Day at the Zoo

Today Brent and I both had the day off so we enjoyed a trip to the Minnesota Zoo with Audrey. It's the first time we have taken her there, she loved it. They had a great deal going, if you bring old cell phones to donate you get free admission. Audrey loved the fish in the aquariums and the monkeys. We road on the monorail and she really liked that. After the zoo we hit up Bucca de Beppo for lunch, I love that place. We got out just in time before the rain. It's impossible these days getting her to pose for pictures, we try.

Enough pictures mom!

Audrey's favorite part of the zoo... watching the tractors digging for the new penguin exhibit. Ha, she could watch this guy all day.

Audrey and Jack

Last night we had our friend's son Jack over for a couple hours while they went out. Jack is 6, it was fun to watch him and Audrey interact together. In some ways he understands that she is younger and can't quite do everything he can, but then in some ways he would expect too much out of her. They were playing hide and seek and Brent was hiding and then Jack and Audrey would go looking for Brent and Jack wanted to split up and each go on the hunt for Brent, but Audrey just wanted to tag along with Jack. It was pretty cute. Then at one point they were both trying to decide what cartoon to watch and Jack wanted Spongebob and Audrey wanted Dora, Jack leaned over and whispered to Brent, "Don't tell Audrey, but I hate Dora." All in all, it was a great night and I think Audrey really liked having someone over to play with her. She did a great job sharing her toys. Let me tell you though, a 6 year old boy really wore me out. Brent and I were both exhausted at the end of the night. Playing our new game, Elefun. Jack totally did not even try to let Audrey win, he was basically just like, I have more than you, I am better. Audrey was a good sport. Here is Audrey pretending she is the elephant. She would copy everything Jack just did. Audrey and Jack fighting over a little Brent time.

We enjoyed dying our milk, Jack had quite a mix of colors. Audrey had purple milk.

All Things Loved

Here are some of the things I am loving right now:

I am searching for new curtains for our living/dining room, right now it's just some ivory curtains from the 70's. I want a flash of color with our green walls. My mom things this color is not going to work, but you just wait and see mom!

I am really enjoying running right now, I would be much happier running outside if the weather would cooperate, so for now I am running indoors on the treadmill. I kind of promised my old neighbor Judy I would do the North Mankato Triathlon (I haven't yet promised myself though) so I am working on 3 mile runs right now. I guess I need to swim and bike too:)

I recently got new glasses that are pretty similiar to these, I really like them and they help me see:)

If you have not yet tried these chips, the are the bomb! I find them at the local organic section at Cub Foods. I can basically eat the whole bag in one sitting, now it's not a huge bag, but maybe big enough that I shouldn't be eating it all in one sitting.

Fashionista!

Audrey continues to pick out her own clothes. I finally just relaxed a little and just let her go, she looks so proud of herself when she pulls something together. The combinations can be so flashy! I don't let her go to school like this, but when not in school I just let her pick out anything. She has a unique sense of style. It usually involves a dress of some kind, she is soooo into dresses right now.

127 Hours

Brent and I watched 127 Hours last night and it was incredible. For those who don't know, it's the movie about this man who was out hiking and got his arm stuck under a rock and amputated his own arm after being stuck for 127 hours. I tried so hard to put myself in his shoes and it's just impossible. I cannot even imagine how scared he was and the thoughts going through his mind through the entire experience. They really did a great job with the movie. I read the book also and the movie was much better.

Good times, not so good times!

The weekend started out great on Friday night we went to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater with Brent's parents and Curt and Christine and saw "Jesus Christ Superstar", it was great, we liked it. Audrey spent the night with my parents and had a great time, except for the fact that she was developing a bladder infection. She had a couple accidents in the past couple days, in which we assume she was just putting off going potty because it hurt too much and then she would just have to go so bad she would pee her pants. So, we finally took her in Sat. morning and she was a real trooper giving a sample at the doctor and we got her some yummy medicine to fix her right up. (Tip out there for the parents, when Audrey was constantly asking for purple medicine, Mindy filled me in on a tip, you can request any flavor of medicine at the pharmacy for only $2 extra, so grape it was:) Audrey is doing much better and back to her regular bathroom routine. Whew, what a terrible sickness for a little girl.

Yesterday I met Mindy in Owatonna for lunch, which was wonderful. We don't often just get together without kids to hang out and have conversation, it was nice. We also shopped and hardly got anything for ourselves. I guess I don't need a new wardrobe every season like someone else does. Last night Brent, Audrey and I went out for pizza and walked around the college campus, it was really fun and Audrey enjoyed running outside in such beautiful weather. They have a telephone booth like contraption at the college where you can skype.

Today Audrey and I went with my mom to visit my grandma in Wells. It was good to see her and a nice little drive for us.

Besides Audrey's infection all is well.

Monster Cookies

Audrey and I whipped up some monster cookies the other night and she loved helping. Every time I got out a new ingredient, she said , "I will do that." She was such a big help.


What would you pick, a monster cookie or a clementine?

Audrey would pick the clementine. She is not a big fan of cookies. She did take one bite though because she wanted a yellow m&m. What a health nut.

Relaxed Weekend

Finally after many weeks/months of being incredibly busy at work, things have slowed down a bit and I didn't have to work nonstop all weekend. It's been a long winter of hard work. Saturday evening we went to supper with Grandpa Doug and then to a birthday party for Brent's cousin Brianne's little girl, Emily. Audrey had a blast with the little girls and loved all the new toys to play with. She could care less about cake and ice cream, which I just cannot relate to.

Today we went to brunch with my parents to Whiskey River, a great place for brunch, including a chocolate fountain. My parents just returned from a cruise and of course spoiled Audrey with many new summer dresses. Tonight Audrey spent some time with Brent's parents while we went out with some friends for pizza. I have met a lot of new people working out at the Y. People who work out there and people who work there and we have started meeting up a couple times a month for drinks and supper. It's great getting to know new people.

Hat Day

Today was hat day at daycare. Audrey's teacher said that was the exact hat she had imagine Audrey would have, one with lots of color! They had a hat parade and they walked right past Brent's office, she wore her hat proud today:)

The Wagon Wheel

We ate breakfast at the Wagon Wheel this morning, a perfect home town diner, it's the best. We have never taken Audrey there, she loved it. It's a hot spot for my coworkers and I since it's right down the street from the funeral home.



Our waitress gave Audrey 50 cents so she could pick out three songs to play in our booth. Isn't it the best. We even played a classic song by a local band. My friend Leslie's dad was in a band in Mankato and they have their songs available on the personal juke box.

New Wheels

My dad got Audrey a bike at work a while back and we got it out tonight and Brent got it all put together, we wanted to see if it would work out for her this year. It says ages 3 and up, but Audrey is pretty tall so we figured it would work. It's definately a good size, but she has trouble figuring out the pedaling. Brent and I were trying to figure out the easiest way to explain how to pedal, it's not easy. She absolutely loves the bike and the colors, she just kept saying over and over, "It's purple, and blue, and pink!"

All Things Loved

Another blog I read was doing a post about all things loved recently, here are the things I am loving lately:


chile flavored mango-yummers!

McDonalds Mocha's (this is your fault Heidi)

I am loving watching the Bachelor, I was loving it more when the funeral director was on, for some reason Bachelor Brad was creeped out by her embalming talk, ha.

I am loving my new running shoes, they are the best!