Flat Kate...

Kate's class is currently finishing up a social studies project called Flat Stanley. If you haven't heard of it, the general idea is to send a paper doll- they each made one that looked like themselves, hence "Flat Kate"- to people in different cities, states, and/or countries. Flat _______ gets passed around and visits many different areas and each "host" takes pictures of his/her adventures.

Flat Kate started her adventure down south where she visited the Milburns and saw the Austin, Texas skyline and Capitol building...

...then, she headed to the Schatzels in Oklahoma City and Seminole, Oklahoma...

From Lauren: Flat Kate had so much fun this week in Oklahoma. We didn't do too much because it was very cold outside and she wanted to stay inside to cuddle the new baby genevieve.

The winters in Oklahoma are very unpredictable. We have lots of days that are warm and sunny and lots of days that are very, very windy and cold. We sometimes even get snow and ice storms. But the weather we are most famous for are the tornados. Don't worry, those only happen in the Spring, so Flat Kate was safe from those!

She spent most of the week in Oklahoma City. This is the capital of Oklahoma and our biggest city. There are lots of fun things to do here. We have Stockyards City where the ranchers come to sell their cows. We have Bricktown, where every building is made of red bricks, and REAL Kate has even been there! We have a  zoo and a science museum and a cowboy museum too.

Flat Kate liked Oklahoma City a lot. She helped her friends Ben and Desmond make their Valentine's Day cards and got to meet a few of their Okie friends that came over to play. But her favorite part was when she traveled to the small town of Seminole. Her friends have a farm there and she loved getting to see what life is like in the country. Seminole used to be the second biggest city in Oklahoma when oil was discovered here. But now, it is a tiny town of only 5,000 people. She loved the big red barn where they keep hay to feed the cows and she got up close to one of the baby cows. She learned that this was called a heifer because it is a girl cow, and a boy cow is called a bull. Cows are very similar to buffalo and buffalo are our state animal.

It was cold, so Flat Kate wasn't forced to do any farm chores, but she did bring in the small town newspaper! She wanted to read more about the state and she learned that Oklahoma has more Native Americans than any other state and the word Oklahoma is two Cherokee words (Ukla and huma) and means "red person". 

We had so much fun with Flat Kate and can't wait to see what all she gets to see!

 

...then, she arrived in the Big Apple to visit Aunt J who showed her such a great time (these are less than half the pictures!)...

...after a busy few days in the city, Flat Kate needed a relaxing destination so off to Hawaii she went to spend a little time with the Hastings whale watching, surfing, climbing coconut trees, and hanging out with a real local Hawaiian boy!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to our wonderful hosts around the country! Is it weird to be so jealous of a paper doll? I totally wish I could fold myself up in an envelope and come visit you all, too! =) 

XOXO