On our way to Kartchner Caverns we saw this truck driving down the freeway. We just had to have picture of it. Too funny.
It's been a while
13 years ago
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The main event
The whole reason for our trip last weekend was our tour of Kartchner Caverns. This has got to be the most amazingly beautiful place I have ever been. The pictures that I found on the internet don't do it any justice. Its something that you have to see to truly appreciate. The kids were a little afraid at times but overall they did really good on our 1/2 mile tour of the caverns. They are extremely strict there and we were a little concerned since Phedora is in a real rebellious stage right now. Pretty much anything that she knows she isn't to do she does. But she did really really good. These are pictures that I found on the internet, you aren't allowed to bring anything into the caves with you. Inside the caves it was about 72 degrees and 100% humidity. It felt freezing cold when walked back outside again.
This was taken in the Rotunda Room. We started our tour in here.
Also in the Rotunda.
More stalactites and the mud flats.
Don't they look like carrots?
After our tour we headed to the gift shop and then took a little road trip down to Tombstone for dinner. I have to say Tombstone was not at all what we expected. Its really a commercialized tourist attraction. But we can now say we have been to Tombstone.
This was taken in the Rotunda Room. We started our tour in here.These are stalactites out over the mud flats.
Also in the Rotunda.
More stalactites and the mud flats.
Don't they look like carrots?
After our tour we headed to the gift shop and then took a little road trip down to Tombstone for dinner. I have to say Tombstone was not at all what we expected. Its really a commercialized tourist attraction. But we can now say we have been to Tombstone.
<
Putt Putt Golf
Next door to Trail Dust Town there is a family fun center type place. On our way I saw that they had mini golf so we thought it would be fun to take the kids. We all had a good time but we will wait at least another year or two before attempting this again. They are just a little too young still.
They have their putters and are ready to go.
Phedora learning how to putt.
Hayden trying to get the ball in the hole.
They have their putters and are ready to go.
Phedora learning how to putt.
Hayden trying to get the ball in the hole.It was a long 18 holes I will tell you that much. But well worth it. Phedora would eventually get mad that the ball wouldn't go in the hole so she would go pick it up and drop it in. Hayden never gave up though and eventually got the ball in the hole.
Trail Dust Town, Tucson, AZ
After checking into our hotel and taking a little break we headed over to Trail Dust Town for dinner and entertainment. For those of you that have been to Country Village in Bothell its kind of like that. Same type of atmosphere.
Phedora taking time out for a horse ride. She loved it.
Hayden's turn.
You are going to jail! Get in there already.
Uh Oh, they both ended up in jail!
Take my picture!
Rifle shooting. We found the boxes for the kids to stand on a few minutes too late :(
Dinner at Pinnacle Peak Restaurant "Home of the Cowboy Steak"
Phedora taking time out for a horse ride. She loved it.
Hayden's turn.
You are going to jail! Get in there already.
Uh Oh, they both ended up in jail!
Take my picture!
Rifle shooting. We found the boxes for the kids to stand on a few minutes too late :(
Dinner at Pinnacle Peak Restaurant "Home of the Cowboy Steak" This place was supposed to be really good. They supposedly cook their steaks over an open flame hickory wood fire. Neither of us noticed any difference. While it was good it wasn't great. Needless to say, Dan makes a really good steak and we must be really spoiled :)
We had to go on the Merry Go Round.
Sorry I should have changed over to night view.
No trip would be complete without ice cream and a train ride around town.
Phedora and I got front row seats.
Aww, the sweat smell of cash.
We had to go on the Merry Go Round.They had a 1920's carousel. It was kind of scary to ride on.
It was really creaky and felt like it was going to fall apart.
Sorry I should have changed over to night view.
No trip would be complete without ice cream and a train ride around town.
Phedora and I got front row seats.
Aww, the sweat smell of cash.Getting ready to go gold panning.
They both found two gold nuggets!
T-Rex Museum err..store, Tucson, Az
Last weekend we went to the T-Rex Museum in Tucson. I found it a few months ago while searching for fun things to do. I got really excited when I found it since the kids, especially Hayden has been really into dinosaurs lately. The website told us of all the great fun we would have digging up fossils in the sand pit, playing in the water sluice, digging for real gems and even breaking open a real Geode. There was even a movie and popcorn and we got to keep everything we found. Sounds great and like a lot of fun, right? The whole experience is supposed to last about 2 hours.
