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

Cooling Off in Hay Creek

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 3
Hay Creek

For day three, we drove to Red Wing to check out the Hay Creek Cross Country Trail.  The kids loved playing with the tongue twister of a name after I accidentally mispronounced it Cross Crunchy Trail.  None of us had been there before, so we weren’t sure what kind of a trail we’d find.

As it turns out, there isn’t an exact address for the parking lot, or at least, it’s not easy to find.  Instead, we followed the directions on the state’s website.  On the way there, we hit some major road construction.  The entire road was closed to through traffic.  Thankfully, we were able to get through on a scenic dirt road which led to the park.

Once at the park, we could not figure out where the correct trail for the cross country trail was.  There were several trails all in the same area, all crisscrossing and none were clearly marked.  Several were not well maintained and looked overgrown.  We ended up finding faded hand-painted signs in the overgrown brush for a couple of the trails, but none of them was the cross country trail.  Eventually, we gave up and followed the clearest path.

The Goodhue Pioneer State Trail is a wide, paved walking path.  We encountered several bikers and a couple of other walkers, but it was relatively quiet and peaceful.  There did happen to be a lot of gnats, but that’s pretty typical for this time of year.  The trail was strangely covered with dead snails, perhaps from the recent rain storms.

At one point, we found a wooden bridge with a path leading down to the creek.  We took off our shoes and waded into the clear, shallow water.  It was ice cold and felt great on such a hot and humid day.

We walked a little further past the bridge till we had walked a mile.  We stopped in the shade and let the kids have a snack.  Then we turned around to head back.

At one point, the kids found a live snail.  They gave it some fresh water to drink before putting it in the woods.  I had no idea snails lived out of the water.

Although the cross country trail might not be good for summertime hikes, maybe it’s a good trail to check out for cross-country skiing.  I recommend the Goodhue Trail if you’re in the area and looking for a relaxing walk or bike ride.

Basic Park Info: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/facilities/cmp00040/index.html
Map: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_forests/cmp00040.pdf
All Trails Info: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/hay-creek-unit-rj-dorer-memorial-hardwood-state-forest

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 2: Jensen Lake Trail
Next Week: Week 1, Day 4: Minnehaha Falls

Our First Visit to Jensen Lake Trail

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 1, Day 2

Lebanon Hills, Jensen Lake Trail

Originally, the weather forecast predicted thunderstorms.  We delayed our hike due to some destructive storms we’ve had recently.  I wouldn’t want to be halfway through a hike and have the children out in bad weather.  The weather was partly cloudy but mostly sunny throughout the morning, and extremely humid from all of the rain.  Since a storm seemed unlikely after all, we struck out for an afternoon hike.

Jensen Lake Trail is 2.1 miles.  All trails rated it as an easy trail.  (All Trails Info: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/minnesota/jensen-lake-trail)  It took us about 2 hours to complete the loop.  The more experienced hiker could easily finish it faster.  There was a guy who passed us going the opposite direction three times!

The kids really enjoyed this trail and would love to go back another time.  There was also a large park that we did not check out because it was too hot and we were exhausted.  We were all proud of ourselves for pushing through and finishing the trail, despite the heat.

If you’d like to visit the Jenson Lake Trail, check out their website for more information:
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/parksTrails/LebanonHills/Pages/jensen-lake-trailhead.aspx

Have you been to Lebanon Hills before?

Check out our video!

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Day 1: Workout At Home
Next Week: Day 3: Hay Creek

5 Week Workout Challenge

5 Week Workout Challenge

It’s almost summer!  With one week of school left for my kiddos, planning summer activities is a necessity.  If the summer isn’t planned, it flies by and nothing much happens.  For the last few weeks, I’ve been working on our calendar and researching activities.

Cat and I thought it would be great fun to have a 5-week workout challenge.  The little ones don’t really care what we do, but they love to be outside and active.  In order to keep all of us happy, I filled the calendar with primarily hiking.  Hiking is something that gets the body moving, the heart pumping and offers a change of scenery.  It can be done by anyone, young or old

We’ll also have days for indoor exercises at home.  This can be pilates, weight lifting, workout videos or another favorite workout activity.  If someone has plans to join us, maybe we’ll move our exercise plans to an indoor location, like the Mall of America for speed walking.

