I really love our little town.  I have lived in a lot of different places and I can honestly say, without reservation, that this is one of the best places I have ever been blessed to call home.

One of the greatest things about our little town is the variety of activities available.  I’m sure people that have lived here their whole lives might beg to differ, but for our family, it is a perfect match. Our favorite community activity is, hands down, the annual Scandinavian Festival.  This is no little undertaking, but a full-on, four-day festival filled with food, dancing, and all sorts of cultural treats and learning opportunities.

This was the third year the kids have participated in the children’s dancing group.  They have two performances a day for four days (which usually end up being the hottest of the summer).  They are very dedicated, even at their young ages!  In fact, over the past three years, we have only missed one performance!  It helps that we only live a few blocks away since we spend so much time down there.  🙂

The last day of the festival is always bittersweet…the kids are exhausted, but always say, “Goodbye, Festival…we’ll see you next year!” as we walk home.

Here are a few of our favorite moments from this year’s festival.  (PS… we are NOT Scandinavian at all!  We figure Germany and Ireland have a fair share of Viking DNA, so we’re covered. )