It's Free Fun Fridays again!!!

Rather than posting exactly my post from last year with updates, I will spare you the details. However, I will post the 2016 Free Fun Fridays list from the Highland
Street Foundation.

If interested, you can read my post from last year at Battleship Cove http://survivingsah.blogspot.com/2015/07/our-visit-to-battleship-cove.html?m=1

New England Historic Genealogical Society Free Fun Friday!

As genealogy is one of my hobbies it was expected that we would just HAVE to go to the New England Historical Genealogical Society on Free Fun Friday. As I mentioned in a previous post (Free Fun Fridays Are A Must This Summer) Free Fun Fridays are free events around Massachusetts during the summer every Friday. This Friday was the New England Historic Genealogical Society on Newbury street in Boston.

We didn't know what to expect and at first the placed seemed overwhelming. It is 7 stories of books, databases, microtext, and lectures on various sources of records. I was impressed and anxious all at the same time. But the staff was amazing. They approached us, explained the organization of the building and how we can find things. Also, they had genealogist on staff to help us. We made an appointment, which was only a 20 minute wait, and we were able to sit down with Dr. Meaghan Siekman who helped us. She explained how their database worked, tips on how to search, and offered information about how the memberships worked. 

The collection of books are amazing. I can't even begin to describe it. But the value of the membership is found in the databases. The membership gives you access 400+ millions records on AmericanAncestors.org which can be accessed at home. This includes services such as Ancestory.com which is $149 for 6 months. A membership on AmericanAncestors.org is $89.95 for the year (For a family membership $119.95 for the year) and they have far more on their database than Ancestry. Plus, this will give you access to their library and microtext. I'm impressed, we are buying the family membership!

Morrigan enjoyed the trip. She colored a family tree sheet and made her own family crest. Then there was a scavenger hunt and a prize at the end. I was surprised when she said she just enjoyed being at the New England Historic Genealogical Society because she felt like it was just a beautiful place. It certainly was. Painting lined the walls and there was busts of famous historical figures. Leather covered arm chairs were tucked into ever corner and behind every large wooden desks. The computer were a huge contrast to the old world appearance to the building.It was worth the walk through by itself. Wish Miss Freya felt the same as her big sis. She got frustrated with all the sitting so we left.

We walked around Newbury street and Bolyston street. We strolled through the common taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Standing on the foot bridge we watched the swan boats pass by. It was scenic.

Then we had lunch at Fire and Ice. If you live in the area and have never been to Fire and Ice, you are truly missing out. You pick your own dish from an array of fresh food, pick one of the many sauces available, and bring it to a large donut shaped grill where your food is cooked right in front of your eyes. There is a salads bar and a ice cream bar. Best part, its all you can eat! Morrigan loves it! She can eat her two favorite dishes in one restaurant, stir-fry with white rice, chicken, broccoli, carrots, and sweet peas then a plate of bow-tie pasta, broccoli and alfredo sauce. Chris loves making his own stir-fry with sea food.We had a great time!

Don't forget to check out the list from the Highland Foundation for more Free Fun Fridays events available on my previous post, Free Fun Fridays Are A Must This Summer and keep checking back here, Surviving Staying At Home, for new post on the events that I attend with my family.

Free Fun Fridays Are A Must This Summer

For years now the Highland Street Foundation has been offering fun exhibits in Massachusetts for free every Friday all summer long. Every year the list of exhibits grow. Last summer we didn't go to any of the free fun Fridays because we were having multiple guests from out of state at multiple different times in the summer. I also have other obligations as I was pregnant with Freya and I agreed to watch my friends' kids while they were at work. This year I have a few places in mind that I really want to go to and I am determined to go this year.

Here is this years list...

In the past we have done the Plimoth Plantation and the Buttonwood Park Zoo. The Plimouth Plantation is on my list to go to this year. I also want to go to Battleship Cove, I haven't been there since I was a child. The Peasbody Essex Museum is on my list so is the House of the Seven Gables. I also want to take the tour on the USS Constitution. 

Let me share with you my experiences at the Free Fun Friday events. First, there was our visit to the Plimouth Plantation. Morrigan and I went with friends. It was pouring rain when we got there but we were determined to go so we waited out the rain until it was only sprinkling. Luckily they sell rain ponchos for this very reason. The trails were muddy and bless her heart, my friend was very pregnant with twins no less and she walked all the way through the muddy trails and everything. 

