Adventures at Science Camp

The 5th graders at Kaitlyn's school are a lucky bunch of kids. They get to go to science camp. Many schools in the valley to not get to have this awesome experience. I was one of the lucky parents that won the "drawing" to come to science camp as a chaperone. I was truly honored and looked forward to having a fun few days with my sweet daughter and her classmates, learning and enjoying the great outdoors together.

Wednesday May 12, 2010

Me and Kaitlyn aboard the fancy charter bus for our 2.5 hour journey to Tonto Rim Christian Camp.

had to get pics of "my girls" too....oh and Stan Roberts too! Gotta Love Stan...he gets to go with his son Parker and is a chaperone for the boys. These girls are in my cabin and there is Mrs. Graham too...my chaperone companion :) We are looking forward to a good time :)

First stop of our adventure is the Tonto Rim Fish Hatchery and heavens almighty the place REEKED like rotten fish poop....not joking!!! The buses drop us off and we hiked up the hill to the fish tanks and the wind is blowing that rotten smell up our nostrails...then they say..." ok everyone, time for lunch." we were hungry but that horrid smell made many of us sick and it was difficult to hold down our PBJ sandwiches. We learned all about fish and that the native Az fish is the Apache Trout....see educational experiences here we come!

The kids all had the chance to feed the trout. 

Gathered up "MY GIRLS" for the first group photo of our 2.5 days together...many looked thrilled hu?? boy oh boy, do these girls know I LOVE TO TAKE PICTURES.... They quickly found out and I LOVED every minute of it :)..... SMILE!!!

Time to get our HIKE ON!!! It was a little over a mile "nature stroll" I'd like to call it to the camp. We were to "hike" in a single file. It was safer that way :) We kept our eyes peeled for poison ivy and we came upon a cute little Horney Toad. 

Ahhh, Mama Zito and Kaitlyn.... loving the great outdoor together!

( "my girls" decided to call me MAMA ZITO on this trip... I thought it was perfect! Although, when they would call me, they had to say Mama Zito several times before it clicked they were talking to me :) hee hee!

We stopped for a 1 hour fishing break.... the kids got to use an old fashioned fishing pole... a wooden dowel with fishing line tied on and a hook. They had "fresh bait"...a.k.a...worms to lure the little fishies. Kaitlyn was a brave soul and hooked her own bait. I knew her dad would be proud.

Ready to fish!

Kaitlyn tried out several different spots to try her luck at fishing.

The creek was a TAD crowded... only 120 5th graders fishing 1 inch from each other as far as you could see. I had the opportunity to untangle many many many fishing poles in our short fishing time together. I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched these kids try to fish. The teacher says every year for the past decade she has been to science camp, a GIRL is the only lucky person to catch a fish and right when I was talking to her about this.... like it was on cue.... a GIRL did catch a fish and it was pretty wild. This girl I think caught this same hungry fish twice and got away each time.. I saw it.  Leonard would refer to this fish as "DORK" fish... 

Anyway, luckily we did not have any kid fall in the creek or hook another student or me for that fact with their pole... I'd say it was a SUCCESSFUL Fishing Experience!

As we were hiking, we came to the part in the trail where we need to cross over the creek. We have had som much snowfall this winter that the creek was running higher than normal. We would have all had wet soggy feet if it weren't for these dad's lunging us over the creek. THANK YOU!!!! My only pair of shoes thank you! :) I am sure their arms were tired by the end of it and their feet were freezing! thanks again! :)

We made it to the camp and we gathered up our luggage and took the uphill journey to our cabin.

 ~ GRAZIANO ~

Everyone picked a bunk, and I was there to document every move ;) hee hee hee!

The Evening activity was SCIENCE CAMP OLYMPICS!!!

 Relay races competing against other cabin teams. Our group was a smaller group 8 girls & 2 adults. The teachers thought it would be amusing to have the parent chaperone compete too... OH JOY!!! So Mrs. Graham and I got to join in the fun. The first race was called Beanbag Pass Relay. We lost by a hair...RATS!!! It was fun to watch!

*do you see all the specks on these pictures??? They BUG... it turns out they are dust specks flying around. The kids were running and stomping so much it kicked up a huge hazy dust storm in the memorial hall. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me...but it was very dusty. I suggest they get an ORECK vaccuum and use it regularly and it should help this problem :)

Me and Kaitlyn in racing action...thanks to good ol Stan! :) This event was called ALL UP, ALL DOWN RELAY.We stood in a line and took turns running down and knocking down a bowling pin and run back to the line, then the next person had to run down and pick it back up and kept this pattern going till all players went and the first team to finish & sit down wins.... I must BRAG and say Team Graziano kicked some serious tail :) We won our match and then won the CHAMPIONSHIP round too!  

Can I get a WOOT WOOT!!

My team also won 2 rounds of the Carry and fetch relay. Same idea as this game but we had a bean bag we had to drop and pick up... I got to compete in this relay too.

