A Day at the Zoo

We had some free time on Saturday morning so we gave the kiddos a few options. With all the ones we had, it was the Minnesota Zoo that won out! I think it was because of the proposition of the camel rides!!!  (see below)

Before we could make it around to the camels, we had to stop and see the sea otters...  Bo and Hailey both wanted seats to watch, so they worked together to find a spot where they both could see and watched for a bit!

Alas!  We did find the camels!  But where is Bo?  Yeah...  We paid 5 bucks for him to ride and then he decided to bail.  So Haileys made her rounds and was quite pleased.  I was pleased that the guy gave me the 5 back!  :)

Now if this doesn't make Grandma and Uncle Steph proud...  At one of the parks, there is a boat to ride in.  What did Hailey do when she hopped in???  She went to the back and was practicing her fishing!!  Cast...  Real...  I GOT ONE!!!  :)

Minocqua 2012 - The Finale

Well, the camping trip had to end sometime...  And the greatest part about knowing that there was a puppy waiting at home was seeing Hailey a little sad about leaving the dog troop that we had the whole week.  Ebony already left, but Hailey wouldn't have left without pictures with these two!

 Hailey and Gretchen!

Hailey and Noodles (a.k.a. Farrah)

And now we end the camping trip story...  There might be some more pictures if we can get a few from the other camera holders!  The ones of the group didn't turn out well, so hopefully I can get another out there soon.  Thanks for staying tuned!!

Minocqua 2012 - The Speed Boat

It was the first year Uncle Earl brought his big boat up camping.  In previous years, it most likely wouldn't have been altogether fun due to the temperatures we normally see (a bit cooler) but this year...  It was warm and sunny and made for perfect weather for long bumpy boat rides with big waves!!!

 I suppose even with all the sun and warmth, the "cooler" folk can still be found!  :)

 Hailey and Daddy getting ready to ride the tube together.  Let 'er rip Uncle Earl!!

 Hailey, Grandma and Uncle Will took their turn.  Hailey took a moment to show some things that she learned while riding with Dad!  Atta girl!!!

After all of the tubing, Hailey got to help drive while Cousin Mason did some wake boarding as you can see in the background.  Hailey said that next year SHE was going to try skiing!  We'll have to see what the future holds!

Minocqua 2012 - The New Stuff

One of the biggest highlights for us this camping trip was Hailey throwing off her training wheels!  In preparation for the event, I mentioned to her that we could try to ride without them during the camping trip and then surprise Momma when we get back!

Hailey is definitely my girl and one to NEVER turn down a challenge!

 

Look Mom!  No training wheels!

 

 

After lots of practice...

 

And MORE practice...

She made it all the way down to the dock!  My favorite story I had to tell Hailey about riding her bike is how I learned to ride my bike without training wheels.  I had a big grassy field to ride around in.  And falling down in the grass was way better than the road.  Then when I was feeling up to a ride down the pavement, I subsequently crashed into our mailbox!  She thought that was pretty funny!  :)

When we got home on Saturday, after the Pippi puppy surprise, we had Bo, Momma and Pippi wait out front.  Hailey and I got her all ready and she went riding around the sidewalk to show off her new skills!  Everyone was impressed!!!  :)

Minocqua 2012 - The Essentials

Every year it seems we have more and more new things happening. With all of the kids getting older things are definitely going to change. But alas, some of the things we've come to enjoy while we're camping always seem to be there every year!  The first part of the posts this year is just that.  All the same, yet altogether essential to getting me through the work-year before next year's adventures!

Fishing, fishing, fishing!  Heading out on one of the first days with Earl and Steph!

Rooms with views!  Sunrises and sunsets are always an enjoyable bookend to our day!

Grandma Jane and her camping smile!

Me and a couple of keepers!

Now that you have that, please check in again tomorrow!  Now that Hailey is 5 going on 6 this fall, she has had some rather enjoyable/exciting changes at camping this year!!  :-)  (Insert suspense here!)

Minocqua 2012

We have returned from the northwoods after another very successful outing!  However, I do have to interrupt this update with the following update to our family roster!

 

Meet Pippi!  (originated from Pipsqueak if you were wondering).  Last Saturday, Darlene had found the puppy at the farmers market in Neillsville.  One of our concerns about adding a furry member to the family was that Bo, the more allergic of the two, would react to the dander and we'd have to turn the little cutie away.

Well, with Hailey and I out camping, there was a week to find out if Bo could handle it and he did!  So we had kept it a secret with Hailey during the week.  So it was fun for me to ask Hailey if she'd ever WANT a dog (she said she'd rather have a horse), or if she had a black and white dog, what would she name it (Sarah since she JUST got a black and white stuffed animal and named it)...

