Go, Go, Goers!

What a great week we had! The weather was beautiful for G's Boosterthon Fun Run on Monday morning. He was a little hesitant to run, but I told him he could walk and hang out with friends...plus the laps aren't super long. Each kid ran/walked approximately 35 laps. It was a wonderful way to get some fresh air and exercise for the kiddos! A big thank you to everyone who donated...Red Pine met their fundraising goal, and G's classroom raised the most of ANY classroom in the entire school! Ava also received a long awaited-package in the mail...her new roller skates! She paid for them with her own money, and has really enjoyed getting outside and practicing. We're thrilled to see her take the initiative and get out to get exercise, especially since she really seems to enjoy it. And frankly, these skates are just fun to look at! Wednesday night was the designated night to carve pumpkins as a family, and then play the Universal Yums candy game. We had fun playing "trick...

Even though the kiddos earned their gold belts several weeks ago, they finally received them on Thursday! (Sounds like the belts were stuck on a cargo ship for a while...totally makes sense, given the current situation.) G has been feeling a bit lukewarm about continuing with Taekwondo (he doesn't like that they correct him when he's performing a move incorrectly...even though that's obviously what they are supposed to do.) But now that he has his gold belt, he says he wants to continue. Ava is staying strong with her desire to progress through the belts. She is one strong kid! When she kicks and hits things, she does it with power! We are so proud of them! We enjoyed a family dinner out on Tuesday night...we love to support our local Carbone's on Kids' Night. There's a good salad, pasta, and pizza buffet, and toys for the kids to choose. G got this cute little blue car that we ALL had fun zooming around the table. Ava somehow made it turn around, mid-run, and g...

The Minnesota Zoo brought back the annual "Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular" this year. We've gone every year that it has been at the Zoo, with the exception of last year...they didn't have due to Covid-19. But, this year, it was back and better than ever! We went on Tuesday night and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was cool...but not cold. It was just cloudy enough to be spooky. The pumpkins were flickering, the music was rockin', and the drinks were delicious. The lights and mist in the trees made it a perfect way to kick off this creepily mystifying time of year! The theme this year was "A to Z" - each letter had pumpkins carved in the section that worked with the theme of the "main" pumpkin A for Alice...and Ava! D for Dinosaurs...and Dee! G for Garden...and Garrett! L for Legends...and RBG, of course! S for Seashore...and Scott! It was a neat way to spend family time, while getting some exercise outside, enjoying the fresh ai...

It was a WEEK. Lots of tests (covid and strep - all negative, thank goodness), weird things gone wrong at work, and just overall crankiness. SO, to focus on the bright side...I'll highlight the fun that we had this week! Last Sunday, like most Sundays, G accompanied me on my weekly run to the compost, and then we ventured to a new (to us) park. We ended up at a park in Lakeville and before we headed out, we took a partial walk around East Lake...and we liked it enough that we're planning on coming back for a longer walk when we have more time. The main reason that we were in that area was so we could stop by and visit for a few hours with my parents. As always, it was so nice to catch up and see them...we started talking a bit about holiday plans, which makes the season feel rather close. Did I mention that I think George is going to have some more amazing elf adventures this year?! Another highlight of the week was on Friday night, when G and I went to a play at a local high s...

Happy 16th Anniversary to Scott and me! We enjoyed a weekend away in Wisconsin, while the kiddos stayed with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Whitey. It was a little chilly, but our B&B room had a fireplace, as well as a four-season porch, where we could enjoy the river view, without being subjected to the temps. We haven't had a weekend away in a super long time, so it was nice to head out of town and not focus on all of the "normal stuff" that we tackle each weekend (cleaning, laundry, side jobs, etc.) Chilly patio dinner at Tippy Canoes Thank goodness for the fireplace in our room! Gorgeous view of the St Croix River from our private deck Time to take a Fall Colors train ride! Crossing the river, between Minnesota and Wisconsin Next stop...The Dancing Dragonfly Winery And after that...Fawn-Doe-Rosa! These animals are so tame, they'll walk right up and let you pet them (They're really just hoping for food :) ) Last stop...a fancy little Supper Club for a nice dinner ...