D.C. Trip - Day 2

Mining for buried treasure was a big hit with the kids. We started by sluicing on the sluiceway. Basically, that means we got a bucket of dirt, dumped it into a sifter of sorts, and then put that sifter into a trough containing running water. They gave us a small garden shovel and a big grooming brush to help us with our task of sorting through the dirt to find our precious stones. We found beautiful stones. Whether they were precious, semi-precious, or duds, the kids valued everyone of them as unique and valuable finds.
After sluicing, shovel and bucket in hand, we headed off into the forest to dig for ourselves. We hiked to the designated digging spot, realizing on the way that Florida has done us no favors with low elevation and flat terrain. We are definitely out of hiking shape.
We filled our 25 gallon bucket and then realized that carrying it back was going to present a problem. There was only a thin metal handle that cut into fingers when carried due to the weight. My husband, being the boy scout that he is, figured out that if we used a stick threaded though the handle of the bucket that two people working together could carry the bucket with ease.
We dragged our bucket back to the sluice way and sifted our way through the mud. There were a few finds, but we honestly had more luck with Emerald Hollow Mine's prefilled containers. By this point, we were all covered in North Carolina clay, so the next mining technique, creeking, was a welcome one.
We gathered the kids, a small shovel, and a sifter and headed to the creek. It took about two minutes for the kids to have their shoes off, pants rolled, and be waist deep in the water. It is true that rolling up the pants had absolutely no effect when it came to keeping clothes dry. We eventually stripped the 2 year old down to the diaper and let her splash free in the "pool." The creek bed did offer up some good finds, but by this point the only ones looking any more were my husband and I.It took some time to gather everyone to the car, replace wet clothes with dry, and start on the road again. But it took no time at all for the moaning and groaning of hungry munchkins to start. We found the closest McDonald's with a playground we could. The kids fill themselves up, ran themselves down, and quickly fell asleep in the car. Oh, the joy of peace and quiet.
One nap later, the kids found themselves at a cute little farm filled with a lot of love and attention, not to mention dogs, kittens, horses, and plenty of room to run.We enjoyed a fabulous home cooked meal with family. Afterward, the kids took some time to explore inside and out, walkie talkies in hand, while my husband and I sat back and chit chatted. By the time the kids headed to bed, they had decided that we should just spend our whole vacation in Tobaccoville, NC.