Feast in February part 1

Our homeschool co-op studies history in 4 year cycles.  Last year's history covered creation through the fall of Rome.  This year we are studying the middle ages/ reanaissance, and the next two years will be spent going through early America to modern history.  Each year we do some type of history themed celebration, and this year was the medieval feast!  

Laura, Ginny, and I decided to pick this for our service to Excelsior.  Ginny was in charge of food, Laura was in charge of decorations, and I headed up the entertainment.  

Entertainment involved two things.  Before the dinner, we wanted to have a "fair" type event.  I envisioned something like a science fair, except interactive and based on different aspects of the middle ages.  

The booths were great- there was a medicine in the middle ages booth with real leeches!  The ninjas and samauris were represented, we had a silk road booth, a chess booth, illuminated letters, farming, chess tournament, fencing, and you could even decorate your own goblet for the dinner!  

Putting together the booths did not involve much work; it was mainly organizing and encouraging families to participate.  The real work came in with the after dinner entertainment idea...

We wanted to have some type of feasting entertainment.  We had no one come forward to claim great talents in the areas of juggling, knife throwing, minstrelsy, and the likes of that, so we decided on a play.  

When only one or two children volunteered, I knew I had to bring out the big guns.  Bribery.  I offered my Latin class doughnuts and one week off Latin homework, and suddenly I had a room full of actors! It was perfect!  

Students studied their scripts at home for about a week, and then we all had a "play date" at our home to practice.  Our class is a little heavy on the girls, so Sarah starred as Prince John, Hannah was Little John, Shelby was Friar Tuck, and Ruth was the Sheriff of Nottingham.  Neo got to star as Robin Hood, and Will stepped up to play King Richard.  

Here they all are eating lunch and going over lines....

And now the dress rehearsal...  Catherine wasn't so sure about playing Maid Marian, especially when Neo had to propose... but she did a great job!

 Back in August we had gone to Kay's house to work on feast costumes.  The outfits were not quite finished, and I was not confident enough to sew sheer sleeves.  Kay could not come for a visit, so Dorothy volunteered to come to the rescue again!  She came and spent the day helping Hannah finish her dress, and it turned out great!

 Finally, the feast day arrived.  Laura McCoy is amazing.  She and Nichole Hardin worked all day to transform our lunch room into a great hall.  It was magical... especially when we turned out the lights to serve by candlelight!

Here is our expanded committee... Ginny (far left), the serf who slaved in the kitchen to prepare a delicious meal, me, Laura and Nichole- decorating extraordinaires, and Amy Blassingame- Ginny's helper who actually made meatloaf in the shape of a boar's head!