Hopefully, by the end of our 5 weeks, we’ll be feeling healthier and happier.  Plus, we’ll get the joy of exploring the great outdoors instead of being cooped up inside.

Our “week” is a little unusual.  We will not be doing a Monday through Friday week.  Sundays and Mondays are our days off.  Tuesdays through Saturdays are workout days.  Our goal is to workout 3 days Minimum weekly.  Anything more is extra credit!

I found a great app called All Trails which helps find local hiking trails.  It gives the length of the hike, maps, altitude, level of difficulty and more!  I suggest you check it out to see what’s in your area!

Check back to see posts about our adventures!  Hopefully, we’ll inspire you to make an adventure of your own this summer.  Go out and enjoy nature!

Week 1
Week 1, Day 1: Workout At Home
Week 1, Day 2: Jensen Lake Trail
Week 1, Day 3: Hay Creek
Week 1, Day 4: Minnehaha Falls
Week 1, Day 5: Spring Lake Park

Week 2
Week 2, Day 1: Workout At Home
Week 2, Day 2: Old Mill Park
Week 2, Day 3: Challenge at Home
Week 2, Day 4: 2nd Plank Challenge

Week 3
Week 3, Day 1: Hastings Riverwalk
Week 3, Day 2: 1st Convention Day, Rochester
Week 3, Day 3: Covered Bridge Park
Week 3, Day 4: 4-Year-Old Adventure

Week 4
Week 4, Day 1: Morning Workout
Week 4, Day 2: Fort Snelling
Week 4, Day 3: Night Walk Date
Week 4, Day 4: Afton State Park

Week 5
Week 5, Day 1: Schaar’s Bluff
Week 5, Day 2: Kawishiwi Falls
Week 5, Day 3: Norberg Trail

Do you have a workout plan this summer?  What’s your favorite type of exercise? We’d love to hear about it!

This Little Girl Went From Hating Water To Loving It

This Little Girl Went From Hating Water To Loving It

When Princess was born, a nurse offered to fill the tub for me at the hospital.  They had the longest, deepest tub I had ever seen.  I could stretch my legs all the way out without bending my knees.  I could get in and the water and it could cover me up to my neck.  I took a bath a few hours after birth, but I had to get out fast since Princess woke and started crying.

Several times, my nurse offered to fill the tub for me so I could relax with my wee baby and give her, her first bath.  At the time, I was very dizzy and tired from high blood pressure.  Plus, I had visitors coming and going, so rest was not an easy option.  By the time the sun went down, the nurse shift changed.  I had a tiny bit more energy and I thought it would be the perfect time for a bath.  I asked my new nurse to pour the water for me.

As I climbed in, my legs burned.  I could handle it, but it was uncomfortable.  I was debating on getting out when the nurse entered with my naked baby girl.  I mentioned that the water was too hot.  She handed Princess to me and added a few seconds of cold water to the tub.  Not feeling it was much cooler I didn’t lie back in the water.  The nurse took princess from me and set her on my lap in the water, where Princess immediately began to wail.
“It’s too hot!”  I exclaimed anxiously.
I don’t remember what or if she said anything in response, but I do remember being frozen in horror as she roughly and vigorously scrubbed my poor baby girl down with a large amount of soap.  Princess screamed and shrieked and I was rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to determine what to do.  Before I could make a decision, she dumped water all over princess to wash off the soap.
“It’s too hot!”  I said again, unable to think of anything else to say.  Later I would obsess over all of the things I could have said and done to protect my baby.  Before I could do anything else, the nurse wrapped her in a towel and brought Princess wailing into the room to diaper and dress her.  I stood up and got a towel, unable to bear the heat any longer.

Since that traumatic incident, Princess hated water.  She refused baths completely, and would wail for sponge baths.  The only way to wash her was to hold her to my chest in the shower and lightly let the water over her back for a few seconds at a time.

