Memorial weekend

For Memorial Day we planned on having a few families over for a BBQ, so the weekend before we took a trip to the cities so we could go to COSTCO for the meat (Costco always has the best meat).

We decided that since we were in the area we'd go to Como Zoo, as well.
Como Zoo has FREE admission (they just ask for a small donation), so our expectations weren't very high. Needless to say, it exceeded our expectations by a long shot! It was awesome!
We were having a great time UNTIL Addi lost her flip-flop in the lions den. It was actually pretty hilarious!- but poor Addi didn't think so. By the way she was FREAKING OUT you would have thought the lion bit her leg off. That girl is drama sometimes!

Not sure what Addi is doing here- but it's not what it looks like!

Here they are by some statue thingy that they thought was cool. They tried to imitate the creepy faces on the statue.

Looking at the flamingos while Tol is figuring out our next destination on the map. He is taking after his father with his obsession for maps. uh-oh.

Addi and the polar bear. That thing was HUGE! This pic doesn't do the size justice, but look at those paws!

Addi with a lion (look closely) in the background. Notice how she has both flip-flops on. And notice how you look down into the lions den. She was doing a trick and kicked her shoe off and down it went just minutes after this pic was taken.

The lion eating the flip-flop. Okay, not really- but it looks like it.
We've had to tell Addi that the lions didn't eat her flip-flop but have played with it because it looked like a toy. That story was our saving grace for the remainder of the day.

Carrying a 4 year old around a zoo got old so we weren't there too much longer.

Plus, it started raining.
But we had to see a few more things before heading out...

Tol and the ostrich.

No pics of this, but we went to Chili's for lunch and I have to document that because we were all dying at how yummy the food was! I don't care what anyone says (Heidi :)), the restaurants in Rochester aren't that great. I mean, is it too much to ask for a Chili's?!

Kickin' it at Costco!

Addi the sleeping bird, on our way home. You cover her face and she falls asleep. It's so funny!

Then she woke up.
...
And here are a few pics from the aforementioned BBQ. It deserves a post of it's own, but I hardly got any pics. All I'll say is that it was a GREAT time and Dave's famous ribs were a HIT!

transportation fair

This is a post for another time (I have a lot of those 'other time' posts lined up, don't I?), but lately we've been discovering all the great activities and events that Rochester has to offer. One of which is the

TRANSPORTATION FAIR.

The weather forecast looked a little iffy, but nothing comes between Tol and his passion for things like this so we braved the storm and headed out alongside the Hansons.

There were all sorts of different cars, trucks, tractors and other various forms of transportation to climb on and sit in. We got to see the insides of an ambulance and other emergency vehicles, taxi cab, city and school buses, garbage truck, UPS truck- which provided great protection from the sheets of rain, tractors, mini vans (which Tol kept ripping on) and many other things.

The is the 2nd year, out of 17, that it has rained (which is a total understatement). But it turned out to be a blessing because there were no lines; we just walked onto anything we (or Tol) wanted. I guess the lines are usually super long.

After spending plenty of time at the fair and seeing all there was to be seen, we dined at Panera for lunch.

It was a Fun & Fabulous Day!

The next day was spent buying rain-gear.

Jeff

13 years ago today I lost a dear friend. There haven't been many days since that I haven't thought of him.

But blessings and trials seem to come in the same package, and I'm grateful for the blessings that I've received.

Until we meet again...

for my sis'

I'm back to attack! My camera (that I LOVE) is a goner so I had to resort to an old one that I don't love so much. One of the reasons I don't love it (besides the weak picture quality) is that the memory card isn't compatible with my computer and it didn't ever come with a USB cord and I can't find a USB compatible with this old school camera. Wait- was that 'one' reason, or three reasons? {and was that also a run-on sentence?} Whatever. So I hope you appreciate these pictures because it wasn't easy (or free) getting them here. And I also hope you appreciate your compatible cameras and memory cards. I'm saving for a new camera, but until then my posts may or may not be few and far between.

 

*I'm being practical and thinking solely of the BLOG BOOK by posting so many collages lately. Love them.

With all that said... here is a little something to tide ya'll (or just Jess & Chel) over for a bit.
TOLMAN'S SCHOOL CARNIVAL!! The highlight was definitely the few bounce houses and the low-light (?) was Dave not letting the kids play the fish game because everyone won an actual goldfish. Poor, neglected children! In the pic above, Tol is playing "MINUTE TO WIN IT." He had to sort Skittles in 1 minute. They change up the number of skittles you have to sort depending on your age. Tol and Ad both did it and were so pleased with themselves, as they should have been. After eating dinner,  playing all the games, bouncing, and spending too much money, we high-tailed it out of there. But it was fun, and it is nice to be able to support the public schools- especially my own kids'.

Addison recently finished her first year of DANCE in Rochester.

She took lessons at the Community Center and we were more than pleased! The class' focus was technique and the 5 positions of ballet. Addi learned a lot and her LOVE for dance grew.

Miss Tonya was the teacher and I can't say enough how impressed I am with her. She taught the girls SO MUCH about dance while making it so much FUN for them to 'learn' (or make PB sandwiches, talking on their cell phones, doing the chocolate or strawberry shakes and jumping over the individually named feather boas).

Miss Tonya and Addi on the last day of class

After 2 trimesters of a Ballet/Tumbling (a little random, I know) class, we decided to add TAP to the mix. Addison LOVED it! After we bought her tap shoes, she wore them for 2 weeks straight (in the house). Not annoying at all ;)

 And here she is on her last day of Ballet and Tumbling. Like I said, Addi has learned so much this year and we are looking forward to another year with Miss Tonya when the Summer is over.

...but we're NOT looking forward to the Summer being over.