Happy Halloween!

We were very busy with many different Halloween festivities this year!  During MEA, we made our annual trip to Pine Tree Apple Orchard to pick out our pumpkins and have some fall fun!

The following weekend we took advantage of the 60+ degree weather and attended Zoo Boo for the second year in a row.  It's Como Zoo's largest fundraiser and a great family friendly Halloween event.  The kids got to trick-or-treat, see some animals, dance, and ride on the carousel!

When the big day arrived Addie got to wear her costume to school and do some trick-or-treating with her classmates.  All the fun must have finally worn on her, because she was complaining of not feeling well when I picked her up and then felt worse and worse throughout the night.  She was able to make it to three houses, but then headed home with Brian... poor girl!  I stayed out with Max and our friends, circling the block and going to "The Scary House".  Max had a great time and enjoyed the process of walking up to each house, holding up his bag, and then running back to the sidewalk.

Happy Halloween!

 

School Pictures!

Addie got her first school pictures this year!  Here are us two school-going girls!

Marathon Weekend

This weekend Brian competed in the Twin Cities Marathon!  This was his secondmarathon, and we really wanted to get more involved in all the activities around it this year.  So we signed Addie up for the kid’s ½ mile run.  Even though it was a chilly morning, we all had a lot of fun cheering her on.  The next morning, the kids and I got out the door early excited to cheer Brian on!  We were able to see him twice along the route – once along Minnehaha Parkway, and then along Summit Ave.  We then met him at the Capitol grounds to congratulate him on his finish.  What an accomplishment!

Max and the finishers!  We are proud of you!

Speedy September

Not only did the summer fly by, but so did September!  We were also very busy but also just getting used to our “new” routine.  I started back to work, entering my 3^rd year at Highland, and with that teaching two brand new classes.  It was a welcome change and I am really enjoying the new students I am working with, but it has come with a lot of work.  One of my new classes is a technology elective that rotates every 6 weeks.  Now that we are in rotation #2, the workload is already decreasing and I am able to just enjoy my time teaching.

Addie had a big transition this September with starting a Pre-K program at Nativity in St. Anthony.  We are very happy with our choice of sending her three days a week.  She is learning so much, and is able to interact with a lot of different kids, yet still get time with Max two days a week at Tina’s.  They have already done many art projects, taken a field trip, and been over to Water Tower Park.  She is loving school and always comes home with many stories from her day!

Addie's first day of Pre-K!

Despite all the work and transitions we were able to have some fun in September too!  We met some friends at Target’s reading festival at Hyland Park, made it up to the cabin, and played with many of our friends.

On our way to the reading festival... Max's first bus ride!

North Shore 2012

I think the biggest highlight for me this summer was our camping trip up to the North Shore.  It was Max’s first camping trip, so we were a bit cautious in our planning knowing that things may not go as smoothly as we plan, but we were pleasantly surprised to find out Max loves camping as much as we do!  We spent one night in Schroeder, MN at a place called Lamb’s Resort, and it was amazing!  Our site was steps away from the lake and we could hear the waves crashing all through the night.  The kids loved it as well; they were able to climb on the rocks, look for agates, and put their feet in the water.  We spent our days hiking in various locations along the North Shore, and even took a day trip to Lutsen to ride the Tram and have lunch.  It was an amazing trip and we have already marked our site number at Lamb’s and plan on spending three nights there this next summer!  

 The view from our site at Lamb's

 The kids searching for agates

Max liked exploring in the backpack and by foot.  He loved splashing his feet in the water!

 Addie loved climbing on the rocks and putting her feet in the water.  These two things were, by far, her favorite part of the trip!

Family picture from the top of Lutsen Mountain

 Literally, two happy campers!

Where did summer go???

Our summer was busier than ever!  As you can tell from the lack of posts, the time just got away from us.  Here are some of the highlights of our July and August and some more of the items we checked off our summer to-do list!

 Addie's first game at Target Field.  She and her friend, Isaac, even got to run the bases after the game!

 VillageFest!  The kids had a great time at all the festivities, including the parade and Addie's first race!

  The kids celebrating Papa Wes's 100th Birthday!

We checked off almost everything on our summer to-do list!  Including swimming lessons, waterpark, Como Town, State Fair, Teddy Bear Park, and Block Party!

Me!

 There are a few things that I have not been willing to give up as a parent: Dave Matthews Band concerts, Monday night yoga class, and triathlons (I’m sure there are more things, but these seem to have dominated my time lately).  The weekend following the fourth, Brian and I made a quick trip to Alpine Valley, in East Troy, WI, to see the Dave Matthews Band. We went out there without tickets, but ended up with our best ones yet by exercising some serious patience with the ticket brokers – first row behind the pit incase you can’t tell from the picture!  It was an amazing set list and we had a great time as always! This was our eleventh trip out there since 1999, and I am already excited for next year! 

One week later I participated in the Lifetime Triathlon at Lake Nokomis.  I look forward to this event more and more every year.  Typically I am very nervous at the start of my first tri for the summer, but for some reason this year I was just excited.  And it seemed to pay off too!  I had a personal best time on this course and also finished 4^th in my age group, which is my highest finish at the Lifetime Tri!  I also have no doubt that my fan club also helped me to such a great finish!