My Joy!: Our Family Vacation

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Our Family Vacation

Day 11-12
Mammoth Cave in Kentucky
We were there bright and early and ready for an adventure:

"What's a "splunker" Daddy?"

Off to the visitor center:

This cave is 400 miles long!

Should we try and see the whole cave?

I think her answer is "No thank you."

Our first tour we decided to go big:

Grand Avenue Tour

This physically demanding trip will give you an excellent idea of the size and complexity of the Mammoth Cave System. Learn of the cultural and natural history of the cave and how they are interwoven as your journey takes you through some of the most dramatic passages in this "mammoth" cave. Walk through a variety of cave as you encounter gypsum lined passages, narrow canyons, steep underground hills, large rooms and ares with dripstone formations.

This tour includes the entire Frozen Niagara Tour route and all of the Domes and Dripstones Tour except for the 280 stairs descending the vertical shafts at the entrance.

Age Limit: 6 and over

Duration: 4 hours

Distance: 4 miles

Total Stairs: Nearly 700

Difficulty: Very Strenuous

We had a great time on this tour and we were all excited to come back and see more.

The next day we decided to try the Historic Tour:

Historic Tour
This journey through the natural entrance leads to "classic" Mammoth Cave landmarks visited by writers, scientists, military figures and celebrities of the 1800s and early 1900s. A great family trip!

Portions of this tour are also seen on the Violet City Lantern, Star Chamber and Gothic Tours. It is seen in its entirety on the River Styx Tour.

Duration: 2 hours

Distance: 2 miles

Total Stairs: 440, including 155 at Mammoth Dome

Difficulty: Moderate

The Rangers had a few important things to share with us before the tour:

Some of us were listening closely and paying attention:

Time to go explore the cave:

We squeezed through some tights spots along the way:

After the tour it was time to work on our Junior Ranger badges. We took a nature walk with one of the rangers and completed our Jr. Ranger books. Time to get our badges:

This is Elizabeth's 4th Jr, Ranger Badge!:

Rachel was ready too:

Rachel now has 3 Jr. Ranger Badges:

Congratulations Elizabeth and Rachel!

We had a great time at Mammoth Cave!

To be continued . . .

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"The Things They Say & Do"

11/27/16

Tonight we were invited to a friend's house to share in their traditions of lighting the advent wreath. There were several other guests there as well (all friends from church). While were were all gathered around enjoying the refreshments there was a light discussion about how kids pick up on things and often know about things that we are not sure how or where they learned them. Rachel chimed in and announced "Yeah, like when Dad teaches me cuss words!!" Very funny Rachel!

11/24/16

This morning I overheard the girls conversation:

Rachel (age 7) [smiling] "I had a good dream. All the boys in my school liked me."

Elizabeth(3 weeks shy of 10 yrs old) [quizzical] "Why is that a good dream!?

06/21/16

This morning my daughter (age 7) yelled out to me in excitement"Mom! My brain is bigger!". I replied, "It is?! How do you know that?". She responded, "I remember how small it was and now it's bigger!". She then ran into my room to show me. She walked in with a little brain in a bowl. I forgot about the little brain toy I gave her yesterday that grows bigger in water.

5/15/16

Elizabeth was getting ready to juice an orange and needed a knife to cut the orange in half. Elizabeth showed me a large sharp knife and I directed her to use a different knife. I then instructed her to be careful! Rachel, listening to the conversation, said, “Mom it's not rocket science she has used a knife before. If it was rocket science it would be dangerous because she would be mixing chemicals together and they could explode.”

01/27/16

Mom to Rachel:"I Love You."

Rachel to Mom:"I Love You Too" followed by as a matter of factly, "Why Wouldn't I".

11/20/15

My youngest daughter looked at my shirt the other day and asked "Why did you decided to wear THAT shirt when you got dressed this morning?" I confirmed that she did not like the shirt.

A few days later I was sporting a shrug wrap that I thought looked somewhat high fashion. As we were strolling together window shopping at an upscale plaza my oldest daughter told me that it made me look like a homeless person.

02/02/15

The girls were making their lunches for school and Rachel asked Elizabeth what treat she should put in her lunch and Elizabeth said"Sex!". I said "What!" and then passing the buck I said, "Daddy!??". Daddy replied, "I heard" and then he told the girls, "You cannot have sex for a treat." The girls sensing something was wrong with what they said, replied, "What? What is sex?" When I hesitated with my response Elizabeth said, "Fine, I will just look it up on the computer." Daddy and mommy in unison replied, "No!" and then mommy explained that it was something that married people do." Lucky for us they were fine with that answer and promised they would not look it up on the computer.

05/20/14

During our family scripture study this morning we were discussing how Rebekah was prepared and worthy to marry Issac. Daddy asked Elizabeth what she will need to do to marry a good man. Elizabeth replied "Kiss him."

