Another weekend come and gone....

Just like last Friday, we didn't feel like cooking dinner - plus it was beautiful outside. We headed to Washington Square in White Bear Lake and got the last table on their patio. Liv was quite the cutie and had her backpack and sunglasses on as we walked to the restaurant; she was practically strutting!

Saturday morning Duane decided to wash my car and guess who had to help? She couldn't even wait to change out of her pj's - she needed to get out there!

After my car was shining, Duane headed into work and Olivia and I took off for our morning with Allison and Walt. Our plan was to hang out at the kiddie pool in Allison's neighborhood but Liv wasn't having it - she hung around the gate and wanted out. Since Liv wasn't playing along, we took the kids for a walk and then had lunch at their house. My next plan was to get Liv home before she fell alseep in the car because we needed her to have a good nap. She fell alseep for 3 minutes (seriously, 3 minutes) and it took her an hour and a half to fall back asleep! When she woke up, she was in an okay mood and before we knew it, her babysitter for the night was turning onto our street. Liv literally climbed out of her wagon and ran to Katie! Our exit was super easy!

While Liv and Katie played, Duane and I had a date at Target Field! If you know me at all, you know I dislike all sporting events but last night was a lot of fun. We had hot dogs and beer, popcorn and ice cream. The weather was perfect and the game seemed to be over quickly - oh, and the Twins won.

It was pouring this morning but we hadn't planned on boating so it was okay. Recently, Olivia has been obsessed with white peaches so we made a trip to Sam's for peaches and more fruit. We ran other errands and had Liv home in time for a good, solid nap. When she woke up, I had returned from Target and then we played outside.

Bubbles!

Duane trying to teach Olivia how to blow bubbles....

See how her hair is flying up off her forehead? She never did figure it out.

 Liv's new toy - a cash register! She LOVES it! She had to sit right there for dinner, she woudln't leave it for a second.

Have a fantastic week, Blog Readers!

Happy, happy, happy

The title of this blog comes from one of Liv's favorite things to say/sing - "happy, happy, happy!" We catch her walking through the house, playing with her toys, etc., singing that - and what a wonderful thing to hear your child say!

As per usual, when the end of Friday came, we didn't feel like making dinner so we went to one of our favorite places - Punch Pizza! I literally made myself sick because I ate so much and had to have Duane read to Liv before bed because I needed to lie down as soon as we got home. But you know - it was worth it! Liv ate her whole pizza, too, as well as her peas. After dinner, we walked across the street to Grand Old Creamery and treated ourselves to ice cream. (see why I made myself sick?!)

We woke up to thunderstorms on Saturday but it was okay. Duane worked out so Liv and I made some blueberry muffins to pass the time and keep her mind off going outside. She was a "big" help (mostly just taking all the cupcake papers out of the container and spreading them around) and ate her fair share for breakfast.

When Duane returned home, we ran our errands for the weekend. Thankfully, by the time we got back to have lunch, the rain had stopped. Liv took a nice nap while Duane and I prepared for our evening plans - a bike ride and picnic with our friends, the Bowe's. Duane had the fun idea to make grilled ham and cheese sandwiches but Sarah went above and beyond and made a strawberry/rhubarb pie! We were bad friends, though, and didn't finish our servings....we're not huge fans of rhubarb. However - thank you Sarah for making us such a nice dessert!!! After the bike ride, the girls played on the playground while Duane grilled up the sandwiches.

Vivian and Olivia playing on the hippo

Today's weather was iffy but we headed to White Bear Lake. We ordered a Bimini top for the boat for better coverage when the sun is out fully; Duane installed that while Liv and I played near the boat. Liv stayed in the boat all day and never once asked to get in the water. She did her fair share of eating, though! PB sandwich, tuna salad, a juice box, blueberries and strawberries and then some Cheezits!

fistful of blueberries

Guess what was after boating? Cup-N-Cone in White Bear! Liv slept about 25 minutes on the boat and like usual, that was enough for her. This time she fully embraced her cone and finished it off! We ran into Olivia's 'classmate,' Carson and I think he was embarrassed for her and her sloppy face!

I was embarrassed for her, too - she was attacking that cone!

Before dinner, Olivia and Duane had a tea party...it was pretty cute!

