Niagara Falls

Watch out Canada here comes the Gjerde kids!

It's no secret I love adventure and new experiences.  I love taking my family on little vacations to experience something new.  This year I talked Olav into taking a road trip with our camper.  Destination, Niagara Falls!  It was a long drive up but with a little bribery for good behavior, the kids did very well.  Together we explored Niagara Falls on both the American and Canadian sides.

The view from the rainbow bridge

Family Shot on Rainbow Bridge

Horseshoe Falls, Canada

 One of my favorite things was walking across the rainbow bridge into Canada and Lily doing the splits across the countries borders!

We also went on the iconic Maid of the Midst.  Lily really enjoyed it! 

She also wanted to see the Niagara Falls movie, so we went to the one on the Canadian side that I think I may have seen when I was a young child in Niagara Falls.  We also did a little bit of hiking and tried to find a swimming beach, but because of the rising Lake Ontario swimming beaches in good condition were not to be found.  I think they enjoyed it, but honestly, I think given their druthers they would probably be content just to sit at the campsite and watch their kindles.  Hopefully one day they will appreciate all the cool experiences I give them!

At the bottom of the Niagara River Gorge

Hiking into the Niagara River Gorge

In other news, it's hard to believe that as I write my 11 year daughter is in the bathroom trying to use a tampon.  So young!  She has a swim party tomorrow night with the youth group and I know she really wants to go!  I am praying hard that she will be successful.  Maybe not having too much pre-knowledge will work in her favor!...UPDATE:  Within 3 attempts she has done it!  Yay, Lily!!!!

Also Lily has been begging for contact lenses.  She hates wearing her glasses and every day is a battle to get her to wear them!  So we have an appointment right before school starts to see if she can handle them.

She is in such a push/pull cycle with me.  Sometimes she pushes me away and wants to be independent of me and my governance and other times she is clinging to me like an octopus literally.  I guess that's adolescence for you!  Sometimes I have to restrain myself, I feel like I am literally pulling my fingers back off her little by little.  Parenting her is definitely a learning curve!