Field Trips Are Worth It!!!

For all of my teacher friends who grumble when filling in the paper work and get overwhelmed by the collection of $ and forms, and to all the parents who are asked to pay extra $ and drive groups of children;  I am here to tell you that yes, field trips are worth the extra effort!!!

I feel like we are on a giant field trip across Canada.

Here are just a few of the lessons we have learned as we travel across this nation of ours:

Hoodoos are cool!!

A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, and earth pyramid) is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoos consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements. They typically form within sedimentary rock and volcanic rock formations.

Terry Fox ran a really long way!!

Now that I have experienced driving across Ontario and a little bit of Quebec so far, I have a much better understanding of how far Terry Fox ran.  I have an even better understanding of just how amazing a person he must have been.  I read about Terry Fox and watch movies about Terry Fox and I run around a few blocks every September to help raise more $ for cancer research (because truly, any effort and amount of $ helps!).  This young man ran the equivalent of a marathon every day for 143 days!  Amazing!

The House of Commons has 308 seats.

Seeing the seats/desks where the Members of Parliament sit in the House of Commons will help you remember that there are 308.  And that the Prime Minister always sits in seat #11. The Senate has 105.

All Canadians should pay a visit to the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa at some time in their life!

Niagara Falls is awesome! 

If you drive through Clifton Hills before reaching the falls, as we did, do not be put off by the touristy tackiness of the area as I almost was!  Don't worry about the crowds or big line-ups; take time to walk around the promenade, take a trip on the Maid of the Mist and stop for while and really look at the falls and admire their beauty and enormity - amazing!

Family and Friendships are truly the most precious of all blessings!  (I already knew this but it has certainly been reinforced on this trip!)

We have had the opportunity to stay with many family members and have been so welcomed by all.  We've had fun jet skiing, water skiing, tubing, eating a pancake breakfast in a parking lot, seeing the sights around the city, hiking around Algonquin Park and singing around a campfire, to name just a few.  Thanks to all of you!!

And yes, all of these pictures were taken by one of us.  (Paul asked so I thought I'd clarify!)