What We're Doing

S'mores fresh off the campfire!

One day my husband came home and announced that he had been invited on a research trip to an archaeological site for 3 weeks this summer.  The children and I thought this would be a wonderful educational adventure and we began thinking of ways that we could do something similar, though more child-friendly.  I started looking around at Dig-for-a-Day programs all over the country, but everything was either too expensive or wouldn't allow the younger 2 children to participate.  Right as I began to think it was impossible, I found The Wyoming Dinosaur Center and Dig Sites in Thermopolis, WY.  This place is reasonably priced and offers programs that younger children can join in on.

So, we're making an event out of it.  We'll be stopping at several historical, interesting, or just plain fun locations along the way to learn a little bit more about this cool country of ours.  In the end I plan to compile photographs, interviews, and video clips into a great educational unit study about each of the states we visit.

The kids are fundraising hard right now.  The girls help me make tutus and fairy wands to sell.  They are collectors of spare change and they've been doing all kinds of chores to make extra money.  I'm excited to see what other ideas they come up with to fund this summer adventure.

We'll be driving from our little forest cottage in Georgia all the way to the middle of nowhere in Wyoming in mid-July.  All 4 of us will be snug in our tiny, old Honda Accord (which we have already begun praying for its endurance) as we road trip across the midsection of the United States and back.

Along the way we'll spend a day touring Nashville, TN. We'll stop for some water fun in Kansas City, MO. We'll visit a Pony Express office in Gothenburg, NE. When we finally arrive in Thermopolis, WY, we'll spend 2 solid days discovering dinosaur delights at the museum and on our dig. 

Do you know of anywhere we should be sure not to miss?  Landmarks? Great campsites? Lakes? Email me at adventuremama.ashley@gmail.com and let me know! 

Also, be sure to stop by the Join Our Adventure page to see how you can be a part of this trip!