3/04/14

Rachel asked if she could have a granola bar. I asked, "Did you finish your cereal?" She responded, "I did my best." I just could not bring myself to argue with that.

02/17/14

Rachel: "Mom I am going to teach you how to make snow. You take a snow seed and put it in a snowflake and grow some snow!"

12/13/13

Rachel opened the front door. Curious about where she was going at 8 a.m. on a chilly morning I asked "What are you doing?". She shut the door and replied, "There was a spider." ~ One less spider for me to face thanks to my brave little one. Thanks Rachel!

11/04/13

At 4 a.m Rachel busted open our bedroom door and yelled out "I Can't Move My Hands!" Apparently she had never had a body part go asleep before. She failed to remember the incident in the morning.

10/31/13

The girls were in a costume contest at the YMCA; Rachel won best girl costume in her age group and Elizabeth got a prize for her costume as an Honorable Mention. She was very pleased with her win, but asked me what "Honorable Mention" meant. I explained that her costume was "almost as good as the best costumes there". She held her chin up high and with a grand smile on her face proudly stated "I won".

10/27/13

We asked the girls to go get ready for bed. Rachel came out very quickly (too quickly) claiming she was done. We asked her if she got her school clothes out and she said she had. We asked her to go brush her teeth and she said she did. Because she had only been gone a couple of minutes I responded that she had only brushed for two seconds and needed to brush longer. She stomped her foot and said, "I brushed for 3 seconds!"

9/8/13

At the dinner table we were discussing some concerns we were having with the girls' behavior. Santa got interjected into the conversation at some point and Daddy said, "That's right, you don't want to be on Santa's bad list." Rachel replied matter of factly, "I don't care, I'll just wait for the next Christmas."

8/3/13

Said by Rachel on a Saturday evening: "Dad, next Thursday I will be good."

Dad: "No tomorrow you will be good."

Rachel: "No, next Thursday."

7/30/13

Elizabeth to Rachel: "Is Shadow (our cat) your favorite someone in the world?"

Rachel: "Not as much as Jesus."

2/10/13

Elizabeth: "Mommy, sometimes when I'm hurt I can eat my boogers and that helps me take my mind off being hurt"

2/6/13

Rachel picked up a book and said "What's this book Mommy?" I said, "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly." Rachel replied, "Was that you mommy?" (implying that I was the old lady).

2/3/13

In church today the primary children were asked what is the most important thing they do in sacrament meeting. Elizabeth raised her hand and confidently said, "Be Quiet!"

1/24/13

During a conversation in the car on our way to take Elizabeth to school Elizabeth says, "Your like 100 years old and I'm only six!" Taking advantage of a learning opportunity I replied, "I'm 43, can you count to 43?" Elizabeth replied, "Oh my goodness that's a lot!"

1/21/13

My birthday ~ The girls were up before me playing. I made my way into the living room and I did not see or hear Elizabeth, I finally asked, "Where's Elizabeth?" Out from behind the chair, she popped her head out, blew a party favor, jumped up and placed a Mickey Mouse sticker on my chest and then pulled out her digital camera and snapped a surprise happy birthday pic. What a great way to start a birthday!

1/18/13

I gave Elizabeth an apple to eat. Ten minutes later she came to me with a complaint. Holding up a half eaten apple she stated, "Mom I'm getting tired of holding this."

11/17/12

While getting Rachel ready for bed: Daddy~ "Okay it's time to go pee pee" Rachel's response, ~"But my pee pee does not go out on Saturday's."

9/18/12

While at the library Rachel came around the corner calling out "mommy." I answered, "Yes, honey", looking up from the shelves of books I was sifting through. With a double take I looked at Rachel's outstretched hand which was piled high with feces. I actually remained calm hoping not to startle her in any way where she might release the mass from the palm of her hand. I quickly surveyed the scene to discover a dropping behind her on the carpeted floor. I brought her into the bathroom and ran back to collect the wayward portion of poop on the carpet. I quickly returned to the bathroom and realized the problem had resulted from her diaper being unstuck and open from one side. After cleaning her bottom, her hands, her shoes, and her feet, we exited the bathroom in search of more

remnants. One final clean up on the computer chair and we were outta there!

6/2012
While on vacation the girls were introduced to dreamsicles. Jokingly we told the girls that they would have good dreams. Coincidentally the next morning they reported having had good dreams. A few days later we had fudgsicles and again jokingly we claimed that they would have chocolate dreams. The next morning Elizabeth angrily came into our room and exclaimed, "I did NOT have chocolate dreams! I had bad dreams and the last one was not at all about chocolate!"

6/2012
Rachel was picking her nose and then immediately started touching her feet. She looked up at her dad and explained, "I like to put buggers on my feet."

4/24/2012
I said to Elizabeth, "I love you Elizabeth." She replied, "I love you so much, I love you more than chocolate!"

