Yurt!

Rented a yurt at Afton State Park for the night. Fun, but it would take some practice to get the temperatures inside just right. Sometimes sweltering, sometimes chilly. And our food was stuck in a broken food storage locker in the morning, so we packed up early and went into town for breakfast.

Behind our site, there was a gorgeous dry stream bed that kept this kids busy for a long time. Logs to cross over, big huge rocks, tons of sticks to build a fort, and some abandoned eggs that they discovered were hardboiled :)

Yurt. (say it out loud, its a funny word)

They are stalking a doe and buck they saw run by

Inside fire and outside fire - fun! 

Big fan of chicken noodle soup while fall camping. And warm apple cider!

My camera was not cooperating, but I kind of love this picture anyway.

My double chin was not cooperating, but I kind of love this picture anyway.

Again, with the camera issues.

Love the ceiling in there. At bedtime, Laura turned on her star projector and it was magical.

The kids snuggled together, Adam reading out loud while Laura held the light.

A favorite moment of all time for me!

2017 Diamond Nationals

Her best year yet! 

This girl! She has worked so hard the last few months and it paid off. 1st place in both sparring and form at Diamond Nationals! She told me this was the best day she's ever had. 2 big trophies, 4th place for megateam form with a bunch of her friends, 2 trips to Dairy Queen, and the most exciting sparring match to watch at the finals that night (our pick won!). Happy happy girl about to burst with joy. And super proud parents!

Another cellist in the family

The beginning of school is always busy for everyone. For our family, its karate tournament prep time and helping to organize the school's 5K fundraiser. Both end at the same time this Saturday, with their respective bangs, at 9:00am. I have to be at the 5K, so the means I have to miss Laura's tournament. Not THAT big of a deal, but kind of a big deal for me. She has a super flashy bo form that she's really perfected. And she has been just incredible in sparring the last few weeks, legitimately beating some kids a foot taller and twice her weight. Jim promises to video them for me though. And I can probably make it to watch her Megateam performance. This year, it includes kids of various ages and belt levels and they are taught by a just-out-of-high-school teacher. They've worked super hard and have improved a ton. It will be fun to watch. And its a musical form to Malagueña, so that's fun!

Here's some pictures from my flagged file:

Laura had fun with my hair. I think I look like Dr. Seuss character

Lots of fire pit opportunities this fall!

Ava likes the fires too

We tried foot golf. Meh...

MOA

Silliness

This one worked super duper hard to earn enough money for his own drone. 

Laure and I had a great time at the high school play. These kids were amazing and hilarious!

School 2017

Did you know school started?

This one's a middle schooler now. The bus stop's just not the same without her (I'm not allowed to go to the middle school stop)

But she's having a blast changing classes all day and taking lots more responsibility. She'll loves it!

And this one is in 3rd grade. Laura taught us that this is the best year of elementary - all kinds of doors open wide. He'll get to start playing cello, go to Star Lab, try for Student Council, learn cursive, and so many more cool things.

And so far, he's loving it too! He likes his teacher and sees best-friend-Grant on the bus and at recess, so all's well. So proud!

Can Can Wonderland

My friend Talia introduced me to Can Can Wonderland in St. Paul.

Its such a weird, fun place that you have to really want to find. The parking lot is fairly nondescript in an industrial part of town and you walk down warehouse hallways for a while before you find it. Then you walk through a doorway and there is color, movement, and sounds everywhere! Its a mini-golf course designed by different artists. My favorite part is that it is long and skinny, so as you move through the course, each hole is a surprise discovery. I don't know if it would be fun to go back more than once in a while, because the discovery and new-ness was the novelty. But Laura and I typically hate mini-golf and this was fun enough to even win us over! 

This was a "natural disaster" themed hole and the pit Laura is standing in has "earthquakes" as you are putting.

I really like that you are always walking up or down to get to your ball. Its a very 3D course!

Gears and marble runs!

The warehouse used to be a canning factory, hence the name and this hole.

Love the baseball theme where you get to hit a home run with your golf ball!

And the purple hole that is "Formerly known as the longest hole in the world". Its a nod to Prince and to the fact that while this place was being built, someone else built a slightly longer hole. Its just a super long straight shot.

And free ping pong and lots of classic arcade games. And Lucky Charms milk shakes!

Catch up

Some random pics from my flagged folder that I haven't posted yet.

I made a friend a baby sling with some lovely, soft denim. We had to try it out!

It works!

Last year, Adam and Jim made a raft. It works too!

Laura sewed her friend a purse

About 1/3 of our potato harvest

And our garlic harvest

Adam using Grandma B's jelly spoon to make lemonade for his lemonade stand

A floating crab

Laura getting her middle school locker in order

Putting the kids to work stamping Husky Hustle envelopes...again...