MEA Field Trip, First Stop: Dubuque, IA

Although we (my son and I) home school, we take advantage of the public school's first school break every year and take a three or four day field trip. This year I decided that we should make the trip to Petersburg, KY to visit the Creation Museum. Since I knew that I would have a hard time staying awake for the eleven hour trip, I decided to break up the drive with a few stops. I usually try to have motels booked and an itinerary planned in advanced but due to a crazy busy month, I had no time for planning. We hit the road with only two must-see stops, the Creation Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. The rest was in God's hands and as always, He provided and we had a great trip.

Our road trip began after work on Wednesday evening with the hope to travel until we reached Davenport, IA. I figured that would get us close enough to Springfield so that we would reach the Lincoln Museum on Thursday. But after winding through the country roads with corn field walls on either side of the road and waiting for children to wander out of the corn fields (it reminded me of a scene straight from the horror flick, "The Children of the Corn"), dodging skunks, getting stuck behind slow moving tractors, not to mention that I had worked eleven hours before hitting the road, I was exhausted. We only made it as far as Dubuque. As we checked into our hotel, I was disappointed that I didn't drive further but later I would realize that this was a great blessing. We now had something new to explore in Dubuque.

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, a great place for a field trip. In fact the multiple school buses in the parking lot confirmed this.

We learned that you don't need a fishing pole to catch a catfish...

You could use your head....

but your arm works better.

We also learned that bats don't like their photo taken................... 

This guy was not happy when my camera flash went off. I'm thankful for the glass wall that was between us.


But the fake bats hanging from the ceiling of the fake cave didn't mind my flash at all.

We learned a little about boats.

 Keel boats were used by Lewis and Clark

Clam Boats



Leisure Boats



Paddle Boats



The Boy acting up in the boat workshop

The Boy with his buddy, Mark Twain

Unfortunately my camera didn't pick up the true, magnificent emerald green color of this scorpion. The Boy asked if we could get one. I answered with a big fat NO!



Octopus




 Water PLAY!! I think everyone loves water.

As Isaiah generated a rainfall, I chanted our water cycle song, "Evaporation. Condensation. Precipitation. CO-LECT-TION."

Fabulous first day and I was so happy that we ended up in Dubuque. After we spent the morning at the aquarium/museum, we continued south. Our next stop would be a place we just happened upon at just the time I needed to get out and stretch my legs.