Tag: adventure

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52 Project, Week 18: Spring Trees

52 Project, Week 18: Spring Trees

The spring trees challenge was a lot of fun to photograph.  After choosing to photograph the same spot of trees for the winter, spring, summer and autumn challenge, I already knew where one of my locations was.  As my main image for the challenge, I’m choosing some beautiful crab apple blossoms.

I’m always amazed at how fast the trees turn green.  In what feels like a few days, the trees go from bare branches to tops full of leaves.  Catching that moment when the trees are softly budding with baby leaves is a race against time.  As soon as the surrounding hills took on a soft subtle green, I knew it was time to head out and start shooting.

All of the kids came with for this challenge.  It was a lovely, warm Sunday, with a scattered sprinkling of rain showers throughout the day.  After our meeting at the Kingdom Hall, we stopped by home to pick up our cameras.  We took the scenic route to the park and enjoyed the lovely views of our changing world.

Mr. Awesome and Cupcake chose to wait in the car, but Princess hopped out with Cat and me.  Princess is my little shadow, she follows me everywhere.


Cat’s Spring Trees

The following Sunday was a clear, warm, sunny day.  We met some friends at the park for a walk.  In just one week you could really see the difference in the trees.  In the picture of the children below, the kids are walking toward the back of the trees from the previous week.

On our walk, we saw a kayaker in the river.  We went down to our favorite spot where the children were able to wade and splash in the water.  It was a beautiful, spring day.

What is your favorite thing about spring?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 17: Light
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 19: Jewelry
Main Page for 52 Project

Join us for the photography challenge! We’d love to see your images!
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Hastings Rivertown Days Parade 2017

Hastings Rivertown Days Parade 2017

The Hastings Rivertown Days Parade is a big event every year.  It’s fun to see people we know in the community handing goodies out to the kids.  We also enjoy the creative and fun floats, vehicles and walkers.

For a severe allergy family, we can’t enjoy the candy, but the kids always have fun collecting it.  The big girls usually gather up all of the candy and divide it among themselves.  I give the little kids safe, homemade “candy” or safe treats that I’ve found online.

This year, we went to the Kingdom Hall early in the morning, then rushed home as fast as we could (while not speeding, safety first!) for the parade.  The kids changed into play clothes and we rushed down to try to find a spot.  As usual, the roads were packed with people.  Every year, people set out chairs, blankets, and towels to reserve their spots.  The curbs, sidewalks, and lawns are always packed with people.

The parade was well under way by the time we got there, but it wasn’t even halfway over.  One year, the parade was over two hours long!  Thankfully, this year it was only about an hour.  Two hours can get kind of long for little ones.

Right away, we found our friend’s Matt and Silvana and their children.  They were kind enough to let us join them.  While the little kids gathered up goodies, we relaxed in the shade of the tree we were under.  Thankfully, this year it was mostly cloudy.  Other years have been hot and sunny.  I always feel bad for the marching band kids in full sleeved jackets.

There were a few new additions to the parade this year.  Sponsors rented a fire truck that had been active in New York during 9/11.  Little Log House Pioneer Village had a huge piece of antique farm equipment.  As usual, there were mobile bands, marching bands, horses, and local businesses.  I really enjoyed the landscaping displays.  It was a beautiful and fun day.

Does your family enjoy going to parades?

Check out our video!

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Hastings Rivertown Days 2017

Hastings Rivertown Days 2017
Every year we go to Hastings Rivertown Days.  One of our favorite things to do as a family is to go to The Dime Carnival.  The kids play games to their heart’s content and win tickets to pick out fun prizes.

Every year, it always seems as though it’s on one of the hottest days of summer.  Since the carnival is in a parking lot, the heat is reflected up off the asphalt, making it feel even warmer.  This year was no exception.  Not about to let a little heat ruin our day, we enjoyed the carnival and hid out inside the prize area to cool off when needed.

Princess has always loved picking ducks in the duck pond.  Mr. Awesome loves the jumpy house.  Cupcake loves all the games.  Cat is starting to get to an age where the carnival is too young for her.  She loves helping the younger kids play the most.

After cooling off at home, we went to the library to drop off some books and pick up some more.  As soon as I walked into the library, my eyes started itching.  Cat said “Oh look Mom!  A beautiful dog!”  I turned to see a huge white dog near us walking across the library.  It must have been a therapy dog.  Unfortunately, because of my allergies, I left the building while the kids had fun picking out books with Dad.  Outside I enjoyed photographing the library’s beautiful garden.

We stopped at Walmart for a few necessities and I got a contact case and solution so I could take out my contacts ASAP.  My eyes were burning so much I could barely see.  After I removed them, in the middle of the aisle at Walmart, I felt such relief.  Although I was now blind.  I had to hold Nate’s hand through the rest of our Walmart trip.

