Renaissance Faire

We enjoyed the Renaissance Faire so much last year, that we made sure to go again this year.  The first thing we watched was the Armored Combat League.  They used authentic weapons and armor and none of it was choreographed.  Both Camden and Ciera wanted to just stay and watch when we asked if they were ready to move on. 

Camden and Ciera both liked the activities they could participate in the best.  Their favorite again this year was the zip line.  I didn't take very many pictures of the different activities, because it was sprinkling on and off the whole time. 

 

The last thing we did was watch the joust.  It is full-contact professional jousting while wearing 130 pounds of steel armor.  One of the jousters has even won 9 world championships.  Before he jousted, he gave out a rose to a "fair lady."  Ciera was the lucky girl!  She was pretty excited about it.

Chocolate Exhibit

We visited the Chocolate Exhibit at the Natural History Museum.  It was interesting to learn about the history of chocolate and the process for making it.  After exploring this exhibit, we went to the chocolate tasting.  Nobody liked the chocolate nib (the inside of an actual chocolate bean), although it wasn't as bad or quite as bitter as I expected.  We all liked the other chocolate.  The one from Madagascar was my favorite.

After leaving the chocolate tasting room, we explored the rest of the museum.  The kids enjoyed the interactive exhibits the best.

The Aquarium

Both Camden and Ciera still love to visit The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.  Neither one of them have become tired of it yet.  When we told Ciera it was time to leave because it was closing, she said, "But it isn't over yet!"  We were in the shark tunnel, it was all lit up, and she could still see the sharks swimming around.  She didn't want to leave.

Swinging Bridge Hike

Camden's class is going on a field trip to Swinging Bridge for a hike in American Fork Canyon.  He was a little worried about how hard the hike would be and wanted to try it out beforehand.  We hiked it as a family and had a lot of fun being back in the mountains.  Camden is now excited for his field trip and said it was the easiest hike he has ever done.

Museum of Natural Curiosity

Out of the children's museums that we have visited, this is now our favorite.  We spent over two hours there and still didn't see all of it.  The kids had a blast and said they can't wait until we go back.  We're excited to have it so close.

Hanging like a sloth

Driving the trains overhead

Ciera loved learning the dance moves.

Pouncing like a panther

Farm Country

I like to take Ciera here when Camden is at school.  She loves to observe the animals and ride the ponies.  She gets so excited each time she rides one.  Since Camden doesn't like to go to Farm Country, it's a great activity for just Ciera and me.

Tulip Festival

We love going to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point Gardens.  Camden and Ciera would stop at every flower patch to smell the flowers.  Ciera also liked to feel the flowers with thorns on them, so she could say, "Ouch!  Prickly!"  We ended this visit with stroopwafels and snowies.  Ciera devoured her stroopwafels, but Camden still wasn't that impressed with them.  He ate more of it than he has previous years, though.

  

Thanksgiving Point Gardens

We took a stroll through the gardens today.  Ciera wanted to smell all the flowers.  Camden just wanted to stay ahead of us and pretend he was in a Star Wars movie.  They were both sad that there wasn't any food out yet to feed the fish with.

Something Fishy is Going on Here

We took the kids to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium preview.  There were a lot of fish and animals missing from their exhibits because of construction or for monitoring the water, but we still enjoyed it.  It looks like it will be a nice aquarium once it is finished.  The favorites were the penguins, the shark tunnel, and the 4-D theater.  Both Camden and Ciera were reaching up with their hands to try and grab the fish in the movie.  Ciera kept saying things like, "It's going to get me!  Ahhhh!  That scared me!  What's that?  What's that noise?!?"  It was so hard not to laugh out loud.  I had more fun watching their reactions than the actual movie.  The last time we were in a 4-D theater was in San Diego, and I don't think they remember that one (obviously not Ciera, since she was only one).