State Fair 2011

We made our way to the "Great Minnesota Get Together" - or as Mommy told the girls, the "Minnesota State Party" - as a family for the first time!  Mommy dressed us all in pink so we'd be easy to spot - because there are SOOO many things to see at the fair!

Our first stop was the Miracle of Birth center.  We fell in love with the baby lamb, and then the calf named "Ferris Wheel".  Then, it was on to the dairy barn - we showed those other "city kids" we knew a few things about milking cows:

After the dairy barn, it was on to the swine barn... and the "Oink Booth".  Do you like our ears?  We liked the ears - and the cheesy treats from the "Moo Booth" across the street!

After the barns, we headed down the street towards the old village.  Before we got there, Brooke found a pile of poop.  She looked at Mommy, said "Poop", and jumped right in the pile!  She thought it was hilarious -- Mommy did not.  Then, she decided she was tired - but she wouldn't ride in the stroller.  Nope - instead, she'd just sit down in the middle of the street to rest.  Creative, Brooke!

For lunch, we had a bucket of pronto pups - they were delicious!  We watched all the amusement park rides while we ate... and it started to sprinkle.  We headed into the State of Texas exhibit - Kylie thought this was great.  She keeps asking if we can go on an airplane to Texas and spend the night in a hotel...  why Texas?  We can't answer that!  Then, we finally made it to the village... and one of our favorite parts of the fair -- the train!!

Climbing off the Caboose

Brooke fell asleep - so Kylie and Neela headed out for a few rides!  We found the mermaid first...

Neela has been BEGGING to ride a ferris wheel - and they had a small one for just kids!  We rode for over 5 minutes - and LOVED every minute of it... of course, now we think we're ready for the BIG ferris wheel!

We ended our adventure on the Jumping Star.  Mommy thought we might be a bit scared, but we both laughed and giggled the entire time!

After the rides, we headed to find Marj and her ice cream booth... we got to pick the "mix-in" flavors... then we had a few cheese curds, and headed home.  It was a fun day - even if we got a little bit wet!

Our Brooke

Brooke has been sooo busy lately!

She very much likes to act like all the "big" people in her life.  She will open the refrigerator to find herself a snack - and says "Want something..." every time.  She will take the bowl of canteloupe or strawberries out (even when she confuses it with refrigerator pickles), pickles out of the door, ask for yogurt on the top shelf, pull a hot dog (raw) out of the drawer, and reach for the milk on the top shelf.  We have learned to keep a sippy cup of water in the bottom shelf of the door!  In her words, everything is "Delicious!"

When Papa Pizza and Aunt Angie put her to bed, they said they were going to climb in Brooke's bed.  The next night, Brooke told Mommy, "Papa too big!", "Angie too big!".  She remembers!!  Of course, she also would LOVE to sleep in the "big" bed in her room... Mommy and Daddy aren't quite ready for that yet!  She also needs to make sure she's surrounded with her "zoo", but that "Pooh", "bunny" and "blankie" are close by:

When you ride down the road, Brooke will tell you "Be Careful" - then hide her eyes behind her hands.  Do you wonder which parent she rides with more... or is it Papa Pizza's influence??

And... she LOVES fire trucks and fire fighters!  Brooke road in the Woodbury Days parade - and said "Amazing" for the first 15 minutes!  She waved longer than her sisters, made funny faces and blew kisses - before crashing on the way back to the fire station.  When she woke up, "Ride fire truck!" - and "I love fire truck" - and "Daddy firefighter!".  Today, she told us - "Fire truck all gone - fire truck at fire station!".  She's one very proud little girl!  And she's almost 2!!!

Woodbury Days 2011

On Friday night, we headed to Ojibway Park to kick-off Woodbury Days 2011 -- and the Woodbury Fire Department 50th Anniversary.  Brian & Nicole Coady brought over pizza for supper, then we all piled into the van to go see 8foot4 at the park.

We walked through the business fair, and had a minor detour on the rides.  Brooke experienced her first merry-go-round and her first car ride!  Kylie and Neela loved it all - but Neela was bummed she didn't get to ride the ferris wheel... maybe at the State Fair?!?!?!!?

After the rides, we headed to the bandshell for some dancing!  Kylie and Brooke could NOT get enough of the dancing.  They rolled on the ground (Papa says they were doing the alligator), spun in circles, and jammed next to the stage... Neela was a bit tired, and fell asleep in the stroller before the music was close to done.

On Saturday morning, we headed to Bielenberg for the fire softball tournament -- and Hambone's famous grilling!  Daddy helped Hambone with the hot dogs -- we brought our gloves and played catch.  We also ate hot dogs, chips and climbed the bleachers.  We talked to Bonnie's "Grandma", then found a way to sneak a cookie before heading home.

Later, we headed to our cousin, Emmy's, 1st birthday (more on that later!).  Then, Mommy and Daddy headed out for Brendan's surprise 40th birthday party... and he was VERY surprised!

