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On a different note: Yay for me for posting 3 new blog entries in less than a week, and they all included photos!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Minnesota Children's Museum
Well, Landon's 17 months old and we finally made it to the Children's Museum! I'm surprised we didn't make it there sooner, considering I've been there about 5 times sans child (as part of my former job working with teen parents in the St. Paul Public Schools). Landon loved it - as I knew he would. There was so much to see, touch, and play with I'm surprised that he didn't have a tantrum when we left. I'm guessing he must have just been too tired - he was yawning while waiting for lunch at McDonald's and conked out before we even got on the freeway on our way home. Enjoy the pics!
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On a different note: Yay for me for posting 3 new blog entries in less than a week, and they all included photos!
______________________________
On a different note: Yay for me for posting 3 new blog entries in less than a week, and they all included photos!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
I'd Like a Table by the Window, Please
Landon has lately become fascinated with cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and bikes. Perhaps it is because our house is on the corner of a busy street and we've used our picture window as a good distraction.
Landon, at 3 months, with Daddy
I've come to find out, though, that distracting a 3 month old is not nearly as necessary as distracting a 17 month old who is grabbing at your legs, insisting "up, up" while you are trying to make lunch, do dishes, or get dressed. Such was the case yesterday while I was trying to make breakfast. Fortunately, the garbage truck was coming so I pointed it out to Landon. He perched his feet on the cover to our baseboard heat and watched excitedly as the garbage truck, then the recycling truck came.
Fast forward about 4 hours as it was nearing lunchtime. I heard some trucks out our front door and saw several trucks repaving our street. This had to be my lucky day! I opened the front door and Landon ran excitedly to get a good view. As I finished making lunch, I knew pulling him away from the door to eat was not going to work, so I just moved his chair to face the storm door. Granted he might have been too distracted, as he didn't finish his turkey dog (and this boy loves his turkey dogs!), but he certainly enjoyed the show!
Landon, at 3 months, with Daddy
I've come to find out, though, that distracting a 3 month old is not nearly as necessary as distracting a 17 month old who is grabbing at your legs, insisting "up, up" while you are trying to make lunch, do dishes, or get dressed. Such was the case yesterday while I was trying to make breakfast. Fortunately, the garbage truck was coming so I pointed it out to Landon. He perched his feet on the cover to our baseboard heat and watched excitedly as the garbage truck, then the recycling truck came.
Fast forward about 4 hours as it was nearing lunchtime. I heard some trucks out our front door and saw several trucks repaving our street. This had to be my lucky day! I opened the front door and Landon ran excitedly to get a good view. As I finished making lunch, I knew pulling him away from the door to eat was not going to work, so I just moved his chair to face the storm door. Granted he might have been too distracted, as he didn't finish his turkey dog (and this boy loves his turkey dogs!), but he certainly enjoyed the show!
Monday, June 15, 2009
A Spelunking We Will Go
Team W is spending this Monday recuperating from an adventure-filled weekend. As a combined birthday/Father's Day gift for Alan, I had arranged for us to spend the weekend in Preston, MN. Preston is home to two bike trails, one of which goes through Lanesboro - a quaint town on the Root River that I've always wanted to visit. Selfish, I know.
Anyway, we arrived to Preston on Saturday, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch and then took our first bike ride. We opted to do the Preston-Harmony State Trail (over 26 miles round trip from our hotel). The map warned that about a third of the trail is a series of steep hills that may not suitable for all riders. We figured we'd get the most difficult trail out of the way first. We didn't realize how difficult it was until talking with two seasoned riders (they biked 63 miles on Saturday in honor of their 63rd birthdays) that Preston to Harmony was the most difficult part of the trails in the area. This made us feel really good, but also explained why we were the only riders headed towards Harmony and why people going from Harmony to Preston gave us looks of shock, awe, and amazement (particularly Alan who was pulling Landon in the Burley Bee).
Landon getting ready to ride on Saturday. Poor guy had a fever, but did really well!
Day two we took a much flatter route and biked Preston to Lanesboro (a little over 20 miles round trip). Before making our way back to the Cities, we headed back to Harmony (in our car this time) to go to the Niagra Cave. It was Landon's first spelunking experience (spelunking is just a fancy word for the practice of exploring caves). Alan argues that we weren't really spelunking - we just paid to take a tour of the cave. It was very cool (literally and figuratively). Niagra Cave is home to a 60 foot waterfall and at the furthest we could go, we were 200 feet below surface level and 1/2 mile from the Minnesota/Iowa border. But, you won't see pictures here. Not because we couldn't take them, but because our camera battery died on Saturday and Alan (not to point any fingers) didn't pack the charger. Just click on the link above to Niagra Cave and you'll get a slight glimpse of what we experienced.
