Spring Break {Alexandria}

To wrap up Spring Break 2017, we headed up to Alexandria, MN for a short weekend trip to Arrowwood Resort.  I had never been to Alexandria, but Jay and his family vacationed at Arrowwood many times growing up. It was an odd time of year to vacation in northern Minnesota - there was no snow and it wasn't really warm (or dry) enough to do much outside, but there was an indoor water park and a kid's club that keep us busy.  I bet the summer time is super busy and fun with the lake activities.

Bunch of pictures....

We searched out a doughnut shop Saturday morning!  It did not disappoint. 

And it was April Fool's Day!

Ella's trick: Draw some bugs and put them in the Hotel Binder of Information.  LOL

Later in the day, we headed out exploring some more and found this fancy place: 

The Big Ole Central Park

This statute guy and the pictures just kind of weird me out because this guy is so ginormous and then Ella is just standing between his giant boots. Weird. 

Anyway, after getting this obligatory photo of the giant guy, we decided to take a family photo (a/k/a selfie) near the Welcome to Alexandria sign at this park.  Well, have I documented our attempts at selfies before?  We are not the best at them.  Technique is all wrong.  And I will spare you all 33 (yes 33) shots that Jay was apparently taking on the super fast shutter mode or whatever, but here are a few that make me smile:

Yep - looks good

 Well, there are more people in the shot now at least...

 Still trying...

So close....

This is the best of the choices people.  If only we could have gotten the entire Alexandria name in it, but Jay's finger is in the way!  But hey, we know where we were.  :)

 So, then I took this random picture of Ella by the giant map which was under the Alexandria sign.  Still not winning...

After we returned to the resort, we headed to the kid's club and man, they had kid's activities galore!  It was pretty awesome except for the fact that the adults had to stay with the kids.  But, Ella had fun and they had free popcorn, so I was fine.  LOL!

 She decorated a cookie and then demolished it without so much as sharing a jelly bean with me!

 Ella did a whole bunch of projects, most of which were free = awesome

Then, it was time for Zorbaz!  Or, like Ella's called it the Buzz restaurant.  She can't remember the name of it - ever!  I love Zorbaz and I haven't been to one in a really, really long time.  I told Jay we had to get nachos and pizza.  And we did.  And it was expensive!!  And we were not that hungry and so it just didn't end up being the best plan for the day.  Oh well, it was still fun to go!!

Later, Jay and Ella won a bunch of stuff at the arcade - total score.  Ella was PUMPED about the Trolls stuffed person - can't remember his name....

So, later that night she watched a movie with all her stuffed animal friends,

including the new Trolls guy.  :) 

Spring Break 2017 {pre-trip}

So, Jay and Ella hung out for the first few days of Spring Break here in the Cities - choosing something fun to do each day.  I think they both had a good time. 

Oh, but first I want to share Ella's Apex Fun Run!  They ran the day or so before break started and everyone had a blast.  Ella completed 33 laps, improving upon her lapage (is that a word?) from last year, so that's awesome.  She said some of the boys in her class ran 50 laps. 5.0.  Craziness.

Okay, back to spring break.  One of the days, they went to the indoor park in Eagan (I can never remember the name of this place!) but Ella and Jay both thought it was pretty awesome. 

Another day they went shopping at the Eagan Outlet Mall! 

My Ms. Sassy Pants ready to go conquer the stores!

Crossbody Purse: Check

Aviator Shades: Check

Pink in all the things: Check!

They were also able to have lunch with Grandma Jolyn one day and they went to another indoor park / basketball court in Apple Valley another day, but no pictures.  Boo.

I did get this gem one afternoon when I got home from work.  Ella and Jay were playing Headbands.  It just made me laugh!

St. Patricks Day 2017

Ella was SO excited to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  She loves a holiday....

So, to raise our glass to our Irish heritage (Ella and I - not Jay), we headed to Lakeville Brewing Co. sporting our green proudly.  LOL!  Ella got a green hat...for Dubliner Irish Whiskey....I didn't explain that part to her, but I told her she wouldn't be able to bring this one to school.  :)

Dance Competition

Ella had her first Just for Kix dance competition mid-March and I forgot to update the blog about it! 

The girls did great and earned 2nd place for their kick routine Rockin' the Show. 

It was so fun and I would have loved to stay the entire day to watch the older girls perform, but the weather wasn't looking good, so we all left immediately following awards for Ella's age group.

I then got a play-by-play about every 45 minutes or so on the roads and weather from my mom as she headed back to Worthington in the snow storm.  Everyone made it home safely!

Weekending....

I have limited pictures to share with you from our past two weekends.  Let me tell you something. Ella (AND ME) both ended up with the dreaded....head lice.  AARGH. I realized Ella had it as we were getting ready for her to head to school on a typical Friday morning.  Well, nothing about the remainder of that day, that weekend, the following week, the following weekend was typical.  People, that kicked our arses.  The first treatment and comb through of Ella's hair took me from about 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.  It was insane.  And poor Ella was so sad.  I wanted to cry too, believe me.  Oh, I guess I did....on Saturday morning when we realized I had it too.  Man, what a chore it has been.  But, we have been super diligent and combing hair like a BOSS.  I think friends that we have done it.  We will be relieved when this is through.

Ella was able to sing with the church kiddos last Sunday. 

This Little Light of Mine has been stuck in my head ever since! They did a great job. 

See her?  :) 

My dad was in the Cities for the weekend, so he and Cheryl came to church and then we had lunch and went to Bachman's.  Fun little Sunday.  Ella got a spring bloom plant which has been really fun to watch how much it is blooming each day....

Also, I just wanted to remember a few random funny things from Ella so I'm putting them here:

This note is now on Ella's bedroom door.  Not sure why I have been excluded from the "cheer room" but LOL at the P.S. note

And, Ella wrote herself a note that stayed on the kitchen table all weekend to "reNember to bring pillow for dear on Monday - its GONA be fun"  She is awesome!

Weekend Update [late!]...

What's up?!?  A few details from our President's Day weekend....

Saturday morning we drove to Eagan to get some donuts at a place we've been meaning to try for a while now!  Puffy Cream Donuts.  Located in an unassuming strip mall in Eagan.  These are real deal donuts.  Not grocery store boring donuts.  They were delicious!!  Bonus - we each got a free donut hole in our respective donut bag.  YUM!

p.s. we have since gone again for another round of these yummy weekend breakfast treats!

 Passing time being silly in the truck on the way to breakfast....

Later in the day, we headed out to do some shopping for a new kitchen table.  World, why is it so hard to find a table?  I've been looking forever it seems and still can't find quite the right one....but this one was gorgeous.  Too bad it was a bit too expensive.

Saturday night we watched the movie BFG.  SO good!  All of us really liked it.  Highly recommend.  Ella and I are going to read the book too.

Sunday was another beautiful spring-like day, so we headed out on a walk!

Someday we will master the art of taking a selfie.  HA!  Jay was like a block ahead of us at this point so he's not in the picture.  He ALWAYS walks in front of us.  Rude!  :)

Monday was President's Day so there was no school.  Ella and I hung out and got some stuff done around the house.  We had a fun lunch at Culver's as part of a school fundraiser and then we made a presidential craft, as you do.  :) 

See - it's Abe Lincoln!