The next event we competed in was called the Kangaroo Relay. ( This Mama Zito is started to feel a little worn down, after 3 challenges is a row...but I don't give up and WE WILL WIN if i can help it ;)

The object of this relay is to squeeze a ball between your knees and hop down the course and tag your team mate. It was tough but FUN!!! Lucky for Kaitlyn and I, Stan also took some video of the action. Check it out!!!

Mama Zito Vs. some random 5th grader girl in the Kangaroo Relay... Will she biff it? watch it and see :)

Kaitlyn finds a new technique to flap her way to the finish!!! GO KAITLYN GO!!!

I HAVE to brag again and say Team Graziano won the Kangaroo Relay and took the title at the championship round as well! WOW WE ROCK!!! 

Thursday May 13, 2010

Good Morning Sunshine!!! The routine at meal time is to stand in a straight, quiet line at your cabin name on the log poles. Teachers choose the who eats first and so on according to your quietness. Our girls were AWESOME and were picked first most of the meal... that makes a MAMA proud. 

CARPET BALL!!!

The game of choice at science camp. Between meal time & class times the kids would gather around this game. It reminds me of a mix of pool, &  shuffle board. I was always surprised to see tons of kids hoovering around here and having a blast too. 

Time for classes. well this IS school afterall :)

Our first class was Fossil Studies and we each got to dig around in the shale rock on the side of the road and we actually found some shell fossils. It was pretty cool.

Next up... Stream Studies.

Kaitlyn really liked this class. They got to scoop out critters and bugs that live in streams  and examine them. She was a little grossed out just how many bugs live in a stream. "EWWWWW! I don't ever want to swim in there! That is SICK"  it is gross i guess but they have a purpose :)

We tried experienced ORIENTEERING. and we HATED it! It is Hard and the course was messed up. I am for sure our compass HAD to be broken. :) There is NO WAY I would get us lost. hee hee! We just ended up wandering around and thankfully I had the answer key...so all was not lost. We were happy to move on to the next class.

We were excited about ARCHERY!!!

I even got to give it a try. It isn't as easy as it looks and i managed to bruise the inside of my arm...dang double jointed elbows of mine! Kaitlyn got to try out the left handed bow and she was pretty dang good!

Hooray for Bows & Arrows!

SKIT TIME!!! Yee haw... My Favorite!!!

Each cabin had to make up a 3-5 minute skit. We brainstormed with our girls the first day of camp and decided on a skit that i saw before years ago. We revamped it and it was cute!  It revolved around GUM! One of my favorite things ever :) The girls had fun and worked hard.

The name of our skit is called...

BUBBLICOUS ABC Gum

I took some video of the skit but DARN IT... missed the first line or two... so let me Set up the missing shot for you.

Kaitlyn is sitting down Chewing "invisible" Gum loudly and sloppily. She says... " WoW, I LOVE Science Camp. It is SOOOO FUN. And I LOVE this gum. It makes camp even better. Ohhh, it's Watermelon my FAVORITE. and then she remembers a Camp rule....NO GUM ALLOWED....

now proceed and watch the skit :)

See wasn't that cute! I thought so, we were MAD the teacher messed it up a bit...what was he thinking trying to boot us off the stage??? We are NOT done buddy!  :) My girls thought our skit was the best and I'd have to agree. Although, Stan's boys skit was pretty impressive. I would give them 2nd place :)

Friday May 14, 2010

It's the last morning of camp. We all get to wear matching camp t-shirts. SWEETNESS!!! 

Kaitlyn and I saying goodbye to our cabin Graziano... You were good to us! I am sooooo looking forward to my soft suggly bed and my own personal space again though! :)

Hey did I ever tell you I went to this exact same science camp when I was a 6th grader??? crazy hu. I stayed in the Anthony Cabin and my experience was really not the best. I had just got my cast removed from a broken arm I had. So, it was feeling weak and wobbly. I fell on that arm on the hike and thought I re-broke it. My best friend, who was my cabin mate decided that she hated me on this trip and the cabin mom decided she didn't like me either as i accidently used her towel to dry my face and she SLAPPED me across the face...not joking!  Science camp was a disaster for me and I was SOOOO happy I could be there with my Kaitlyn and protect her from rotten friends and Slap happy moms! Kaitlyn did get injured though... she peeled the layers of her skin on her knee weeks ago and had re - injured it 3 times... same knee too. Crazy girl. But at least I was there to bandage her up and let her know I love her! 

And I am pretty sure Kaitlyn's Science Camp experience was more delightful and fun than my train wreck experience. 

Our favorite class on the last day was when Liberty Wildlife Bird rescue ladies came to talk to us and show us some amazing birds of prey that were injured and now help teach kids to take care of wildlife around us. We learned a LOT in these 2 short days. 

One last shot of Team Graziano!!! It's a happy bunch don't u think? LOL!!! 

We really did have fun and I look forward to coming to camp again in a couple years with my next 5th grader. 

On the Bus!!! 

Homeward Bound!!!!

Science camp you were great. Good times, great memories and on tired Mama Zito!