A Pile of Sticks

A few days ago PopPaw and TaTa (my parents) came down to help out around the house with a few things Monty, physically can't do right now while he is recovering from back surgery. Top on PopPaw's to do list was trimming the tree in our front yard which was quickly taking over. As PopPaw was trimming the tree he was accumulating quite the pile of sticks, which was just as quickly inspiring this homeschooling mom and her kiddos with a project.

As I said once before, we are a history loving family. For years our girls have spent hours, day after day playing "Maggie and Gracie old times." They cross the open prairie in their covered wagon enduring all types of hardships in their mission to homestead in Kansas, all this in the confines of our simple back yard. It is hysterical to watch and amazing to see such creativity. So, you can obviously see we have a healthy fascination with all things Laura Ingalls Wilder. When they are not playing "Maggie and Gracie old times" you can find them creating all kinds of different adventures with their Darbies (Betsie's name for Barbies).

So what happens when you give some creative little homeschool girls with a good dose of pioneer spirit a pile of sticks?

Well, they build a Darbie house on the open prairie of course. We all had an absolute blast. PopPaw, TaTa, Mommy, Maggie, Gracie, and even Grant and Betsie spent the entire morning constructing and imagining life in a one room log cabin (aka...avoiding the to do list).

We still have more work to be done (on the house and around the house). In lew of a roof we've tied down the canvas from our covered wagon to protect the Darbies from the prairie elements (like Pa did in Little House on the Prairie). Therefore, we still need a roof and we need to fill in the cracks with chinking (paper machie) all before winter. (I hear they can be quite fierce on the open prairie, especially in our imaginations!!!) We also want to create some furniture and make some period outfits for our "Darbies." Can you tell we have a slight obsession with details? Trust me, I could go on and on and on. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Have I told you what an absolute blast it is to be a homeschooler!!! The spontaneous learning experiences are totally thrilling. And what a memory maker....all of us working together using our imaginations, talking, laughing and creating. Now that is priceless. This is a memory we will never forget and we will treasure this house for always.