've always tried to take the honest route when my children ask questions trying to judge how MUCH information is appropriate for the age/cognitive ability, etc. and answer matter-of-fact-ly. More times than I care to count, that approach has come back to bite me...sometimes harder than others. Here is a recent conversation with my six-year-old while we were adding movies to our list on Netflix.

B: Mom, can I have get (insert any superhero or big kid movie title here)?
M: No, that's for teenagers, see its rated PG-13.
B: So which movies can I get?
M: Well, any movie that's rated G and some that are PG.
B: What does that mean? Who made up those ratings? What are all the ratings?
M: (After a carefully thought out explanation, I ended with) They are NR, G, PG, PG-13, R, and X.
He appeared content with that answer and we finished choosing our movies.

Several days later at the LaVergne Public Library...
We enjoyed a fun storytime that concluded with a tour of the library. We left the children's dept. and followed the librarian and about 30 other homeschooled children and parents to the reference section. She proceeded to explain to the children that the videos in the children's dept are all rated G, all other videos are house here. My very diligent and curious son raised his hand and asked: Excuse me, Ms. Lorna, is this where the X-rated movies are kept?
She quickly noted that they didn't have those movies here while shooting me a look.

So, I have since reevaluated my honestly policy and have convinced my son that he misunderstood me and there is no such things as the X rating!

Sincerely,
in need of a get-away,
Ms. Foolish Mouth

Dear Ms. Foolish mouth,
We're too embarrassed for you to even use your AD idea. We do have an idea for you, though, keep your mouth closed!

Sincerely,
Southwest Airlines

Newest Website Find

So, I have been searching for Children's Audio Books for the children to listen to while traveling. I have been able to find several books at Libraries that I have, well, pirated. And since I am a frugal mom, over the years I have also recorded my own "Mommy Version" our favorite picture books onto cassette (how old school). However, I have been looking for professionally recorded stories in MP3 format for their MP3 players (Benjamin believes it to be an iPod...we won't tell him its a $20 Wal-martPod). I'm rambling...
Anyhow, I found this web site that has FREE Audio stories to be downloaded. Many of them are fairy tales and a series by the Web author (they don't appear to be published in hard copy). So, unfortunately, we won't have the book with which to follow along. But there are lots of choices, including some favorite Bible Stories.
Just thought my mommy friends might be interested. Even if you're not, lie to me!
Click here to link to storynory.com

Fall Creek Falls State Park, Pikeville, TN

Today we went hiking at Fall Creek Falls, a beautiful state park about 2 hours from home. We got some great photos. Here's my favorite of the day taken of Benjamin walking across a suspension bridge that spans the falls. More photos to come tomorrow.

Kara