Mimi's Summer Day Camp, Day Eleven --- Caves and Cave Creatures

We had extra campers today, our family from Florida was here visiting and joined us for our trip to see a cave.  First we met for breakfast at Jim's Coffee Shop, and then traveled to Boerne, TX, to see Cascade Caverns.  I can remember going here years ago with our own children when they were young, but its been many years ago.

 See Texas Down Under!

 They have a big dinosaur outside of the cavern. 

 There's a big hole here that you can look down into.  Apparently there was a movie partially filmed here years ago starring Patrick Swayze called Fatherhood.  I'd never heard of it, and it's not on Netflix, but I'm going to try to find it somewhere.

 Here we go, down into the cave!  Joss was fine with it, no fear.  I was a little worried that she might be scared, but not a bit.

The cave was comfortable, a nice coolness, but at the very end it got a bit humid.  

 A tiny brown bat hanging from the ceiling!

 Curtain rock

 This was called the skull -- can you see it? Creepy!!!

 Big Daniel carried Joss some when she got tired.

 KT at the very end of the cave. This is where we turned around and climbed back out.

 Stalactites and stalagmites!

Whew -- we were all hot and sweaty when we got out of there, so it was off to Boerne to have lunch at the Longhorn!

Then back home for a long swim.  We had even more visitors - JR & Ashley with Max, and Jeff & Colleen all came out to visit and swim! We had a wonderful end to this week's camp.

 Max!

 Joss is just chilling!

What fun! Next week we have no camp since the girls will be in Houston with their Nene and Granddaddy while the Koenigs are in Puerto Rico on vacation.  John and I will be dog-sitting Scout, their new dog. The week after we're going to find out all about Whales!

Mimi's Summer Day Camp, Day Ten --- Caves and Cave Creatures

In week six of summer camp, we're talking about caves and cave creatures!  The girls (mostly KT) created their own cave with chicken wire and paper-mache.  This was VERY messy, but lots of fun.  Grumpy got involved, too. He and KT did most of the work while Joss and I tore up brown paper for them to glue.  We soaked the paper in water and then put it into a mix of clear glue and water.  

 Just lap the paper strips across the wire.

 KT tore some strips to hang on the ceiling of the cave, like stalactites!

 Joss loved her first cave creature - a fluffy brown bat!

 KT did too!

 Next they gathered sticks, twigs, leaves and more to glue around the cave and to put on the floor. Then they added their bats and some big bugs that might live in a cave - beetles, spiders, grasshoppers and some big stretchy centipedes! 

 Joss playing with her stretchy centipede!

 Then, of course, we went to the library to get some books about caves, bats, bugs and anything else that we could find.  The girls really enjoy their time at the library.  By the way, they have some neat new learning kits you can use and even check out for kids to learn colors, counting, and other concepts.  Joss really enjoyed this one that teaches counting to 10.

When we got home Grumpy had the cook stove all fired up outside so that we could cook our hot dogs like the cave men might do - over an open flame on a stick!  KT was very worried about the stick - she wanted to know if Grumpy had washed it first! Lol! We need to get her out and camping more! 

Joss was game and had no problem using a stick!

We did more work on the cave after lunch and swam, but I didn't take any more pictures, unfortunately.  On Thursday we're visiting a real cave!

Mimi's Summer Day Camp, Day Nine --- Under the Sea

We're off to the San Antonio Aquarium to see some Sea Creatures!

 We came here last year, so the girls knew just where to go.  This is one of KT's favorite places since she's in LOVE with sharks.

 Aren't they cute in their tie-dye shirts?

 This is a game that plays on the floor - you have to squash the pumpkins as they float by!

 For some reason there's dinosaurs in the aquarium???

 Don't worry, that's not really an octopus wrapping Joss in it's tentacles!

 They have several pools that you can lean in and touch the fish. 

 KT got to hold a boa, again! This one was a bit smaller then the one she held a week ago. This girl is not afraid of anything (gulp!)

 Big teeth!!!

 Hey, look! It's Nemo!

 They have a HUGE tank of rays you can feed and watch swim around. The girls each got a cup of shrimp to feed them, and these rays were HUNGRY! They splashed water over the edge 

trying to get to the shrimp.

 You can also feed the Koi.  They sell little cups of fish food and food for some of their other animals.

 All kinds of lizards - not my favorite thing.  I sat on the bench and watched while John took them up close to see them.  They sell lettuce that you can feed them, but they were already out.  

 Next up were the Lorikeets - the girls fed them nectar.  Pretty birds, but they bite!!!

 A big shark replica - KT's favorite!

 Sharks in the water - KT kept trying to "pet" them.  Uhmmmm....no. I was thinking about how I would have to explain to her parents about the missing fingers.... **shudder**

After the aquarium, we stopped at Sea Island for a seafood lunch - the girls had battered fried fish and fries - surprisingly they like them! 

Then we stopped at the Dairy Queen for a little dessert! Nice way to cool off.

 The girls got sea-themed earrings as their souvenir of the day! KT got rays, and Joss got mermaid tails.

 Then home for a nice long swim! Whew! Busy day!

These girls have gotten so tan this summer!

Next week we're taking a look at caves and cave creatures!