Conner Prairie (not Conner's Prairie)
Originally, we were planning a vacation around the July 4th time frame. Donnie wanted to use the long weekend as part of our time away. Then he decided that he couldn't get away after all during that time due to an extensive work project deadline deal type of thing that may or may not be closing around July 4th (the closing date was nebulous for awhile). So then I thought, OK, we can't get away, let's just do a little day trip together as a family, maybe spend the night somewhere and take in some sights. I knew that I wanted to take the kids to Conner Prairie outside of Indianapolis since they were super young the last time we were there (2008). I asked Donnie if he could take Friday, July 3rd off work so that we could go somewhere for the day (his office was closed on the 3rd and the project/ deadline/ deal thing wasn't closing that week after all). Alas, on Thursday he told me that he was too swamped to take July 3rd off. The project/ deadline/ deal thing had been taking up so much of his time and he was behind in other matters so he decided that he had no choice but to go into work on Friday (or else he just really didn't want to go to Conner Prairie! No, just kidding, I know that he had a ton of work to do and am super grateful that he works so hard for us).
Donnie suggested that the kids and I go to Conner Prairie since I'd been wanting to do it. I really wanted us all to go but I'd been telling Alyssa all about it and she was excited about going. Plus the weather was supposed to be really nice on Friday- not hot at all which was great for being outside walking around. When Jacob got wind that we weren't all going as a family, he bailed on us. Suddenly going to soccer on Friday seemed very necessary to him. One of the moms volunteered to take him home so he had a ride. Instead of dealing with his bellyaching at Connie Prairie (and he would have bellyached), I let him not go.
So that's how the girls and I found ourselves making the long drive (for one day!) to Conner Prairie on Friday. Conner Prairie is such a cool, different, interactive learning type of place. It's part museum on the inside but most of the action is outside. There, you can walk through villages set in the 1800's complete with workers who actually "work" the land or the blacksmith's shop or the pottery place. There's a barn with animals, fields, gardens, and houses all cared for by period dressed workers. You can talk to them and ask them questions about day to day life in the 1800's. We enjoyed learning more about this time in history but definitely shortened our trip and our experiences since we had to to get back on the road in decent time. We also rode up in a tethered balloon that's on the grounds there. Of course, the whole balloon ride thing could be educational, as there were many exhibits and historical information about hot air balloons. Almost everything at Conner Prairie is educational but it's fun, too. Conner Prairie pretty much rocks! I so wish we could have all been there together (plus that would have meant that I wouldn't have had to do all of the driving :)).
Back when the old days were new: Here are some pictures from the summer of 2008 when the kids and I went to Conner Prairie with Katy and Ceci and Sophie. The barn at CP had this obviously not real animal on which the kids could sit. Love Jakey's cheesy grin!
Little Lyss age 2
Abby age five
Sophie and me
Abby and Ceci in the school house
Aunt Katy and Ceci in one of the houses
This well was a huge hit with the kids...
... as was this barn
If Alyssa's "hair" looks a little too shiny, long, and curly to be true, that's because it is! She is wearing (and rocking) her American Girl doll hair piece. I LOVE it!! She took it out at some point but I thought it was hysterical that she had it in at all. It looked pretty realistic unless you really gazed it at for long :).
Mommy and Alyssa
Not going to lie, these noneducational stilts were the girls' favorite thing about the whole place.
Alyssa LOVED these stilts more than words can convey. She asked if we could buy some if the gift shop sold any. I told her that I'd buy some if there were any for sale (I was about 99% sure there wouldn't be stilts at the gift shop so my magnanimity was based on the fact that I wouldn't have to buy them and not to indulge Alyssa!).
The tethered balloon
We had ice cream before boarding the balloon
Getting ready to board the balloon
Up
After the ride in the display/ informational area about the balloon
You put this sticker...
...in any place you want to that you love and/ or where a little piece of your heart resides. For me, that's northern rural Indiana and the land of my childhood. I hope that suburban Southwest Ohio will hold the same kind of feeling for my kids when they grow older as my childhood home does for me- a feeling of being loved, cared for beyond belief, safe, and being certain that the Creator of the universe loves them so much He died for them.
Donnie suggested that the kids and I go to Conner Prairie since I'd been wanting to do it. I really wanted us all to go but I'd been telling Alyssa all about it and she was excited about going. Plus the weather was supposed to be really nice on Friday- not hot at all which was great for being outside walking around. When Jacob got wind that we weren't all going as a family, he bailed on us. Suddenly going to soccer on Friday seemed very necessary to him. One of the moms volunteered to take him home so he had a ride. Instead of dealing with his bellyaching at Connie Prairie (and he would have bellyached), I let him not go.
So that's how the girls and I found ourselves making the long drive (for one day!) to Conner Prairie on Friday. Conner Prairie is such a cool, different, interactive learning type of place. It's part museum on the inside but most of the action is outside. There, you can walk through villages set in the 1800's complete with workers who actually "work" the land or the blacksmith's shop or the pottery place. There's a barn with animals, fields, gardens, and houses all cared for by period dressed workers. You can talk to them and ask them questions about day to day life in the 1800's. We enjoyed learning more about this time in history but definitely shortened our trip and our experiences since we had to to get back on the road in decent time. We also rode up in a tethered balloon that's on the grounds there. Of course, the whole balloon ride thing could be educational, as there were many exhibits and historical information about hot air balloons. Almost everything at Conner Prairie is educational but it's fun, too. Conner Prairie pretty much rocks! I so wish we could have all been there together (plus that would have meant that I wouldn't have had to do all of the driving :)).
Back when the old days were new: Here are some pictures from the summer of 2008 when the kids and I went to Conner Prairie with Katy and Ceci and Sophie. The barn at CP had this obviously not real animal on which the kids could sit. Love Jakey's cheesy grin!
Little Lyss age 2
Abby age five
Sophie and me
in the school house
Abby and Ceci in the school house
Aunt Katy and Ceci in one of the houses
This well was a huge hit with the kids...
... as was this barn
2015 Conner Prairie trip
If Alyssa's "hair" looks a little too shiny, long, and curly to be true, that's because it is! She is wearing (and rocking) her American Girl doll hair piece. I LOVE it!! She took it out at some point but I thought it was hysterical that she had it in at all. It looked pretty realistic unless you really gazed it at for long :).
In one of the houses
Mommy and Alyssa
Not going to lie, these noneducational stilts were the girls' favorite thing about the whole place.
Alyssa LOVED these stilts more than words can convey. She asked if we could buy some if the gift shop sold any. I told her that I'd buy some if there were any for sale (I was about 99% sure there wouldn't be stilts at the gift shop so my magnanimity was based on the fact that I wouldn't have to buy them and not to indulge Alyssa!).
The tethered balloon
We had ice cream before boarding the balloon
Getting ready to board the balloon
Up
After the ride in the display/ informational area about the balloon
My gift shop purchase- it gets better...
You put this sticker...
...in any place you want to that you love and/ or where a little piece of your heart resides. For me, that's northern rural Indiana and the land of my childhood. I hope that suburban Southwest Ohio will hold the same kind of feeling for my kids when they grow older as my childhood home does for me- a feeling of being loved, cared for beyond belief, safe, and being certain that the Creator of the universe loves them so much He died for them.
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