A Little Bit Rock and Roll

Wow-2 posts in 3 days. After our fun filled Saturday with Kathy and Mike, Sunday night we went to First Avenue(a legendary Minneapolis venue).Two nights in a row out on the town!Very rare these days.My cousin Drew(or Andrew as everyone else call him)is in a band called Son Volt. They've played on Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel and Minneapolis was the last stop on their East coast/Midwest tour.
they are promoting their new album. This is my fourth time to catch him when he comes to Mpls. He is an all around talented bass player and singer in his own right and has played with other well known musicians in Austin, TX where he lives. Ron and I took him to Solera( a tapas bar) and then we caught the show. They didn't start playing until 9:45 so we hung around until 11:00 and since we don't keep musician hours had to head home. So, we missed hanging out with him after the show but I am excited to see him in Louisiana at Thanksgiving.

Scattered Thoughts

Time for a once a week update. We bought Cooper a dresser and end table from friends. So beautiful. It's from Room and Board and clean and contemporary.Solid cherry. They still sell this in the store so I think we got a great deal. Now just to get started on painting his room........at least I bought the paint!

We ended up going to dinner with our friends Mike and Kathy. Stopped off at Tony Jaro's where Kathy and I had our first "Greenies"-that's cheap vodka and green slushie/sprite with Tom Collins powder on top. It actually was pretty good although I think it would be even better with a nicer vodka.

We then headed to McCormick and Scmick's for a wonderful dinner. A dozen oysters, swordfish,scallops, delish!!!

Outside patio at The Social Palace

Cooper ready to go to the Vikings game-

Quinnie and her friend Sunday afternoon playdate

wearing their casts on their "broken" arms

Blah Blah Blah

Hi blog, long time no post.Last week, a friend and I went to Lake Harriet together to walk, had lunch at French Meadow Bakery and then stopped at Whole Foods. Also,met my husband for lunch one day,met my friend for coffee, and then on Friday met another friend for lunch. Maybe that's why my pants are getting tight?????Hmmm.....will need to curtail the lunch dates.Cooper had a soccer game and a friend's birthday party and sleep over on Saturday and slept in their backyard in a tent.He loved it. guess we'll have to start hosting kids overnight now.Quinn had a friend from school come over to play and then Saturday night Quinn and I hung out with friends and had some vino. well, not Quinn;she had juice.Where was Ron you ask?? Why, he was at the annual Outdoorsmen 2009 in Wisconsin.(his friend Mike's family cabin)Beer + dudes participating in challenges.Need I say more???
I am happy that is is feeling a bit more like fall. Turned off the air and am enjoying the fresh air. My cameras are collecting dust so in lieu of a kid pic I founds this on my computer in my pics file.Not sure who put it there but it fits my mood on this Monday. Where just a few hours ago I heard a "pop" in my back while opening my daughter's window.I can now sympathize with people who have back issues. It HURTS!!!Thinking I might NEED a massage to help me feel better.

The Past Week:Bullet Edition

~Cooper starting second grade and Quinn starting kindergarten

~Quinn starting a new dance school

~Cooper starting travel soccer season-practices and first game today-they won!!!!and Coop scored a goal.

~Quinn starting swim lessons

~Cooper starting speech therapy 2x a week(at 8:30 am- Ouch!!)

~me trying to keep all the school paperwork from both kids organized and keeping track of assignments

~driving the kids to and from school all on my own(no carpooling)

~ being able to grocery shop on my own and run errands for hours!

~meeting friends for some shopping and lunch

~meeting another friend for lunch the day before

~getting back into the fitness groove-back to 2.5 miles hoping to be back at 3 in a week or so

~husband able to golf this weekend with the dudes

~C and Q going to see a movie with Dad

~organizing my photos and scrapbooking stuff so I'll be ready to scrap next week while kids and husband are at the movie

~hanging out with the family at home this weekend

All in all a great but hectic first week.Even with the kids gone all day it really flies by...housework,errands,and the gym...next thing you know it's time to pick them up.

