summertime things to do

I'm not sure what I mark as the official start of summer. Is it Memorial Day, June first, or the last day of school (ecfe)? Or is it the first picnic, the first popsicle, first boat ride, first ripe watermelon? I'm just not sure. But whatever it is that officially marks the start of summer, I believe it is here! Which is a little confusing because our peonies have yet to bloom, but based on all I listed above, SUMMER IS HERE!

My ecfe teacher made a gigantic list of things to do with kids during the summer. The list is awesome and at first I was going to make it into my summer bucket list. But then I typed it out below and decided this can be my "at some point while the kids are under 18 we'll do these things..." list. Because it's pretty huge.

I thought I'd share it as an awesome resource for those of you in the twin cities/south metro looking for something to do this summer. And Sunday afternoon as the kids napped for three hours (!!!) I spent some time creating some links for the list. Happy Summertime!

PARKS
Murphy's Landing in Shokopee (we love this place!)
Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater (can't wait to go here)
Antler's Park in Lakeville
Carleton College Arboretum in Northfield
St. Olaf College picnic on campus in Northfield
Centennial Lakes in Edina
Chutes and Ladders, Hyland Park Preserve in Bloomington
Lutz Railroad Garden in Eagan (3rd Sunday of the month, 1-4pm. Mark it down, Dad!)
Minihaha Falls
Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis
Zumbrota Covered Bridge, log cabin and playground (looks so fun for a day picnic)

STATE PARKS AND OUTDOOR DESTINATIONS
Afton State Park
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
Sakatah State Park in Morristown
Whitewater State Park in St. Charles
William O'Brian tate Park in Osceola
Rice Lake State Park
Fort Snelling State Park
Lake City/Lake Pepin

NATURE CENTERS
Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington
Hyland Park Nature Center in Bloomington
Woodlake Nature Center in Richfield
River Bend Nature Center in Faribault
Thorncrest Farm in Dundas
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen

MUSIC AND SPORTS AND FOOD AND ZOOS AND FAIRS
Minneapolis Outdoor Music
St. Paul Saints Game (so excited to get to a game this summer)
Twins Game
Red Barn Pizza Farm in Northfield (great pizza, sort of spendy)
Farmer's Markets
Dundas Ball Park
Minnesota Zoo
Como Zoo
County Fairs
Valley Fair

MOVIES
Minneapolis Outdoor Movies
Centennial Lakes Outdoor Music and Movies
Lakeville Theatre (free kids movies on Wednesdays)
Elko Speedway Drive In (I'm so excited about this!!!)
Outdoor Movies and Concerts at Burnsville Civic Center

SWIMMING AREAS
Outdoor pools in Kenyon and Farmington
Northfield Swimming Pool
Faribault zero entry pool, fountains, playground, slides
Crystal Beach in Burnsville
Apple Valley Water Park (Ivar talks about the AV Water Park nearly every day...)
Cascade Bay in Eagan
Lake Minnetonka Swimming Pond
Lake Harriet (trolley rides, rose garden, music, beach. My favorite place in the summertime.)
Lac Lavon Park in Brunsville

SPLASH PADS
Kelley Park in Apple Valley
Civic Center Fountain Park in Burnsville
Minnesota Zoo

BIKE TRAILS
Cannon Falls to Redwing- 20 miles
Faribault Bike Trail- starts at DQ along hwy 60, trail goes to Sakatah State Park to Mankato

INDOOR
Mill City Museum
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Wild Rumpus Bookstore in Linden Hills, Minneapolis
Science Museum and Omni Theatre (museum closed Mondays)
Gymnastics open gym in Northfield
ABC Toy Store In Burnsville
Pump it Up in Burnsville
Red Balloon Books Store on Grand Avenue in St. Paul
Serengetti indoor water park in Owattona
Skateville in Burnsville
Nerstrand Meat Locker
Brunswick Zone in Lakeville
Edinborough Park in Edina
Good Times park in Eagan
Local Library
Water Park of America in Bloomington
Bowling

So what did we miss? Any glaring omissions that I forgot?!!

this week...

+ Last Friday we planted 12 apple trees out in the far corner of our field. Rory posted a lot of pictures and all the work that was done that day here. It was a full day and my mom showed up at just the perfect moment to watch the kids so that we could plant some trees. I was so grateful for her timing!

+ We finished all of the planting this week. Ivar put the corn kernels in each hole that Rory dug with the end of a pvc pipe. Rory planted the strawberries, pumpkins, squash, melons and lettuce. Have you seen Rory's logbook of what he is planting each day? And we put a bunch of sunflowers in front of the barn. I'm really excited about the sunflowers.

+ Rory and I hung my christmas present this week in a tree that overlooks our field and apple trees. This is just another victory in my goal to have a swing of some sort hanging from every tree on our property.

+ The kittens and cats continue to show off their mousing skills. Rory and I decided we would not want to die by the hand of a kitten. They really drag it out. I think the picture above was a chip monk. And perhaps most impressively was the day Velma, the mom, carried a bat into the garage with the wings flapped around her face. Gives me the shivers.

+ I've always been against double wide running strollers for their obnoxious size. Annika gave me hers a year ago and I thought we'd just store it for a while. Well. I am eating my words this week. We pulled it out and it is my favorite. The wheels are so big I can push it through the alfalfa out to the little orchard. It is awesome. It is so easy to maneuver. There are a whole lot of words to eat once you have kids of your own reaching each milestone. Lots and lots of words to eat.

