Exploring Beneath the Surface: Hidden River Cave and Mammoth Cave Tours

A friend of mine was heading to Kentucky over Spring Break on a research trip, and she invited my mom, my girls, and me to join her.  Knowing my husband would be working those days, we jumped at the chance to explore with her.

We headed toward Horse Cave, Kentucky, on Good Friday morning.  We were hoping to visit Detweiler's Country Store, but they were closed for the holiday.  We altered our plans and visited R&S Salvage Groceries.  We ordered our sandwiches and purchased our favorite Amish baked goods.  Later in the day we arrived at Hidden River Cave in time to take a tour.  

We chose the Public Guided Cave Tour.  Reservations are not necessary.  Upon our arrival, we paid admission ($15 Adults, $10 Children ages 6-14, Free for kids under age 5).  The admission fee includes access to the American Cave Museum.  We did not check it out the exhibits because we only had to wait about 10 minutes for the next tour to begin.  Our party joined another family and we were escorted to an elevator that took us to a short walkway that led to the mouth of the cave.  Another tour group was zip lining across and rappelling into this sinkhole.

We began our hour-long tour by descending the 230 stairs into what was once the most polluted cave in the country.  Great efforts have been made to restore the cave, and the American Cave Conservation Association continues to improve the experience for guests.  At the bottom of the steps, we were led along a bridge that crossed a river.  Just over the dam, we entered a cavernous room where we saw a variety of formations and were introduced to an albino cave crayfish.  This tour was really cool!

The next morning we headed over to Mammoth Cave for the Frozen Niagra Tour.  We planned to join the 10am (CST) tour.  Thankfully we purchased our tickets in advance!  Upon our arrival around 9:30am, ALL tours for the day were SOLD OUT with the exception of the self-guided tour for which $5 tickets were being sold.  As we waited at the Visitor Center to load the bus to take us to the entrance of the cave, we picked up the Junior Ranger guide books for my girls.  At ages 9 and 10, they completed the activities in the books to earn the 12 points required for a Junior Ranger badge.  A couple years ago, the girls earned their Junior Ranger badges at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore along with a badge and a patch that we sewed on the back of their Girl Scout vests.  When they turned in their books at the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center , they received the Junior Ranger pin and a certificate.  Unfortunately, the park did not provide the patch for free, but we were able to purchase one from the gift shop for $5.95.  There were several patches from which to choose.  While the patches were a little more expensive than I was hoping to spend, I wanted the girls to have something to remember our time together.  These are the two patches my girls selected:

 

The Frozen Niagra tour was breathtaking.  I'm 5'7" tall.  Even though there were a couple areas when I had to duck or swivel sideways for a step or two, I never felt claustrophobic.  The cave is well-lit.  At one point, our amazing guide turned off the light so that we could experience being in complete darkness.  Though it was pitch black for only a minute, this could be frightening for someone who is afraid of the dark.  For perspective, there were several families in our group who had toddlers and preschoolers, and these children were fine during the blackout.  What a fun road trip for families, friends, and Scout groups!  This could be a great way to spend some of the money earned through the Girl Scout Cookie Sale.  I hope to return to Mammoth Cave as a family in the near future so we can go on the Domes and Dripstones tour.  

The girls in our troop recently finished their last service project for the year before attending a Bridging event.  I will share all the fun details in my next post.  As always, thank you for reading.

Geology Program at the Cincinnati Nature Center

Earlier this month, the Cincinnati Nature Center offered a two-hour Geology Program for Scouts at Rowe Woods.  One chaperone per six participants was required.  The cost was $10 per Scout, and chaperones were free.  Online registration was easy.  In the days leading up to our event, I received a couple of emails providing drop off and pick up instructions.  Rain boots or water shoes were highly recommended.  I ordered a Geology fun patch for the troop through Advantage Emblem.
   
Upon our arrival, we were directed to a classroom.  Staff and volunteers divided the participants and chaperones into three groups:  Boy Scouts, our Brownies, and our Juniors.  We set off on our way.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover our instructor was my middle school science teacher!  

We walked along portions of a couple trails and learned about Ohio's State Flower (scarlet carnation), Wildflower (white trillium), Bird (cardinal), and Tree (buckeye).  Our guide also identified poison ivy for the girls and recited the famous rhyme, "If it's hairy, it's scary."

At various points during our hike, the girls had the opportunity to use a soil auger to obtain soil samples.  These samples were inspected for similarities and differences.