Princess was always tiny, especially compared to my other three.  I could easily carry her in a sling for her entire first year.  She was my little shadow and joined me in every activity.  I can remember a day where I stood at the sink, washing dishes, when a little hand reached out towards what I was holding.  I was so startled I nearly dropped the dish!  Princess was normally silent when she was with me, watching everything with her big blue eyes and taking it all in.  Sometimes I would forget that she was there, such as this instance.

I did a little experiment and let Princess play with the sink water.  She LOVED it.  After that, I encouraged her to play in the sink with me, as I washed dishes.  One day, when she was fifteen months old, I discovered her playing with the water in the bathroom sink.  After that, she let me put her in the bottom of the shower to play with toys.

Today, my little Princess LOVES water.  I have to fight to keep her away from it some days!  She hops in every puddle she can find.  So when I saw a pair of pink galoshes on sale at Walmart, I knew I had to get them.

The next rainy day, she was thrilled to be able to put her new rain boots to good use.  She jumped and splashed till she was a muddy mess.  When she was done, she had a nice warm shower and a cuddle with Mom before having a nap.

Moments like these are why I’m so thankful I’m a Mother.  My children make everything new again.  Every puddle is a fun, new adventure.

Splashing in the mud is fun!  Do you let your kids play in the mud?

Rainy Day At The Como Zoo Conservatory

Rainy Day At The Como Zoo Conservatory
Over the weekend we took a trip to the Como Zoo Conservatory.  I had been wanting to go for awhile, and the fact that it was raining didn’t stop me.  I really wanted to visit the conservatory, and a short trip through the Japanese Gardens could easily be done with some umbrellas.


Princess tried to climb into the fountain.  She LOVES playing in water.  Thankfully we caught her before she jumped in!

There were a lot of prom kids getting portraits taken all over the place.  There was also a bride and a groom in the sunken gardens, so we decided to come back so we wouldn’t be in their way.  
The sunken gardens are very beautiful.  They’re also full of lilies, which I’m allergic to.  I had my face mask so I could walk through without getting a migraine, but the smell seemed to bother Cat too.  Sadly, I think she might have inherited an allergy from me after all.  Thankfully, lilies are one of the easier allergens to avoid.  The worst thing is that she’ll have a rough time at funerals.  Thankfully, many people have red eyes and runny noses there, so she won’t be out of place.


The North Garden is my favorite.  It’s full of edible plants!  Depending on the time of year, you might even be able to spot something familiar growing.  I love peeking carefully through the leaves to see what treasures they hold.  The vanilla seemed to be overtaking the wall by the door.  Nate and I were amazed at how big it was!  We bought two cuttings of it from the gift shop in hopes of growing our own.
Cupcake was not a fan of this room.  She said it smelled like cat pee.  To be honest, it does smell a little when you first walk in, but then you get used to it.

We had a lot of fun at the Como Zoo Conservatory.  It was a lot more fun than being cooped up inside, at home, in the rain.  I kind of wish I had a beautiful indoor garden like the ones at Como, but I bet it takes a very large team and a lot of money to keep it looking as beautiful as it does.  I think I’m happy settling for a visit once a year and a few clippings of vanilla to take home with us.

Have you been to the Como Zoo Conservatory?  What is your favorite part?

52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

It was snowing heavily as I dropped Mr. Awesome off at school.  Princess and I went to one of our favorite parks and were excited to see thick, fluffy flakes covering everything in sight.  It was the perfect conditions to capture some winter trees.  It was snowing so heavily, I was worried we wouldn’t be able to get a clear enough shot of the trees for the project!  Maybe that’s what being a winter tree is all about though.

After playing for a little while and enjoying the wonder that is a thick snowfall, it started to lessen and I got some clearer shots of Princess and the trees.  Thankfully, my little snow princess loves to play outside any time of year so she was still in a great mood so I could get a cute portrait of her.  I’m hoping to get the same spot for spring, summer, and fall.  Maybe I’ll even take a different child for every season.

I love these trees because of the tangle of branches that seem to bend and twist in weird angles as though they are dancing.  In winter, when their leaves are gone and you can see the branches, trees remind me of the human body.  Some trees look like lungs, with the trachea as the trunk and the bronchi and bronchioles as the branches.  Others remind me of neurons.  Nature repeats itself in beautiful and fascinating ways.  We can’t see the artistry that is inside of the human body without special equipment.  It’s far too small for the naked eye.  Seeing it with technology is just as incredible though!  It’s amazing to think of all of these wonders, this art from our great creator, are hiding inside of us.  Looking at the same patterns in trees makes me feel in awe of God and all that he has done for us.

