ROAD TRIP coming up!

I couldn't be more excited about our next road trip! I'm packing up my mom, my kids, and my dog and heading to Kentucky for almost 2 WEEKS! I am excited about this for several reasons:

1. I've NEVER been east of Houston, TX (except for a one week excursion to Washington, DC about 17 years ago).
2. I get to finally see my aunt's home!
3. We have loads of wonderful stuff planned which I will detail in just a bit.
4. The kids will get to see a new and interesting part of the country.
5. I'll get to spend some quality time with my mom!

I'm not sure how a 16-17 hour drive with a crabby 3 year-old and a dog will be, but what the hell, I'm game! Have kids... will travel! We'll head up through the northeastern part of Texas and then over to Little Rock, AR and we'll stop in Memphis, TN for the night. Now don't ask me if we're going to Graceland because we're not. After 9-10 hours in a car, I doubt I will even give even the slightest crap about Elvis or his house! All I will want is a clean bed and a continental breakfast the next morning! However, I AM researching the perfect place for dinner. Cause seriously, you know there HAS to be bitchin' food in Memphis! Any suggestions would be welcomed! We'll get up the next morning and head on up to Kentucky, driving through Louisville and Lexington and heading over to Stanton. I've never seen my aunt's place, but I do hear that it's out in the boonies and I couldn't be happier!

Now from a homeschooling standpoint, I really should be carting the kids off to see Lincoln's birthplace and Mary Todd's home, but I just don't see that happening. The kids are still pretty young so I think we're going to keep things simple and fun, we have plenty of time to delve into the life of our 16th President at some other time! Instead, we will be sticking close to Stanton and exploring what that portion of KY has to offer. We'll be checking out the Kentucky Reptile Zoo and taking loads of nature hikes around my aunt's property to hunt for wildflowers, ferns and various fungi. We'll make some bonfires and cook outdoors and sing folk songs and learn to play our dulcimer! We'll explore the Red River Gorge (which I hear is AWESOME!) A friend who raises bees will talk to us about beehives and beekeeping and another friend has a rock shelter that was used by prehistoric native Americans located on his property. The kids will get lessons in forestry and woodcrafting and we'll take canoe rides and maybe, just maybe if I feel like the kids need more, we'll go to Ft. Boonesborough which is a re-creation of the stockade and community founded by Daniel Boone in the 1700's, where folks dress in period clothing and demonstrate the work and crafts of the day! I can hardly contain my excitement!

But not to worry my friends, I will surely have a camera in hand the WHOLE trip! So if you don't hear much from me in the weeks to follow, never fear, I'll just be off enjoying the perks of homeschooling and learning on the fly! You can be sure you will get a full report when I return!