Discovering the Gorge

Our fun vacation adventures began on the first day.  We met up with Ruth and Dana at the Columbia River Gorge Discovery Museum.

The center was a lot bigger than I thought it would be.  The kids thought it was fun and it was informative also.

The view from outside.  The gorge is so beautiful.

This was an old canoe right in the front of the museum.

We saw an exhibit about the many travelers and explorers that came west.  It would have been such a hard journey.  I hope the kids appreciate how much easier our life is now and feel more grateful.  I know I do.

There were lots of little areas that had activities for kids.  Adam and Gideon work on a puzzle.

This lady came and spoke about raptors and showed us two beautiful birds. 

There was a play room at the end of the center that we used quite extensively.  Here you have to try to balance cargo on a boat.  I think the boat was a little off center, but maybe it was just me.

The kids put on costumes and we got a family picture.

And a cousin picture.

I am glad we took the time to stop here.  Thanks for the fun idea Dana.  More pictures from our fun vacation soon.

Girls Camp

I serve in the Young Women's presidency in my ward so I had the amazing opportunity to go to girls camp at the end of July.

In this stake all the wards stay together.  It was different than how I grew up where all the girls would be mixed together and you had no idea who would be your tent mates.  It was nice for me because then I could be with all my young women.  We are the biggest ward in the stake.

Our ward girls were the Neverland fairies.  Every ward had to be a little cartoon group - like the Minions and the Trolls. So here some of the girls spread glitter (fairy dust) secretly on another ward's camp site.  There was a lot of laughing as they threw glitter in the air.

There were a couple of different service projects for the girls to do.  This one was making baby blankets.

Every morning and evening we gathered together for songs and devotionals.  It is hard to tell with this picture but it is all the bishops (who had come for testimony meeting one night) singing and performing the Jelly Fish song.

I learned how to play this nine square game.  I wasn't very good at it but the girls were easy on me.  I also got a chance to prove my lack of skill at volleyball one afternoon.  It was fun to have casual time with my young women. 

I went on a hike with my second year girls.  The first twenty minutes felt about straight up.  All my "hikes" on a treadmill at the gym did not really compare.  But the view was definitely more beautiful outside.  There were so many glorious trees to see.

I also went on a nature walk with my first year girls.  We saw this all white plant.  It is a plant with no chlorophyll, not a mushroom.  I thought it was cool looking. 

And we saw these trees called the Three Sisters.  They are three different kinds of trees but they all link up as they get taller, kind of hard to see.  They lean on each other and support each other. 

The theme for camp was to be Princess Warriors for Christ.  We had this great theme song called 'Strong' which I recommend everyone hear.  We talked a lot about putting on the armor of God as we go through our trials and how to be warriors in this world. I loved the theme and taught it to my girls for FHE when I got home.

I missed my family while I was gone, but I am grateful I went.  Girls Camp was as fun and as spiritual as I remembered from when I was a youth.

Funfest and Rocks

There have been a couple of fun events in Hermiston.  We went to Funfest like we always do.  The kids have such a good time.

It was hot.  Will was a good boy scout and was prepared with a spray bottle of water to squirt at us at random times.

The girls liked playing the carnival games.

Adam shows off his "face" paint.  I knew he would not hold still enough to make a good painting on his face so we figured a hand paint of a dinosaur would be good.

We all listened to the brass band for about thirty minutes.  They are really good.

There were a couple of new things this year.  One was the bathtub race.  Don't ask. It was weird.

And Santa came.  I have no idea why he was there.  I guess Christmas in July is popular in some places.  The kids just wanted candy canes.  So it was a fun day.

As part of the summer reading program the library had a lady come from the university and present a rock show.  She taught all about rocks and where they came from and how they change.  Then there were some fun things for the kids to do.  Whitney and Rachel look at fossils in rocks.

Seeing how rock formations change you could blow air on the sand or drop water on a sugar cube.  I thought it was interesting.

This was to see the effects of an earthquake.  This was probably everyone's favorite.  Adam did not want to leave when the event was over because he loved building with the blocks and then seeing them topple over.

Megan makes her own layers of "rock".  It was a good event.  The kids had fun and it was informative without being boring.

All this fun leads to a tired baby.  I think Hannah can fall asleep anywhere.  Such a cutie.

Fourth of July

We had a good holiday.  I found a cute craft that is easy for kids to do a couple of days before the Fourth.

It just takes glue and glitter and you can make little fireworks.  The kids liked picking their glitter colors.

Some of us, I won't name any names, enjoyed the glitter too much.

I found this treat idea on pinterest and it was sinfully yummy.  It is just melted almond bark with pretzels, peanuts, and patriotic MnMs.  So good.

Here we are in Pasco the night before Fourth of July.  My parents bought some fireworks for us to light.

The girls loved playing with the sparklers, Adam not so much.

And the traditional breakfast with all the neighbors.  The food was great and there were lots of people.

Then we hurried off to the parade.  The kids were ready to get some candy.  We got a fair amount.

Hannah and Grandpa watching the parade.

It was a good Fourth of July.  We had fun with our family and friends.  Happy Birthday America!

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

I have not done a lot of big outdoor things this summer.  It is harder with a baby who needs warm bottles every two hours.  But we have tried to do a little.

This is us enjoying a delicious lunch with my family at Mcnary beach.  My dad barbecued some hot dogs and hamburgers and we brought some strawberries and cookies.

The water was really cold but that didn't stop the kids.

There ended up being a splashing water fight but I didn't get any pictures.  Next time I will bring my suit so I can go in the water too.

Adam didn't want to go in but he had a blast playing with the sand.

All of us hiding from the sand dragon.  It was a really fun day outside.

This was our ward campout.  Hannah watches her dad and another man from our ward setting up the big tent.

The kids had fun playing in the big field.

And s'mores taste so much better over a fire, rather than the microwave we use sometimes.

Getting ready for bed.  We brought lots of blankets so I think everyone stayed warm enough.  I was mostly worried about Hannah being warm enough but she did fine.

And the next morning there were breakfast burritos to enjoy. 

It has been fun spending time outside with the nice weather we are having.