Buffalo State Park and 4-H Fun!

Last week we went to Buffalo State Park again for some hiking with the dogs. We walked about 2 miles trying to find the bridge that crosses Buffalo River and turns into a path through the prairie. I was DYING To find that bridge so I would know where to run through the prairie to cross into the state park! (The south side of the park is the Blue Stem prairie, and our house is less than two miles from the Blue Stem trailhead).  

Luckily Sophia LOVED trying to find the elusive bridge along the beautiful trails through the woods

FOUND IT! I did my first run from my house, through the prairie, across the bridge, around the park, and back again this last Sunday. Just a bit over 10 miles and a total slice of heaven!  

Buffalo River 

Sophia running with Charlie 

A deer watching us! 

Sophia LOVES the signs along the interpretive trails in the park. We have to stop and read every single one. Which the mosquitoes also love.  

We love the random rocks deposited in the prairie by ancient glaciers. :) (I learned about that from one of the signs!) Haha 

The horses happily helped clean out the truck after Travis finished unloading the alfalfa.

4-H meeting on the 6th to make plans for the parade on the 10th during "Glyndon Daze!" 

Sophia's 4-H "office" is historian, which means she (I) get to be in charge of photographing and scrapbooking. Sophia loves this job! She tooks the above pic.

Sophia was in charge of the meeting activity this time. She led the club in "freeze dance" and pin the tail on the donkey.

Miles engaging in some Freeze Dance. He did more dancing than freezing!

We were excited to have a surprise visit from our old friends Chris and Jindallay and their 3 kids! Sophia adored seeing Amelia and William, and you would never guess that they hadn't seen each other in over a year.

Glyndon Daze! This was Thursday the 8th. There was a community picnic, and Sophia had a blast with Lily! Watching Sophia climb up the swingset reminded me of myself, of course. She is just as wily and monkey-ish as I was!

This was a dog show during the picnic. The pic doesn't really demonstrate the awesome way that Kaia sat perfectly still next to her sis and watched the whole show. She is like a little human! :)

Goof-ball! Sophia loves to make hats out of washcloths. Kaia is her willing sidekick at all times.

Grandpa and Grandma stopped by on Friday the 9th!

Kaia's 2nd favorite food after daddy's pesto tortellini: daddy's pizza!!!

We were all in awe of this moth on the car, and spent way too much time looking at it. Isn't it beautiful?!

We drove to Joe and Mandy's since they live right where the parade starts. Pulling the wagon to the parade!

There were LOTS of horses in the parade and a few were trailored in, but most rode to the parade start from their homes, like this woman on her Arabian. It was fun driving to the parade start because we passed mules pulling a covered wagon, lots of western pleasure horses with cowboys, etc.

Kaia and Miles are the honorary 4-H babies! :)

We ran into my coworker, Bonnie, and an office volunteer, Jim.

Bonnie and Jim were marching with the Honor Guard at the head of the parade 

Our tiny crew! Lily (5), Sophia (5), Callie (6) and Ella (8). There is one older boy in the club, but he just started football so he has been MIA! We like our young, girly little group. :) 

We were handing out candy and little flyers advertising 4-H. Sophia did a great job handing out hundreds of flyers! It will be interesting to see how many people show up for the Sept meeting. This was the first time we really got the word out that there is a new 4-H club in Glyndon.

Me walking along with Sophia... we had to wear green t-shirts, so I wore my good old Lincoln T-ball shirt! Of course everyone assumed Lincoln, Nebraska. Oh well.

This photo just gets to me. Once in a while I feel like I'm catching a glimpse of grown-up Sophia. I can't describe the shivery feeling those glimpses give me.

The parade route ended at another park, where there were inflatable games, pony rides, barrel train rides, rock climbing, lots of food, a beer garden, etc. Fun fun fun and totally FREE (except for the food and beer)! 

Our "new" trailer! We picked this up on Saturday night. It's old. It's rusty. It needs work. It's OURS!

Travis riding Sunny off through the prairie in front of our house. We also picked up panels and made a small round pen, where Sophia is doing lots of work with Pepper the pony. Pics coming soon!