Little monkey

"You didn't have plans for that plate of cookies, did you?" 

Camp Wild Day 5

Kyya Chocolate Factory in Elm Spribgs, Ar

This small operation makes a big difference! Kyya is the official candy bar for the state of Arkansas. They pick up their cacao directly from the farmers and bring it back to the US themselves. A portion of the chocolate sales fund an orphanage in Africa. The owners, Mike and Cindy, are a wonderful couple with a wonderful message. They taught the kids about the different flavors of cacao based on where the beans are grown. We tasted 70% dark chocolate from Madagascar, Guatemala, Equador and Uganda and they were remarkably very different. One was  nutty, one was earthy, another was sweet, and one was so fruity it was as if a chocolate liquor had been added. The tour was fantastic. I'm signing the kids up for Bon Bon Chocolatier camp next summer! 

Terra Studios in Elkins/Fayetteville, Ar

The pot throwing demo was very cool. I was dying go get my hands on that clay and I think the experience would have been so much more fun if the kids had been invited to try it out. Anyone know a place that offers a ceramics class for kids in NWA? It seems like everyone only offers pinch pots, but I think Quincy and Corbin would both find deep satisfaction wedging on a wheel. 

Gingers unite! 

Glass blowing. This is such a beautiful art. I could watch these guys make bluebirds all day long. There's something very satisfying about the end of the process, when they clip off a clean, glowing chunk of molten glass and it settles into a little blob for the newly created bird to sit on that makes me really happy. Like playdough...that you can't touch because it's 1,000 degrees. 

Happy campers in the gazebo of happiness.

We limited our outdoor time due to heat, but the labyrinth, sculpture trail, Wizards cave, and chalk wall were all enjoyed.

Sloane was an angry elf during our tour. That happens when you're a teething baby and you sacrifice naps 5 days in a row to be schlepped all over Missouri and Arkansas so your siblings can have the time of their lives.  It was unbearably hot on Friday and we skipped most of the outdoor activities because of it. But my little angry elf turned into a happy Sprite in the sculpture garden. I think she found her "people" among the grumpy trolls. She walked up to all of them, giggling and saying, "Hi! Oh hi!" She kissed their cheeks and told them secrets and put her fingers in their mouths. It was  adorable. She found the magic at Terra Studios. 

Camp Wild Day 4

Lewis and Clark Climbing Wall

Jill bought a discounted climbing party for the group to do as part of camp wild. We squeezed in as many climbs as possible in that hour. It was great! Little Soren happily got into a harness and climbed on up up up ...and then he slipped and when the harness and rope did their job to catch him, it scared him and he wanted down. Too cute though! I was so happy he tried it out. 

Hannah and Quincy

Reese at the top 

Cole and Corbin 

I even climbed, this time. Holy smokes, I forgot how hard it is! I felt bad for all the times I pressured my kids to keep going when they stared to get nervous about how high up they were. Sheesh forget heights, it's tiring! My limbs were exhausted by the time I reached the top! It was a good humbling for me. I quickly turned to Katie and made her go up next, hahaha! 

Go katie! 

Service projects

My plan to assemble snack packs fell through so instead, the children collected donations from the neighbors for the Bella Vista Animal Shelter. Then Camp Wild split into two groups and some delivered the donations  while the rest of us visited with the residents in the hospice wing then handed out candy bars at Concordia assisted living. Next year, we'll arrange to call bingo numbers. All the old ladies loved petting Sloane and her and Soren's red hair got a lot of fanfare from the former redheaded residents. 

Projector movie and ice cream in a bag

Last year's outdoor movie was a blast but we all of eaten alive by mosquitos, chiggers, and ticks. When the weather forcasted the hottest day of the year, we were faced with disappointed children, but knew after our Laura Ingalls wilder experience that we wouldn't last another day in the extreme heat. We considered canceling, but quickly came up with a backup plan and just took the kids over to the gym to save ourselves getting sick in the heat advisory. It worked out wonderfully. Jill brought her projector and Julie brought fixings for homemade ice cream in a bag. Katie played her fun mom card and brought nachos (dinner? Check!) and popped a zillion batches of popcorn in our whirley pops. They loved Kung fu Panda 3. 

We had seen a game on Pinterest and since we were in a gym and had all the supplies, decided to play! We discovered our inner child with a wild game of life sized hungry hungry hippos. Sometimes katie and I wi see why Corbin and Cole are so crazy then they get together. Then I look through my photos and I totally see why!  

If it were up to me, I think this would be the best relief society activity. We laughed until we couldn't get up off the floor. It was good therapy!

Camp Wild Day 3

"Camp Wild, here we come!

Camp Wild is so much fun! 

Do what you want to do

Be where you want to be.

Adventure everywhere we go

With our friends and family!"

Camp Wild, here we come!

Camp Wild is so much fun!"

The children created a verse to our camp wild cheer on the long drive Wednesday morning. We loaded up the coolers at 5:45 am, and the mother vans drove us just north of Springfield to the Laura Ingalls Wilder home and Museum. Jill and Julie scheduled our visit months ago, and scored us a significant group discount and guided tour.

In preparation for this trip, the children and I read The Little House on the Prairie, together. My girls wore bonnets and braids, Reese was especially excited to see Pa's fiddle, and Corbin wanted to see Pet and Patty (Laura's horses) but was disappointed to hear they died like 100 years ago.

The Wilder farmhouse was amazing. I was sad that no photos were allowed indoors. The building has been preserved beautifully. Laura had a clever little built in library that caught the eye of all the moms. We were surprised to hear that Laura was barely 4'11" tall, and it was evident by the low ceilings and countertops that no one in the family reached great physical height. 

The Rock House that Laura's daughter, Rose, had built for her parents was beautiful and modern for its time, but definitely lacked the old time charm and character if the farmhouse. I could see why Laura and Almanzo moved back to the farmhouse as soon as possible. Rose became an independent, wealthy and very modern woman. She was very smart, spoke several languages, was an accomplished writer and world traveler. From the stories our tour guide told us, I also sensed a lot of tension between Laura and Rose.

It was sickeningly hot, and halfway through our picnic, no one in my little family could take it anymore, so we took our food to the van and ate with the car and air conditioning running. We still felt sick from the extreme heat and humidity. I would have been a terrible pioneer! 

Next stop: 

Springfield Discovery Center

This fantastic children's museum was free for our family, because we have amazeum passes. At first sight, it didn't look like much, but I grew impressed as we turned every corner to find more activities and experiments. We could have spent a whole day in this place.  Their favorite activities were the bed of nails, the giant bubble maker, the smelling station, the spinning stick, the shadow booth, and the news room--which truly was very cool. 

We found a Hurts Donut Shop 3 miles away.

And then Katie and I set out for some adventure. I mean how do you NOT stop at the worlds largest fork?! 

Giant praying hands in Webb City. 

Dinner at Culver's. Life complete.