I've gone to the Plantation as a kid but as an adult it takes on a whole new reality about human endurance and how this land once looked. We first saw the Natives who were farming and making a new hut. We got to go inside the huts and ask questions about their food and clothes. It was amazing to see how well they lived with the land. It was great to show Morrigan an example of how her ancestors lived. I explained to her of course the Cherokee used different techniques, ate different things, and had a different language but there is so little positive Native American images in society that any chance I can get to show her something that will give her a better understanding of Native life I will take it.

The rain stopped by the time we got to the English section of the exhibit. We were able to talk to a few women farming about society in the 17th century. We were able to go into the houses and the people talked about their travels over here and how they had to leave loved ones behind in England. History really came to life and it made much of what was learned more than just a memory but a realization for Morrigan and the adults. There were demonstrations on how guns were used. A man explained to a bunch of children the way a gun was loaded and was fired in the 17th Century. The wonderful thing was how people were in character but explained things so that we, the modern people, could understand. It was a wonderful trip that really makes you feel like you traveled back in time witnessing the past first hand.

Our visit to the Buttonwood Park Zoo was with my family. Both my sister-in-law and I were pregnant so we were very happy to see there was a cafe that sold drinks and food there. The food wasn't too bad actually, its no Chili's or Olive Garden but it had decent food for a cafe in a zoo. My parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, Morrigan, Chris, and I walked through the exhibit first and then the two dads took the little girls for a train ride around the zoo. We also put the kids on the carousel which was so fun to see my niece ride on one of her favorite animals, the zebra. The Buttonwood Park Zoo has animals that can be found in the wild in America like deer, canes, fish, toads, owls, and buffalo. There are farm animals like the pigs, goats, cows, bulls, and horses. Also a few exotic animals like the elephants. We really enjoyed the bird of prey, its been a thing since red tailed hawks and broad wing hawks nest in the woods behind my parents house. We could see rather close up a few bald eagles. It was my first time see one so close. Also, Morrigan made a friend out of the black bear. He came right up to the glass like he wanted to talk to Morrigan. She spent some time in front of his enclosure and when she had to leave so did he which disappointed the people that came up behind her. There were a few animals that would just walk around like the cranes and the ducks. The cranes were following my niece and Morrigan through the windows in the cafe. They also made the strangest noise that could be heard through the zoo. It was great fun and definitely worth another visit. I have a pass from the Museum of Science that gets me and a guest in to the Buttonwood Park Zoo anyhow so I will probably do a different Free Fun Friday exhibit on that day but I recommended it for anyone else. I'm considering the Franklin Park Zoo for that day.

April Vacation

Many parents still have to work during April vacation, but my husband and I are lucky to be home when our children are. With my husband working as a teacher this year we were able to enjoy more time together this school year then we ever have. Though we don't really have it in our budget to vacation, we don't lay around the house. We spent time with family and friends but also time with just the four of us. 

I was very excited to go to the Museum of Science over this break. Morrigan is so interested in every exhibit. We spent our time in only one wing of the museum missing the other 3 because Morrigan loves to really learn from each exhibit. Her love of learning makes the Museum of Science so much fun. I was a bit disappointed in myself for not taking my camera but we got a few pictures with our cell phones. 

Chris is a teacher so he received a card that allows him to get into the museum and many of the exhibits for free. It also gives him a discount at the gift shop as well. We got the library pass which gives us a discount for 4 tickets. Freya is free since she is under 2 so it would only be me and Morrigan that would need to pay for tickets. Chris however got us a membership for the year. He paid $85 which is a membership for two. It offers Free Exhibit Halls admission all year, Omni and Planetarium passes, plus Exhibit Halls guest passes, Free admission or discounted entry to 400+ select science centers and zoos worldwide, Subscriptions to Sparks! member newsletter and Member E-News, Waived service charges on advance reservations, 10% savings on your annual renewal when you sign up for the One-Step auto-renewal program. It also gives your discounts for Tickets to the Butterfly Garden and 4-D Theater Museum parking garage, 10% off purchases made in the Museum Store, and10% off dining selections at the Riverview Café. It also gives you special access to Member events and exhibit previews, Advance registration for summer courses and select lectures, and Priority service at the Membership Booth and at the box office. The regular tickets are $23 for me and $20 for Morrigan. Even if I didn't get anything but the tickets, after 2 trips it will pay for itself.

If you are looking for information on memberships at the Museum of Science Boston here is a link to the Museum Membership page.

