It's that time.. MN State Fair 2019

It was just the two of us this year going to the fair. Usually it's a hot day but we picked a cool Tuesday 9am to 9:30pm! 

We saw everything that we wanted and then some. It was nice to go on a less busy day. It was still crowded but you could walk and have some personal space.

We shared everything but the corn. 

We bought our water but didn't drink all the bottles since we shared a few beers during the day, 

 Food we ate, This new fair food, carnitas taco Cone, Just needs more sauce or salsa. A giant pork egg roll (another new fair food) excellent and the first thing we ate. Mini donuts (said I wasn't going to get any, but they were sooo good), Chicken on a stick, lamb/beef gyro, and strawberries and cream crepe. That was it. We really didn't eat all that much but still managed to spend at least $160 for the day. Everything was around $8. Sharing food helped but drinking beers at $8.50 each didn't help. We each had 4 or 5 water bottles and we both came home with 1 that we didn't drink.

 It was sunny, cloudy, windy, rained, hailed and then was a nice 70 temp. A little chilly sometimes, got a little warm for awhile and then was perfect. We had it all on Tuesday at the fair. And just like that.. another year at the fair done and gone!

Weekend... all kinds of fun staying in town!

Steve and I hit up more breweries we had yet to visit in St. Paul. Summit, Bad Weather and a German brewery next door that I can't recall the name. We had previously visited the last two breweries but that was before I liked beer. So off to taste test and have a drink or share one. We did like Summit's patio. Large and look what food truck was parked out front. 

 In the middle of our breweries we tried yet another restaurant this weekend. Parlour in St. Paul. The salad was sooo good! We also split a burger and the strawberry short cake. Everything was outstanding! We have a new favorite!!

Saturday evening, we headed down to Hastings for the Car Show. It's free and you walk and see all the old cars on Main Street.

 I'm not into cars so while Steve and his dad looked over some cars, I went into the shops. This cabinet is similar to our dining room cabinet. It's painted a rustic white and I love the wallpaper in the back. Now I'm inspired to paint ours.

 I took these photo's of the Tesla for Logan, We looked at them after eating dinner.

 Dinner at the Lock and Dam with Steve's parents.

and just like that.. she is off to another year.

I can't believe it's that time again when we send our kids off into the world. Celina is back at College in a new apartment with her own room and a shared bathroom. It's an upgrade from last years apartment where she shared a room and had a twin bunk bed. A full size bed, a window to look over the pond and only 3 other roommates instead of 4. The apartment has a hot tub the size of a swimming pool and a nice club house with some games, pool table, darts and a workout room along with study rooms and computers to use. We moved her in last week on Thursday. Of course we never have everything she needs so off to the store to pick up some extra's. 

 The only thing that's not so great about the new apartment compared to last year is the carpet. It's awful! The other apartment had new fake gray wood floors that looked really nice. This one is ugly! I'm bringing down a rug to go over the carpet in their living room and a rug for her bedroom.

They have a very large covered deck. I purchased some hanging lights to make the deck super cute. Now we just need to bring the chairs and table down. I'm only giving them 2 chairs. We still have 8 left at home. 

Bathroom all fixed up with her shower curtain and floor mat.

 Steve and I got to experience a Laundry mat yesterday morning. Celina's white and gray rug from last year was a little dirty. We took it to wash it and it came out sparkling clean for only $9. Much better then having to buy a new bedroom rug.

 I spray painted the arms of our deck chairs to bring two down for their deck. I couldn't find a outdoor table for their deck so I spray painted one from our yard. We have three and I figured we didn't need them all. I had painted the table a aqua blue last year but the paint was chipping away and was looking shabby. I got out the black spray paint and fixed it up so it all looks good.

 Since I used her  last year gray rug in our sitting room by the sliding glass door. I didn't want to give it back. We have a brown carpet in the basement, not being used so since their carpet is tan this rug should look good in their living room area. Its better then me buying another rug and I don't care what happens to this rug! She might be living here for the next three years? We shall see???

Sunday

I'm just enjoying my relaxing Sunday.  Just doing a little internet searching to figure out what we should do next weekend. I am always up for camping if the weather looks good!

Did a little yoga when I got up. I thought I'd be sore from all that arm work out from kayaking 4+ hours. Nope, nothing. My back is a little sore, but that's every day.

