our grand adventure: Lifestyle of Learning 2016 Edition: Volume Three (a.k.a. Field Trip!!!! or Now, This is the Way to Learn) Part One

February 14 - 21

Flexibility and focus on family relationships are two of my favorite things about homeschooling. They are a routine part of our homeschooling experience but they were truly in sharp focus this week. Christian has been accepted in to Korea University thus it was imperative that I get to Washington D.C. to bring his belongings back home and to send him off. Maceo was unable to come along due to his show, Aladdin Jr. going in to tech week and then opening. Bishop, on the other hand, came along to help with the moving and to see the sites of D.C. So, Bishop and I embarked on an epic field trip...this is the way to learn.

The first leg of our trip took us to London, Ohio where we had dinner at The Red Brick Tavern. the building is fantastic. It is Ohio's second oldest stagecoach stop and six presidents have been to the tavern; John Tyler, Warren G. Harding, Martin Van Buren, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, and Zachary Taylor. This tavern was built and has been continuously used since 1836. Here is a little more about the place. We love learning more about history in this way and, additionally, the food wasn't too bad either. I had a fried bologna sandwich, which I have never had outside of my home, and now has Bishop and I thinking about variations to this sandwich. We are always collecting culinary ideas.

We awoke to snow and experienced a part of the Appalachian mountain range in the snow while driving a 15 passenger van. While reinforcing our knowledge of geography (and, quite frankly, raising many questions as well) we also listened to audiotape lectures that ended up covering philosophy, worldviews, theology, history, science, in particular the theories on the origins of life. We also had hours of conversations on ethics, medical technology, and more. It was a productive time.

We arrived in D.C. happy to see Christian and ready to stretch our legs and get a little dinner. We walked (twenty minutes each way) to have some very yummy burgers. My burger had fresh roasted green chile on it (yum) and Bishop had a salmon burger. (Again, always logging away culinary ideas).

Then on to the business at hand. There was sorting, purging, packing, organizing and loading to be done. And by the end of the week there would also be cleaning and the passing of the inspection to be done. Working together and on the behalf of Christian really build familial bonds. I thoroughly enjoyed watching my oldest and my youngest (11 year age difference) work together seamlessly. There were also practical lessons presented to Bishop. Although Bishop has lived through many family moves this is the first time that he has been integrally involved in the move. He has learned what that involves. He learned what it takes to pass an inspection and what kinds of things might get your apartment deposit withheld. Christian received his entire deposit back but the manager shared some stories with us while giving the inspection. He told a story of a young woman who had melted a hole in her freezer, he presumes by placing a hot pot in there to cool something off. The young woman tried to claim that the freezer was like that when she moved in but, of course, that was not true, as the paperwork revealed. Bishop learned that a strong sense of responsibility and common sense will serve him well throughout life.

I not only enjoyed watching my oldest and youngest work together but I enjoyed watching them "play" together.
We walked twenty minutes to the metro then Christian taught us how to take the metro.

Bishop's first metro ride.

Then we spent the next seven hours seeing the sights of D.C.
We saw the White House and the Capitol.

The flag is half staff for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

We saw beautiful architecture and stunning monuments.

I am not certain why this pose is deemed necessary, particularly in front of the Boy Scouts monument.

We then went to the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum.

We perused the Ocean Hall with it's 674 marine specimens.

Dabbing through D.C. - a personal mission.

We saw this stunning totem pole carved by Native Americans of the Northwest.

We visited the Hall of Human Origins.

We explored mammals and...

bones and...

mummies and...

dinosaurs.

We went to the Korea Gallery and Bishop took note of some of the unique pottery shapes.

This gigantic kimchi pot that Bishop is dabbing in front of is a super cool piece of art...

...that has this cool diorama inside of it.

We saw the hall of live insects and the Nature's Best Photography exhibit. But Bishop's favorite was the geology and gems and minerals exhibits. This was a stunningly beautiful collection.