Visiting Como

A trip to the Como Zoo and Conservatory was in order while Dad was up. This zoo is nice because it can be done in just under 2 hours if you want to be done in a morning. We also toured through the conservatory a bit, as well.

Debbie couldn't get away from carnival rides. They were everywhere we went. And she wanted to ride them more than the girls!! Here are a few shots.

I'm not really sure why McKenna has such a grumpy face here. I had probably just told her that this was the last ride or something.

Here's the conservatory. Isn't it a neat building. I thought this photo was pretty good.

Mice Cream

While my Dad and Debbie were up for a visit we looked through a new restaurant in Minneapolis. Hell's Kitchen is an interesting place serving mostly Americana food. Here's the chandelier. Notice all of the knives hanging...

We also went to the downtown Target and Dad aka "Grandpa Higgins" let the girls pick out a toy. Of course they were excited about that.

It was also Debbie and Arthur's birthday. We put together a little party for them. The party was themed around "mice cream." Let me explain!! Adrian, the girls' Papa, is afraid of mice-so he says! The girls love to taunt him about it. So, when we saw this in a magazine....

we had to recreate it. Arthur and Debbie's party was the next event, so the party was themed around our "mice cream" treat. We made mouse ear headbands. It was a lot of fun for the girls. Everyone was agreeable and wore the earbands.

Woodbury Days

We love Woodbury Days! It's a local town fair. Generally happening during the last weekend of August, Woodbury Days takes place at local park. The girls had a ton of fun grabbing candy from vendor booths, getting "fair" hair, riding rides, petting animals...there was a ton of fun stuff to do--some of which was free! Click here to see last year's visit!

Warning: An over-abundance of absolutely super cute and adorable photos is about to follow. May not be pleasurable for all blog viewer. Scroll down at your own risk!

Don't say I didn't warn ya!

Here goes........

Pony rides!

Petting Zoo

Okay, the child LOVES animals.

McKenna is always willing to pose for the camera.

Seriously! They are too cute! Look at those polka dots.

Getting a "Fair-Do"

We were back and forth to Woodbury Days several times during the course of the weekend. Each time we went, we had to stand in line to get a new or different fair-do.

Building our sailboats

Ridin' the rides....

Lookin' at the rides....

(Cobra Mustang!!!!!!!)

Bungee jumping on the trampoline. The girls LOVED it! Ella too. She's getting so adventurous now.

Preschool Open House

We were able to visit Ella's preschool classroom today. She met her teachers and saw a few friends from last year. The teachers had created a type of scavenger hunt to help the kids learn their way through the classroom. She had to find things like the water fountain, bathroom, cubby area, story rug, computer station, etc...

It was fun. She had a good time. I always enjoy watching the girls in their school elements.

Here's Ella and Mrs. Jan

Ella enjoyed putting a little froggy sticker by each "area" that we located.

The story rug. Maybe you noticed, but the room is in a frog theme.

Sitting in the "teacher chair"

Madagascar 2

This summer the girls went to their FIRST movie in a movie theater! The local theater was playing free kid movies on Wednesdays at 10am. So, we picked a movie that we approved of and talked it up! The girls have had this movie theater experience in their history and it helped to prepare them.

Since the movie was free, I knew to expect 2 things: crowds of kids, buying treats! In order to ensure a decent seat, we got there at about 15 minutes after 9am (that's early for a movie!). We were able to get GREAT seats. About 15 minutes before the movie started, crowds of daycare groups started piling in. Whew! We had our seats!

Yes, I let the girls get a drink and a treat. They each picked an icee, popcorn and candy. Whoa!!!

Movie, free!

Treats, $26.00

Experience, hopefully priceless!

They had a blast. Madagascar 2 proved to be a very funny movie. There were 1 or 2 parts that, in my opinion, were not necessary. Pardon the dark photos. It was in a theater and I only had my cell phone.

Happy Birthday Arthur!

Happy Birthday to my Christ following, hard working, basketball playing, daughter loving, grass mowing, spider getting, frame selling, Bob Dylan loving, silly lyric singing, back rubbing, deep thinking, shoe collecting, A+ getting, good looking husband!

Happy Birthday Aunt Lynda!

Today is Aunt Lynda's birthday. I pray her day be filled with the joy of simple pleasures!

Here's a funny story, somewhat in honor of "Hot Lips" Lynda. (For those of you who don't know her, she loves to wear bright pinks on her lips and nails!) For my birthday, last April, I received 2 gift cards to a local salon (one from Arthur and one from my mom). Last week I had a manicure and pedicure. I called Lynda to tell her about it. I was getting a margarita pedicure. I asked the salon to explain what that meant. I was served a strawberry mango margarita during my pedicure. Along with the "typical" cleansers and oils, my legs/feet were treated with tequila and a lime rub. Yep, I smelled severely of alcohol by the end of the night. Lynda said something to this effect, "You aren't gonna get a boring brown are you?"

"Well, I was thinking of a soft pink or an American/French manicure."

"Get you a bright pink for your toes. Pick something, I'd pick. Just think of Aunt Lynda's lips when she shows you the color wheel of nail polishes."

So, in honor of Aunt Lynda, I went with the brightest color I thought I could handle. It was WAAAYY out of my comfort zone! Enjoy the pictures:

Here are a few of the bright pinks!

Finally picked one: Pompeii Purple (thought it looked like hot pink!). Lynda also got this in her mailbox in a pretty pink sparkly package!

Yummy. It was a really good margarita! I was sitting in the pedicure chair getting ready for the leg/foot massage! My nails are done at this point. There were cute little touches in the room like a tiki torch, string of lantern lights, bright colors, beach decor! It was cute.

Empty glass! I told ya it was yummy!


Hot towel wrap! One of my favorite parts!

Final product....still wet!

The nail technician who tolerated all of my picture taking and learned a lot more more about my Aunt Lynda than she ever wanted to know.

When I got home I asked the girls what they thought. Ella thought they were beautiful. I asked if they looked like Aunt Lynda and McKenna said, "You are Momalicious!"