FRESHLY SQUEEZED.

The kids had a lemonade stand today. This is one of my most favorite summer activities...it just makes me nostalgic about the innocence of childhood.  We almost had to postpone it due to a morning rain shower, but when the clouds parted and the sun peeked through, we dashed outside and set up in record time. Then we texted some friends to let them know we were open for business.

It was the first day in over two months that our road was opened to thru traffic, due to a street reconstruction project. It was a little slow going at first, but after a little lesson in patience, friends started stopping.

The kids could have made five dollars or fifty cents, to them its all gold. But we have one very special friend who always makes sure their effort is worth its while.

In the end, they split a hefty handful of change. Nugget had been eyeing up this "Eva" doll at target, and her lemonade earnings tipped her savings over the edge. So after Daddy got home, she and I took a trip to Target where she got to bring Eva home.

Milo will get his turn to buy a little treat, we'll go on an ice cream outing, and use the rest for a community service project I have in mind.

Check out my little baby faces selling lemonade last year. My how they've grown.

We send a big thanks to our friends who supported our little biz today. We wouldn't have been suucessful without you! We will definitely pay it forward!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Now that I've had a few days to recover from all the activity, I'm up for the challenge of blogging about the 4th of July weekend. We packed a huge punch into that four night/three day weekend.

We started out with our town's fireworks on Thursday night. We still cannot figure out why in the heck they always do them the night before the 4th, but we roll with it, cause well, we have to!

We continued our long standing tradition with some of our most fun friends and had a backyard BBQ.

The kids had fun playing in the freezing cold pool, and avoided most dirt piles in the yard ;)

Milo couldn't get enough of the squirt guns I picked up...and did sneak attacks on most everyone.

***
The next day, the 4th, we ventured out to A Taste of Minnesota.

We had never been before, and this year it was relocated from St. Paul to Waconia due to the recent flooding in many areas of the state.  It really wasn't much closer, just in a different direction. But still, it provided a nice country drive, which seemed very fitting for celebrating America.

Our thoughts on the event? It was a bit spendy, and nothing spectacular, but still fun to experience something new.

From there we hit a local parade, where the kids got just the right amount of candy to satisfy their sweet teeth.

We ended our night with a little private sparkler show in our own backyard.

***
As if that wasn't enough excitement for the weekend, Nick and I got to pass the kids off to Grandma on Saturday, and go see the live broadcast of the Prairie Home Companions 40th anniversary celebration. We may be old souls, but after listening to the show on MPR for years, it was such a fun experience to see it live.

 

We sat on our quilt on the lawn of Macalester College, front row, eating our food truck tacos and drinking overpriced beers, soaking up the sun and each others company. It was such a great night.

***
A holiday weekend wouldn't be complete without swimming of some kind, so we did just that. With many thanks to some sweet friends and her parents pool, the kids had a blast. (And I realized how hard it is watching three kids around water! But worth it for sure.)

The 4th of July is the peek of summer for me, and this year it delivered big time.

Happy Birthday America!

SUMMER DAYS.

 We've been working hard on checking off our summer fun list.

And although it's so fun to go seek new adventures, sometimes it's also nice to lay low and stay close to home. After the busy holiday weekend, we needed just that.

This spring, Nana sent us a super cool popsicle maker, that freezes the pops in just minutes. Perfect for impatient little ones with hungry bellies :)

They were pretty tasty, but melted a bit faster than the kids could eat. Hence the nakedness. Plus it was hot out! They asked for me to fill the pool so they could rinse off and cool down ...but a storm was rolling in so we went with this plan instead. Kept 'em busy for quite awhile! (Really, please don't mind the nakedness.)

 



It's such fun to find the joy in simple pleasures. We're loving these summer days.