My vision is -8.50 for contacts.  I’m not legally blind with my contacts (legally blind is a legal term used to sort out those who can apply for medical benefits.  Anyone who can not see with corrective lenses after a certain point is considered legally blind.  I am very thankful that corrective lenses work for me.  I will never be able to have perfect vision even with them, but it’s still a blessing I am thankful for.).  Without them, I am blind.  I can’t see definition, I can only see basic blurry shapes.  I can see colors, dark and light.

What You See
What I See

As you can tell from the image above, I can not see very well.   We stopped to get the kids ice cream at our local dairy co op, then checked out the craft fair at the LeDuc mansion across the street.  Since I couldn’t see, Nate took my hand and led me around.  He described what was around us and what was in each booth we passed.

I heard a familiar voice call out to me.  My friend’s Katie and Dusty from our Kingdom Hall were there!  I got a chance to check out an amazing card booth with them.  The cards opened up into intricate pop-up scenes all made of colorful paper.  One was a ship, another a camera, others were scenes of various places around the world.

Although I am blind from a distance, I can see up close.  I mean extremely up close.  Whatever I’m looking at must be a couple of inches from my eye.  What I do see from that close is detailed almost microscopically.  I can see the tiny details that the normal eye can’t see.

With the cards, I could see the fiber of the paper, the tiny cuts and details.  It was like stepping into a new world where fantasy and reality collide.  I intended to go back and purchase some cards after I got my contacts in, but sadly that was the last day.  Perhaps I’ll get the chance to see them again next year.

We purchased some sheets from a vendor and then went home to enjoy pizza and family night.  Thankfully I was able to put in a fresh set of contacts to see.  After that, we walked down to the river to enjoy the Hastings Rivertown Days fireworks.  It was a busy and fun day.

Check out the video of our day!

 

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A Park With Beautiful Rolling Hills and River Views | Afton State Park

A Park With Beautiful Rolling Hills and River Views
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 4 Afton State Park

It was early on Saturday morning when Nate playfully tried to wake me up.  He told me he’d already gotten the kids out of bed and they were getting breakfast.  We were going for a walk!  He had picked the spot and did all of the work to get everyone ready.  He even made my morning tea.  What a wonderful way to start the day!

It was a beautiful day for hiking.  The high was 81 with a cool breeze.  When we started out, it was still in the lower 70’s.  The drive there was scenic and peaceful.  The park was packed with people.

This was my first time to the park, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I was a little worried seeing how packed all of the parking lots were.  I didn’t realize it was such a popular destination.  Thankfully, we were able to find a spot to park.

Heading down the trail, we encountered some beautiful views of the hills surrounding the river valley.  I was easily able to see why this was such a popular park.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten our bug spray.  The mosquitos were huge and the lower we descended into the valley, the more gnats and mosquitoes there were.  We tried to walk fast and mostly kept to the center of the trail to avoid them.

Once we got down to the beach, the breeze kept the insects away and we were able to relax.  The kids enjoyed checking out the dock and then searching for agates and rocks to skip.  We watched the boats zoom past and we thought about how fun it must be to tour the river from the water.

Heading back, the bugs weren’t as bad.  Maybe it was because it was a little later in the day and a bit warmer.  Heading up the trail was a bit more difficult for me, but the rest of the family wasn’t fazed.  They jumped up the steps like mountain goats.  I lagged behind, tired and struggling to keep up.

Later that night, I ended up in bed sick.  Perhaps Princess’ fever wasn’t allergy related after all, and she had passed a virus to me.  I spent the next week bedridden.

For some reason, I always get the sickest in our family.  Over the years, I’ve learned holistic remedies to heal faster and keep from getting as ill as I used to.  I also don’t get sick as often as I used to, thankfully.

Have you been to Afton State Park?  What is your favorite area?

All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/afton-state-park-area-trails
Basic Park Info: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/afton/index.html

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 4, Day 3: Night Walk Date
Next Week: Week 5, Day 1: Schaar’s Bluff

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Night With Nate

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 3 Night With Nate

We got some new nail polish called Ella and Mila that is low on the toxicity scale.  It’s the least toxic I’ve been able to find that is also affordable and works well.  Cat painted Princess’ and my toes and put cute little feather decals on too.

After running around with the kids all day and Nate’s long work days, it can be hard for us to find time alone.  I thought it would be fun to join him for a night-time walk before bed.

It was a beautiful, warm night.  Being as hot as it was, I wore my pajamas on our walk.  My pj’s were cute matching shorts and a t-shirt, acceptable for wearing in public.  I personally wouldn’t be comfortable during the daytime, but I didn’t think we would be seeing many people.  As it turned out, since it was such a warm night, there were a lot of people out taking walks.

Nate and I walked up to a gas station where he got something to drink.  In the harsh lights, I felt awkward in my little PJ shorts, but I tried to play it off like it didn’t bother me.