At one point during the hike, we stopped to speak with a professional geologist.  He seemed excited to tell the girls that he works with many female geologists.  He informed us of the educational requirements should the girls wish to explore geology as a future profession.  The photos on his display pictured geologists working in a variety of settings, including caves, mines, and wetlands.  After explaining how geologists extract a sample of rock from the earth, he showed us how they test the hardness of a rock.

Following a brief discussion about erosion, we made our way down to the creek and met up with the rest of our troop.  After being shown samples, the girls were asked to find a sedimentary rock, a glacial erratic rock, and fossils.  Splashing in the creek and searching for fossils was the highlight of the trip.  We all enjoyed sharing the fossils we discovered with the others in the group.

A very rare discovery--horn coral!

The Cincinnati Nature Center consistently provides fun educational programming for children and families.  I've heard their CincyNature Camps are phenomenal! 

I invite you to check back soon.  My daughters and I visited Mammoth Cave over Spring Break, and I'll share our experience in my next blog post.  Thank you for reading.    

Tinker Bell-Inspired Spring Party

Knowing we'd have a few free days at home during Spring Break, my daughters asked if they could invite some friends over for a party.  We bumped around Pinterest and brainstormed together, coming up with a Tinker Bell-inspired plan that was sure to be a hit.  The guest list included nine kids, ranging from second to sixth grade.  Here's how we spent our time together.

Paint a flower pot.

When allowing a large group of kids to paint, squirt paint on one or two paper plates per table and assign one paint brush per color.  When every child has his or her own paint brush, a cup of water is needed to rinse the brush between colors.  This has the potential to create all kinds of messes.  When one brush per color is used and the kids are finished painting, the paint brushes can be collected and rinsed all at once.  Minimal mess, minimal clean up.  During this party, I allowed half an hour for painting.  When the pots were dry, the kids had the opportunity to plant a pretty annual in their flowerpot to take home.

Make tissue paper flowers.

We've made tissue paper flowers in the past with our Girl Scout Troop.  Prior to our Spring Party, I referred to this pin and prepared stacks of assorted colors of tissue paper: five 8"x8" squares for each flower.  Following these instructions, the kids made their own flowers.

GAMES:
Fairy Mary's Lost Things

When our Junior Girl Scouts were earning the Detective Badge, we played a version of the tray game.  During our Spring Party brainstorming discussion, my older daughter suggested we play the tray game and call it Fairy Mary's Lost Things.  Brilliant!  I collected small items from around the house and assembled them on a tray that I covered with a dish towel.  The girls were given one minute to view the tray, and they had five minutes to write down every object they could remember.  Here is a list of the items included on this tray:
cotton ball, pearl-head needle, postage stamp, match, spring, penny, plastic outlet cover, Lego, paper clip, nail, washer, screw, glitter, key ring, picture hook, push pin, safety pin, Christmas tree light, rubber band, spool, battery, q-tip, toothpick, needle, plastic needle, hook/carabiner, zip tie, staples, button, light bulb.

Tinker Bell Paper Plate Game
I have incorporated the Paper Plate Game into several different Girl Scout and classroom Christmas parties, and it never seems to get old for the kids.  Earlier this year I made up another version of the game to get our troop excited for the Cookie Sale.  In preparation for this Tinker Bell-inspired party, I thought I'd give it another whirl.  To be honest, I was unsure if I was going to be able to pull it off.  To my surprise, the kids seemed to love it.  Maybe it's in the presentation?  I tend to get excited at parties. 

Steps:

Draw a mushroom, add dots if desired.

Draw a ladybug on the mushroom.

Draw Tinker Bell next to the mushroom.  She’s wearing a dress and booties.

She is holding a flower.

Draw Tink’s wings.

Points:

1 point for each dot on your mushroom

2 points if your ladybug touches the mushroom

1 point for each spot on your ladybug

2 points if Tink is wearing her dress

1 point if Tink’s booties have little pompoms

1 point if Tink is holding her flower

1 point if your wings are touching Tink

Name the Baby Animals
A couple months ago, my daughters and I attended my sister-in-law's baby shower.  One of the games we played involved naming the offspring of different animals.  We decided to play this game during the Spring Party with our friends.  Here is the list we compiled:
Cow--calf                               
Goat--kid
Raccoon--cub                          
Bear--cub
Wolf--pup                               
Sheep--lamb
Goose--gosling                       
Deer--fawn
Owl--owlet, fledgling              
Koala--joey
Fox--kit, cub, pup                    
Penguin--chick
Eagle--fledgling                      
Rabbit--bunny
Horse--foal                             
Toad--tadpole
Dog--puppy                            
Cat--kitten

The kids were permitted to work together.  This was just for fun--no prizes.  I could not believe they named every single baby animal correctly!
 