Anyway, we arrived to Preston on Saturday, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch and then took our first bike ride. We opted to do the Preston-Harmony State Trail (over 26 miles round trip from our hotel). The map warned that about a third of the trail is a series of steep hills that may not suitable for all riders. We figured we'd get the most difficult trail out of the way first. We didn't realize how difficult it was until talking with two seasoned riders (they biked 63 miles on Saturday in honor of their 63rd birthdays) that Preston to Harmony was the most difficult part of the trails in the area. This made us feel really good, but also explained why we were the only riders headed towards Harmony and why people going from Harmony to Preston gave us looks of shock, awe, and amazement (particularly Alan who was pulling Landon in the Burley Bee).
Landon getting ready to ride on Saturday. Poor guy had a fever, but did really well!
Day two we took a much flatter route and biked Preston to Lanesboro (a little over 20 miles round trip). Before making our way back to the Cities, we headed back to Harmony (in our car this time) to go to the Niagra Cave. It was Landon's first spelunking experience (spelunking is just a fancy word for the practice of exploring caves). Alan argues that we weren't really spelunking - we just paid to take a tour of the cave. It was very cool (literally and figuratively). Niagra Cave is home to a 60 foot waterfall and at the furthest we could go, we were 200 feet below surface level and 1/2 mile from the Minnesota/Iowa border. But, you won't see pictures here. Not because we couldn't take them, but because our camera battery died on Saturday and Alan (not to point any fingers) didn't pack the charger. Just click on the link above to Niagra Cave and you'll get a slight glimpse of what we experienced.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
To Eat or Not to Eat?
Landon has acquired a taste for a new food - and I use the term "food" loosely. Listed below is the ingredients in the aforementioned food:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
These ingredients make up the best homemade play-dough recipe you will ever find.
As we were playing with play-dough yesterday, which I made several weeks ago and still was soft, he grabbed a small piece and put it in in his mouth.
"No, no Landon. Icky," I said.
He put a little more in his mouth.
"No, no Landon. Icky," and I took it away for a little while.
I gave it back and he put more into his mouth. I repeat, "No, no Landon. Icky," as I made an icky looking face and shook my head no. I took it away again.
Now, I know it's not harmful to him, but I still don't want my kid to be the one labelled "The One Who Eats Play-dough." Or perhaps, he will now be labelled that as a result of this blog - oh well. I sat there wondering, "How much play-dough could he really eat (or could I consciously let him eat), before he decides he doesn't like it?" I made a Baby Bop out of play-dough (not by hand, I had a mold) and plopped her on his tray.
He bit her head off.
Sigh. Play-dough goes away again. It's about a half-hour before lunch and I grabbed a chocolate chip cookie and gave that to him.
"Oooh, a cookie. Yummy Landon! Play-dough: icky. Cookie: good," I relayed while nodding my head as he stuffed the cookie in his mouth. I gave him milk to wash the cookie down and considered giving him back the play-dough to see if my point got across. I opted not to since I think his tummy gave him the message - he spit up milky play-dough with a few chocolate chips in there. I guess I'll have to wait until next time to see if he retained my "Play-dough: icky" rants.
Here's the instructions for making the play-dough. I hope your children like it enough to play with it and not enough to eat it.
Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it forms a ball (about 2-3 minutes). Knead in food coloring (I mix my food coloring in with the water, because it can get a little messy if you knead it in at the end.) Store in a plastic bag (zipper sealed) or in an airtight container. It keeps for a looooooong time.
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
These ingredients make up the best homemade play-dough recipe you will ever find.
As we were playing with play-dough yesterday, which I made several weeks ago and still was soft, he grabbed a small piece and put it in in his mouth.
"No, no Landon. Icky," I said.
He put a little more in his mouth.
"No, no Landon. Icky," and I took it away for a little while.
I gave it back and he put more into his mouth. I repeat, "No, no Landon. Icky," as I made an icky looking face and shook my head no. I took it away again.
Now, I know it's not harmful to him, but I still don't want my kid to be the one labelled "The One Who Eats Play-dough." Or perhaps, he will now be labelled that as a result of this blog - oh well. I sat there wondering, "How much play-dough could he really eat (or could I consciously let him eat), before he decides he doesn't like it?" I made a Baby Bop out of play-dough (not by hand, I had a mold) and plopped her on his tray.
He bit her head off.
Sigh. Play-dough goes away again. It's about a half-hour before lunch and I grabbed a chocolate chip cookie and gave that to him.
"Oooh, a cookie. Yummy Landon! Play-dough: icky. Cookie: good," I relayed while nodding my head as he stuffed the cookie in his mouth. I gave him milk to wash the cookie down and considered giving him back the play-dough to see if my point got across. I opted not to since I think his tummy gave him the message - he spit up milky play-dough with a few chocolate chips in there. I guess I'll have to wait until next time to see if he retained my "Play-dough: icky" rants.
Here's the instructions for making the play-dough. I hope your children like it enough to play with it and not enough to eat it.
Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it forms a ball (about 2-3 minutes). Knead in food coloring (I mix my food coloring in with the water, because it can get a little messy if you knead it in at the end.) Store in a plastic bag (zipper sealed) or in an airtight container. It keeps for a looooooong time.
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