Pioneer Day

The 24th of July passes by in NY like any other day - but not for us because we know it's PIONEER DAY!

We love our church and Utah and we love Pioneers - especially Emily, so we always try to do something special on the 24th of July.

This year we made our plans, and then late on the 23rd Emily asked "Did you mend my pioneer dress yet?" Yikes. I had not - not to mention it is now about 3 sizes too small, and I was sure she wouldn't fit it anymore. I told her that it probably wouldn't fit, even if I did mend it that night. She's so good natured, she just said "Do you think you can make a new one next year?"

I was disappointed in myself. I know Emily adores pioneers - why didn't I think of the fact that she would want to wear the dress - she always does! I quickly called Rick - are you at the train yet? He was not (thank goodness he works so late.) I asked him to stop at American Girl place on the way home and get Kirsten's summer dress. We already had the cute red boots, and I figured I could quickly come up with a bonnet. At least her doll would have pioneer get-up, and then next year (if I remember) I'll make her a new one - one that's a little too big, so she can wear it a few years.

After she went to bed, I snuck in and took her doll. I made the little bonnet, and dressed her in it and the dress & boots (finding the red boots in the dark in Ems room was quite the task!)

The bonnet turned out to be pretty cute.
I let Rick pick the fabric - he did a good job.

I made a little tag, and then sat her on the end of Emily's bed, so she'd see her when she woke up. The next morning she came downstairs and gave me a giant hug - she liked it, hooray!

I also had Rick get Bitty Baby an outfit, so Jane wouldn't be sad (I wasn't up for making a bitty baby pioneer dress that night!) Not at all pioneer, but cute and summery - and Jane was thrilled.

We love American Girl - just check out how cute these shoes are!

The next day we launched our pioneer activities - in the afternoon, because we still had swim team in the morning.

I ground wheat & made bread.

Friends came over and we made salt water taffy. Nine kids pulling taffy made for a lot of chaos - I never get any good taffy pulling pictures, since my hands are all sticky & I don't want to touch the camera! Next year, I think we'll make the taffy a day ahead and just eat it on the 24th! Also, I went to 4 places looking for glycerin, and didn't even think about flavor until I started to make it! I looked in my valentine lollipop making stash to see that I only had bubblegum! We used that & tinted it pink and the kids didn't seem to mind. next year I'm thinking light pink / grapefruit flavor ...

It actually turned out really well this year - I wish I had some pictures of the finished product! Here it is cooling, just before the pulling.

Then we went to the park, and shook cream in jars to make butter - and ate it on our bread for an afternoon snack. Yummy!

Then played "pioneer games" - the 3 legged race was hilarious!

Jacob thought he was so funny falling down, that he actually didn't really seem to be attempting to do it properly! Poor Charlie who had him as a partner, he was such a good sport about it.

The little girls wanted a turn too - so Laura partnered with Andrew & helped them have their own turn.

They did a pretty good job.

The we threw "bee" beanbags into a honey pot (Utah is the beehive state.)

We saw this game in Nauvoo last summer - two cans attached to opposite sides of a piece of wood. I made some small beanbags and Rick attached the cans to the wood - you toss the beanbag from one can and try to flip the wood and catch it in the other. Emily actually got quite good at it. OH, and see her outfit? The cutie - she wore her bonnet, and a skirt with bloomers underneath (they still fit) and her "Laura Ingalls" boots and looked very much like a pioneer!

We also ran with a stick and hoop - my kids love this game. Emily is really getting good at this one too! Could there be a more pioneer-child looking picture? (If you ignore the baseball diamond & the house in the background!)

Jane got to hold William - the highlight of her day. Little does she know that lots of pioneer children would have had the job of carrying babies while their parents pushed handcarts. I wonder if she would have been as delighted if she had to hold him all day. While walking. Every day. For three months.

So glad we don't have to do that!

Jacob's pioneer get up.
Which he actually wouldn't wear for the games, but I begged him to put on for a picture.

I was going to make dinner in the dutch oven - but it was getting late & the kids were tired, so we just went to a new restaurant near our house to eat dinner. Good thing too, because Jacob started to fall asleep at the table while we were there.

I haven't done any dutch oven cooking this year. Last year I made something in the dutch oven once a week (on our driveway) - for practice. I think when we get back from vacation, I'm going to do it again, at least until the weather gets cold because it's fun and yummy and I want to get better at it.

It was a fun day, and we're looking forward to it again next year!