Vacation Wednesday: caves

Wednesday we went to some caves.  I hadn't realized that the area was so mountainous until we started driving up and down on our way to get to the house.

On the way we went over a dam.  Dams are cool, but we had just watched a video about dams and how they have emergency spillways.  We were able to find the emergency spillway, which I thought was extra cool.

We got our group picture at the beginning.  We should have let our boys wear their sunglasses.

The place had two SpateoBoxes.  These seemed really cool...you could get a feel for cave exploring without going into a cave.  Isaac did them over and over and over.  Joshua only did the outside one once, because he got stung by a wasp.  He was at the half way point and let out a scream that I've never heard him scream before.  (It took me a second to realize it was him even.)  He said something about a bug, but calmed down rather quickly and came out.  It was only once he came out that I realized his knee had a puffy dot on it.  We found some anti-sting in the old first aid kit in the car and a band-aid (because band-aids cure everything) and he did fine from then on out.

There was a mini-golf course there.  We were some of the first customers because we wanted to beat the heat.  However, it was nice and shady.

Then some of us went on a little hike.  It was very nice, although pretty warm.  Ben decided to stay in the A/C and the boys elected to stay with him, so I was duty-free.

Some of us went up the watch tower.

...and we made it back down too.

 

Meanwhile, the boys did the inside SpateoBox and learned how to play checkers.  I think Isaac has played before, but I can't recall for sure.

Lunch!  Crazy as always but everyone got food.  (After we forgot the bread at home Dusty kindly got some while we went on the hike.)

Ben and Isaac pretending they fell down a hole.

All in!  Every time we get together we do something that is all in...shoes, wristbands, etc.  This time we didn't have anything quite like that so we did our cave tour passes.

 The cave.  It was a vertical cave, which I had never been in before.  (Not that I've been in many caves.)  It was a lovely temperature, especially after the hike.  (Joshua put a long sleeve shirt on half way through, but I was happy in shorts and a T-shirt the whole time.)

Another time through the box.

They got some rock candy for fun.

Then we all went home and to our next activity, a surprise birthday party!  Katy had been in the hospital during her birthday, so Laura made a cake and Heather brought decorations.  (P.S. I think this is the best cake I've ever had.  It was raspberry with raspberry frosting.)

When the kids were in bed we played poker.  We used to play together all the time, so we still try and do so when we get together.  It's almost serious business.  I lost all my money pretty quickly.

Monday: assorted pictures

Horizon

Grey Bear

Tornado in a laundry basket

Brothers horsing around

Being trapped in my bedroom.

Being trapped in my bedroom with a different trap.

Twins.  Can you tell them apart?

A secret project.  (They showed me when it was done.)

Sunday: Happy Birthday

Joshua turned five years old today!  He was so excited but his party isn't for a few weeks and that was a bit hard for him.

We made blueberry pizza.

We put candles in it because it was the sweet thing we had in the house.

My brother did send a present, so he was able to open one present.  He also got to open up a card...that he couldn't find at 6:45 this morning.

The golden dragon got made and then played with quite a bit today.

Saturday: bo staff

This morning Isaac and I took a bo staff class with a 'famous' bo staff person, Jackson Rudolph.    We learned some basics.  I had a fun time.  Isaac had a medium time, but it's good to try new things.

Here I am having dropped my staff.  You can see Isaac's hands in the foreground.

Bo staff!

Intro class.

Vacation Tuesday: Men escape, kids escape

We had brought some Lego set for Isaac and Joshua to do when they woke up (or during nap time).  Our kids often get up on the early side, plus we had the time change.  They got up early the first several days but by the end I was waking them up.

 

Doug made a delicious french toast for breakfast.  (Side note: several people took pictures of him at various times.  They all look the same except for the bread.)

The wiki sticks were still being played with quite a bit.  Here is Isaac's rainbow.

The guys were getting ready to go to the escape room.  In the meantime, Ben couldn't find Isaac.  It ended up being a great game of follow the leader/look for Isaac!

Happily, the guys escaped too and were able to come home to us after lunch.

While they were gone we went to the pool for a bit.  Sadly, the splash pad wasn't turned on this time.

We came home a bit earlier than everyone else.  I gave the boys some yogurt smoothies and they happened to have Spiderman characters on them.  For the next half hour their drinks talked to each other.

To reach the pool you had to go up a mountain and then down a mountain.  This is the down on the way back.  We learned on the first day that all but one of the houses are rentals.

This is our house.  Behind the big bush is the bridge that you needed to use to cross over the rocks that have been shown in other pictures.

Laura and I decided that the older boys would love going to an escape room, especially since eight and under are free.  We took their siblings with us just for the experience more than thinking they'd really love it.  (However, Joshua has told me that he wants to go again.)

The one we chose was a good one for the kids.  There were a whole bunch of locks and keys, so they all got to take turns doing those.  There were also four buttons for to open the fireplace wall, so that was exciting.

As expected, Isaac did love it and has subsequently received a gift certificate to go to one in Holland.

More rock coloring.  I think here they are doing some "we're glad you're home" or so for the child that needed a "quick" trip to urgent care.

I can't remember what was going on, but Ben was cracking Violet up!

We had another yummy pie.

Several games were played throughout the day again, but this one might have been the only one that was only with kids.  Joshua was teaching Greta how to play Sleeping Queens.  He did a good job, and they managed to play through a whole game.  (I had thrown our card holders in at the last minute and it was a great decision!!)

This is the awkward couch.  Three unrelated people managed to sit on it and so had to "try hard" not to touch each other.

Friday: kids talk

There's been some interesting stuff said over the week...

Amanda: what do you want to do when you're an adult?
Joshua: go to Crazy Bounce with kids
Isaac: Buy a Switch and decide how much screen time to give my kids.

***********

Isaac: well, my mouse is in fight club.
Amanda: do you talk about fight club?
Isaac: no

************
Roommate Amy saw us on the street having a treat and stopped to say hi.  Then she continued doing her errands...

Pat: I can't remember, did you live together in college?
Amanda: yeah, for three years
Isaac: and then you got divorced?
Amanda: haha.  No, we weren't married.  We were friends living in the same room.