FAVORS:
eos Lip Balm Flowers

To create these cute flower favors:

• Purchase a couple four-packs of eos lip balm from Sam's Club.
• Choose a solid color sheet of cardstock and cut 4" scalloped circles with the Mini Monograms Cricut cartridge.  The finished circle is about 3.5" in diameter.
• Use the 3" Uchida scalloped circle punch to cut the patterned paper.
• Use a circle cutter to remove a 1.5" circle from the center of the solid cardstock and patterned papers.
• For the leaves, cut a 1.5" circle with the circle cutter. Cut another circle using the 2" template and blade, leaving about an inch uncut. Draw the leaf and cut out with scissors.
• Unscrew the lip balm and align the leaf, solid cardstock, and patterned paper as desired before replacing the lid.   
• Arrange the favors in a basket and let the girls choose their lip balm when they are heading home.

Blaze Glow Stick Lightning Bugs

My girls love Blaze, the lightning bug in Tinker Bell And The Lost Treasure.  We bought glow sticks from Dollar Tree and the black pom poms from Hobby Lobby. We had the googly eyes and vellum remaining from previous projects.  My daughter used the Creative Memories Oval Cutter to cut 2" ovals for his wings.  The wings were attached to the glow sticks using glue dots.  We used tacky glue to adhere the googly eyes to the pompoms.  After tying knots in the strings provided with the glow sticks, we strung them from a hanger to display. 


The Food

For our party of 20 people (kids and parents), we decided to keep it easy and ordered a tray of chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A.  The day before the party, I called and ordered a medium tray of 120 nuggets, paid for the order over the phone, and gave them a pickup time.  Knowing I would pick up the order hours before we were going to eat, I was given the option to order cold nuggets. Warming instructions were provided with my order.  It was super easy to spread the nuggets on cookie sheets and pop them in the oven for 10-20 minutes.  (Huge thanks to my friends for helping with this!)

Additionally, a friend offered to bring fruit and a veggie tray to share.  I baked some cheddar rosemary scones by following this Ina Garten recipe, substituting fresh rosemary for the dill.  For dessert, the kids snacked on dirt dessert served in a pint-sized mason jar with a sugar lady bug resting on the Oreo crumbs.  We prepared the dirt dessert a little differently than found in most recipes online.  

• Prepare the chocolate pudding as directed on the package.
• Scoop a spoonful or two of pudding in the bottom of the mason jars.  
• Crush a package of Oreos and divide, reserving enough crumbs for the top layer.
• Combine the remaining chocolate pudding and Oreo crumbs with an 8oz container of Cool Whip.  
• Place a gummy worm on top of the pudding in the mason jar.
• Spoon a healthy dollop of the pudding/crumb/Cool Whip mixture in the jar.
• Add another gummy worm and cover with Oreo crumbs.
• Place the sugar lady bug on top.  
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the adults, we made this frozen lime pie, another Ina Garten recipe.  It is DELICIOUS!
  
I thought readers who are hosting a birthday party or tea party for school-aged kids might find this post to be helpful.  This would also be such a fun way to help a Brownie troop complete a step or two for their Bugs and Snack badges.  As always, thank you for reading!

Cheers to Art

For our birthdays last year, my parents gave Cheers to Art gift certificates to my 9-year-old daughter and me. We finally took the opportunity to paint together over Christmas Break.  Typically, the two Cincinnati studios offer evening and weekend sessions, but I noticed there were Open Studio sessions on their December calendar.  

I made our reservations online, and I learned the seats must be reserved individually when using gift certificates online.  I went ahead and registered for all three seats at once and paid for the three seats with my credit card.  Upon our arrival at the studio, I produced the gift certificates.  The employee kindly asked me to repay for the seats, using the gift certificates and my credit card to cover the small remaining balance.  This was not a big deal to me as I was assured the owner would refund the original amount to my credit card.  With one quick email to Nancy Luensman, the owner of Cheers to Art, the refund posted to my account almost immediately.  This was the only hiccup we encountered throughout the entire experience. 

