National Ice Cream Day

Did you know that there is an official National Ice Cream Day?  Oh YES!  There is!  We found this out, and had to celebrate it... or observe it... or honor it.  However you wanna say it, we had a great Family Fun Day.

 (To be honest, while writing this post I looked it up and couldn't find that September 15th was National ice cream day, but one of my friends posting it on facebook was good enough for me.  Plus it was my baby sisters birthday, so we could say that we were just celebrating her birthday!) 

That afternoon we loaded everyone up, including the dog, and headed into the Columbia River Gorge.  It was a gorgeous day, and when we stopped at Multnomah Falls it was very crowded. 
We didn't get to hike up there with the crowds blocking the way, but we did get some great pictures.

My kids loved the walk back to the van, as they were able to play by the stream for a bit.

We then continued on a little further to the fish hatchery.  If you live in the area, and you haven't been, you should go!  We actually talk about this place with our friends, and have a sticker on the back of our fan that says, 'I Love Herman' which many people have asked us about.  Herman is a very huge sturgeon, longer than Jason, who lives at the hatchery. 

While we were there walking around we ran into friends of ours from church.  They said that they were there because of us!  How funny!  I wonder how many other friends we have who have visited there because of all our talk about it.  

Harrison, Max, Lily and Bennett watching the sturgeon pond, looking for Herman.

Glenn and Harison

Harrison and Bennett watching for Herman.

There are gorgeous ponds and gardens all around the hatchery, filled with trout and other fish.  The kids LOVE feeding them and watching them splash around.  It really is a gorgeous place.

After this we came home and we made some vanilla bean coconut ice cream in the ice cream maker.

Then we used this ice cream to make Banana Sundae's.  It was seriously divine! 

After the ice cream we watched America's Funniest Home Video's, our family's favorite show!  Harrison was so wiped out by this point he fell asleep on the hard floor.  So cute!

Whether or not Ice Cream day is real or not, we intend to observe it every year from now on.  I Googled it and in 2013 it is on the calendar for July 21st.