11/06/2011
Rachel was brushing my hair and said, "Your hair looks beautiful. Your a princess mommy!" Mommy's heart fluttered.

10/27/2011
Elizabeth has been health conscious lately. She was asked to say the prayer at breakfast this morning. In the prayer she asked that we would have only healthy food and drinks today and that we would take good care of our bodies. She concluded her requests with ". . . and that we would have a good time at Trick or Treating."

8/29/2011
Rachel and I were in CVS together. There were two people being checked out who were large in stature and a little rough around the edges and two other women standing nearby. As we headed up to check out, Rachel surveyed all the people and, pointing to the two being checked out, asked "Are those the bad guys?"

8/8/2011
Elizabeth asked me a question I had already answered earlier:
Me: "Why do you ask questions for things you already know the answer?"

Elizabeth: "Because I do not know better."

07/13/11
The girls were playing on the porch and I was just inside working at my desk when I heard Elizabeth say to Rachel, "Okay, I am afraid I am going to have to hurt you a little bit." After immediate intervention on my part I discovered that they were playing doctor (no injuries incurred).

05/17/11
Elizabeth came to me with her finger out (as if it were hurt) and said, "I went by the bathroom and the door was open and I closed it but my finger closed in it." I said oh, I'm sorry and I kissed her finger. She THEN said "it was the potty seat door". I realized what she meant and that I had kissed that finger! I then asked, "Did you wash your hands?" Her reply, "No, I didn't go to the bathroom, I just closed the seat."

05/13/11
I was shampooing the carpet in the living room. Elizabeth asked me if I was going to clean every room in the house. I said, "No, I don't think so." Elizabeth replied, "I know you can do it because you are a really good mommy."

05/2011
Rachel likes to switch off from sleeping in her bed to sleeping on the floor in the playroom. Daddy was putting Rachel to bed and asked her, "Where do you want to sleep tonight, bed or playroom". Rachel said "couch". Daddy then said, "No, bed or playroom?" Rachel got a twinkle in her eye and said, "How 'bout mommy's bed?!"

12/24/10
While visiting with her cousins in NY on Christmas Eve the older kids were getting a little rowdy. Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and to the rowdy bunch announced, "I sure hope Santa doesn't see you doing this!".

05/10
Elizabeth: "I have an eye bugger."
Mommy: "Do you want a tissue?"
Elizabeth: "No, I want to eat it."
Mommy: "Yuck, no you don't eat it!"
Elizabeth: "But I like buggers."

05/10
Elizabeth asked her daddy why he was lying down on the couch and he said that he was not feeling well. Elizabeth patted his ankle and said "Aw, you should have some soup."

04/10
Elizabeth and I were talking about teeth because her baby sister is teething. During our discussion I told her that her teeth were going to fall out in a few years and she was going to get new teeth. She was excited and said "I want blue teeth!".

01/10
Elizabeth recently watched Toy Story and it has become one of her favorite movies. She has taken a considerable liking to the Buzz Light Year character. Not long after waking up Elizabeth said to me "Buzz is not a toy." I replied "Buzz is a toy." Elizabeth enthusiastically said "No! Buzz is a Lady!"

11/09
I decided we would have a "special treat" after dinner (we had some homemade ice cream in the freezer that needed to be eaten). I got out some great toppings : sprinkles, strawberries, chocolate syrup, nuts and chocolate chips. I asked Elizabeth what toppings she wanted and she got a few toppings. I got mine and Elizabeth inspected it to see what toppings I got. When her father sat down with his bowl she looked at him with arms and hands outstretched and exclaimed, "Are you serious?! No chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts!!! Are you serious?!" He decided to add to his plain bowl of ice cream a few chocolate chips and she was then satisfied.

10/09
Elizabeth- "What are you doing mommy?"
Mommy- "I'm fixing my face."
Elizabeth- "Did it fall off?"

9/09 Elizabeth saw a bug on the floor and started yelling "a bug, a bug" over and over. I came in the room to take care of it and it looked dead. I got the broom to sweep it up and it started to run away. So I took the broom and hit it till it was no longer moving. Elizabeth was watching me and was laughing pretty hard (for some reason). She then said, "Did you fight it!?!" I had to laugh with her and I replied, "Yes, I fought it."

8/09 I was up much of the night (with the baby and having trouble falling back to sleep) and Elizabeth was ready to start her day. I got her breakfast and some morning snacks together and put on an educational children's video (oh all right it was Barney). I then laid down on the couch and told Elizabeth that I was not feeling well because I was very tired and I needed to sleep. She put on a very pouty face, looked at me and said "I'm trying to be sad." I am guessing she was "trying" to show empathy for her mommy. She even let me sleep for 45 minutes!

5/09 Elizabeth tripped and fell and started crying. Her dad tried to comfort her but she kept crying. Very abruptly she stopped crying, looked at her dad and said "Candy will help."

My Joy!

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Our Family Vacation

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