While I have not yet attended a typical studio session, I was told that generally everyone paints the same painting while instructors guide participants through the process.  The painting schedule can be viewed on the studio website.  Since we were not attending a typical session, we were permitted to paint anything during the Open Studio hours.  A few weeks prior to the day we planned to paint, we visited the Cheers to Art website and perused their Gallery (linked to their Facebook page).  With ideas in mind, we arrived just after Open Studio hours began.  We couldn't wait to get started!

After checking in, we were given aprons to wear to protect our clothes.  As we were shown to our seats, the instructor invited us to look at the art hanging on the walls around the studio.  She asked what we wanted to paint and said we could paint something original if we desired.  The canvas, brushes, water, and paper towels were set up at each seat.  There were also stencils available to use.  We retrieved our paint from one of two stations in the large room.  As I mentioned, during a regular session, the instructors walk around the room providing step-by-step instructions.  Since this was Open Studio, the instructors were unable to give detailed instructions, but they visited each table and did their best to help every artist achieve the desired look on his or her canvas. 

TIPS:

• Paint the background first.
• Add a little water to the paint on your palette.  The water thins the paint which improves coverage (important when you're painting the entire canvas one color!) 
• You can not make a mistake when you're painting.  An unintentional stroke or a color that is not quite the shade you imagined only adds to the beauty of your unique piece.

We had a blast at Cheers to Art!  As we were leaving, my girls asked when they could come back again.  I bet I know how they'll be using some of the money they received for Christmas! 

I encourage you to grab someone special or gather a group of friends and schedule a session at Cheers to Art.  This would also be a great way for Girl Scout troops to use some of the money they earn during the Cookie Sale.  You won't be disappointed!

Free Junior Chef Classes at Williams-Sonoma

While shopping at the mall for my daughter's birthday gift, I noticed a large sign near the doors to Williams-Sonoma.  They were advertising their upcoming cooking classes.  My eye was immediately drawn to the listing for FREE Junior Chef classes for kids ages 5 to 13!  

Class size is limited (in this case to 15), but thankfully I was able to secure the final spots for the Thanksgiving Helper: Soups and Mini Desserts session that was scheduled to take place on Halloween morning.  In fact, there was room for only one of my children, but the store employee told me they could probably squeeze my other daughter in because they didn't want to have to turn away one in the pair.  This was confirmed when I called the store to confirm our spots a couple days prior to the event.  They told me someone had canceled, so both of my daughters had a place at the table.  However, this employee also told me they would have accommodated the second child even if there had not been a cancellation.  While I would not have expected it, I did appreciate their willingness to accommodate our family.

When I called the store to confirm, I asked if our girls should bring anything or wear anything special.  I was told that a mixer would be used, so the kids could possibly get splashed--just wear something that can be thrown in the laundry.  This is important.  Stay with me...

We attended the class at the Williams-Sonoma at the Kenwood Towne Center is Cincinnati.  We arrived about five minutes early.  The 45-minute events at this store begin at 9:30am, but it should be noted that other stores don't start until 10am.  The employees could be seen preparing for the class, but they did not open the doors until 9:30am.  

The class participants were asked to wash their hands before finding a place to stand at a table that was set up behind the registers.  There were name tags and a couple of pieces of Halloween candy on each plate.  I wasn't sure if I was to stay, browse around, or head out of the store.  I followed the lead of the other parents, and we all ended up hanging out behind the kids' table.

The instructor welcomed us and because it was Halloween, she reviewed trick-or-treat safety rules with the kids.  She explained that she had made the butternut squash soup the previous evening because there was a lot of chopping and not enough time to do it during the class.  The kids would be making mini pumpkin pies during their time together.

When the class began, I immediately recognized that my girls were going to be disappointed with this "class."  They frequently help in the kitchen with meal preparation, and they are quite comfortable in the kitchen for kids who are only 9 and 10 years old.  To be honest, this "class" was actually a glorified commercial.  And I mean that with all due respect.  I realize that other children don't have (or want) the opportunity to help in the kitchen at home, and this is probably perfect for them.  I kept reminding myself that we were attending a free class in a store.  Of course, Williams-Sonoma wanted us to buy the products being used in the demonstration.  (And they did offer us a 10% discount).  However, after reading the description of the class and having the conversation with the store employee about the mixer, I had great expectations for the experience.  It just so happened that the reality was quite different.  My older daughter summed it up by saying, "That was a lot of listening and waiting."  She was exactly right.  But let me give you a sneak peek in case you are interested in experiencing the program for yourself.

