The act of simply being content with right where you are in life. The joy of family and friends, that are not perfect, just like you. The faith in the God who has always met your needs and has never let you down. The heritage of courage on the western frontier. This is why we love Little House books and come back to them again and again.
My youngest daughter, The Bug, is especially entranced by all things Wilder and Pioneer in origin. She has read most of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. She recently rented "Frontier House", a PBS reality series on pioneer living and tortured her old brother with 4 hours of viewing during our recent vacation. This viewing has only reignited the flame of pursuit for all things pioneer. (Not that said flame really need reigniting, it is pretty much a continual flame with her.)
As the pro-active, totally-in-tune with my kids, homeschooling fanatic mom that I am, I decided of course to feed her need to learn. We are currently enjoying the many lessons, chores, songs, game, handicrafts and literature of pioneer life. We will be sharing them with you during our 10 Days of Little House Learning series. Come strap on your bonnet and join the fun!
We will kick off the fun with a party - A Little House On The Prairie Birthday party of course. This is how to throw a little over the top, Little House party:
1. Enjoy some traditional frontier fare!
 |
| Wooden Spoons, made by The Bug's talented daddy, Ma's Butter Cookies & Sister Stump's Buttermilk Pie (Gluten-Free for us, of course). |
 |
| I tried my hand at homemade Kettle Corn. Our taste-buds say, "Yes" - my tired mommy hands say, "No". |
 |
| The Bug made homemade lemonade and we served in mason jars with cute cupcake liner lids and straws. We set out a few of our favorite Pioneer Reads . . . just in case there wasn't enough to do??? |
 |
| The Bug created a little mercantile with traditional candies like lemon drops, butter mints, caramels, Bob's sweet stripes & salt water taffy. |
2. Make some butter.
3. Play hopscotch with a friend.
4. Wash & hang some laundry, the old fashioned way.
5. Challenge your friends to a game of Hoop and Stick
6. Take a little time to jump some rope.
7. Make rag dolls in the green grass.
8. Force your 13 year old brother to wear suspenders for authenticity.
9. Give the "little pint of cider half drunk up" a wagon full of pioneer presents.
10. Turn the lights all back on (as the little one thought we should all go without electricity for the day), have a hot cup of tea, and go to sleep.
"Good night Ma, Good night Pa, Good night John Boy." ---> Ooops, wrong frontier family. . . Am I showing my age???
Join us tomorrow for some more learning on the frontier!
Happy Homeschooling on the Prairie!
The Joyful Socks Mom
Where are we at?
