Go, Go, Goers!

Now that we only have one child at home (and no high school activities to schedule around) and the nights are getting darker earlier, we've been spending more time watching movies. We usually get one weekend night with G, and the next night he wants to be upstairs, chatting with his friends online. We've been down this path with Arya already, so we will take whatever time we have with him! I love that he makes his own popcorn and gives some to me! Scott likes to lie on the floor to watch movies Pria just wants to sleep...and eat popcorn These army men are everywhere in our house... They moved upstairs, in formation Last Saturday night, my mom and I went to the Rosemount Marching Band Festival. Even though it was chilly and damp, it was a fun night! It's very different when 1) you don't have a kid competing, and 2) the band that you're cheering on is performing in exhibition only...it was a much less stressful event for us! This isn't the RHSMB, but I have missed...

When Arya, my mom, and I were in Chicago, I stumbled across an event site with events in cities all over the country. I found an Immersive Titanic exhibit in Minneapolis, and since G went through a HUGE Titanic phase when he was younger, this seemed like a perfect event to check out on a fall Sunday. We took the light rail from near the MoA and rode it until the end of the line at Target Field. We had about a 10-minute walk from there to the nearby warehouse that held the Titanic exhibit. The exhibit had so much factual information, along with artifacts, and a full room where you could experience the event from nearby waters (no, we weren't actually in water) and see the messages being sent to nearby ships. It was very well-done, but also heartbreaking. So many small things happened leading up to the iceberg and the Titanic crossing paths at the same time. If only one of those small details had been changed, the sinking may never have happened. I left feeling informed, but also ver...

It's an amazingly different experience at the MN State Fair when you're not trying to chase a marching band all over the fairgrounds. My mom and I went this year and had the best time, strolling through the crowds, stopping to choose what food to try next, and sitting on benches to watch the world go by. It was probably one of the most relaxing times that I've spent in the decades of years that I have attended the fair. Already looking forward to next year! On the bus - best way to get to the fair! Blu beer with a frozen topper Old Fashioned cookie dough on a stick What a pretty name! Such a small percentage of the 200,000+ people who were at the fair that day! Have to watch the fish at the DNR building Iced, blended mochas...so tasty! Had lots of Pria moments this week...I like to send pics of her to Arya because I know she misses her (and vice versa)  Slightly cow-like in this one G and I took both of Arya's trumpets to a repair shop today. Her brass one needed lots o...

A few weekends ago, G and I explored another area of the south metro, looking for a creek to walk by. We didn't have much luck, but we ended up at my parents' house, so we stopped in for an unexpected visit. I consider that a win for the day! Later that night, Arya requested a bonfire for her last Saturday night at home. We hadn't set up the fire table or the back deck yet this year, so we scrambled to get everything put together and ended up enjoying the beautiful weather that night. Lots of ducks on our walk! Bonfire! She tolerated being by the fire, but didn't love it Last Saturday, Scott and I moved Arya to her new home at UWRF. It was pouring rain during her move-in time slot, but I came prepared with towels, so it didn't impact us too much. We had it all set up within a few hours, then took her out to lunch, got her some groceries, and said our goodbyes. Scott and I then walked through campus, made a quick visit to the school store, and then left our girl in W...