A fun week with Cousins (by Todd)

Last week Alan and Suzi and their boys Taylor and Carter were with us.

They flew into St. Louis Tuesday afternoon and on Wednesday we visited Lincoln's New Salem and the Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield.

It was a very full day but everyone really enjoyed it.  There were several great Interpreters at Lincoln's New Salem.  We took in a class in the Blab School and Church.  All of the lessons in the school were oral.  So half of the class was working on their math facts by reciting:
     Twice one is two, this book is very new
     Twice two is four, trace it on the floor
     Twice three is six, we're always playing tricks
     Twice four is eight, the boys are always late
     Twice five is ten, let's do it all again
At the same time the other half of the class was reciting their ABCs!  Talk about commotion! This is why it was called a Blab School.  We also learned that you should not say OK - everyone knows O, P, Q, R is correct!

We saw the cooper, the wheelwright, the Doctor's wife and several others.  The traditional music group Prairie Aire was sitting on the porch of one of the buildings playing Hammered Dulcimer, Mountain Dulcimer, Irish Penny Whistle, Auto Harp, Base Recorder, and Cello.

On Thursday the kids all explored the creek and woods and rode horses.  In the evening we sat around a bonfire in the yard and told stories.

Friday was highlighted by a home school outing at Isaak's Family Fun in Mattoon followed by more horse riding, a baseball game and more time around the fire.

On Saturday we drove through Amish country, stopped by the Arthur Horse and Tack auction, had lunch at Yoder's Kitchen (where Taylor had five huge helpings from the all-you-can-eat buffet!)  Saturday evening we sat around the fire again.

On Sunday after Meeting, we all headed to St. Louis to see the Gateway Arch.  The weather the rest of the week had been beautiful, but Sunday afternoon it was raining.  They are rebuilding the waterfront and museum at the Arch so we had to pickup our tickets in the Old Courthouse and walk in the rain for several blocks from the Old Courthouse to the Arch.  We were soaked!  But a little rain didn't stop us from enjoying the view from 630 feet above St Louis.

Sunday evening and Monday morning all of the kids swam in the pool at the hotel.  Then it was off to Fitz's Root Beer Factory for lunch before taking them all back to the airport.