+ Other than that, we've been holding our own sort of Honey Bee School each night after the kids go to bed. We've watched lots of youtube videos, read articles and watched a few movies. More on all that next week. I have so much to excitedly pass along.

what I know about you, elsie

I know you have left the house when I hear the kitchen door slam behind you. I know you are fearless when I find you standing on top of the kitchen table. I know you are up to something when I cannot hear you at all.

I know you are happy when you are singing sweet songs. I know you are witty from your clever naa naa joke. I know you are opinionated from the outfits you determinedly pick out to wear each day. I know you adore your brother from how hard you laugh with him. I know you two are going to be close by how little personal space you give each other. I know you will both be team players by how often I tell you to "work it out" each day.

I know you're going to challenge me all summer long to keep your hat on. I know your sweet skin is going to be a top concern of mine every single day. I know your enthusiasm based on your happy "yeah!" or "no!" I know you adore our farm life and all the animals and outside time that comes with it.

I know you are tender and strong, sassy and caring. I know you are full of personality and full of sweetness. I know you love me as much as I love you. You are my favorite little girl on the planet and I am so glad you're mine. And that's what I want you to know: how thankful I am that you are mine.

my dad is 70. SEVENTY!

A few days before his birthday my mom mentioned casually that this was dad's seventieth birthday. What in the world?!! How had I missed the memo? And how in the world could my dad be turning 70? Seven Zero! It actually did quite the deal on my own psyche. If my father is 70, the I must be sort of old too...

Mom and I talked and we decided to go low key. We'd invite the Anderson's over for a picnic. It sounded great. And then the day before the birthday she kept calling me and telling me who else she'd invited. And soon we had a legit party on our hands. Ivar was thrilled to be planning a birthday party for Grandpa Paul. He knew just what to get Grandpa for his birthday, "A Thomas Train from Target!" So the theme was set. And even better, my dad went to Party City before they came over and bought every Thomas plate, napkin, table cloth, bubble set, bucket and party blower the store had. Ivar had nailed it on the theme. Turns out, Grandpa Paul loves Thomas the Train!

Uncle Carl sat with Ivar at the kids table and they had a smashing time. Those two are quite the pals.

We made Grandpa Paul a cake with a 70 train track on it with a train car filled with skittles. I think Ivar may have eaten 70 skittles by the end of the night...

My whole life I've asked Dad what he wants for his birthday. He always replies, "world peace." Which was followed by a groaning, "daaaaaad, I can't get you that!" To which he'd say, "eh, just get me some whoppers and duct tape. You can never have enough duct tape." Which actually makes him the easiest guy to shop for.

It was a fun night celebrating a great guy. I told the story of when Mom and Dad dropped me off at the airport before I left for a semester in India. Dad leaned in and said, "Becca, when you're there, never forget..." And I thought he'd say something super spiritual here but instead he finished, "wherever you are, that's where you're at." 

I was baffled by that comment. But days later, when I found myself beginning to feel a bit homesick, I remembered those words, "wherever you are, that's where you're at." And I honestly think I bypassed homesickness because I was able to be fully present right where I was. And I loved my semester in India and all of the experiences I had there because of it.

It's still some of my very favorite advice. I still think of it, remembering not to wish a moment away, a predicament, a obligation or a season of life. There's no room for escapism in those words. Enjoy where you're at. Because that's right where you are.

So Happy Birthday Dad! You are a wise seventy-year-old man!

this week at the grovestead

+ It is finally springtime in Minnesota. We really earned this one and I am celebrating every single leaf. Rory planted tulip bulbs in the four raised beds and they are stunning. All winter long I looked out at the snow piled on top of those beds eager for the day they'd be full of color. That day is here!

+ At breakfast I told Ivar about a plant that has "perfect little heart-shaped flowers." He was so interested and curious and then absolutely delighted when he saw it by the chicken coop. And watching him so excited about such amazing pink hearts on a bush made me so delighted. Wonders are all around. Ivar helps me see them anew.

+ The kids love to pick dandelions and we've got a lot of them. Which, just so you know, is so important for honey bees! Dandelions are some of the first springtime food for bees, and spraying them eliminates this food source. Consider yourself off the hook on the fight against dandelions.

+ The road grader went by while on a walk with the kids. This is always cause for much celebration and thrill. We waved to the driver and he waved back at us...all four times he went back and forth on our road.

+ We're giving the honey bees a week to get settled into their new home. In the meantime, I have been online ordering all of my gear. And reading up on varroa mites and colony collapse.

+ Twelve apple trees will be delivered this week. We have spent lots of time out in the far corner of our field marking off exactly where we want the holes dug for each tree. This little orchard will be a labor of love, and I have a feeling we're going to love it. That part of our property has always been my very favorite spot on our land. From the start I felt something special was to go out there.

+And finally, Elsie is a woman of very few words, so you can imagine my surprise when she made up her own knock knock joke today. Ivar had been making up silly knock knock jokes for a while in the car and then Elsie gave it a whirl. "Naa Naa," she said. Who's there? "Mama!" mama who? "MamaDada MamaDada!!!" And then she laughed at her wit and told her clever joke over and over and over again.