Last week of summer: Part 1 of 2

Before summer slips too far away, I need to write about our final hooray before school started again. For the first time since having kids, I took off work the last week of summer (working in a hospital can sometimes prove difficult to taking time off and I used to have to take off the week prior). So we had 11 full days to do whatever it is we wanted!! And we did just that :) 

We hid away at a movie one cool morning. The kids and I enjoyed a new theater (with the fancy shmancy reclining seats) and had the whole place to ourselves! I love myself a little 10am showing but apparently we're not in very much company. We had a grand time, my personal favorite was part-way through the movie when Lincoln climbed up onto my seat and we snuggled together for the rest of the show. Those over-sized recliners are perfect for he and I to sit side by side with our arms inter-twined. Love my little dates :) 

A good friend whisked Regan away for a super fun day at Valleyfair, where they got to do ride after ride. Her head was still spinning at 10pm that night...Not fun! While Regan got to play, I ventured to a new playground with the other two (who puts fake grass under a playground!?), lunch with Ryan and then finally back home for nap where Sidney got to have a small pool party of her own. She was on cloud 9! I didn't even mind basking in the sun playing lifeguard :) 

It started to get pretty steamy mid-week but I managed to convince the kids for a walk on Stone Arch and a quick meet up with Hope. We love Stone Arch, however, it gets a little long to walk the whole length and then the bottom too. I never grow tired of this place and cannot believe it took us living here nearly 15 years to visit. 

By the time we got to the bottom this time, they were less than thrilled to be posing for pictures (look at Lincoln's scowl face). Ha!, that kid cracks me up. 

Eventually, this is what became of my clan. They were literally melting before my eyes!

Thankfully we made it back home where they all promptly jumped in the pool to cool off. 

Ryan and I decided a day-trip was in order and he took off a day to join us. I've mentioned before just how much we love to see new things. And we're discovering that we don't have to travel very far to do just that. This time, we headed east to the Hudson/Stillwater areas for a long walk, lunch with a view and playing at Teddy Bear Park. 

I just love how water makes such an amazing background. There's no need to edit pictures, they're gorgeous just the way they are. 

Or maybe it's the cute kiddos posing that makes it so beautiful! 

That about wrapped up our week together before heading to the cabin/lake. 

Part 2 to come: Labor Day weekend!

Gymnastics meet 2017

Sidney has been practicing hard each and every week in her gymnastics summer program. She's been working on a front handspring on the floor, independent handstands on the beam and some hip circles and other things I don't even know the words for on the bars! She's thriving and we're so proud of her. At the end of the season, she was able to participate in their meet where she placed FIRST in the all-around! This was her goal and she was unbelievably excited to be standing on top of that podium. This meet was sandwiched between an early morning gym session, an all-afternoon play/swim date and then the Twins late night game. I was worried she would be over-tired or unfocused, but she did an amazing job. 

I loved listening to the commentary from both Regan and Ryan throughout the meet; neither who have had the opportunity to watch her over the summer. Ryan kept saying "I didn't know she could do that!" and Regan said on 2 occasions "she's really good! And I'm not just saying that because she's my sister!". Man alive was that pretty amazing. Click HERE to watch the video that Regan took of her on the bars. 

Congratulations Sidney! We are so proud of you and can't wait to see what's in store next for you! 

Twins territory

The girls' softball association happens to have some pretty nice ties to the MN Twins, which we all benefit from being apart of. This summer, we were offered a chance to attend 3 Twins games; of which we are able to see two of them. That's pretty exciting stuff for our little ones! Best part about it, is that the association has an entire section (or 2) and the kids tend to roam about freely while us parents sit and enjoy each others company and the game. Game 1 was a pretty late one on a Friday night, but we had a great time and I'm so glad we got to go! 

Friends for life

Our kiddos are lucky enough to have established some pretty deep friendships starting out at just a few months of age. Sidney went to what I call "diaper day" school with a couple of good ones: Madeline and Natalie. And those 3 are what I hope to be "friends for life". Even with a pretty big move for Madeline, they haven't lost touch and when she comes back to town, it's a must to get them together again. I just love that they can pick up right where they left off! 

And while those three make new memories, these two little ones create trouble and have a lot of laughs too!  

A boys best friend

Our kiddos want a dog, badly. They actually would take any type of pet at this point, including a rodent! But there is no way I'm taking on a rodent, I just can't do it. They've begged over and over again. We've gone circles with excuses about why we can't get a dog (my argument is that we are rarely home and it wouldn't be fair. Ryan thinks he would end up doing the dirty-dog work.). And it doesn't help that my dearest friend at work has one of the most well-behaved service dog. The kids have a skewed mind, thinking every dog is as sweet and well-mannered! Thankfully she brings him over to visit and even lets us borrow him now and again so the kids can get their dog-fix. Oh how this picture pulls at my heart strings. I know they would love up on a dog. And they pretty much have me convinced....but Ryan's newest argument is we can get a dog when he gets a motorcycle. 

