Saratoga

After eating at the hotel's breakfast buffet on Saturday morning, we drove about 45 minutes to Saratoga National Historical Park. First we spent about two hours in the visitor center - watching the movie, looking at the exhibits, buying a magnet, and completing the Junior Range Badge activities. Thus far the hardest Junior Ranger packet was the one at Yorktown. Thankfully this one was very reasonable. Then we spent about two hours driving around the battlefield. We listened to a narration from their website (via my cell phone) and got out at several of the stops. We could have driven into town to see the Victory memorial and a house used as a headquarters during the battle, but we decided to start driving to the science museum. We spent about one hour in the museum and then watched a planetarium show. It wasn't the most amazing science museum, but it was nice we were able to see the planetarium show for free as that's not always free when we enter for free using our ASTC membership. About one hour after we left the science museum we went through the drive-thru

at Wendy's for our dinner. We used a gift card I had gotten through credit card points. The national park was fee free (although they did give Ian his fourth grade pass so that we can get in free to other national parks that charge a fee), and the science museum was free. We packed a lunch, the gift card completely covered our dinner, and the breakfast was free at the hotel. The only thing we paid for on Saturday was a magnet at Saratoga (although we used almost a full tank of gas that day). We got home a little after 8pm. My favorite part of our trip was Fort Ticonderoga. Paul liked the Fort but he also really liked the tour of the USS Slater and visiting the Saratoga battlefield. I don't believe any of us had ever been at any of the places we visited before. Of the three kids, I think Nadia has the least interest in history and Ian has the most interest, although his interest is much smaller than Paul's. Nadia was excited to find some wooly worms as we walked around the battlefield! She held three different ones yesterday. She also enjoys doing the Junior Ranger packet because she enjoys crossword

puzzles and the like.

Because we weren't at home Thursday through Saturday, today in addition to going to church I needed to get caught up on chores. I mowed the lawn, cleaned the guinea pig cage, vacuumed, mopped, cleaned the bathrooms, etc. This week will be our very first full week of school albeit tomorrow will be day #6 of regular school work (not counting field trip days). Because of our field trips to New York the past two weeks, the kids missed their first two art classes and Nadia missed the first two weeks of chorus at Meadowbrook. Those classes will begin this Thursday for them.