On Sunday, we were all part of the Woodbury Days parade.  They had the original Woodbury Fire truck back for the parade - we posed on the truck, just like Hambone did when it was in his parents' driveway 50 years ago!

Then, we took a picture on Daddy's fire truck before we all climbed inside. 

Kylie and Daddy rode up front, and Mommy, Neela and Brooke were in back. The Bloom family and the Estochen's filled up the ENTIRE truck. We kept telling Neela to practice her "parade" wave if she wanted to be a princess. Brooke spent the entire time climbing, looking, smiling, waving, making faces, blowing kisses, and just enjoying it!!

Sunday night was the 50th Anniversary dinner - 208 current and former firefighters and their families were on hand to visit, learn some fire history, and enjoy celebrating the camaraderie that brought them all together.  Congratulations, WFD!

PS: Here's a link to the tribute video... way to go, Jason!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUZxyaQDdBE&feature=channel_video_title

Emmy's 1st Birthday

Our cousin, Emmy, turned 1 -- and we were THRILLED to go to her party!  Her theme was all PINK - the party hats, the plates, the napkins, the hot pink frosting... it was a little girl's paradise!  We really got into the pink -- and the PARTY!  We each brought baby Emmy a new bath tub toy - we know you always need lots of toys in the bath tub :-)

We also enjoyed the chips, hot dogs, fruit, and did we mention - the pink cupcakes with ice cream??

Happy Birthday, Emmy!

All the Girls: Brooke, Emmy, Kylie, Caroline & Neela

Brooke & Caroline - Exploring or ???

Most of the party kids... Caroline is hiding!

Como Pavillion

Alyssa's choir was singing at the Como Pavillion, so we decided to go and listen! 

Aunt Angie met us there.  Of course, it was the opening night of the State Fair - and there was a lot of other stuff going on, too.  After a few mintues of listening, we started dancing.  After a few MORE minutes of listening, we started to get a little distracted by our surroundings.  We couldn't resist the chance to climb, and check out the water...  Can you tell?

Eagle View Place Block Party 2011

Our neighbors did an amazing job of planning our 2011 Block Party!  It was an "after dinner" event this year - so we didn't haul a big meal, but we did share snacks, desserts and drinks!

Brad was recruited to get a fire truck to the party - and he delivered!  The kids WAIT all day for the fire truck - so 6:30 PM is a challenge.  Of course, they waited a little longer because Brad had to finish golfing in Shaokapee, then drive to Woodbury, and then get to the party on the truck...  It was worth the wait!

The truck arrives - Daddy was driving

Asking Daddy questions about the truck

We mentioned dessert, right? 
Kylie had 2 cookies and 5 cupcakes before Mommy asked what she was doing!

Kylie - Rinsing off the cupcake(s)!

Neela & Brooke with Neighbor Kids

Neela, Addie & Kylie

Kylie

What was Daddy doing while the hose was running?

Mommy & Brooke

 Daddy got the job of climbing the ladder again this year to take pictures of the neighborhood...  Brooke was SOOO excited to see Daddy up high!  Of course, the last time he did this, she was "inside"!



Our House... those trees are getting BIG!

Where's Neela?

Traffic Safety Engineers

Today, we made a race track!  Of course, we couldn't just MAKE a race track... being good students of daddy, we also needed speed limit signs (1, 2, 3, 4 and 100), stop signs, cross walks, and traffic signals!  Daddy is sooooo proud!

Brooke's 2nd Black Eye, 1st Movie & 1st Haircut....

Brooke's had quite an eventful week.

On Tuesday, she and Neela had a "misunderstanding" resulting in her bumping her eye on a heat register vent.

On Wednesday, Brooke and Kylie weren't seeing "eye-to-eye" while sitting on the couch at Ms. Tracy's.  Brooke crawled over Kylie - Kylie pushed Brooke off the couch, and into the coffee table...  Guess where she hit her head?  On the SAME eye she hit falling down the stairs AND when Neela bumped her on Tuesday!!  It hurts - but Brooke LOVED getting to sit with an ice pack on her buddy, Parker's, lap!!!

On Friday, Brooke went to her 1st movie in a theater!  Brooke, Kylie, Neela and Tracy went to see "Pooh".  Tracy said Brooke spent the whole time saying the movie was too loud, Neela complained she was hungry (she skipped breakfast and inhaled the snacks!), and Kylie LOVED it :-)

Then, Saturday, Brooke went to Ms. Brenda's for her 1st haircut!  (Kylie and Neela had their first haircuts by 15 or 16 months, so at almost 23 months -- her hair must grow a little slower!)  Mommy went first, then Kylie, then Brooke SPRINTED in to climb in the chair for "her turn".  She looks so grown up now!!

And tomorrow, Brooke will be 23 months old!  Where has the time gone???