Guess he's getting a pretty big Christmas gift this year :) 

Zoo fun

Ryan's office holds a yearly family friendly outing each summer. Once again, this year they took us back to the MN Zoo for a day of fun. We saw the new kangaroo exhibit, rode camels and explored the butterflies. Lincoln was lucky enough to have his face painted earlier in the morning (at a totally unrelated event but it worked out great for him!) as a tiger! 

Love making these memories as a family. 

Duluth summer trip

We ventured north to Duluth last weekend, and decided to just keep on driving. It was a quick getaway, one that would be a surprise to the kiddos (mostly because we didn't want to listen to "when do we leave" for the 400th time), but also because impromptu family vacations are fun!

We clued them in a couple of days prior to leaving, so they could have a say in a little planning and allow some time to get excited to head out for a weekend in Duluth. Ryan had some ideas for what he wanted to accomplish (food, drinks and a stop at the UMD store), I had purchased tickets for Lincoln to ride Thomas the Train, and the girls were open to exploring! After taking some time to think about it, Ryan and I can't recall ever having taken a trip to the Duluth area in the summer. So we had a lot of plans in mind!

After a lunch stop at Gordy's High Hat in Cloquet (one of Ryan's choices), we headed to UMD where we spent far too much money before venturing further north to our first spot of exploration: Gooseberry Falls. As we drove, Ryan and I conversed about the last time we had been there, 19 years ago!, and how we hit a deer after having decapitating the poor deer. It's about all that I can remember from that trip to the Falls. Sad, right!?

check out those tree roots!

The falls didn't disappoint this time around. They sure weren't running nearly as full as in the pictures, but that allowed for some great memories watching the kiddos wade through ankle deep water. We were also able to get over to a few areas that we may have not been able to reach had they been flowing any faster.

We took our time checking out all the nooks and crannies, hiking down and around, finding bridges and stairs. I took what felt like hundreds of pictures to the rest of the family. They were clearly over my requests for pictures: I hollered down to 3 of them to turn around and smile; without skipping a beat, Sidney headed left, Lincoln headed right, and Ryan turned around to smile :) Hilariously perfect shot!

Eventually we climbed back into the truck and headed even further north! We looked at the map and realized we were only 7 miles from Split Rock Lighthouse. It was becoming too late into the day to actually tour the lighthouse, but that wasn't what we wanted to do anyway. We pulled off at a Lookout Point and headed down the path in search of Lake Superior, with hopes of finding the perfect location to view the lighthouse. After a 10 minute hike, we failed to find what we were looking for and opted to travel further north. Eventually, we found the right location, and headed out on a short hike. We passed by a sweet gentleman who pointed us in the exact direction we were hoping for: Split Rock Lighthouse. 

Turns out, this ended up being a favorite part of the trip for all of us. Unplanned, adventurous and beautiful. We were all in awe of the beauty in front of us. 

I couldn't help but think of my dad as we were joined by two men who were flying a pretty decked out drone all the way to the lighthouse and back. Lincoln was in love with watching their "copter". 

And then, it was time we headed back to Duluth's very own Canal Park to locate some late dinner. Thankfully I had a nice bag of road trip snacks packed for us to enjoy as we made our way back. Despite the late hour (it was nearly 7pm), we still had a 30 minute wait for our table. The kids took this moment to enjoy Lake Superior from Canal Park and attempted their hand at skipping rocks while Ryan enjoyed a beer from a local brewery. Win for everyone :)

After dinner we finally found our hotel and it was just a quick sleep before we were back in the city center for day two! The whole reason we decided on Duluth for our weekend getaway was because Thomas the Train was going to be at the Depot and we just knew Lincoln would love it. He picked me as his date for the day and we enjoyed some wonderful one on one time as he leaped around from activity to activity, train table to toys and finally heard the train whistle signifying our turn for the train ride.

While he and I had some much needed preschool fun, the girls and Ryan took a tour at Glensheen Mansion. They were so happy to have gone and truly enjoyed learning/seeing all the things the Mansion has to offer.

Another stop in Canal Park for yet more food, more exploring and we were ready to pack up and head home. We made a quick pit stop at another brewery for Ryan's sake before embarking on what would be a very  long (construction and traffic filled) drive back home: 4 hours long! As we drove, Ryan reminded me about a conversation we had not terribly long ago. We commented that there is so much to see in our very own state and we often think we need to get on an airplane to experience a vacation. We continue to learn that this is really not the case and are getting excited to plan another more-local, weekend getaway! Here's to more family time :)

I love you too!

Nearly every night, I put Lincoln to bed. It's just our thing. And nearly every night, we have the same back and forth banter. Until tonight. 

A typical bedtime routine lasts 20+ minutes; some call me lucky, others say it's 18  minutes too long. Nonetheless, at the end of it all, when he's snuggled into his bed, I hold his hand for a few seconds and he tells me to go to bed and the same conversation happens. Every. Single. Night.
Lincoln: "go up there sleep"
Me: "after I do the laundry" (because who am I kidding, while I could sleep at 8:30, I shouldn't!)
Lincoln: "go up there sleep"
Me: "after I do the laundry"
(why we repeat this, I don't know, but we do. every. single. night)
I then have to give his 3 year old hand two tiny squeezes before letting go and it continues....
Me: "ok, go to sleep. I love you"
Lincoln: "NO!, I love YOU!"
Me: "ok"
Lincoln: "WHAT?!"
Me: "okkkaaayyy".