The time came and the plot thickens.  During our time away, Momma and Bo were going to write a book about everything they did.  The first page of the book was about the fact they went and bought a puppy.  Hailey read it and processed it.  Then she thought, we bought a puppy...  Then her eyes lightened up and asked, did you buy a puppy?  Which we responded with YES!  She's in the house, would you like to go meet her????  Here is the look she had!

(Insert a big inhale with this smile)  :)

Hailey officially loves Pippi too.  She was laying in bed proclaiming with a sigh, "I love Pippi!"  :)  Tomorrow will commence the camping photos from Hailey and Daddy's week in Minocqua!!

Dress Up Day!

The things we run across while trying on clothes....

 Kangaroos and Princesses...

Fancy dresses and high heeled shoes next to froofy froofy dress with Lightning McQueen rain boots!  :)

What have we been up to?

Well, needless to say, this summer has been busy! Work, travelling, company, concerts and much much more it seems! So I do apologize as it seems in the evenings, my pillow is casting an unbreakable spell over me before I can pull out the camera and computer. So now let's get to our 4th of July fun!! 

We were very thankful on Tuesday night to have Joe, Meghan and Toby save us seats at the fireworks in Plymouth.  Although it was a hike all the way across the city, the pre-fireworks entertainment included music, an orchestra and fire dancer type people.  Hailey LOVED the orchestra and we had to move down in front to get some good looks at the band.

While we were at the fireworks, Uncle Will and Maggie were also on their way up.  Due to the heat, we ended up spending time at the Mall of America.  We rode rides and shopped.  The kids got to enjoy a lot of rides!!  Bumper cars was, I'm fairly certain, Bo's favorite!

Riding in cars!

Last but not least, the carousel!  Hailey took the pony and Bo rode the bench.  Just when you think he'd bust out of his shell and ride a chicken or giraffe, he decides he just wants the bench.  Although, maybe it was because it was almost 2 p.m. and nobody had eaten yet...  Woopsie!

Well, I have to get back to the action here and hope to post again soon!  Sorry for the wait and we'll be back soon!

My Two Ladies

My favorite two girls chilling out front for a picnic this weekend.  Boy is the weather hot!!  We have to pick and choose our strategy, but we still were able to make it to the garden and the beach over the weekend!  I hope you are able to enjoy it just the same!

What Happens at Grandmas...

Ok, so it doesn't stay at Grandma's if I come back and tell about it!!!

 

First things first...  When we got down late Friday, I was worried about them in the morning.  There was a train that rolled through about 5:15 or 5:30 and I sat up and waited for SOMETHING to happen...  And guess what!  It didn't.  Nothing happened.  They slept right on through it.  Woohoo!  Although they were up about 30 minutes later, I was still laughing about it!  :)

 

Saturday morning we went to a birthday party!  My friend Aaron's son was turning three!  So we went out and enjoyed sometime partying and visiting!  It's been waaaaay too long since we've seen them.  Bo busted out his smiles though!  And he also was asking, "Do you like my party hat??"

This is one thing that I've been wanting to get the kids into!  I have got to get to the sporting goods store to get them a tee for hitting!  They both had so much fun hitting it that I wish I'd have gotten one sooner!

 After Bo's 4 hour power nap, we went down to Margarita's at Chula Vista to visit Uncle Will!  They have a super nice (and free) wading/wave pool.  Both kids had a great time while Grandma and I visited with each other as well as Uncle Will when he wasn't too busy.

 

At the end, Hailey scoped out the situation and figured out how to sneak an ice cream bar from Uncle Will as well.  How cute are they!?

This morning Bo and I went for a walk down to the railroad tracks.  He was so interested in checking things out!  It was a bummer that there wasn't a train rolling through so we could watch it up close.  Instead, we walked a ways up and down.  Saw some switcher tracks and found three old railroad spikes.  We brought them back to Grandma's just to show them off!

It's always a bummer that fun weekends have to come to an end.  Hailey was really feeling it this morning!!  She was complaining, "It feels like we just got here!!!"  Thanks again Grandma for a fun weekend and we can't wait to see you again soon!

A Swim in the Park

Our favorite park was a little bit wet today. . . 

but we made the most of it!!