Well, we're about to start the last full week of July - this summer if FLYING!!!

Eating dinners out and enjoying the outdoors - our weekend

This weekend I did not feel like cooking, nor was I prepared to make anything. So, Friday after work, and about 10 minutes after a downpour began, we headed out for dinner. We tried a little Italian place not too far from our house and were pleasantly surprised - there was a constant line and almost no place to sit.

Saturday was beautiful so we didn't waste any time and headed straight for White Bear Lake! Some how, Duane was able to convince Liv to put on her new backpack and wear it - all week she has only been looking at it and calling it her purse.

Heading out to our spot

Taking calls

Feeding the ducks with leftover sandwich bread

Hot rock massage for mommy

Getting her fill of cherries

Heading off the lake (this is about 3 minutes before she crawled off Duane's lap and into mine and fell asleep



Liv's short, 10 minute nap on the way back to the dock was apparently enough to revive her until we were back home - she finally fell asleep around 3:15pm. Once she woke up, we whisked her off yet again. I really wanted to go to Stillwater (a town on the St. Croix river) for dinner and to walk around. We had so much fun - even though it was almost 90* with little to no breeze! We had dinner at Nacho Mama's and actually sat outside on their patio. Duane ordered a small thing of guac and he barely got any - Liv was taking a chip, dipping it, and licking it off chip. She literally licked the bowl after it was gone.

Ok, so the guy in the right corner was our server - Liv kept calling him "Papa" and it was cracking us up! He only sort of looks like my dad in the sense that he was super tan and kind of short.

After dinner we walked around Stillwater - Liv absolutely loved it because the town was full of motorcyclists. She was a big hit with her backpack and walked like she was 5 feet tall; she was pretty proud of herself! I think she also knew that practically every person walking down the sidewalk smiled at her and commented on how cute she was. I thought my heart would burst - she was so cute!

Of course we stopped at the malt shop for a treat - can you tell she loved it? Look at those cheeks - I don't think she could have been sucking on that straw any harder!

the Stillwater lift bridge

The sidewalk along the river is flooded but she wanted to walk in the water, so of course her Daddy took her.

By the time we got home and Liv settled herself down enough to fall asleep, it was 10pm!!! Thankfully she slept a little later this morning. We ran to the grocery, had lunch at home, and by 1pm, she was fast alseep for her 3-hour afternoon nap. It was pretty hot and muggy here today but we got out for a bike ride before dinner.

The bike ended smoothly but only because Duane negotiated a wagon ride. Then, while Duane was prepping dinner, Liv and I colored on the driveway with some sidewalk chalk.  

A little plastic baggie from the chalk blew away and Liv said, "Uh oh. I get it." Ok, maybe it wasn't that clear but I knew exactly what she was saying! ;)

here she is telling me, "no, no, no, Mommy"
Believe it or not, but Olivia is a HUGE daddy's girl - HUGE! Who wouldn't be,
though, when your Daddy is a big teddy bear?! 

Have a lovely week!

Another weekend and more fun!

Working 2 days and having another weekend is the way to go! Friday after work, we went to the Bowe's house and had dinner. They had some other friends in town so we had a great time meeting them and playing games.

Saturday was pretty low-key until late afternoon. Liv was really into "noo-noo's" (noodles) and feeding her baby on Saturday morning.

Later in the day, Duane went to Hudson, WI, to meet Jaron and shoot at a gun range. Olivia and I also went over to Hudson for dinner at Jaron & Crystal's house. They actually have a outdoor pizza oven so the pizza was great! Liv was in a great mood and was grazing pizza and peas ALL night! No joke - right before we left, she asked for more pizza! ;) Since she was in such a great mood, we didn't leave their house until 9pm! WAY after her bedtime!

Playing with Jaron's drums

She needed something to play with - bucket of water and a cup - instant fun

Pizza and drinking her peas

Joking around with Crystal

Since we were out so late last night, we decided to take a break from boating. We didn't want a crabby baby on the boat and for her not to get a good nap. So, this morning we went to the Saint Paul Farmer's Market, Sam's for diapers and then home. Liv took a 2.5 hour nap and then we went for a nice bike ride. I think we're going to have a hard time adjusting to a full work week!