Apple Jack's

We joined the Beermans for a trip to Delano's Apple Jack's Orchard for a morning of hay mazes, cornpits (think, sandbox), apple blasting (think, potato gun), raspberry picking, trampolining and, of course, caramel apple eating.

Gopher Volleyball

The #2 ranked Lady Gophers made quick work of Green Bay, and E & S got some inspiration for their upcoming volleyball season.  Always a good time at the Pav'.

Cardinal Crush

Meadow Ridge kicked off the school year with the Cardinal Crush... a big fundraiser for equipment the brand new school needs that weren't funded by the ridiculous taxes in Plymouth/Wayzata/Maple Grove/Medina (sorry, did that sound sarcastic?).

At any rate, the kids had a great time, and met most of their donation level goals, earning things like pajama day and extra recess.

Thanks to all of you who contributed!

Junior Jammer

Yes, I may have the girls up for a couple of basketball camps/seasons without asking if they were interested... but, I think they're actually starting to enjoy it (especially S).  Not a night goes by without Sawyer dribbling a basketball around the kitchen (Lindsay's dismay, my delight), and she's now frequently asking "when's basketball going to start".  Fresh off WGB's Junior Jammers, she's ranks the sport a close second to soccer.  

I love it when a plan comes together!

Music City

In what's looking to become an annual tradition, the Men of Misty Run found an intriguing destination on the Vikings schedule (Nashville), and made a weekend of it.  

We painted Broadway purple on Saturday evening, singing our hearts out at Legend's, Tootsie's, Whisky Bent and and the Honkey Tonk... watched the Vikes handle their business 25-16 on Sunday afternoon, and then ran it back in the Gulch that evening (with thousands of other Purple & Gold fans).

The music was in-credible.  I'll be back...

1st day of school

And just like that, our little S is a Kindergartener!  And, big sis' E is in 2nd grade!  Here we go again...

D: What was your favorite thing from this summer?
E: Lanesboro.
S: Valleyfair.  Going on the upside down thing. (Corkscrew)

D: What about 2nd grade/Kindergarten are you most excited for?
E: Isabella is in my class.
S: Everything.

D: Are you nervous about anything?
E: That I won't make any friends.
S: I don't know if they think I bring home lunch or not.

D: Who's your best friend?
E: Isabella.
S: Gracyn.

D:What's your favorite book?
E: The Notebook of Doom. (Troy Cummings) 
S: Miss Bindergarten has a Crazy Day at Kindergarten. (Joseph Slate)

D: What's your favorite food? 
E:  Pizza.
S: My favorite food is ice cream sandwiches.

D:What's your favorite thing to play?
E: Gymnasitcs. 
S: With the neighbors.

D: What's your favorite thing about yourself?
E: That I can almost do a back handspring.
S: I like everything about me.

D: What's one thing that you really want to do this year?
E: I really, really, really, really, really, really want to do, like, go camping or something. 
S: Watch movies at school.

D: What do you want to be when you grow up?
E: A teacher.  3rd Grade.
S: Teacher.

Medicine Lake

... just what the doctor ordered, for kids of all ages!

Thanks, Sam & Dave!

Lanesboro

 

For our last summer hurrah, the fam' headed to Lanesboro, MN to unplug before the school year hustle & bustle takes over.  We rented the Eide's Dairy farm house, and were surrounded by nothing by prairie, pasture and cows.  When we arrived, the girls raced over to the fence that contained the livestock, and started moo'ing at the cows that were a couple hundred yards away grazing... and, I kid you not, each and every one of them looked up, and the entire herd trotted over to greet us.  

Other highlights from the weekend include biking Lanesboro's famous Root River Trails, (probably illegally) climbing and "skiing" down giant sand quarry hills, brunch at Spud Boy's (an old caboose converted to a diner), dessert at the Aroma Pie Shoppe, and late night Cribbage.

Fair, Take II

... and was immediately followed by a trip to another MN summertime classic... Valleyfair.

Fair, Take I

Our end of summer staycation began with a trip to the Great Minnesota Get-Together with Laura and Opie...