Since the school district changed up the curriculum, the fourth grade classes no longer make the trip to Mackinac Island like they did when Tyler was in fourth grade. To make up for this, they now take an overnight trip to Lansing, the state capitol. Samantha is only ok with this whole concept because we promised that we would take her to Mackinac this summer as part of our week long family camping trip that we take each year.

    Tara & I volunteered to chaperone, figuring that one of us would get selected to go on the trip. Unfortunately, because Tara had to work open enrollment that week, she was unable to go. That left me, but because they won't let father's spend the night in a room with their daughter and the other girls he would be chaperoning, that meant I was unable to go too. Fortunately for Sam she was paired up with a friend whose mother she is comfortable with, which made the idea of going without us a little easier (although she still was plenty upset the night before the trip that we wouldn't be joining her, and she said afterward that it would have been better if one of us had gone). Overall she had a lot of fun, but because neither of us went with her I don't have a lot to write about this particular trip. Enjoy the pictures anyway, though. Sam took most of them herself, and she is very proud to be able to show them with you!

Samantha's Lansing Trip
	Samantha, on the right, posing with her group for this trip (and her friends), Mariah and Cora.
	A skull being displayed during a presentation.
	A stuffed wild turkey.
	Sam's classed played some kind of game where everyone was assigned an animal to be. Sam was a stink bug, appropriately enough!
	A couple of turtles swimming in a tank.
	A squirrel hanging out in a cage.
	Look closely in the center of the picture and you can see a rather large mushroom.
	A look out at a stream that flows into the Grand River.
	Some rocks in the stream.
	A cool tile mosaic.
	A look at a native Michiganian wearing fur to keep warm.
	The lower peninsula displayed on a building wall.
	The upper peninsula.
	A look at an animal pelt.
	A very old box.
	One of the former governor's of Michigan.
	An old book on display.
	Some quartz.
	An old revolver. Sam explained that this was a very heavy gun.
	A bunch of rock and ore from a mine.
Please click here for page two of the photos