When I woke up Saturday morning this was my view from the top bunk... looking down into the big bed... on the left a sleeping husband who drove us 95% of the way to the cabin the night before, and two beautiful sleeping girls... all cuddled up together. AAaawww, I love them so much.
Later that morning we met some of our good friends at Cave of the Winds. (Rex, Eric, and Angie all grew up together in Olpe. Rex and Eric were best friends and have remained good friends.) Our friends live in Denver with their three little girls. Our girls, especially Sarah, looks forward to getting to see and play with her friends, Lexi, Avery, and Layla. Sarah actually refers to them as her cousins. I have verbally corrected this relationship to her over and over, and have just recently decided that if she wants to keep referring to them as her cousins, I am going to just go with it.
All of the little girls had a fun time looking for pretty rocks in this mining experience at Cave of the Winds.
Looking around before our Discovery cave tour... Phoebe really wanted her picture taken by the big bear.
We could not take the stroller into the cave, so Angie brought us this front pack for Silas to try riding in... Eric carried him around in it before the Discovery tour started and for about 5 minutes into the Discovery tour... Then the crying began. Crying from Silas and Layla... Eric and I tried handing Silas back and forth to each other. Nothing worked. (He was just such a tired boy and could not fall asleep while we were holding him walking through a cave.) He and Layla just kept right on crying. Eric and Angie hung back from our tour group a little to keep the criers away. Nothing helped. Finally Angie and I were told we were going to be escorted out with the two criers. (We were only halfway through the tour.) Another guide came to meet us and speed walked us out of the cave.
Rex, Eric, and the little girls all kept going and finished the tour. Eric told me that as they were exiting the cave, Sarah asked, "Can we go do something fun now?" So, in hindsight, the cave was not a great choice to do with our little kids. (**Take note, if you have smaller kids choose something different, like the zoo, or a park.) Yes, Bye-Bye Cave of the Winds. We will not be returning anytime soon.
Back at the cabin that afternoon... Eric helped the little girls collect bugs, crickets, and crawlers to use for fish bait down in the pond.
Silas had a short nap and was ready to go for a hike... No crying.
Eric and the girls caught a couple little fish right off! Sarah wanted to hold them and throw them back.
Layla and Silas standing at the cabin front door together... They are about six to eight months or so apart in age.
The little girls had fun picking lots of wildflowers. Lexi knew that the reddish orange flowers are called "Indian Paint Brushes".
Eric, Charles and Rex hauled water for the cabin with our van. Yay, go van! You are a tough vehicle. You are a tough vehicle.... now to work on your coolness...
As all the little girls were playing on the road in front of the cabin, Sarah ran up to me and quietly, so no one else could hear, said, "I drew bear claws on the road... to scare the kids." Then she went back down the road and I saw her pointing to the claws she had drawn and was telling the girls what they were. Hehehe! I don't think she scared any of her friends or her sister, but she sure had big scaring plans. (I think she gets this from her Great Uncle Ernie.)
We ended the day with hot dogs, baths, and a good night's sleep, tucked sweetly into our cozy cabin beds.
