Spring break

Spring break began with a visit from Grandma Jan and Grandpa Bruce. We visited Stillwater to see the bridge and walk through the town. Emma, Dan and Bruce played a few rounds of Cribbage each day of their stay. We also got to watch some footage of Dan when he was growing up. Uncle Michael had put some old videos and photos together. The weather was in the 50s which made it feel like spring outside so we grilled burgers and Emma helped make sweet potato fries. It was a good to catch up and see what people had been up to over the fall and winter months.

Next up was a trip to the Minnesota Zoo to see the new addition, the sea turtles. Except we didn't get to the see the sea turtle. He was taking a break from being with the sand sharks. Too much of a bullying environment we guess.

Instead we saw some seals playing and visited the Grizzly bear while he was hibernating. This will hopefully be as close as we ever get to a Grizzly.

We did get to see our family favorite-the prairie dogs. As always someone as doing the sentry duty.

Last but not least was the white "monkey?" Right after Analise called it a monkey she saw a sign that said, " I am not a monkey. I am a gibbon." So last but not least was the gibbon.

Not much had changed since the last time we had visited except that the monorail was turned into a walkway so we got to see the zoo from up above. We got a closer look at the camels and animals that usually hang out high on the hills. We also learned that everything is online now and you should really purchase tickets before you go because making an account while waiting in line is a hassle.

While at the zoo, we found out that Emma was accepted into St. Croix Prep Academy. We are choosing to send her there for 9th grade and will see how things go. St. Croix Prep is very similar to Liberty with the classical focus but we will no longer have to pay private school tuition. We hope this change will work out but we also know the public schools offer a variety of classes which is also exciting. We are thankful that Emma was accepted and can stay in a smaller school environment as she transitions to high school. Lots of changes were coming Emma's way during spring break.

Besides finding a new school, Emma met for the last time with her confirmation mentor, Theresa Roach. She will be confirmed in April at the Cathedral of St. Paul. While Emma did her final preparations, Analise worked with her friend Ellie on a social studies presentation. They had a lot of fun creating their script and poster. We are planning for Analise to stay at Liberty until middle school is complete unless we hear that she too is accepted at St. Croix Prep. As of now there are no openings in her grade.

On Friday, the girls went shopping. They looked for Easter outfits, a new sweater for Emma's confirmation and new clothes/shoes for track and spring sports. Erin and Dan went to Comedy Sportz on a date night (we haven't had a date night since last summer...). It was good to get out and have some laughs while the girls learned how to be sufficient on their own for some evening hours.

Dan decided to participate in a St. Patrick's Day race with his friend Wade. They went out right before all the snow hit the Cities. Dan has improved on his speed over the winter and he got second place for his age category. Whoot-Whoot!

On the last day of break with mom, there was a huge snowstorm. We got a foot of snow and decided to go skiing down the street. The girls both said it was thrilling to be going down the middle of the road with no cars in sight. It was very quiet and calm. You don't get many days to experience that when you live in the city.

Emma also got to spend some time chatting with her confirmation sponsor, Carolyn. They went to a coffee shop to discuss what the faith means to them and Emma got to ask all of the final questions she had before becoming confirmed.

After we had all the dental visits, immunizations, homework completion and the required activities done, Dan got to take the girls for a week of fun. They decided to go to Duluth for a few days. They started this adventure with a visit to the train museum, the aquarium and the beach down by the lift bridge.

Of course there was a fun hotel sleepover party that night with the blankets that mom asked the girls not to bring. "Hotels can have bed bugs and we don't need that coming home," was her comment, but the blankets were brought anyway. It looks like they had a good sleep with them and of course they went through the sanitize setting on our washer when they came home.

On their second day, they participated in a dog sledding event. Emma was especially excited to interact with the dogs.

Upon returning home to tell of their adventure, they all commented that the process was very complicated and that they learned a lot (mainly that they would never have their own dog sledding team). While there, Dan and the girls learned how to harness all the dogs, how to ride on the sled, how to command the dogs and how to get all the dogs happy and fed.

They said when they arrived all the dogs were loud and barking because they wanted to run. After they were fed and got their energy out they were all calm and fun to be around.

Their favorite dogs from the crew of 31 were Sonic (the leader), Hot Sauce and Beauty (Analise's favorite...because she was old and super mellow).

After dog sledding, the crew went to Jay Cooke Park for some cross country skiing. They went on the trails for an hour and a half and then took a nice break near the roaring fire before heading back home.

