Thunder Bird Falls

For our FHE activity this week we went on a hike with some family friends to Thunder Bird Falls.  The hike was so peaceful and beautiful.  The hardest part of the whole hike was the rain outside. It really wasn't that bad until we got up to the falls where the trees no longer provided a canopy from the rain.  It only made us a little wet.  After the hike we went back to our friends house and had home made ice cream.  I sure do enjoy hiking and I can't wait to be able to push myself more and not have my foot pay for it for days afterwards. 

Bear Paw Festival

I wanted to experience all that The Bear Paw Festival has to offer that means that Ella, Tyler and I went to the teddy bear picnic.  The people who run bear paw gave out free food and had free activities for the kids to do.  There was some of those bouncy things set up.  This was a jousting one that was set up but, they just let the little kids bounce around in it.  Ella did want to put on the gear and give the jousting a try but, no one would try it with her.

Tyler and his friends did the boxing bounce house.

After they went and bounced for a while Ella and I stood in line for food and then registered her bear which she named "love bear" for the teddy bear parade.  They offered us hot dogs, cookies, and a capri sun for our lunch.  Ella said that the whole day was too cold for her.

The only activity that Ella would do was bounce on these bouncy balls.  There were other things but she wouldn't try them.

This is Ella walking around the parade route with her teddy bear.

Afterwards my friend Lindsay and her kids joined me and my kids walking around the concession stands.  Which was once again the perfect day to go.  We got some deep fried corn fritters with honey butter and some cotton candy to share.  It was tasty.

After all of that fun I went home with the kids.  Later that night I went out with Lindsay and Jessy.  We went out to eat, to the mall, to Burlington Coat Factory, and then to Fred Meyer.  Ahhh it is always nice to have a girl's night out!!!

The next morning the family and I went to watch the parade.  It wasn't too bad.  A little longer then I like.  The best part was that it was within walking distance of the house.  Then Natalie, Nichole and I walked around the concession stands.  It was a mad house.  It was so packed that it was hard to talk around.

We did get to see this performance group it was fun to watch them working with the cloth.  They were a really funny group too.

Bear Paw Carnival

At the beginning of the year we started a collection jar where everyone tried to go the extra mile at least once a day.  If they did they could put a quarter in a jar.  Then we would take that money and do something fun with it.  We took the money that we earned through out the beginning of the year and went to The Bear Paw Festival which is just the local small town fair that Eagle River put on here in July.  The kids each got to go on 4 rides and play 1 game. 

The ride that was ridden was The Ferris Wheel.  Natalie and Ella went on it together.  If you look closely you can see the top of Ella's head.

Then all for of the kids went on The Hang Glider.  Ella was not tall enough to go  but I talked to the guy running the ride and he let Ella go on it anyway.  I would of put one of the big kids in with her but, they were already locked in when the guys said that she could ride it.  So she went on one by herself.

 This picture is of Ella when she was still brave enough to wave at us.  By the next pass she looked terrified.  When she got off the ride she came running to us and wanted a hug.  She didn't like that ride very much.

The next ride the kids just went on went back and forth.  All of them enjoyed this ride although Ella looked like she was going to pee her pants and yelled "Stop the ride".  The faces she was pulling were priceless. 

Tyler then went on the bumper cars.  He kept running into the same girl over and over.

Nichole went on the spinning one that spins so hard that you are pushed into the side of the ride and it squishes you there.

The big girls then went on the magic carpet that would just go around and round as you faced outward.  Ella wanted to go on that ride but, we talked her out of it.  She probably would of cried.

 Then Ella and Nate went on the ferris wheel one that tips you inside the cage as it goes around.  She liked that ride.  Nate did say that she seemed nervous about the ride for a little bit.

 Tyler went on the hang glider ride again.  He liked that one the best.

The kids all got to play one game a piece (they were 5 bucks a game).  They all walked away with a cheap 1 dollar stuffed animal.
My favorite part of the day was watching and hearing Ella's reaction to the rides.  Nate and I would just laugh and laugh at her.
We went to the carnival at the perfect time because it wasn't busy at all and the people controlling the rides would let the kids go longer on the rides because there wasn't anybody waiting in line behind them.

Ella's photo shoot.

I was so inspired by my last photo shoot with a girl about Ella's age I wanted to go and see if I could recreate some of the same shots with Ella.  I also wanted to expand on the photo area and see what I could come up with.  I like the end result of Ella's shoot. Although I have to admit that some of the other shoot I like better.