Field Trips

Here is a confession.
I almost hyperventilate when I go to do something I have volunteered for. Like field trips. Don't ask me why. I get extreme anxiety...what if I get lost, or there isn't a bathroom (I take dirutics) or I go to the wrong door, or sneeze unexpectedly and don't have a tissue...!!?? The list goes on and on. I know it's stupid but there it is. So why do I do it? Field trips are a blast! The kids love them, the teachers appreciate you, it's a chance to spend time with a kid you think the world of, you get to meet the stars and the brats in the class, and get an idea of the forces shaping our kids every day. It's worth it! One more thing: there are some types of class trips that do not lend themselves to good supervising. Such as the recent Meier Gardens trip with Emily's class. The kids scattered in every direction. I ran into many puffing, panting parent/supervisors looking for kids who ran ahead and disappeared. I was glad I was there with Emily.
The gardens were lush and beautiful. A favorite was the rain forest, with the sound of waterfalls, and where hundreds of butterflies fluttered and landed on the visitors. The kids also loved the Great Lakes display, where they got to sail little boats in water that got them all wet enough to shiver on the way home! The kid's area has a maze and labyrinth, with many sculptures and displays, like the table drums Emily and Brooklynn had fun with. Lunch on the lawn back at school meant a circle of friends for Emily, most of whom ended up giving her treats she didn't even have time to eat because yakking was so fun! And hey Chris, thanks for the lettuce sandwich, she ate the whole thing!

The picture of Grace is in an 1800's costume for a field trip to a one-room schoolhouse. I would have loved to go on that trip but parents weren't allowed.
Shucks.
Grace's grandmother Wilson loaned her the outfit. The picture doesn't show that it was pink and real gingham, just like the pioneers sometimes wore. And the hat was skillfully made with very small stitches. The shawl is store-bought, but she needed something because it was a cool day, and it was much more appropriate than the jackets some kids had to wear. I saw a few boys that had their jeans tucked into boots and plaid shirts. They had to pack cold lunches with things like biscuits and apples, hard-boiled eggs, fried chicken, etc. It all made for a fun and educational day.

I have gone with Grace on a few field trips, once to the lighthouse on the Whitehall side, and I was one of a few that was allowed to ring the bell. Now that was a thrill! To the girls: thanks for inviting me! And thanks to the teachers who let the parents hog some of the fun, and thanks to the parents who would've liked to take the day off work but didn't so I could got to go instead.