Back to School

A big day in our household took place today. Both kids are in school.I'm so excited for them and not that sad because really, it's the natural order of things.Talk to me when they are in high school-then I might cry!Plus, I've been blessed to stay home with them for the past 8 years so I feel like we have spent ample time together. Cooper is now a second grader and Quinn started kindergarten which is all day every day. Cooper is a little blase' about it all. He's a little bummed because all of his close pals are in the OTHER class.He said his teacher was really nice though. Quinn:she SKIPPED into the classroom-seriously.She was sooo excited.No tears, super confident-I think she's ready.I met some of the moms from school for coffee that lasted 2 hours!!It was nice to catch up and meet some new moms too. Ron was off from work today so it was extra special to have him go to school with us.We spent the rest of the day grocery shopping and buying mulch. Exciting stuff, right??We picked the kids up in the Jeep(top down of course) and took them to have ice cream and hear all about their day.Quinn met a new friend named Molly who sits at her table She learned alot of new rules today and quiet time was "fun" because they played "relaxing music". I'm shocked she could be quiet for that long.Cooper was excited to see his buddies at lunch and recess.They started a new season of "Annie Annie Over"(some recess game with a ball that they played all last year) I told him it was good to branch out and get to know some of the kids who have never been in class with him. He also said the teacher said he will have homework every night!Yikes-not sure if I'm ready for that.I have filled out about 25 pieces of paper with more to come I'm sure.Trying to get my calendar organized. It's looking a little full. Up this week, soccer practice(twice),a soccer game, and dance.
My second grader
My kindergartner

Posing with Dad- We get the morning sun...next year we're in the backyard!!Loving the harsh sunlight/shadows-sigh!

Like an old pro

Q and her friend; aren't they the cutest in their uniforms??


Ice cream after school

Dad reading a bedtime story to both-this is a rarity.Both kids together. Cooper usually reads to us and one of us reads to Quinn. A little blurry but I was trying to keep it on the down low!

Keeps Getting Better

We went to the Minnesota State Fair on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon.Last year we made it 5 hours. This year 7!!We had a wonderful time and it wasn't that crowded at all. Starting to see what all the hoopla is about. We sampled roasted corn, Sweet Martha's cookies,milkshakes from the dairy barn, Bull Bites,

french fries,taffy-I'm sure I'm forgetting some things. Saw some more yummy things but we were way too full. Will have to try next year. The kids were able to fully expereince the kiddie midway this year. Quinn was finally tall enough to ride everything and we even strolled down the main midway. The kids loved all the cool rides and loud music and thrill rides and even tried some of the games. I must say they were some of the friendliest "carnies" I have ever encountered.We walked out with 3 stuffed animals. We visited the pet expo; the kids saw a cat hysterectomy;Q thought it was cool, C thought it was gross. I listened to one of my favorite local talk radio stations live. We experienced the butterfly house(this year Q likes butterflies so no hysterical screaming took place)did the dinosaur house(rip off!!)and went to the Twins area so coop could throw baseballs.We also saw some of the animals and took in a hip hop dancing troupe that were great. They even invited the kids to come up and dance-yes, Coop and Quinn went up and boogied.
We didn't get home until 9ish but we so enjoyed being there in the evening(our first). The kids were so excited and were talking about all they had seen and done the entire ride home.I can't wait until next year.

Another Week Gone by in a Flash

Summer's end is rapidly approaching and we have been staying busy busy busy!We went to the Mall of America and bought school shoes and a winter coat for Coop, plus a few fall items for Ron and I. I can't believe I had not been to the MOA since spring(that's a long time for me!).The kids had some of their own $$ to spend too. We also went to the park with some friends, the kids went to swim and gym,and we had friends over for an impromptu Friday happy hour. So what if it seems like October instead of August. Polar fleece, a bonfire, and margaritas?? Saturday, I became ill with virus and had to miss the Kid Rock concert at the State Fair-luckily, there was a group of us going so Ron was still able to go and enjoy.Ron and the kids went golfing and to the gym while I spent Saturday and Sunday in bed. Thanks dear for doing everything all weekend.The kids had Meet My Teacher night at school last night. We dropped off supplies and saw who was in their classes. In return, I took home tons of paperwork and Cooper already has a writing assignment! I am so looking foward to some routine after 2 1/2 months of none.Ready to get my weekly wall calendar filled out and maybe get back to the gym.It's all about STRUCTURE!Yep, that's what September will be about. I'm off to a slow start though...Quinn is still sleeping as I type this(it's almost 9!!!)oops!!!