Renaissance Festival 2009!!!

(Mommy and Sterling being Jesters-Sterling was fond of the jesters)

This year for the Renaissance Festival. Rather than just going as a group of girls (which it still ended up being) We had opened it up to anyone involved in girls camp this year..as we are running with that theme.

There was only three of us who could make it (Desiree McDowell, Denise Steinert, and I)....AND since it was a holiday from school (not work) I took Sterling with me to alleviate some kids for my sisters babysitting benefit.

I was glad I made that choice-Sterling was a PERFECT kid and said at the end of the day ( "this was the best vacation day ever"). All my boys were getting pretty agitated about not being able to go...so maybe it will become a tradition and I will take a different one each year! Besides it was Sterling's turn to have the date this month with mom and dad (he just had to settle for mom, since Dad had to work)!

We ended the GREAT vacation day watching the barbarians head bang to the Scottish bag-pipes. This bag-pipe band are kind of like the "boy band" of the festival-they are the "studs"-ha ha ha
Sterling got to go on one ride and this was his choice. They hand-crank the kids in hammocks and get them going pretty high and fast and then give their hammocks a little shove to make them spin!

Of Course, I was paying attention to different things this year; like the decorations and table settings!

So here is a few of those pictures.

Sterling was pretty excited to go see the jousting tournament, and he was not let down at all.

Typically we are "frying" by this part of the day due to the heat...but pretty much it was a PERFECT day to go weather wise. I think I only felt warm one time. Sterling thought it was pretty great that he could use his dollar store umbrella for the sun (not only the rain) that day.

The Knight we were cheering for!

This tree was pretty special as he walked and really talked, and even moved his branches by Sterling-you can see his face in the foliage. It reminded us of an ent in the Lord of the Rings!

I got some more pictures of different costumes this year (sorry for any cleavage shots-it really was milder this year in regards to the crude part of things)

The reigning king of the festival-he was quite a good actor and king!

A Bar Wench (the word for 'chic' in that day)

This lady taught us how to dress, sew, and layers, etc.

THE ENTERTAINMENT was GRAND-Here is one of the sword swallower's. If you click on the picture closer you can see... It was pretty amazing to see him relax and open up his throat to let the REAL sword slide right down! They practice for years to do this....it was cool (unless you were a bit squeamish like the lady in the bottom right of the picture)

We also saw a guy juggle a bladed chainsaw and fire sticks, fit his body through a hoop (unnatural I tell ya), and completely balance on a loose rope...amazing!

We watched an insulter at work on the streets. People would pay him to throw insults at someone.
We got in some musical instrument playing, and

a professional whipper with whips, fire and snaps!

Not to forget the infamous bird show.

I had to get a close up of this owl...because I NEED ONE! The owl has no sense of smell and eats skunks-I asked the guy if I could buy him--he laughed!!!! I don't think he realized how SERIOUS I was!

AND there will be plenty of these going on at camp!

I think Crests are cool!

Last but not least, because it was PRESIDENTS DAY!!

They had a rescued bald eagle at the bird show

&

I FINALLY met the president! (not that it was on my list of things to do-ha ha)

What a GREAT VaCaTiOn DaY!!!