Hot Stuff!

Educational opportunities seem to be everywhere if you keep an eye out for them. Earlier this month I was trying to find some unrelated information on our city's website when the words ''Fire Safety Camp'' caught my eye. Then the word FREE jumped out at me. Educational and free? That is like winning the homeschool lottery!

Perhaps this is one of the perks of living in a smallish Midwestern town. My daughter definitely thought it was a perk and could not wait until July 9th. She was giddy with anticipation.

Finally camp day rolled around and I dropped her off from 8:00 to 12:00pm. Free, educational AND I get a break? I am loving it!

Our local fire department outdid themselves with this free camp. The kids all obviously enjoyed learning about fire safety, calling 911, touring the safety trailer, putting out pretend fires, seeing the fire trucks and being fed pizza. Wow. They fed them lunch too! To top it off each child got to take home a sticker, lollipop, certificate, t shirt and a tie string gym sack to put all their take home goodies in.

I always try to find unexpected learning experiences for my kids and this one was one of the best. We will certainly sign up for this next year!

Field Trip - Kearney, Nebraska

When people think of Nebraska, which is not often if you are not from here, they tend to think flat, boring, corn etc. Driving for five hours on Interstate 80 this past week I tend to agree. I 80 is a flat asphalt ribbon that cuts a rather straight path entirely through Nebraska. This wide expanse does not vary much in scenery but at exit 272 is something to see. The Great River Road Archway cannot be missed. The structure is built over the four lanes of I 80. Due to the speed limit being 75 mph and that it is a well known fact that hardly anyone goes just 75 mph the exit for the museum is approximately a mile from it. Exiting safely and winding your way back towards the museum you will pass life size metal buffalo sculptures with vines growing on them. My first impression was that they looked like random Midwestern Chia Pets. The parking lot of the museum is ample and well laid out with a maze and a giant buffalo sculpture that you surely will want your picture taken in front of.

Inside the museum we were greeted by authentic looking ''mountain men'' who played their parts very well. Adding a touch of authenticity with their throwback pioneer dialog and prop guns.

I was completely surprised at the size of the museum. From the outside it does not appear that large. The museum is home to the second largest escalator in Nebraska. Ok, that fact did not surprise me. Where in Nebraska would one need a mammoth escalator? Getting back on track, the museum has wonderful exhibits with twenty four life size figures along with paintings, quilts, lights, video and vehicles depicting a span of 150 years in America such as goldrushers, pioneers and drive in movie theaters. The museum is built at the only place where the Oregon, California and Mormon trails intersect. Those trails were the ones most often used by westward heading pioneers.

The museum is open seven days a week and also boasts a large and eclectic gift shop. Inside the museum is the Chuckwagon restaurant which is open six days a week.

Andrew Wyeth July 12, 1917 - January 16, 2009

How sad that Andrew Wyeth passed away today. Famous American realist painter, his works even hang in New York City's Museum of Modern Art.

In our homeschooling my children and I are studying artists and plan to go to the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha for a field trip in a few weeks. How fortunate that they house one of his works. We will have to make a special point to view the painting of Wyeths that is on display there. Half Bushel was painted in 1959.

A fact that many people do not know is that Wyeth was homeschooled and viewed it as a ''great opportunity''. What a terrific view of homeschooling and a valuable lesson for our homeschooled kids. You can be anything you want to be even if you are not on the treadmill of the public education system.