Also, if you are a part of the Old Colony Library Network, simple go to the website and reserve your museum passes with your library card number. Library museum passes include Boston Children’s Museum, Massachusetts ParksPass, Museum of Fine Arts, Mystic Aquarium, New England Aquarium, South Shore Children's Museum, and Zoo New England. Starting in May, the Plimoth Plantation is also offered. Note that the New England Aquarium is only offered in day in which school is in session so no summer discounts are available for the New England Aquarium.

Our favorites ("our" meaning my family. I, on the other hand, am petrified of it.) exhibit is the butterfly garden. It was great watching Morrigan get excited when she saw a different type of butterfly. Freya also enjoyed herself but I think mostly she wanted to put every butterfly in her mouth. In fact she tried to eat a tree while we were there. Chris had to pull it out of her hands. 

 

I have a fear, okay, maybe not a fear but rather a general dislike of things with wings, more so insects with wings. I can handle large birds of prey, they are rather intelligent but fluttery things make me want to run. I am most afraid of moths. I think this stems from growing up in a house that the front porch used to be completely covered by moths at certain times of the year. After leaving the house after dark I would have moths up my pant legs and in my hair. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl...YUCK! So you can imagine how difficult it is for me to walk through a butterfly garden. I did it the first time and the woman working in the exhibit assured me butterflies are not like moths, they fly around you rather than at you. Which seemed to be true and it brought me great comfort the next 4 times that I went.


This last time, I called her a liar!





Yes, the biggest butterfly in the room landed on my hand. I nearly peed my pants. I held him there while I was sweating bullets so a gentlemen could take a picture of his wings open. I did it in the name of good photography which never happened by the way. While his little fuzzy body tickled my hand every hair on my body stood on end.The guy with the camera waiting for the butterfly with the brilliant blue inside wings to open up said the worst possible thing to me. He said that it was a moth not a butterfly. I nearly passed out right there but Morrigan whispered to me that it was in fact a butterfly. I love having an intelligent kid. Even if she was wrong (which she wasn't) she always knows what to say to make her very anxious mommy feel better.

We also took in the lightening show right when Freya feel asleep. The noise would of been way too loud for her anyhow so only Morrigan and I went. It would of been Chris and Morrigan if she was awake as I am nervous leaving Freya since I'm her only source of food. It was shorter than usual but still just as fun. The Lightening Show at the Museum of Science Boston has the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator. The show talks about conductors, insulators, electricity, magnetism, and storm safety. They even place a volunteer in a cage and hit the cage with bolts of electricity. The indoor lightning storm is so loud and sudden it usually causes at least one person in the audience to scream.

We left after spending 3 hours in the museum. Morrigan clutched a snow owl she got at the gift shop the whole car ride home and Freya ate the wing of her stuffed butterfly she got at the gift shop the whole car ride home. Chris and Morrigan both ate their space ice cream in the car. Chris also got a gyroscope as well. He opened it up as soon as we got home. Morrigan and Chris sat down at the table and played with it like two little kids. I got a straw cup with the logo on it. I needed a new one after my Bruins one fell out of the cupboard and broke, I'm practical like that.

We are already planning our next visit in 8 weeks. There is so much of the museum we haven't seen yet. Morrigan and Chris plan on doing these virtual reality machines that strap you in and you are enclosed in a capsule that turns and twists. It shows you a roller coaster and mimics the turns and loops like you are really on it. We also want to take in one of the Planetarium shows but we want to buy a sound reducing head set for Freya since babies at her age have such sensitive hearing. There is just so much you can do at the Museum of Science in Boston, I can't wait to go back!
  

Terrible Day in Boston

The Boston Marathon is a long standing tradition. We here in Boston take great pride in our city, it's people, the history, and traditions. To have such an awful attack during such a day as Patriot's Day, a time of remembrance of all those people that forged our nation, during such an iconic event as the marathon, it has shaken us all to the core. Though my heart goes out to those families of the victims from today's attack. I feel we here in the Boston area, as a community, need to rise up from this tragic event and carry on. We are a strong community, we are tough, we are fighters, and we will hold true to the memory of those who came before us, those people that fought for freedom. They had unwavering strength, they were afraid but never let that fear stop them from going on. We can't let those that feed off fear to win. We will move on, help those who are in need of healing. But rest assure that Boston will fight to find out who is responsible and those people will feel the weight of justice. This day will forever be remembered here in Boston.