MIMI’S CAMP

The kids came running into the house super excited about Mimi’s Camp. T-Shirts with their names on it were on the table, notebooks, a poster taped to the door and cowboy books strewn on a small table that leaned against the wall.

Mimi’s Camp was about to begin. 

I started Mimi’s Camp several years ago with the older kids. We studied rocks, cracked open geodes and collected rocks in egg cartons. We a couple of short videos on how volcanoes are formed and erupt. The grand finale was to build a volcano out of plaster Paris and fill the hole with baking soda and vinegar and watch it “erupt”.  I still laugh to this day!!!! I will never forget sweet little Naomi stepping back from the table when we added the baking soda to the vinegar thinking the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius was about to occur. Ha!!!!

Of course, the little sibs couldn’t wait for their turn. 

I racked my brain on what we could do that would be fun and a little educational. I scoured the internet and made multiple trips to the Half-Price Bookstore. The floor around my desk was covered with books and sticky notes. Finally, I decided on a bit of Texas history, cowboys, cattle drives and the oil gusher of 1901.

We did games, read a book by Lady Bird Johnson, ate a chuck wagon dinner, and decorated sugar cookies with a Texas theme. Of course, no study on cowboys is complete without a John Wayne movie. And last, but not least we rode the train to the Ft. Worth Stockyards. 

That was a hoot. Do you know how long it’s been since I rode the train??

First, we had to fight traffic and find parking downtown. Then we had to walk to Union Station, figure out which was the right train (didn’t want to end up in Louisiana) and then ride the bus to the stockyards. Oh, and not just any bus…it had to be the orange shuttle.  

I did have a few “what if’s” that crossed my mind. 

What if we get on the wrong train? What if my phone dies? What if…nope, we’re TEXANS and we’re up for this adventure. If John Wayne can take 9,000 cattle from Red River to Abilene, we can do this!!!! 

We did it.  

Though, I was so tempted to call my hubby on the way back and say, “Come and get us!!!!” 

But I didn’t. We made it home. Happy, exhausted and ready for bed. 
In my early years of being a Mimi I was bothered that so much of what we do will not be remembered. 

Then it dawned upon me, the foundation of a house is never seen. Yet, it is the important part of the house. For a house will not stand unless it has a good foundation and it is built on truth and the love of God!!!

As we are wrapping up summer, I pray that your home is filled with hugs, late-night talks and maybe a wild adventure or two.