This year, we're combining history with a lot of other things for Jordan by centering it around the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This is more unusual than you might think. You see, I'm a city girl, and this series is about as strange to me as aliens living on another planet. I've never lived in the middle of nowhere, watched as my family built a house, hunted for food, I didn't even grow up with my siblings. When my brother was born, I had already graduated high school. When my sisters were born, I lived with relatives instead of at home - then when I moved back home, they were only about 1 and 2. I moved out when they were so little.
Anyway, a strange thing's happening as we're digging into the second of the series...I think it would've been a bit boring, but kind of nice, compared to the rushing and stress and pressures of today. Life was an adventure! There was always the threat of bears and wolves attacking, Indians showing up unexpectedly, being stranded with no way to get help, nor anyone to hear you cry for help. Neighbors were people that lived miles away, if at all.
They made their own tools, food (like butter and maple syrup), clothes, homemade Christmas gifts, and inventive playtime fun. Being with family was so important, for socialization, but also for safety, and survival. Being with extended family and friends was such a special treat, you dressed up in your best clothes and talked about it for months afterwards.
Jordan's made homemade butter and a log cabin so far, but there's lots more to go in the rest of book 2 through book 9.
Maybe a simpler life would be nice for a change.