After the Duluth adventure, the girls and Dan went to see the new movie, "Hoppers," at the Woodbury 10. They all found it very strange but also entertaining.

They have discounted tickets on Wednesdays so the price is reasonable at five dollars a person. The girls also got to go shopping with Grandma Kathy to find the remaining items needed for Easter and confirmation events.

They shopped from 10-3:30pm. Definitely something that grandma never got to do with her own daughter. They had a great time and didn't want to come home.

Ani did manage to take one photo that symbolized how Erin felt while shopping when she was growing up. The point of "it is all too much and I am overstimulated" is summed up with the following facial expression.

The final stop for the week was the Fly Over America ride at the Mall of America as well as the Pepsi roller coaster. However, roller coasters weren't just for the Mall of America this break. The weather was its own roller coaster going from the 50s down to -1 (with a foot of snow) then back up to 70 degrees by the weekend. Spring break officially ended with 70 degree weather and jumping on the trampoline.

Analise's Birthday and Valentine's Day Events

This weekend was a fun one for the girls. Lots of partying and hanging out with friends took place.

On Thursday, Emma had a party at her friend Gracie's house.

They sang karaoke, did some group dances and made paintings of each other. Each girl had a partner who sat across from them that they painted. Emma made a painting of Elsie.

Emma said it was a great time and she really enjoyed the experience.

Then next up was Analise's candle making party with her five friends.

They made candles, beeswax wraps and Valentine cards.

Their favorite part was blowing up balloons and decorating them with silly faces.

They also enjoyed jumping on the trampoline because it has finally warmed up a bit.

This weekend is also Analise's final gymnastics meet of the year. This year has been harder learning how to do some high level moves. Lots of practice is needed to perform the skill at the same level as she is able to in her regular gym space. Her last performance proved to be a great one. She took first on all events and first all around. She beat all of her own personal records as well. The seating wasn't the best for getting images of Analise on the podium but we tried.

Whittling Wood

This weekend the girls and Dan took a course on wood whittling. Dan and Analise made spoons and Emma tried to make a wooden whale. They all started out with a block of wood and had to shave it down. They said it was hard work.

Bubbles

The girls got their much desired "cold day" free from the pressures of school today. We tried our bubbles outside in the negative temps for some mid-day entertainment. The bubbles quickly turned solid and shriveled up before busting in the ground. They had a hard time floating in the air for very long. We thought they might just sink and sit on the snow but they shriveled up quickly.

Snow Sculptures in Stillwater

We went to visit the snow sculptures today in downtown Stillwater. They had a cute Christmas display still up as we walked through the downtown to the event.

Erin and Emma liked the sculpture of a rabbit with the timewatch and tortoise which symbolized how different types of people spend their time here on earth. Erin and Emma also liked the man that had boxed himself in. The creators from Thailand represented the idea that some people have limitations placed on them and the importance of shattering those limitations. They want people to break free out of the box.

Everyone in our group liked the box with "Snow Balls" that were spilling out the side. It represented remembering the fun in life's small surprises.

Dan and Analise's favorite was the Mongolian cowboy on a bull. This was the overall winner of the competition.

The US design was a bunch of sign language hands coming out of a giant ball. The ball represented a call for unity and action for democracy. The outstretched hands symbolized collective effort and pulling together for solutions. The hands displayed peace and resistance in sign language.

Comedy of Errors

Analise's sixth grade group put on the Shakespeare play, A Comedy of Errors this year. Analise had multiple scenes where she got to show her passion for theater.

She played Luciana who gets proposed to but is already married. She definitely had the righteous anger expressions down to a science.

And so goes Analise's first marriage proposal..."How dare you even propose such a thought!"

There were some boys in the audience oooing at the proposal so I am sure this was a harder part for Analise to pull off this year. She was found singing loudly in the shower after the play was over-meaning thank goodness I made it through that drama trauma.

Makeover Time

Emma and Analise love to put on makeup and style hair. Tonight they had the opportunity, just once, to put makeup on, dress and style mom's hair. Mom was unsure about the hair style that was pulled fully back because it made her look bald. She was also unsure about the mascara but according to the girls you can barely see it.

The girls picked out jeans and a pink shirt for mom to wear. Somehow we all ended up wearing the same color of shirt. The girls had fun and mom was very glad when she could take all of the stuff off. She was also thankful that she is not at the stage of life where she is trying to impress others with how she appears. Whew!