As we walked back toward home, I could hear thunder rumbling in the distance.  Beyond the trees, I could see occasional flashes of lightning.  The storm looked like it had passed us over for the night.

We met a man out walking who asked us if our power was out.  It turns out, that half the city was without power.  We chatted with him for a little while before heading the last couple blocks home.  Fortunately, our power was unaffected.

Unfortunately, poor Princess had a small fever and had been asking for me while we were gone.  Cat said she had been doing mostly well but had only gotten hot shortly before we got home.  Poor kiddo was either sick with a virus or was having an allergic reaction to something mildly corny she ate earlier in the day.

What do you do for alone time when money and time are short?  Do you enjoy taking walks at night, or do you prefer going in the daytime?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 4, Day 2: Fort Snelling
Next Week: Week 4, Day 4: Afton State Park

 

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Historic Fort Snelling

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 2
Historic Fort Snelling

Today we visited Fort Snelling.  My parents, my sisters Shannon and Liz and Liz’s boyfriend Jimmy had a lot of fun!  We’ve been here many times and every time I find something new to enjoy.

Although I’ve always visited Fort Snelling as a tourist, my Dad visited as a child, before it was restored as a historic landmark.  When he was a child, his uncle and cousins lived here!

Fort Snelling has always been one of my sister Liz’s favorite places.  Since she was a child, she’s always loved the cannon blast.  That might be because, when she was little, my Dad used to tell her that they set it off just for her.

After hearing the cannons go off, we went to get root beer and cream soda for the non-allergy people.  Then, we practiced walking on stilts.  My Dad was the best, to everyone’s amazement.

We checked out some of the usual buildings, like the tower and the schoolhouse, but my favorite was the medical rooms.  There were some new displays that I haven’t seen before.  I especially got a kick out of the weather diary.  The climate here was judged “the most excessive among all military posts in The United States.”

Liz, Jimmy and the kids had great fun making star wands in the arts and crafts building.  Liz has always excelled in making a four-sided star.  In usual tradition, she gave her star to the youngest in our family, Princess.  Jimmy was kind enough to give his star to Mr. Awesome.

After we were done for the day, we cooled off inside the gift shop and art gallery area before heading to our cars.  This year’s exhibit was a display of beautiful photography by Paul Kitagaki.  Accompanying the portraits were moving stories of families and people who had lived through the Japanese internment.  There was also a fascinating display of old clocks.

Later that night, we met up with my friend Joleen and her son Drake for fireworks at our local golf course.  It was a lovely evening.  The fireworks were beautiful and seemed to be right on top of us.  It was the perfect finish to a fun day.

Have you been to Fort Snelling?  What is your favorite part?  What historic sites are near your home?  I’d love to hear about it, share a link to your blog post in the comments!

Check out our video!

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 4, Day 1: Morning Workout
Next Week: Week 4, Day 3: Night Walk Date

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4 Year Old Adventure

4 Year Old Adventure
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 4

The big kids went to the drive in with Grandma and Grandpa, so Princess and I decided to go on an adventure.  We went on a walk downtown and along the river.  It was the perfect evening for a walk and we had a lot of fun!

Princess LOVES going for walks.  She is a little outdoors girl.  If we could live outside, she would be so happy.  One of her favorite activities is camping.  She’s always asking me when we can go play outside together.  I let her lead us on this 4-year-old adventure.

I’m naturally a home body.  I love hiding inside.  I’m always looking for ways to motivate myself to go outdoors more because the outdoors are beautiful and they always make me feel closer to God.  Doing this exercise challenge has been a great way to do that.  I do love to explore new places too, but it’s nice to have a little girl who pushes me to do so.

I hope we’ve been inspiring you to get outdoors too if you are naturally a home body like me.  Exercise doesn’t have to be gruesome and horrible.  Getting outside, exploring the world and all of the wonders that God created for us to enjoy is fun and exciting.  The person who moves slowly on the trail is still moving faster than the person at home on their couch.  So get out there and get some fresh air!

Have we motivated you to get outside this week?  Do your kids love to go outside as much as my little outdoor girl?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 3, Day 3: Covered Bridge Park
Next Week: Week 4, Day 1: Morning Workout

 

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The Only Covered Bridge In Minnesota!

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 3
2nd Convention Day, Covered Bridge Park

The second day of the “Don’t Give Up!” convention was great!  I felt bad for the people next to us because the kids had to get up and go the bathroom in alternating shifts.  I suppose that’s typical with kids.  Since my kids are all getting older, they sit pretty well except for the bathroom breaks.

After the convention, Princess wanted to go all the way to the top of the parking ramp.  I brought us up and parked the van so the kids could take in the view.  It was a beautiful and windy day in Rochester.

On the way home, we stopped in Zumbrota to see the covered bridge.  I have always wanted to go check it out.  It’s really beautiful and in great shape!  I’m so glad we got a chance to visit!

