Let the WAR begin!

   Today we had a field trip!  Maybe it's the name, but I just love field trips!  You learn so much while having fun.  The perfect combination!  We went to the Estrella Wars, which is a medieval war games camp.  They have 7 guilds that compete in different categories to find the champion.  Archery, knife throwing, sword fighting, hand to hand combat, etc.  They also reenact battles. 

After a rough start, no one else from our homeschool group was there, a long wait for a tour, finally 2 families from our group showed up (they had gotten lost), and we were off!  They had a hayride around the entire encampment so you could see a bit of everything.  The battle was so neat!  I love reenactments and I could have stayed all day watching the fighting.  We tried to go watch some more just before we went home but they were done fighting for the day, something about a 'feast'...slackers! ;)

Fight!

 

   After the tour/hayride we were escorted into a portion of the camp where they had participants there to explain life in the middle ages, focusing on camp life. It was great to see all the things that thy had made, the ingenuity of folding chairs, collapsible chandeliers, hand dipped candles, etc. I loved that they involved the kids in the learning. Passing around what they were talking about so it became more hands on. 

 

 

 

It was so cool to see all the tents, most of them were handmade!

 

Best test award!  I wish Josh had gotten a pic of the interior,
it had all the luxuries of the 1500's, and it matched the exterior!!

Explaining how long it took to make the candles behind him.

   After the lessons we enjoyed lunch, perused the shops and asked lots of questions! 

Ella enjoying her first taste of rootbeer. 
Of course Josh had to get a nifty bottle for it!

    I have always wanted to own a period style dress.  Since Josh got his bonus today *WOOHOO* he "talked" me into buying one.  I LOVE IT! I spent way to much money, but now I don't have to try to make something for myself to wear *shudder* and I have a great piece that will last me forever.  We also got dresses for the big girls. 

Next year we can go dressed in style!