an afternoon walk at the falls?

everyone here has been fairly stir crazy lately, especially the kids. We really haven't gone and done anything this summer. I really don't know what has kept us from picnics and walks like we have done in past years. I guess it's been my lazy lack of planning those kinds of things.

So today when Connor was crying at the drop of a hat every couple of minutes, I decided that it was time to get out of the house and get his mind off his woes.

We went to Minneopa Falls ~ if you can call them that today. there was almost no water at all! just the tiniest trickle from underground and what water was on the surface was mucky and gross.

because there was really no water at all everyone climbed down and walked around the 'river' bed on the upper falls.where everyone is standing right now is usually covered with tons of rushing water. we didn't stay there long because I was having a heart attack and this is why...
the sheer drop, though not a great distance to fall, still lands on hard rocks and a puddle of water.

Tim would look at something down below and make a comment about it and then all the kids would hop over to the edge to look. on their best days our kids have two left feet. having them jump all over the uneven rocks (not all of them a solid foot hold) to get over to the edge had me on edge. personally I'm afraid of heights, but to have my children fighting to have the best view over a sudden drop is real horror for me.
After hopping all around the upper falls we climbed down into the ravine and crossed the bridge that the kids usually play Pooh Sticks off of. they could not play it today because there was almost no water there either and certainly not enough running water to float sticks down stream.
I have to work on the pictures that I took down there because the lighting was dim and they didn't turn out great. I'll see if I can get them to work out.


Ronan wanted to wear my sunglasses so bad. after he had them on he said "picker me" which for him means 'take my picture looking so cool with these sunglasses on" so I made all the kids sit together and get their picture all together. This was their best pose.