Beach Fun

We made it to Lake Elmo Park Reserve for our first beach outing of the year. Last year, Bo was sooo afraid of the water, that all he did was dig in the sand on the beach for the most part and complained if you asked him if he wanted to go in the water. This year is quite different!! He actually went in up to his knees and sat down in the water twice. At this rate, he might get his belly button wet by the time he's a teenager!! :) 

Hailey is showing that if she's going to do something, she's really going to do it. Seeing someone else building something similar, we could not leave until hers was complete as well. I like the little pony island on the left.

Don't know what to say other than, "What a cutie!!"

Garden Start of 2012

The last few years we've had a great early start to getting the garden ready. Then it seems by the middle of the year it gets so tough to get out there. Not sure if it's the business or what-have-you, but this year, we were a little later getting going (although probably a good thing with all the weird weather) and now I think we have two big helpers this year who are enjoying being out there!! A big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa with the Pony for helping a weekend ago to help till up the ground and get things going. Now we have everything planted! Here are some pictures from our recent adventure out to the garden. 

Could you EVER imagine that Bo would dig running the tiller?  Oh yeah, he definitely helped a lot!  And he was serious and a good listener for when I wanted to stop and turn.  We worked out quite the system!

Happy Gardeners!!!

We went for a walk about to check out the other gardens.  When we got to the end, Hailey and Bo wanted to check out the round bale of hay.  So we looked at it and checked it out.  Then Hailey wanted to be up on top.  Then Bo did, but didn't, but did.  And finally with a lot of support and guidance, he was up there standing all by himself!  I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer holds for our garden!

Keva House

What had intended to be a surprise for the kids while they played upstairs became a tag team effort for Hailey and me.  We made a Keva house big enough to sit in.  Although, we didn't have quite enough planks to finish the roof, but hey, everyone likes a skylight!!  :)

Kitchen Master (Meister?)

I sent this to Uncle Will the other day on what we were doing at that time of the day.  The first thing Bo wanted to do?  Get on his apron and do some cooking in the kitchen!  So that is what we did.  And yes, he still makes that face when asked to smile.  What a cutie!

Bo Goggles

When Hailey gets goggles, we all get goggles.  Especially when you buy them from Costco.  It was a three pack!  But after a night at the pool and seeing Haily wearing them, Bo thought it would be a great idea to wear them in the bathtub.  I think that's a great idea don't you?!  :)

Bow Ties

What happens when the kids see me getting dressed up to go out to an event where Apex was nominated for the 100 best places to work for in Minnesota?  Well, of course THEY want to be dressed up TOO!!!  :)  Oh yeah, they look stylin' in those ties!!!

Silly Swimmer

Did you know what Bo said before last night's swimming adventure?  I have to say that again, do you know what Bo did kicking and screaming all the way to the gym???  I don't W-A-N-N-A S-W-I-M!  Well, swim we did and swim had fun!!!

So much fun that one of the first things he asked this morning was, "When can we go swimming again!!"  What a silly kid!!!  :-)

Amnicon Falls Video

I said we were done with the pictures, but I bet you didn't think I'd be posting a video now!!  :)  Here is the river that in some ways is hard to describe the power, volume and magnitude.  Even the video I don't think gives it complete justice!  Alas, it is the closest I can get to showing you. I hope you enjoy!



Amnicon Falls Adventures - 3 of 3

And here are the rest of the pictures!! (Well, at least until Uncle Steph gets his pictures off of his camera and shoots them over to us.) Until that happens, here we go! 

The driest day by far was Friday evening when we got there! Hailey unloaded the car and then wanted a picture of all her guys getting to know her new penguin guy which she named Avalanche.

One big difference from this camping trip and last falls camping trip (other than the weather!) was that Bo actually enjoyed the fire.  Ok, let me rephrase that.  Bo was obsessed with the fire!  He spent any time around the fire with a poking stick.  Here you can see him poking the fire as well as avoiding the smoke with the towel!

Miss Hailey thoroughly enjoying herself.  Nice and relaxed enjoying her drink around the fire.  Man is she looking so grown up!!!

Another one with the fire marshals.  Notice their poking devices!

Another highlight of the weekend was the "Yerf Dog!"  I have no clue why it is called a yerf dog, but it is basically a larger tricycle with big "mud" tires.  Bo is giving Hailey a nice ride.

Now onto my two favorite Bo pictures of the weekend. one I believe is just after he biffed it off the yerf dog. Crossing his legs and everything! 

And the other is just a great one while he's blowing some dandelions that have gone to seed. So cute!! All in all, as I've said before, we had a great weekend in spite of all of the things which mother nature threw at us. Not to jinx our next adventure or anything, but I think we will have a good shot at survival again no matter what!