I hope you enjoyed our winter trees!  Do you have a favorite grove of trees?  Share them with us!

 

Cupcake’s 52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 7: Blankets
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 9: Ice/Snow/Frost
Main Page for 52 Project

52 Project, Week 2: Cold

Project 52, Week 2, Cold

52 Project, Week 2: Cold

I love winter.  I even love the cold.  I would happily take a cold winter day over a humid hot summer day.  Once it started snowing, I knew I had to run out with my little Princess for this week’s photography project.

Princess is my little shadow.  She loves doing everything with me, sleeping, cuddling, cooking, cleaning, playing.  No matter what it is, she’s content to be right by me.  Honestly, I could say this about any of my kids.  They love to pile around me like little puppies.

I bet you’re wondering WHY I love the cold.  Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in Minnesota my whole life.  I can’t tolerate heat very well.  My ideal, happy temp range is 15 degrees Fahrenheit to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  I can be comfortable in the 70’s, but the 80’s are uncomfortable.  The 90’s are intolerable.  You might find me hiding in my igloo, er, house with the air conditioning on full blast.

Did you know that Minnesota is one of the coldest states in America?  On average, year-round, Alaska beats us for the coldest temperature.  We beat Alaska for the coldest winter season though!  Last week Thrillist put out an article where we won the number one most miserable winter.  Yet, even if it’s -35, kids still go to school and life functions like normal.

For us, if the weather rises above zero, that’s reason enough to take off a layer or two or leave your jacket open.  Once it reaches the 20’s we don’t see the need to wear a warm jacket, a good sweater or a light spring jacket will do.  In the 30’s, you’ll find people walking around in shorts and t-shirts.  I’m not exaggerating.  Although I do make my children bundle up, even though they fight me to strip down like everyone else.  We are polar bears and arctic foxes.  Our blood is thick and the cold is where we feel happiest.

Not everyone feels this way.  You’ll still find a couple of people who would rather be in a warmer state.  For me though, Minnesota is my home and I couldn’t be happier anywhere else.

Project 52, Week 2, Cold

For Cat’s cold challenge, we headed down to the river, looking for inspiration.  We found a beautiful field that looked perfect.  Cat and I had a lot of fun amongst the soft grasses.  I snapped a couple of cute images of her while she was capturing her shots.

How do you feel about the cold?  Are you a fan of snow or do you prefer the heat?

Previous Week:Project 52, Week 1, The Bible
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 3: Silence
Main Page: 52 Project

15 Fun Chalk Art Ideas

It’s chalk art season, time to check out our 15 fun chalk art ideas! The snow has melted, the sun is shining and it’s warm enough to go outside without snow pants, mittens, and hats.  

One of our favorite summer activities is to make chalk art.  Maybe we’re artistically inclined.  Or maybe we’re rebels and we enjoy defacing public property.  Really, though, we love making art to share with others.  What greater way is there to spread a little cheer to your neighbors?

My children love when I break open a new package of chalk.  The rainbow of colors, the excitement of possibilities, the opportunity for art! I love seeing their excitement.

My kids aren’t the only ones that love to draw with chalk!  I usually join them and create a fun doodle or two.

There are so many different things that can be done with chalk.  From simple to extreme, there are many beautiful examples out there to inspire us.  Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

15 Fun Chalk Art Ideas

15 Fun Chalk Art Ideas

  1. Family Portrait
  2. Stencils
  3. Flowers
  4. Name Art
  5. Wings
  6. Beach
  7. Super Hero
  8. Celestial-Suns, Stars, Moons, and Planets
  9. Quotes
  10. Outlines
  11. Crowns, Hats, & Hair
  12. Rainbow
  13. Camping
  14. Flying Away in the Clouds with a Balloon
  15. Sunsets

What are your favorite things to do with chalk?  Were you inspired by this post?  Share some of your art with us!

Check out our fun Chalk art video!