Vacation Education

 One of our favorite activities as a family is to read books aloud together. Even the teenagers still come and listen sometimes. This last week we read a wonderful story that fits right into the Vacation Education theme of this blog. Reading together is not only a free activity, it is educational, enjoyable, and gives you shared stories for life. We just finished the lovely story of Paddington Abroad  There are various options on Amazon, such as a 19 book set on audio or hardcover. This particular copy came to us via a yard sale - my favorite way to get books. Your local library likely has a copy as well. Paddington Bear has been a popular character in children's books for a long time. In Paddington Abroad, the Browns take a trip from London to France. We read about the planning and packing process for Paddington, as Mr. Brown has put Paddington in charge of the itinerary. A huge responsibility for a little bear. Then, there is the whole passport fiasco at the airport. But, of...

  It all began in 2014, when we bought our big, white, 12-passenger van. Our oldest was 18 and had lamented that the only place she ever got to go on vacation was Walt Disney World. She was right. The all-inclusive packages at WDW had made it the most attractive and economical choice for our family. It required only a little planning and everything was taken care of when we arrived, from Disney transportation at the airport to free dining plans. But, I was also ready to see more of the country. I bought a sticker map from Amazon Get Your Sticker Map Here First, we put on Wisconsin, since that is where we live. Then, Indiana, because we had lived there. Then, Michigan, because we visit family there. Then, we had to decide what “earns” a state? Driving through is not enough. Stopping to eat or for gas is not enough. We decided that we had to do something in the state that was specific to that state. With that goal in mind, we wondered if we could see the whole country, and fill the m...

  Have you ever thought that something you do or say, or maybe a letter you write, would be saved for years to come? Does it every occur to you that your story might become a legend thousands of years later? There is much lore and legend in the story of St. Valentine, and yet every year millions of dollars worth of food, flowers, vacations, and romantic gestures are made in his very name. The general legend goes something like this… Valentine was a doctor who turned priest in the Roman Catholic church during the reign of Claudius II. This Roman Emperor was so set on building his army that he didn’t want the men of Rome to be distracted by wives and families. As a side note, this seems very short-sighted, because if men don’t have wives and families, then there wouldn’t be much of Rome left to rule after one generation. But, apparently, this was not Claudius’ main concern. He was so adamant about this issue that he actually made it illegal for priests to perform weddings. However, t...