Freedom Trail

The girls (and I) have been studying the American Revolution this year. I feel really lucky that we live close to so many historic sights...we planned a trip to walk the Freedom Trail so that we could see in person all the things we had heard about in stories, shows, and in books. Here is what we did/saw and what the girl's thought about it:

Freedom Trail this way!!

Stop 1: Boston Common

After riding the T and a nice lunch we learned all about the Boston Common. Morgan's favorite fact was that they used the common for punishments and hangings. Shannen remembered that Martin Luther King Jr. marched there.

Yummy lunch.

Which way next?

Stop 2: Massachusetts State House

Morgan remembered that during WWII they painted the gold top black so the State House would not be a target. Shannen remembered that this is the "new state house".

Busy day at the State House.


Having fun!

Stop 3: Park Street Church

After some memory poking (this was called the Granary) the girls come up with this was where they stored grain during the revolutionary times.

Morgan: The sun is in my eyes!

Stop 4: Granary Burying Ground:

Morgan remembered that Benjamin Franklin's parents were buried here. Shannen wants everyone to know she hated this part!

Paul Reveres burying site.

Stop 5: King's Chapel

After a bit the girls remembered that they ran out of money to build the large steeple they had planned so that is why the top is flat.

Shannen remembered (not me though) that it was at King's Chapel where prisoners condemned to hang on Boston Common said their last prayers in unlucky row 13.

King's Chapel

Stop 6: King's Chapel Burying Ground:

Shannen also hated this part (I see a pattern).
I reminded the girls that: William Dawes, the “other” rider who dispatched to Lexington and Concord with Paul Revere is buried there.

Stop 7: Boston Latin School

The girls remembered this was the oldest public school in America.

Boston Latin school crest.

Stop 8: Old Corner Bookstore

Morgan: "There was a lady who held meetings there"
Shannen: "Anne Hutchinson"
Morgan: "and she got thrown out of Boston...so she moved to Portsmouth, RI and founded the town!"

Stop 9: Old South Meeting House

Glad we got pictures: oh yeah...they planned the Boston Tea Party here...right :)

Old South Meeting House.

More of the Meeting House.

Memory jogging picture.

Stop 10: Old State House

Shannen: "Did they hang the lanterns here?" (so glad we made this trip)...um no...
"oh...I remember they read The Declaration of Independence here"....um yes :)

Old State House

Stop 11: Site of the Boston Massacre

That is where the 5 men were killed by the British!

Stop 12: Faneuil Hall

Morgan: "Ohhh that is where we got the yummy cookies!"
Ok...kind of that was Quincy Market
How about that is where they protested the Stamp Act.

Outside the shops.

Sugar Rush!

Funny statue.

Stop 13: Paul Revere's House

Ummmm...where he lived mom?
Morgan: "It was really tiny."

Morgan: "I touched Paul Revere's House!"

Not the "British are Coming!"
"The Regulars are out!"

Another fun statue.

We had more fun across the street from
Paul Revere's house.

Happy girl.

Stop 14: Old North Church

One if by Land
Two if by Sea

Also there was the mistake where they sent the wrong remains that were buried at the church back to England. They were supposed to send a British War hero's remains and instead sent someone else's...oopppsss.

Still smiling.

War memorial near Old North Church.

The famous church.

Stop 15: Copp's Burying Ground

We skipped this one but saw this across the street:

The thinnest house in Boston (cool)!


Walking out of Boston.

Stop 16: Bunker Hill Monument

Soooo tired have to catch this next time!

Stop 17: USS Constitution

It is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world and is sometimes called Old Ironsides but it was closed when we were there :(

Old Ironsides

Look at how big this is!


Tired but still smiling


Goofing around.

Then we found a free bus that takes you back over to Boston (happy happy). It is right by the Museum and takes you to several T stops.

Wishing she was in Europe :)


Heading back.


We love the T!

We had a great day in Boston and even remembered some of the info mom told us.

Random Fun Pictures

So I was going through my pictures today trying to remember what we had been doing over the past week (and avoiding posting about the Freedom Trail...that one is going to take a while)....well we have done a bunch of things but none of them seemed big enough to be their own post.

So I am going to start this post now and add to it as I find great pictures that just don't seem to fit anywhere else....enjoy and come back to see if there are new ones.

9/20/09: Last day at the beach for the season...
in our bathing suits anyway!

9/20/09: Sister time.

9/23/09: Loving the story.

9/25/09: Shannen: Making laundry soap.

9/25/09 Morgan: Making laundry soap.

Thomas Family Tree House

We have been reading the Swiss Family Robinson with the girls so in true homeschool fashion we decided to build our own treehouse (ok...so the kids just really want an excuse to climb trees and bang hammers). The girls started out by "designing" a dream treehouse condo for their stuffed animals....

Design Party!

We have 3 storeys so far.

Carefully...

Collin helping...kind of.

Once the design was completed the actual work began...after we moved our "visitor"

Really big local resident.

The kids started with the steps up the tree. The boys began the nails and the girls put them in place (daddy worked with the saw)...

No one will loose any fingers...promise!

Nice job...
we could use you on one of the work projects!

Make those steps strong.

oops...

Shannen hard at work.

After a brief lunch break Collin and Tristan fixed the flag for the play structure while daddy and the girls added structural pieces and sides to the treehouse. By the end of the day we had a working treehouse complete with a lace "tent ceiling", pillows, and a no boys allowed sign (I'm not sure the sign was necessary after the lace curtain was put up...more pics to come).

Ahoy!

Yummmmm

You guys look like the crew.

We got to use the screw gun!

Last side.

Front view.

The kids had a great time and no one was injured despite the distinct lack of supervision (in my opinion :) ) with the tools...We might try to add electricity at some point but for now the kids love it and have been spending a ton of time up there.