My Week in Review/ Weekly Wrap-up/THMJ- 9/19

What a great and adventure filled week here at the Home to 4 Kiddos!  :-)

The kiddos have been working hard on their schoolwork/classes, but of course, there has to be some fun hands-on activities in there like mummifying apples.  You can't study the Ancients without doing some fun experiment regarding mummification!  :-)  We will let you know in the next few days how our "mummies" turned out.  :-)

On Thursday, my birthday, my hubby made me a yummy breakfast and then we headed with some dear friends to the Sight and Sounds Theater in Lancaster, PA too see Joseph. (they were offering an extremely generous homeschool discount and my friend gave me my ticket as a birthday present!!!)  What an amazing production.  Wow!  And, to top it off, one of my friends made me cupcakes and I got serenaded with "Happy Birthday" right there at a bench on the grounds of the theater.  :-)

My parents made me a delicious birthday dinner, so we headed there upon returning from the show for some yummy eats and some Thursday night football.

On Friday, we again trekked up to Lancaster County (I just LOVE it there!) to the annual Cherry Crest Adventure Farm's homeschool days.  If you have never been able to visit Cherry Crest, I strongly encourage you to take the time and do it.  There are over 50 hands-on fun activities for kids as well as a 5-acre corn maze.  The maze has all kinds of fun surprises inside including a zipline, sliding board and even a cafe, water stations and port-a-potties!  It is a family-centered and wholesome place; one that I am pleased that my children ask to visit every year.  We were glad that some good friends got to join us.  It was so much fun!

My posts this past week:

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- so many delicious recipes shared!
TOS Review- Stinky Kid Math- a great resource for Algebra and Geometry
TOS Review- Super Teacher Worksheets- over 10,000 worksheets and more!

Linking up today with My Week in Review, Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap Up, 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!  God bless!  :-)


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Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum

Kiddo #1 turned 17 a couple of weeks ago.  Oh, how the time has flown!!  When did our precious preemie grow up?

In our homeschool, the birthday boy/girl gets to choose a field trip on their special day.  On Kiddo's birthday, we visited the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum in Willow Grove, PA.

The museum's mission is to preserve aviation history in the greater Delaware Valley, including the contributions of Harold F. Pitcairn, as well as the men and women who served at NASJRB Willow Grove for the education and benefit of future generations.

For the last decade, the volunteer-run Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association has worked meticulously to preserve, restore and display dozens of regionally significant small and medium-sized aircraft inside and outside its 4,800 square foot Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Museum in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

The indoor portion of the museum houses an amazing collection of artifacts from the last century of aviation and warfare.

and some hands-on fun, as well

Did you know that Amelia Earhart broke a record right there at the Willow Grove base?  We didn't!!  Wow!  :-)

We also didn't know that the first drone was developed and flown back in 1962!  It is here at the museum for all to see.

Many view Harold Pitcairn as the forefather of rotary wing aircraft.  In 2012, the museum was bestowed with its crowning jewel, a striking black and yellow 1931 PA-8 Pitcairn Mailwing.  Only one other Mailwing of this model remains.

There are so many historic aircraft on display at the museum.  Click here to read about all of them. 

Here is one that was very impressive:

The A-10 "Thunderbolt II" had deadly effects during the 1991 Gulf War and in Iraq and Afghanistan after the September 11th attacks as a close support and anti-tank aircraft.  It is also known as the Warthog.  You can read more about the aircraft here.  

When one of the volunteers (all very friendly and knowledgeable veterans) found out that it was Kiddo's birthday, he went and got the keys to an aircraft that he flew (on and off of an aircraft carrier!!!) and gave us a personal tour inside of it!  How cool is that?!

It is called the Grumman C-1A "Trader."  It was used primarily as a carrier transport.  This particular one saw service with multiple squadrons and ships around the world.  The "Trader" became one of three C-1As operated out of Willow Grove by the U.S.S. Independence carrier on-board delivery crew.  Its last flight was in 1987.