Every. Darn. Night! seriously, for at least the last 12 months, we have exchanged these words. Until tonight, when he had a smirk across his face while I said "I love you!" and he replied "wait....I love you too!".

As much as I loved his response (finally we can love each other!), I'm going to miss this cute banter :) Love my little boy!

Camp week

For many years now, Regan has embarked on a week of camp songs, s'mores, lake swimming and making new friendships (ok, by now she is also enjoying the old friendships too!). This year, she convinced Sidney to join her and let's just say, those two had more fun in that 1 week doing all things camp related. This isn't a "sports practice" type camp. Nope, this is the true deal. 

They even spend a hot summer night in a tent!! 

Although apprehensive at first, knowing not one other kid who was going to camp, Sidney cannot wait to return! I am so proud of her (and thankful for Regan's brave lead) as she took the leap and signed up for the full camp experience. She made some great friends and had the time of her life. 

So proud of our girls, and secretly super happy that they get their "sleeping in a tent" fix so that I don't have to climb into one for a restless night! 

Summer fun: family style

I'm only moderately embarrassed by the number of pictures on my iPhone. But what's worse, is that I am keeping all of these great moments locked up on my phone! Life has just been so full for us that I'm having a hard time finding a quiet moment to share our memories and photos. But here we go....

A few weeks back, I took a week off from work to spend gallivanting around this wonderful metropolis, having a grand time with the kiddos.We saw some things new, experienced some things old but most importantly, made memories to last a lifetime. I love making the most of our days! 

We spent some time on the renovated Old Cedar Avenue bridge, a place that only Lincoln and I had visited last fall during the grand opening. Turns out, it makes a great location for some great pictures. 

And because it feels a bit like a hidden gem, it's a nice open spot for Regan to race along on her hoover board. Talk about perfect location! 

I get so happy when my kiddos oblige and let me take photo after photo without complaining (too much). 

I was blessed with a visit from my BFF and her adorable kiddos, sadly this was the only photo I took! I'm going to say we were simply too wrapped up in conversation to think about taking photos. 

The kids ask every summer if we can rent bikes at Minihaha Falls. We adore the falls in any season, but in summer they rent out bikes for a whole family. Let's just say Regan and I got worked that morning as we pedaled around the falls :) 

We had some time before the rental place opened so we hiked down to the bottom of the falls and around one of my most favorite places in the middle of the city. 

We're finally at a point in life where I don't have to carry a small (or big!) child up those stairs. I'm both happy and sad about that fact....

It was H.O.T. that morning and we got a workout! But we got many laughs as well! Lincoln refused to sit up front with Sidney, thinking he could instead "drive". Thankfully Regan's steering wheel didn't actually control anything; but when he hopped on her lap to "drive", it rendered her virtually useless to pedal. Yea that didn't last very long as I tried to move that thing on my own. I may have also driven us into a few tree branches which created belly laughs for all of us. Oh, and Sidney is a little long to be sitting up front and we had to enlist the help of some passer-bys to help free her from her perch! 

I think I've mentioned before that we used to take the girls to Como Park/Zoo several times every year. And by the time Lincoln came along, they were over the excitement of that place and it often feels like I'm dragging them along. However, Como opens up their ride/amusement park in the summer and our kids still enjoy going on rides (Ryan included  though he had to work). I'm so happy the girls take a break from the sole roller coaster for a few kiddie rides with their little bro. 

Helps that we added a few friends to the mix at Como. Each girl had a buddy join us and it meant I had an adult to chat the day away! 

And it worked out well that everyone wanted to take a ride break and walk around the zoo, checking out all the lazy animals, many of who were taking their afternoon nap. Boo :( 

Of course, there was plenty of time spent swimming in the backyard, on one of (what feels like) 100 inflatables. Seriously, we are busting at the seams with inflatable toys around here! Our pool shed is filled to the max and they keep wanting to add more! 

Summer is never complete without a trip to Wild Rumpus bookstore. Even if we don't purchase anything, the experience alone is one to write about. It reminds me of the family-owned book store in the movie "You've Got Mail'....

only better. 

Because Wild Rumpus has animals. Cats, tarantulas, chickens, all roaming free around the place! Yes, it's incredible!
And this picture below is in the bathroom mirror. When the lights are off, it glows a real fish tank. Turn the lights on, and you're staring at your reflection in the mirror. 

The kids (and adults!) just love it! 

Lincoln's balance bike abilities have soared this summer. He's so good and really fun to watch. Toss in a little commentary from me: "not so fast!", "be careful!", "watch out!" and you've got yourself some entertainment too. (Click HERE for a short video). He brought the bike around the nearby lake when we went for a walk, errr, I ended up running along side him. He's that good!

 I took this photo of Regan because I have the same photo of her as a little girl. And I just can't believe how grown up she is already. 

7 years ago already....how did that happen?!

We had an incredible 10 days together; memories to last a lifetime. These 3 are our entire world and I'm so happy to find new adventures with them!