Backyard Campout

Emma wanted to go on a campout with us so we set one up in the backyard!

FFM got the tent ready while Emma was at Tae Kwon Do.

 I found a 'fire pit' we could us to roast marshmallows. The kids  (and Travis) loved it.

 Getting dark, time for bed. They were well equipped with at least one flashlight and one lantern each. We talked about what makes noise in the night and what they might hear. They assured us they were super brave and didn't need a grown up in the tent with them. Travis slept on the couch downstairs with the back door open just in case...

 All tucked in, books and ereaders in hand. It was a LATE night, but they both giggled and had a great time..

Grand Mesa Camping Trip

The Grand Mesa is a big, flat topped mountain in the western part of Colorado. It's a bit of a trek from Denver so while it's called to us with it's siren song for nearly 15 years now we only just this summer managed to get in a camping trip up there.

There are reported to be 1,000 lakes on the Mesa, a lot for a state that's mostly high country desert. We were warned that while lush, cool, and green there might be a few bugs to deal with. Armed with citronella candles and bug spray we hit the road and headed about 4.5 hours west and uphill to Mesa Lakes.

Pulling up to our campsite we all three declared the drive well worth it. The campground is hilly and many of the sites are very private even though they can be a little close to each other.

 Our site was surrounded by wildflowers on all sides. We walked down some steps in the hill through a field of fireweed, in the shady woods to one side were gallardia and a few columbines, on the lake side wild geranium, yarrow, and more. The hummingbirds were happy!

Fireweed

 The boys did some fishing. Just-turned-7 is the magic age for fishing for us. FFM happily baited hit own hook, cast out, and was patient enough to wait a while to see if a fish was going to bite. He tired fishing with a lure and after a while decided to switch back to bait and bobber fishing since it was "more relaxing."

Putting a super giant night crawler on his hook.

 FFM found a flat rock to stand/sit on and we spent hours by the lakes. For the first time in years we actually did some catching! The boys ate fresh trout for dinner.

On the way home we decided to take a scenic route. On our way over the back side of the mesa FFM hollered from the back seat that there was a deer in the field. I looked over and hollered right back that it was a moose, not a deer! Our moose population is growing, but they are still rare enough that it's exciting to see one (we don't get as worked up about deer and elk anymore).

A special side note for all who have joined us camping in the past, there was NO RAIN! It was just breezy enough to keep the bugs at bay, comfortable in short sleeves or long, and did I mention it didn't rain?

Summer Science -- Elephant Toothpaste!

It's our almost-weekly summer science day! Today we talked chemistry and reactions. What happens when you mix things together? We did some basic balancing of our chemical reaction (lots of sketching of what atoms go where) and figured out we'd end up with some water and some O2 gas at the end. The water got foamy with the help of some added dish soap and the released O2. We had enough supplies to run the experiment several times and both kiddos had a blast dumping in the catalyst and playing with the foam. The kids thought the name "Elephant Toothpaste" wasn't the best fit, it's not minty or pasty, but if you're looking for this experiment that's how to find it online.

After their ceramics class at the local rec center the kids were on a crafty kick so we FINALLY got around to making the jet packs they've been wishing for all summer. Jet packs have been a crucial part of outdoor play ever since Emma showed up years ago with a jet pack made of a pizza box with duct tape straps. The official jetpacks are much, much cooler! There were a fair number of steps I had to do for them, like the spray painting and measuring the straps, but they worked hard on the flames and helping to put it all together.

2L pop bottles, silver spray paint, felt, cardboard, and straps. 

 They are already negotiating on whether they are space cadets or space explorers. The space explorer is going to teach the space cadet at space school until they are ready to become a full fledged explorer.

Putting Off the Birds and the Bees

FFM is in camp this week at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It's his favorite camp over the years and this year he selected Museum Investigators. Each day of the camp they learn about a different part of the museum. Today was Expedition Health Day and they learned all about DNA and how their DNA is a map of themselves. On the way home FFM was explaining all this to me and asked where his DNA came from (for rolling tongue and bendy hitchhiker thumb). I told him some from Dad, some from me. There was a pause in the backseat while the brain cogs turned and he asked "If I grew inside of you that's how I got your DNA in me. How did I get Daddy's DNA?" Scrambling rapidly and wholly unprepared to discuss exactly where babies come from ( all while navigating early downtown rush hour), I told him that DNA can move in all kids of ways. Like the DNA in your hair, your skin, and your spit. He chewed on that for a minute and remarked that spit stays in your mouth. I blew him a big, juicy raspberry and now I'm pretty sure he thinks Travis and I spit on each other to make him. We'll sort him out in a couple years or so.

First Triathalon

With all the swimming and biking that our family has been doing this summer FFM decided that doing a triathalon sounded like something fun to try. We found ourselves with an adjusted weekend schedule that freed up a morning that worked.

I'm pretty sure it took us longer to pile all his stuff together than for him to complete the event. He said it was the "best day ever!" and before we left the parking lot he had me looking up information on other/longer triathalons. Unfortunately a lot of them conflict with summer swim season, but I bet we'll be able to squeeze in one or two next summer.