Nomad Shelter

For history this year, we started off with learning what history and archaeology are.  Half way through a children's picture book I was reading on archaeology, Abishai ran out into the backyard decked out in rain jacket, rubber boots and shovel, to dig in the garden in search of artifacts.  I'm not sure what he was expecting to find, but he spent a long time digging.  It was fun for me to watch him re-enacting the book.  

My husband gave the boys a saw and let them cut the lower branches off our front yard's evergreen; then Daren and I sat on the lawn and watched them go nuts.  The boys dragged the pine branches one by one to the backyard and constructed this shelter for themselves. We call it the nomad fort, inspired by a chapter on "The Earliest People, The First Nomads." Abishai dragged the logs from behind the shed and has also been busy collecting acorns and berries with his "game bag".  I trimmed the bushes at the front of our house and Micaiah gathered up the trimmings and placed them on the floor of the shelter.  It's fun to see them play "living history"!

Abishai's game bag for collecting "food".

On a different day their cousin Max came to play.  Sitting down for a watermelon snack.

Early morning nature science walk.  We explored the trails by the Seine River close to our house.  The boys were excited to find some bike jumps to fly over.  In the afternoon they came back with their bikes to try them.  I wish I was there to take pictures.

So peaceful.

We found some deer tracks.

The boys and I have been enjoying a poetry book on "Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind."  Every time I ask the boys if I should quit reading now, they say "No, no keep going". It's full of adventure, risk and independence, which little boys enjoy. The author of the book is the same guy who filmed The Hunger Games.

Washing the car by hand for the first time. Abishai and Micaiah washed the outside and vacuumed the inside.  They did a pretty good job.  Here they are cleaning the door jams. Teaching them to pay attention to detail like their Grandfather taught me.

"Asher-baby" in the rays of the afternoon sun, paging through an assortment of books. Quiet moments.