Post People Recovery Period

I think it is safe to say that we are a family of introverts, though we enjoy the occasional stretch of time being out-and-about-with-people persons. The last several weeks have been full of go-go-go and we have been playing host. Two weeks ago we had a 4-H member from Michigan visiting. As part of the exchange trip, Middle Munchkin spent the week playing tourist in her own back yard and I spent several days as parent chaparone.

On the day our guest from Michigan left, the cousins arrived. We had two extra boys in the house for nearly a full week. Less tourist activity, more just doing things... skating, board games, card games, painting, baking, swimming... The boys left on Saturday. I pretty much haven't seen much of the members of my family in 24 hours.

"Did one of the kids just walk through the kitchen?" hubby asks.

"I think so," I reply. "But I couldn't tell you which one."

We've retreated to our repsective caves for some restorative mind time.



A sampling of stuff to do in Kansas:

Explore the Flint Hills.

Tour the Capitol in Topeka.

Visit astronauts in Hutchinson.

Mine for Salt, Hutchinson.

Eat an enormous pretzel at a KC Royals game.

Hang out with flying monkeys at the historic Emporia Granada Theater.

Wichita Gem and Mineral Society

Dear Educator,

A unique opportunity for a first hand encounter with the world of geology, rocks, minerals, craftsmanship and art is offered each year by the Wichita Gem and Mineral Society. Their 56th annual show will be held at Cessna Activity Center, 2744 George Washington Boulevard, on April 24, 25 and 26, 2009. Since education is one of the primary purposes of our society, we wish to again invite educators to plan field trips to the show. Classes of all ages, accompanied by adult leadership will be welcome at no charge all day Friday. We do limit you to a maximum of one free adult for each child attending.The theme of the show is Great Plains Treasures. The show will feature gemstones, jewelry, crystals, beads, agates, polished stones, minerals and meteorites.

Every year we have skilled craftsmen that demonstrate a variety of lapidary arts such as arrowhead making, faceting, cabbing, rock tumbling, beading, wire wrapping and sphere making. Educational displays of rocks, minerals and fossils are a key part of our show. This year we will again have representatives from the Kansas Meteorological Society.

On "Sid the Science Kid Education Day" Friday we offer a special education program for children. It is a hands-on lesson in rock and mineral classification. We will discuss the difference between rocks and minerals and use scientific inquiry to determine the identity of 6 rocks and minerals. Participation in this program is by reservation only. Reservations are taken on a first come, first serve basis. Once the slots are full we will have waiting lists to fill in for cancellations. You can make a reservation at www.wgmsks.org, click on the Educators link and fill out a Reservation Form.

You can also make a reservation with Carolyn White (see contact information below). Include your name, school, grade level, the number of children in your group and an email and/or mailing address. We will start taking reservations January 15th. Reservations are not required if you just want to attend the show. In addition to the displays and demonstrations mentioned above we will have available:

• Grab Bags @ $1.50. Each bag contains a necklace, a shark tooth, a polished stone, an identified fossil and 6 identified mineral specimens.
• Junior Rock Pile @ 50 cents. Students 6th grade and under will have the opportunity to fill a sack with specimens of their choice
• Dealers will have many items available for students to purchase.
• Identifying Rocks and Minerals book @ $1.00
• Identifying Fossils book @ $1.00
• There will be a snack bar available.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you have.

Carolyn White
educ@wgmsks.org
2225 N. Fountain
Wichita, KS 67220
(316) 250-6182

Help Pick the Eight Wonders of Kansas!

Eight Wonders? Yes! Maybe everyone else is choosing the Seven Wonders of their region but we're doing eight in Kansas! Help us decide the top Eight Wonders of Kansas! Will the Cathedral of the Plains in Victoria, the Davis Memorial in Hiawatha, the Garden of Eden in Lucas, the Chalk Pyramids in Gove County, or the murals in the state capitol be on your list? See below for criteria and then e-mail your input to 8wonders@kansassampler.org!

Visit the Kansas Sampler Foundation for more information.

Kansas in National Geographic Magazine

The April 2007 issue of National Geographic features some beautiful photos and a story on the Tallgrass Prairie of the Flint Hills.

Kansas Communities on the Web

If you are looking for information about a specific town in Kansas, this website seems to be a good place to start.

Explore Kansas

If you are looking for things to do and see in Kansas, The Kansas Explorers Club is a great place to start. The website has some interesting lists, including Kansas Firsts, Oldests, Largests, and others. Spend some time browsing; I can guarantee you'll learn something you didn't know. Then get in your car and spend some time exploring!

http://explorekansas.org/

Activites in Kansas by Area

If you would like to see your event listed here, please send an email to goobmom23 AT yahoo DOT com.

Central Kansas
North Central Kansas
Northwest Kansas
Northeast Kansas
South Central Kansas
Southeast Kansas
Southwest Kansas