A Day with Bria and Cali!

The girls slept well and came to our bed at 7.  It was a rather crazy morning trying to shower, pack lunches for 4, and make a pancake breakfast.  With the large slide still not workable Waldo is really crowded for 4.  The girls did well and by 9:30 the 4 of us left for McDowell Mountain Regional Park, where we stopped at the Visitors Center.  The Ranger gave the girls little booklets with a few activities they could complete while hiking the North Trail so they could become Jr. Rangers!

Ken and I were excited to take them on their 1st hike with us, complete with poles, and allow them to experience the desert and the many varieties of cacti. 

Bria and Cali are ready for their 1st hike with PaPa and Grandma! 

Some large, old saguaro cacti!

We are definitely in the desert!

Let's imitate the arms of the cactus!

Studying the booklet and trying to find answers to the questions!

The girls made marks on the trail with their hiking poles just
in case we got lost on our return!

This cactus appears to be having a problem!

This saguaro has so many arms.  It must
be several hundred years old!

The happy hikers!

They did a great job and when we returned to the Visitors Center after eating our packed lunches, they were "sworn in" as Jr. Rangers and got their badges!

Finishing up the "workbook" before returning to the
Visitors Center!

Ranger Bonnie had the girls read the pledge of the Jr.
Ranger with her!

They got their batches and became Jr. Rangers.

This is the wooden inside of a dead Saguaro
Cactus!

From there we drove to Cosanti Originals so they could see where they make the special bells like the one we had bought.  We allowed them to pick a bell for themselves and for Samantha and Katelyn.  We hope it will be a good memory for them for years to come of their experiences in Arizona!

A rather unusual building!

So many beautiful and unique bells!

Cali had fun walking around the "bones"!

We got back to Jamie and Dane's rental home around 2:45 and at 3 Ernie and Noela joined the festivities.  Steven and Sara, friends of Jamie and Dane's were there also.  We had a nice time visiting and then Ken, Ernie, Neola and I walked the 2 miles to the Ironman area for the opening ceremonies.  The rest of the group drove and we met them there.  Afterwards, the 4 of us walked back to the house and enjoyed pizza and salad with the "gang".  We were back to Waldo by 9:30 and went right to bed.