Each child had a chance to cut a circle of pie crust out of refrigerated pie crust with a circle cutter.  They used a wooden juicer to tuck the piece of dough into a mini muffin tin.  The instructor did a great job making sure each child got to do a job--cracking eggs, pouring pumpkin pie starter into a bowl, and stirring ingredients together.

While the pies were baking, the kids and parents had a chance to taste a sample of butternut squash soup.  The instructor also explained and demonstrated how to make real whipped cream that they'd use to top their mini pies.  As they waited for the pies to finish in the oven, the instructor asked each child what they were going to be for Halloween, and each child shared his or her favorite candy.  Kids devoured the sweet treat, and parents were eager to enjoy a sample as well.

Prior to our arrival, I was contemplating the idea of registering my girls for another class.  I have since reconsidered.  That being said, there were a couple of kids who had attended classes in the past.  This may be a good opportunity for others which is why I chose to write this post.  By attending a Junior Chef class at Williams-Sonoma, Girl Scouts could potentially satisfy a step or two for the Juniors Simple Meals badge or the Brownies Snacks badge.  

Our next Girl Scout event is coming up in mid-November.  I invite you to check back with us soon!

Glass Blowing

As our girls have gotten older, they have become involved in other extracurricular activities that demand a greater amount of their time than has been required in past years.  As we prepared for this year, we discovered some changes needed to be made to our schedule to retain the membership of our co-leaders and girls.  Instead of meeting twice a month as we have in previous years, we decided to schedule one activity a month this year.  These events will generally occur outside our typical meeting space.  Our sights were set on glassblowing in October.
 
Last week, our troop spent some time at Neusole Glassworks in Cincinnati.  We were scheduled for a two-hour hands-on demonstration.  Various classes and events are offered at the studio each month, and participants are required to be at least five years old.  Private hands-on demonstrations may be scheduled for groups of five or more participants.  We decided on the $15 (+ tax) hands-on demonstration that allowed each participant to make a flower.

It was quite easy to schedule a date and time with Neusole Glassworks, but it should be noted that I contacted them more than a month in advance.  I was able to speak with someone over the phone each time I called, and they corresponded via email rather quickly regarding questions I had about our appointment. I was given the option to pay in advance or upon our arrival.  They sent me an email with a link to their medical liability waivers so the families could sign the waiver prior to our event.  They also included a list of instructions to consider before the event:

• wear 100% cotton and jeans (no spandex, polyester)
• since it is really hot in the studio, a t-shirt is recommended
• shorts or capris must be at least knee-length
• wear gym shoes
• long hair must be pulled back

When we arrived at Neusole Glassworks, we were greeted by Josh, one of the studio artists.  After collecting the liability waivers, we headed to the back of the studio where we met another artist named Josh.  As they described the process and tools they were using, they demonstrated the art of glassblowing by making a pumpkin.

We were given specific instructions to prevent being burned during the process.  I will refrain from describing the steps in the process--this is an art that simply need to be experienced.  These pictures have been included so readers can gain an appreciation of the experience and can formulate expectations of the visit.  

We were amazed to learn the temperature of the glass reaches 2000 degrees.  They are not kidding when they tell you the back room is hot!  Finished pieces are put in a "cool" oven that sits around 900 degrees.  This allows the temperature of the glass to decrease slowly, about 80 degrees every hour, to avoid cracking.  For this reason, finished pieces are available a week after they are made.  

While our event was scheduled for two hours, we were finished in about an hour.  Eleven participants had the opportunity to make a flower.  Since we had extra time before the girls were expected to be dropped off at home, we treated them to some ice cream.  What a sweet end to a great evening!

When I arrived at the studio to pick up our art, the flowers were labeled and individually wrapped in newspaper.  I didn't have to wait long at all as someone retrieved the flowers for me.  They even included the flower made during the demonstration!  These flowers are so beautiful.  So unique.  Just like the girls who made them!  

Many of our girls had enjoyed the evening so much, they grabbed handouts listing class descriptions and pricing in the hopes they could return with their families.  I would definitely return to the studio for another hands-on demonstration, and I would even be interested in registering for a class.  The hands-on demonstration makes for the perfect team-building event, an interesting activity for a birthday party, and a fun holiday party for coworkers, family, and friends.

Next month we are heading to Drake Planetarium where our Brownies will earn the Inventor and Home Scientist badges.  Hope you will check back soon!  Thank you for reading.