We took a walk along the creek and then stopped at an amazing wooden park.  It reminded me of a park that used to be in Burnsville called Skyland.  It was torn down to put in a modern park several years ago, which has always made me sad.  I loved playing at Skyland when I was younger.  I’m really glad the children had the chance to enjoy this park.  They want to come back every time there is a convention.

Park Info: http://www.ci.zumbrota.mn.us/index.asp?SEC=F8BD36E0-EA64-410F-B42C-3C819352F226&DE=05948FF6-7AB9-4FDC-996C-29FBF2FD779B&Type=B_BASIC

Have you been to the covered bridge in Zumbrota or do you have one near where you live?  I’d love to hear about it or see your pictures!

UPDATE: I made a typo!  It turns out that it was advertised as the only remaining “original” covered bridge in the state.  There are other “non-original” covered bridges.  I did find a list of all of the covered bridges, check it out!  http://www.dalejtravis.com/cblist/cbmn.htm

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 3, Day 2: 1st Convention Day, Rochester
Next Week: Week 3, Day 4: 4-Year-Old Adventure

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A Park Merges Rich History With Green Design

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 5
Spring Lake Park, Schaar’s Bluff

Spring Lake Park is one of my favorite places to take walks with the family.  The views are breathtaking, the trails are very well maintained and there are bonfire pits at several locations throughout the park.

Spring Lake Park has an interesting history.  There are native american artifacts that show evidence of villages and campsites dating from 1000 B.C to A.D. 1400!  In the 1930’s, a dam was built, flooding the river basin and spring lake merged to join the Mississippi.  In more recent history, Schaar’s Bluff was a family farm that was eventually sold to Dakota County.

Since then, the park has been working on providing a place where visitors can learn about American Indian history.  Nine years ago, the park opened Dakota County’s first net-zero-energy building.  The Gathering Hall gets 90 percent of it’s energy from an onsite wind turbine.  This spring, it opened it’s recently expanded trail to merge with the Mississippi River Trail.

We had originally planned on hiking a hidden trail we hadn’t previously explored.  Upon arrival, we saw that the new trail had been completed.  We were really excited to check it out.

We enjoyed seeing the beautiful prairie, full of wildflowers.  As we progressed on the trail, we could see several newly planted oak trees and strips of wheat bordering the path.  We took time to rest at the picnic tables overlooking the river and planned a future picnic.  The kids enjoyed climbing the rocks in the newly carved limestone wall.  The huge bridge crossing a ravine was an interesting design of plain lumber and rusted metal that made the kids question it’s age and safety.  I assured them that it was new and probably quite safe.

I have a feeling that we’ll love visiting and walking the new trail just as much as we love the old ones.  I really recommend this park for anyone interested.  It’s great for biking, hiking, picnics, outdoor gatherings, photo shoots, weddings, playing at the park, and watching the sun set.

Have you ever visited Schaar’s Bluff?  What is your favorite spot?

Main Park Info:
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/parksTrails/SpringLake/Pages/schaars-bluff-trailhead.aspx
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/parksTrails/SpringLake

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 4: Minnehaha Falls
Next Week: Week 2, Day 1: Workout At Home

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Minnehaha Falls

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 4
Minnehaha Creek Trail

I haven’t been to Minnehaha Falls for a while, so I was really looking forward to our hike.  Minnehaha Falls feels like home.  My Maternal Grandparents used to live not too far from the park, so we frequently enjoyed walks along the river’s edge, flying kites in the fields, family gatherings at the pavilion, family reunions, outdoor concerts and events, picnics, playing at the park and so much more.

I can remember being little and looking up at the huge oak trees with wonder.  I love oak trees, maybe because they live in so many of my happy memories.  I remember going on walks with my parents or grandparents and taking in the beautiful marvels that are everywhere.  I love being able to share its beauty with my children and allowing them to make their own memories.

As I walked the paths, I mulled over the memories of a lifetime at this park.  I saw myself grow up.  I saw my Mother, and my Grandmother, who also grew up here.  My great-grandmother would have seen the park when it was new.  I wondered about the Native Americans who lived here before us and the history of the park.  I hope someday my children will pass on the legacy of love of Minnehaha Falls and bring their own children here.

I found that that the park had more history than I could have imagined!  There is a great blog about the history of the falls here.  It was once the location to a zoo!  I knew about the mill that once was a bit further away from the falls because I had climbed down the remains once.  The dog park was once a limestone quarry, which ended up supplying much of the park with limestone for steps and walls.  I loved learning about the different bridges at the bottom of the falls and seeing images of how the falls have looked over the years.

Basic Park Info: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/parks__lakes/minnehaha_regional_park/
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/minnehaha-creek-trail

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 3: Hay Creek
Next Week: Day 5: Spring Lake Park