More pics from the 4th of July in Spokane's RiverFront Park.

Mom and Dad shelled out for a gondolier ride over the falls for all of us, so these were taken from inside the little capsule Mom, Kori and I shared. (Dad, Shelli, Tay and Kiara were in another capsule). It's incredible seeing that much water pouring over the falls. What was even MORE incredible is seeing how high the river was, even WITH that much water pouring over the falls constantly!




















Some folks on the walk-way beside the falls.








































Mom said that she recalls swimming below the falls when she was a kid. When the water's lower it evidently creates some little swimming holes that are much safer than when the water is this high.























Here are some pics of Tay and Kiara on the Ferris Wheel. Tay was ALL amped to go. She likes Ferris Wheels. And I recall the first time her Aunt Shelli took her on one, she was very nervous to get up there. Shelli told her that she'd hold onto Tay tightly so as not to let Tay come to harm. Now Tay loves them. Anyway, THIS time it was Kiara who was very nervous. She kept telling my mom that "Mommy doesn't want me to go on that. Mommy won't let me go on that" (Speaking of her mom, my sister Kori.) Mom of course knew that Kiara was just very nervous to try something without her Mama there to keep her safe. So what did MY mom say to the younger grand-daughter??? "Your mama isn't here. I'm letting you go on it. Get on there with Tay!" *grin* Kiara went and had fun.
They also got a SUPER long ride!!! The operator of the ride let them stay on it for about a half hour!!! WOW. They had plenty of chances to look over the park and see everything from on high.








Two happy little girls! And Tay was SOOO good with Kiara. She kept her safe and they had fun.







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Thanks for all the support and advice on the last post. I will say though that I'm NOT going to tell my hubby I want him to tell me he thinks I look pretty. I'll never be sure that's how he TRULY feels, or just what he thinks I want to hear, if I tell him that's what I want to hear. He made some dumb comment (at the point we were arguing) that he just isn't comfortable saying things like that. BUT, I've heard him comment similarly over our neighbour's weight loss. I've heard him remark of girls around town how hot they look. But, he can't bring himself to tell ME -his WIFE- that I look good or pretty or hot?!?! No. He can say it, he just doesn't say it to me. And that's what hurts, that he evidently doesn't feel such things about me. Oh, he's worried about me leaving him, but not enough to show his affection for me. He also complained that he's NEVER been a publically demonstrative guy. But that's also a lie, because I remember dating him. He was VERY publically demonstrative. Now that we're married, though, it's "only in the privacy of our own home". He doesn't show me affection when his friends are around. *sigh* Which again lead me to believe that he's ashamed of me because I'm overweight or just not pretty enough or some such. *sigh*

Tell ya what, this line of thought isn't doing much lately for my self-esteem or my mood. But at the same time, I can't STOP thinking about it. It just sucks. And everytime this sort of thing happens, it leaves me in a depressed mood for a couple of weeks. And I hate being so teary and depressed. I can feel the difference between my mood now, and my mood a week ago. And it really, really stinks!

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Anyway.... The weather has cooled down. We've had a lot of rain over the last week; what we usually refer to as "fair weather". (Both purposefully ironic and usually occuring during the time of the Tanana Valley Fair.) This year it's happening earlier than normal. And I woke up this morning to partly sunny skies, and a definite chill in the air. The kind of chill we usually get JUST after the fair, or right at the end. That chill that says "fall is on the way". That chill that makes you break out the sweaters and light gloves for evening walks. That chill that has you hanging the winter quilts out to air so they're ready for use at night. Yep. THAT chill! And it's not even August. The geese flew south almost as soon as they'd arrived North. Fall is coming VERY early this year. Not that we haven't had SOME very nice days this summer, but they were very few and far between. It looks like this year may go down as a "year without a summer" as far as a lot of people are concerned.

(Oh, and though I missed it, evidently we had a DOOZY of a Thunder & lightning storm over the week of the 4th of July that even resulted in hail here in North Pole. SUCKY! I LOVE thunder & lightning storms. But I guess the light shows _I_ got to see that week at least didn't result in flattened plants and cold nights. *wry smile*)

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Ok. I've gotta get heading to work. Gotta get some books together for my next story-time presentation.

Have a Blessed Day!