Kansas and the Wild West!

We had such a fun cowboy day!  We tried to venture out to the library as early as we could, which means of course that we left at about 10:45.  :)  We picked up all of our cowboy and western books that we had on reserve and picked out a few more western books (they are every where and so easy to find!) from the shelves.  After feasting on some cow shaped macaroni and cheese (Horizon has new organic mac and cheese and it was 50 cents/box this week at Kroger!), I put Owen down for a nap, started Maryn on some finger knitting (very cool, fun and addictive), and Josiah and I started making the bread for bierocks.  He is my little chef now.  I think it has to do with age three.  Three year olds seem to be immensely more helpful than the overconfident five year olds.

So we had fun today making bierocks.  Josiah loved kneading the dough, and Maryn, Josiah and Owen loved helping to fill and fold them up.  We packed them up in bandannas for our big cattle drive to the railroad.  When we got to the "railroad" and opened up our "lunches," Josiah pulled a carrot out of each pocket.  I shouted, "JOSIAH!"  And Maryn came to his defense, "Mom, he was out on the range all day.  He needed to have some food!"  It was pretty cute.  :)

Samson was a horse or a Texas Longhorn all day.  I had a hard time explaining outlaws and some other things about the West, so after dinner we watched "The Shakiest Gun in the West" starring Don Knotts.  I don't think I can recommend it for homeschooling families.......but it was okay, and covered some of the things "Westerns" have, but in a more family friendly manner...sorta.  :)

We read about Dodge City, KS.  We had to kind of talk about saloons, alcohol, and gambling...which was weird, because I wasn't sure how to describe these things to a little kid.  Ha!  Maybe I'll teach her some gambling tomorrow...it'd tie right into our Seminole lessons from last week :)
(Our Florida Meal #2 was Indian Fry Bread Tacos)

Here's a list of books we read:

Home on the Range (and we listened to some Roy Rogers)
If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa books
Cowboys and the Wild West, Staton
Chuck's Band
Every Cowgirl Loves a Rodeo
Kids Learn America!  Bringing Geography to Life...

Here's our bierocks recipe:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/bierocks

We're also having some chili this week, of course. ;-)