Field Trip

I loved field trips as a child in school. Field trips meant good things in your lunch bag and a trip with your friends on the bus to a fun destination. Maddie asked if I would go on her first grade field trip this year and I quickly agreed because it was a good chance to spend the day with her and who would pass up a field trip! I even got to ride along on the big yellow bus with her.

Maddie and some of her sweet friends in 1st grade

Lunch at the nature center. Notice there is not a single tree outside and it was 90 degrees. The kids were boiling and so was I!

My little group for the day. They were all such great kids. I supsect Ms. R. did that on purpose.

Trekking through the woods on our nature walk.

Just in case we got lost!

Maddie and one of her sweet friends

The sole nature sighting on our trip. Turtles sunning themselves on a log

Our guide was a bit long winded and I got bored so I took this picture from my perspective

Not a real turtle. They wouldn't let her touch the real three legged one because she might "hurt it". She had to settle for holding a shell.

More discussion

The most excitement I saw all day out of the kids was when they found "scat" on the ground.

The difference between Mom's and Dad's

There are major differences between moms and dads.

Mom's make sure that their childrens take their own bright, colored, pretty, water bottles to school. Dad's say, "Oh, you can drink out of the water fountain."

Mom's iron outfits even if they are running late because they don't want anyone to think that they are not a good mom. Dad's thinks that the child is good to go if the shoes match each other.

Mom's will insist their child have a piece of cheese in the morning along with their waffle to ensure a balanced breakfast. Dad's think a strawberry pop tart and chocolate milk is a balanced breakfast.

Mom's insist on sweatshirts and jackets and gloves and a hat. Dad's say, "Oh, it's only a short dash to from the car to the school."

Mom's start planning their child's field trip lunch the night before and look to make sure that they have everything they need including drinks and snacks. Dad's decide that soup sounds good for lunch and decide that morning is soon enough to get all the other things together for lunch.

Mom's set their alarms early to get up in order to have everything ready for the field trip. Dad's play the new "Call of Duty" video game way too late and then hit snooze when the alarm goes off.

Mom's then get annoyed at the Dad's, so they make the soup (oh, and there isn't any chicken noodle so we will have to improvise with Chef Boyardee Ravoli), make the sanwiches because the child that the Dad sent in there to make them isn't moving too quickly this morning, insist that some fruit goes into the lunch bags along with the candy from Halloween, realizes that there is only one drink and quickly sends child down to basement to procure more drinks to pack, reminds child to take her camera and gives child extra batteries for the camera, and hands out kisses and hugs before she leaves for work. Dad's get a shower and then glower at Mom because she has "taken over."

Of course, I am not talking about our house. At our house, Dad always does things the way that Mom does :)

Bud took Abby on her 4th grade gifted class field trip today and she had an incredible time with him. Two hours there and back on a bus with 4th and 5th graders, and a wet tramp in the woods. He is my hero!!! Surprisingly enough, he did fine without Mom orchestrating the entire day. He and his girl enjoyed themselves immensely and the soup (or ravioli) that Mom thought wasn't that great of an idea was voted as the best lunch by the class because the State Park was rainy and cool today and it hit the spot.

Oh, and the batteries that Mom took credit for.......dead so no pics until Dad came to the rescue. Thank goodness he (who always knows where his phone is, unlike Mom) thought to take pics with his camera phone and send them to Mom at work so she could enjoy them.

Abby and Bud, Target Field Trip, November 2009

I should clarify that many of the differences I posted are not actually personal ones and the ones that were personal may have been a teeny bit exaggerated to make someone look a little bit better :)

Thankful for a husband who sees the importance of taking a day off now and then to do a field trip with his girls.