Fast forward to Saturday afternoon and we get there to find not really a museum but rather a store operating under "museum". Everything in there was for sale and when I say everything I mean everything. It was a tiny little place in a strip mall. Anyway, we go in and they give us a little bag of popcorn and set us down to watch a 30 minute movie. It was about some guy and his search for dinosaurs. I don't know the name of the movie as they never told us that but, if I did know the name I wouldn't recommend it. After the movie the kids when to this raised sand box rectangle that was sectioned into 8 different sections. This is where they got to "dig" for fossils. They were given a little plastic cup and there was a little screen attached to the middle of the rectangle to "sift" out the little fossils.
While they were sifting Hayden asked our guide if these were real or if they came from the store. The lady at first said they were real and when Hayden continued to press her she told them that they bought them. So he concluded that they were not real fossils. They both came away with 5 claws? I guess that is what they were. After that we turned around and took about 2 steps over to play in the water sluice. This is "like panning for gold" Its a wooded square with a net on the bottom, it is then filled with sand and they can shake it back and forth in the water to find the treasures. They both found a dinosaur and a few little polished rocks. After that we took a tour of the store section, basically. She was telling the kids about the different dinosaurs but we were in the store area as everything she talked about was surrounded by for sale signs.
After that they went and dusted a big rock looking for another polished rock. Then they both tried to bread a Geode with a hammer. Neither one of them was strong enough though so daddy ended up doing them both. They shattered into piece and anything that we may have found in there was destroyed.
That was the end of our trip to the T-Rex museum. It was not 2 hours like they claimed it to be. We spent all of an hour there. Including the 30 minute movie. The kids had a good time but it was definitely not worth the money they were charging. Here are a few pics from while we were there.
Digging for "fossils"
In the water sluice
Hayden's little dinosaur.
Dusting for a polished rock
Phedora's polished rock
Fast forward to Saturday afternoon and we get there to find not really a museum but rather a store operating under "museum". Everything in there was for sale and when I say everything I mean everything. It was a tiny little place in a strip mall. Anyway, we go in and they give us a little bag of popcorn and set us down to watch a 30 minute movie. It was about some guy and his search for dinosaurs. I don't know the name of the movie as they never told us that but, if I did know the name I wouldn't recommend it. After the movie the kids when to this raised sand box rectangle that was sectioned into 8 different sections. This is where they got to "dig" for fossils. They were given a little plastic cup and there was a little screen attached to the middle of the rectangle to "sift" out the little fossils.
While they were sifting Hayden asked our guide if these were real or if they came from the store. The lady at first said they were real and when Hayden continued to press her she told them that they bought them. So he concluded that they were not real fossils. They both came away with 5 claws? I guess that is what they were. After that we turned around and took about 2 steps over to play in the water sluice. This is "like panning for gold" Its a wooded square with a net on the bottom, it is then filled with sand and they can shake it back and forth in the water to find the treasures. They both found a dinosaur and a few little polished rocks. After that we took a tour of the store section, basically. She was telling the kids about the different dinosaurs but we were in the store area as everything she talked about was surrounded by for sale signs.
After that they went and dusted a big rock looking for another polished rock. Then they both tried to bread a Geode with a hammer. Neither one of them was strong enough though so daddy ended up doing them both. They shattered into piece and anything that we may have found in there was destroyed.
That was the end of our trip to the T-Rex museum. It was not 2 hours like they claimed it to be. We spent all of an hour there. Including the 30 minute movie. The kids had a good time but it was definitely not worth the money they were charging. Here are a few pics from while we were there.
Digging for "fossils"
In the water sluice
Hayden's little dinosaur.
Dusting for a polished rock
Phedora's polished rockBubble Blast
January 14, 2009
Before school we headed over to the Tumbleweed Rec Center for Bubble Blast. It was an hour of playing with bubbles. However, after about 15 minutes the kids were ready to go. So we walked over to Tumbleweed park to play for a little while and have some lunch before school.
Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere!
Trying to get a big bubble.
Trying to rip off her wrist band.
Before school we headed over to the Tumbleweed Rec Center for Bubble Blast. It was an hour of playing with bubbles. However, after about 15 minutes the kids were ready to go. So we walked over to Tumbleweed park to play for a little while and have some lunch before school.
Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere!
Trying to get a big bubble.
Trying to rip off her wrist band.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
