Go, Go, Goers!

This past weekend was one of those times when I need a vacation from my weekend.  I knew going into it that it was going to be exhausting, and I also knew I'd be looking forward to Sunday evening, once everything was quiet! I spent almost every night this week doing at least one errand to prep for Ava's "friends" birthday party...Dollar Tree, Target, Dollar Tree AGAIN.  We also squeezed in a trip to the library, so Ava could collect her first summer reading prize...and stock up on more books!  She's off to a great start! On Friday night, after my final trip to the Dollar Tree, and then a trip to pick up G, the four of us headed to South St Paul for the Kaposia Days Parade.  The last few years have been a very meh parade...lots of advertising, big gaps in the flow, and just not very good.  This year, they must have gotten the memo, because I thought it was so much better!  All of the SSP kids stuff came first, there were only a few pockets of political stuff, a

We have entered the week of birthday festivities! Yesterday was Ava's eighth birthday...I'm not sure where the last eight years have gone, because last time I looked, she was still my little girl. We had a low key day yesterday, as Scott worked most of the day, and Ava had a friend over to play for a bit in the afternoon. And it was hot...nothing was moving too fast around here! Here's our little peanut, eight years ago... Ave and I did make a trip to Barnes & Noble yesterday, and picked up a new Minecraft book for her, along with a yummy cupcake for her dessert last night (birthday cake will be had tonight with the extended family, as well as another cake next weekend at her friends party...we have a tendency to overdo it on the cakes so I'm trying to dial it back a bit...) I made her requested dinner of pigs in a blankets and mac and cheese...everyone cleaned their plate last night! And then it was gift time! We bought her a new bike earlier this week, s

It's official, we have a third grader! Ava's last day of school was this past Wednesday, and she passed second grade with flying colors. Not that there was any concern, but when I checked the "Grade Placement Next Year" box, I was thrilled to see Grade Three. Seriously, no worries there...but it really hit home that she's flying through elementary school. Exciting, but yikes! Slow down, kid! Next week starts her Summer Program...and months of packing lunches every day. But, this summer, I'll be getting some help with that task from the crew. Yay! G wasn't feeling so hot this week...he had a fever since Thursday afternoon, and as such, he's spent a LOT of time at home over the last few days. I'm hoping he wakes up tomorrow and has a better day.  I know he's excited for his Daddy and big sister to come home (so am I.)  They left on Friday afternoon to head up north to do some fishing and spend some time with Scott's best friend an

What a wonderful end to the long holiday weekend!  I've been saving articles about fun things to do in our area, and we are trying to make a point of taking the kids out to see new things. On Memorial Day, we went on the "Storywalk" around a lake in Lebanon Hills.  All along the path were posted signs with nice verses of encouragement for the kids.  It was a gorgeous day, and I'm so glad we were able to go.  Plus, we now want to check out the beach one of these days, for a change of pace from the pool! They were watching the turtles! We thought this was interesting tree...it was dead, but the vines from other plants were covering it. Poor little G...barely in the picture.  Great shot of Scott and Ava, though!  This little guy was nice enough to stay in one place to have his picture taken (and yes, it was alive.) I had told both kids we were going to a park, so G was confused when we went to the Lebanon Hills park, and there w