Girls' Summer Activities

Wow. I didn't post at all last month. Let me try to catch up.

Cailey participated in the Circus Extravaganza camp at the Playhouse. Her age group was learning about being clowns. To make it extra fun, the teachers dressed as clowns each day. They learned about stage fighting, pretending to stomp on each other's feet, throw punches, and duel with balloon swords. They designed their own clown face on a sheet of paper and the teachers painted it on for them. They made cute little hats and a variety of other props. They sang a clown song and played with a parachute. They told jokes. They had to look through their closets and find articles to make a clown costume out of. Cailey picked a lime and hot pink paisley and polka dot set with heart applique jeans I had made for last Valentine's day because those were the same colors and similar style to her teacher's outfit. The camp was a great chance for Cailey to get to use her creativity. At the end of the week the groups all got together to put on a circus for family and friends. This clip below is just a portion of the circus, with Cailey's group doing the parachute.

A couple weeks later Mia did Broadway Babies camp. They learned 3 songs and choreography. Wow, the sound these kids produced was great! At the end of the week they also got to perform for a packed audience of family and friends.

Click on the video and you will hear "Oh the Thinks You Can Think" from Seussical, followed by "Different" from Honk!, and then, "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" from Annie.

Then they went on vacation with Grandma and Grandpa to South Dakota. As Cailey put it, "We learned a LOT on our trip!" During the week they visited a live archaeological dig where they learned about mammoths. They learned the presidents that are on Mt. Rushmore. They climbed rocks in the Badlands and artistically drew pictures in their sketch journals of the rock formations they saw. They became Junior Park Rangers, which involved taking a test and an oath, so it was very official! They "froze" in Jewel Cave and were active participants in the tour, asking questions. The got to drive through the wildlife loop at Custer and through Bear Country and saw lots of cool animals. Basically it was a more educational than a year's worth of science and geography class!

Of course, any trip with would be incomplete without souvenirs. The girls added to their plastic animal / toy stash. When they came home Cailey spent a lot of time setting up a "museum" with them and then ceremoniously admitting us to it.

The following night they used their new knowledge and skills as Junior Park Rangers to take us on a tour of the "cave" they made in their room. With all the skills of a tour guide, flashlights in hand, we were led around their room as they pointed out the variety of wildlife inhabiting their "cave." Cute little touches included tiny lizards peeking out here and there, and a story accompanied each bat.

The highlight of the trip was surely the hotel swimming pool though! They did a lot of swimming! According to them, this trip was better than New York City, and even Iowa City.