This gem of a museum has free admission.  The all-volunteer staff just requests a donation, as the museum receives no funds of any kind from the military or government.  They are hoping to expand to house even more of their collection.  I hope, with the generosity of kind benefactors, that that will someday become a reality.  If you are in the area, be sure to check out this popular destination.  You will learn so much about our nation's aviation history and will have fun while doing so.  We sure did.

Linking up with Field Trip Friday.

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Happy 15th Birthday Kiddo #2

Our Kiddo #2 turned 15 on Monday.  He wanted to start his celebrations at midnight, with a special countdown on his computer.  We all gave him our gifts.  :-)

He had a special birthday treat of waffles and ice cream (where he even entertained his siblings) followed by time on the beach, pool and arcade.  A very fun birthday at the seashore!  :-)

Happy Birthday to our smart, funny and kind young man!  You light up a room not only with your knowledge of all things sports, but your smile and your giving spirit.  You excel at everything you try, whether that be Taekwondo or inventing games to entertain your younger siblings.  You are truly a gift to all who know you!  We love you!  :-)

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Happy 16th Birthday Kiddo #1

Tuesday was our Kiddo's 16th birthday.  I am not quite sure where 16 years have gone.  Our preemie has grown into an almost 6'3" young man.  More importantly, he is a good and generous kid, one who is always volunteering and giving of himself.  He never thinks twice about helping-- whether that is doing yardwork or in so many capacities at church.  Everyone always seems to call on him because they know he is dependable and hard-working.

That is why I wanted to pull off his surprise party.  He is a special young man and deserved to have a day where many gathered to celebrate him and tell him just how much he means to them.  It was difficult to plan the party under his nose for the past few months, but we did it!  He was SO surprised. Phew, what a relief.  :-)

Many family and friends came to enjoy good food and good company and to celebrate Kiddo.  They played basketball and football, too.

On his actual birthday (Tuesday), we went for a tour of the Philadelphia Airport.  We went through the various terminals and then went on the best part of the tour-- THE RUNWAY!  Yes, you read that correctly.  We got a security escort onto the runway.  I have never experienced anything like that in my life.  And, for my aviation living and breathing kid, I know it was a dream come true.  We actually had to stop and let jets go right in front of us!!!!  It was really awesome.

this was inside the international terminal-- Kiddo with his siblings and friends

we are entering the runway areas with our security escort right in front

look at the jet crossing RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!  So cool!  

or the one coming right at us! (until he turned into his terminal)

Kiddo had a bit of a basketball injury back at home while playing with his friends.  We ended up at Urgent Care and he is wrapped up and on crutches with a sprained ankle.  He was in good spirits, and just grateful that it happened AFTER the airport, lol.  :-)  Thus, in the photos below, he is making his birthday pizzas (his birthday dinner of choice) sitting down.

Happy Birthday Kiddo #1!  You are a great kid and we love you!  :-)

Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection and Family Fun Friday and T.G.I.F. Linky Party and Let's Homeschool High School and This Week


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Happy Birthday, Kiddo #3

Yesterday was Kiddo #3's birthday.  Kiddo turned 12.  He entered the world at a whopping 10 1/2 pounds (he was my second largest.  Yes, I had one even bigger!) and he has been making us smile ever since.

My animal lover decided to visit the zoo, so we braved the cold (and boy was it cold!) to go.  It was a fun outing.  We had the place practically to ourselves and of course, we got to see the polar bears and penguins just loving life.  :-)

(we found lots of indoor places to warm up like the ones above in the new Kids Zoo U)

(she even roared three times at the birthday boy!)

(you just have to love a heated restaurant!)

(the otters loved following Kiddo 3 and 4's hands)

(a new version of 'The Thinker?')

(playing hide and seek in the 'Treehouse.'  Did I mention how much fun it was to be one of only 5 or 6 families in the whole zoo?)  :-)

Being sung to by family after a nice dinner.  These family members hadn't seen Kiddo #4 since her birthday 2 weeks ago, so they both got sung to!  :-)

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