Steve and I went to St. Paul early in the morning and decided to have breakfast at Key's Cafe. We pass it all the time on our way to the Farmer Market and this time we decided to have breakfast. We just had a short 5 block walk from our parking spot since we didn't plan on eating. We were both hungry and I found out, the carmel rolls are delicious

Cannon River

Steve and I have been wanting to do some kayaking on the Cannon River. We finally did it on Saturday. I called a head to Welch Tubing and found out it was only $5 to use their landing per person  or $20 each for a shuttle to drop us off and a place to park up close to the river. We opted for the ride and close parking. Otherwise it would be bring two cars and a lot of back and forth.

It was a perfect day to be out on the river. We paddled 12 miles, from Cannon Falls, just below the waterfall in town to Welch. It took us four hours and 14 minutes! We did stop for a lunch along the sand bar areas. We also ran out of drinks, only brought 5 beers thinking we wouldn't even drink that along with three bottles of water. We just had meat and cheese for a light lunch. I was glad we at least had a cooler with food and drinks with us this time. Last time we tubed down the Root River we only had one water bottle each for over 2 hours. 

 The river was pretty quiet until we met up with the tubers. We just paddled like crazy to be done because we still had another hour on the river. We were pretty much done by the time the tubers are dumped into the river and that was over half way.

Stopping at the sand bar. Steve really wanted to fish. Maybe next time and less distance to cover. 

This cute green tree frog hitched a ride on my car windshield all the way to Welch. We didn't know he was on the car till he crawled up on my wipers. We let him go by the river. Poor guy so far from his home. 

I know this isn't very exciting. but we purchased two new toilets at Menards. They were on sale and were 11% off the sale price which never happens. We also used our Menards money that Steve got for purchasing job materials. So we didn't have to pay anything for the new toilets. They will go in our master bathroom and the kids bathroom. We just wanted new ones since the original builder of our house just had so, so toilets and that's no fun when Steve is constantly unplugging them. We are hoping this fixes the issue! Now for Steve to install them. When? Who know? I'm still waiting on our stairs light to be installed and I'd like a new light for the office. Maybe brighter since its dark in here! 

What to do with the last three weekends of summer?

We have done pretty much everything on our to go to places this summer. I think the only places we didn't go were out of MN. I still would like to go to South Dakota and Colorado but I feel like we were just at those places (less then 5 years) and I would rather go some where new! I'm just not sure where??

It's more fun to go some where on the weekend than stay home. I do have plenty to do around the house so we really should stay home. Decisions, decisions.

Here are some of my want to do's with the rest of the summer
- Raspberry picking
- More out door sitting at Breweries
- Boating/jet ski
- Cannon river kayaking
- biking
-running
- home projects/outside (deck paint, windows washed/yard- dirt/grass)
- camping
- Mpls Farmers Market
- State Fair
- Back to school shopping with the kids

Time to start planning and figure out if we stay home for my birthday weekend or go some where for the long Labor Day weekend.

One more trip to the North Shore!

Thursday we left to spend a long weekend at the North Shore Minnesota.  We stopped by Moose Lake for dinner then spent the night at Black Bear where we did a tiny bit of black jack and then met up with the kids and their friends for a weekend of camping in the woods. 

Steve and I set up the two camp sites before the kids joined us. We brought everything but a shower! 

 We did make one stop at the Pink Beach, Iona's beach before we left the kids to drive up on their own. They also stopped at the black beach and the Temperance River.

 We drove up to Lake Claira our favorite camping spot in the woods.

 Friday night, we just set up camp and made a chicken dinner.

A bonfire with smores.

 We drove up to Grand Portage for the Pow Wow.

We all shared some Indian Fry bread taco's. 

 We hiked to the tallest waterfall in Minnesota

Had drinks and dinner in Grand Marais Saturday night.

Sunday, was all about relaxing, going down to Lutsen by Lake Superior, kayaking in the woods. 

 A picnic lunch while we kayaked and tubed in the lake by Boundary Waters.

Night time squaching. It gets dark out there. The moon was shining bright all nights. We did get up around 4am and the stars were incredible!

Monday, we headed home. We first had a three hour bike ride that we were not planning. A Good reminder that when ever your in the woods, stick together! Do not go out on your own.