A little geography lesson

Savannah got this great floor puzzle for Christmas. She was super excited and I especially liked it because she is very interested in where things are since we moved. She likes to point out where Oregon is (which is where we just moved from and where we're headed this weekend) and where Nevada is (which is where her Aunt Becky lives) and where Michigan is. She is very concerned with where everything is in Michigan especially, since we go to other cities quite often. She is just starting to understand the concept of cities and states; that there is more than just Jackson in Michigan. That whether Daddy goes to work in Kalamazoo one day, or Ann Arbor the next, he's still in Michigan.

Anyway, it's been fun to point things out to her. And she shows Sawyer everyday... "here's where we'live in Michigan in Jackson and here's where we're going on Saturday, look here's where the airplane will go..."



Now here's the funny part.
There is a slight problem with this great floor puzzle of a map.
Take a close look at the state of Oregon...
Notice the location of the two major cities.



And now in case you aren't familiar with the lay of the land...
here's a real map.
Portland, which is the largest city in Oregon, is in reality about an hour north of Oregon's capital city, Salem. Portland is basically on the border, just minutes away from Washington... not in the middle of the state.


After noticing Oregon, we looked a little closer at all the other states, and sure enough, we found quite a few cities that were just way off. You'd think if you were going to make a map of the country for children to "learn", you would at least consult a real map!?!


p.s. Happy Birthday Little D... Welcome to the world of one-year-olds!!!
So long baby... here comes toddlerhood!