Yesterday we had scheduled a trip for our co-op to go to Fort McHenry, home of Francis Scott Key and the Star Spangled Banner. It's only about ten minutes from us and it offers lots of educational opportunities, but also has wide open spaces for the kids to run and play in. Of course we woke up to impending rain, as is the case almost every day here lately in Maryland. The skies were gray and most of those who did say they were coming backed out. My friend Kelly had never taken her three little girls there and she had really planned for this day, so she said she was packing her raingear and they were in. Since it was close and Dakota and I had planned to go as well, we packed up the baby and our own rain gear and headed to the Fort. Once there we were met by another friend, Barb, and her three young sons. Dakota and I have a Passport to the Parks book and we got to put our first set of stamps inside. Then our three families headed inside and sat together to watch the film of the Battle of 1812 and how the British bombarded our fort and tried to overtake the city of Baltimore, but failed. We learned the story of the Star Spangled Banner, who wrote it and how to interpret the words. It cleared up just in time for us to go outside and tour the grounds. The kids loved running in and out of the bunkers and barracks. They weren't happy when we stopped them to try to impress something upon them or teach them a thing or two, but they humored us and then ran off again, happy to be together and outside. We had a simple picnic lunch at the base of a statue and I enjoyed the company of Kelly and Barb as much as Dakota enjoyed all the kids.
When we got home, Dakota and I talked briefly about legends. We read a Level 2 book on The Sword and the Stone and then got comfy in the recliners and watched the Disney movie. I love that movie and have always enjoyed it. Dakota, in true form, could have enjoyed it more if he wasn't worried about when it would be over so he could go over the neighbor's house and play with the boys. After a quick trip to help my friend drop off her car for new tires, he did get a chance to go over their house and came back happy and wound tight after they apparently played Rock Band and he got to sing Living On a Prayer :-) I spent the evening helping my older son work on his college entrance essays and trying to squeeze in watching Ghost Hunters. I ended up too tired to make the whole new episode, but DVR is wonderful and it will be there tomorrow when I am ready.
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