Instead of going to the cottage for President's day weekend, I talked my parents into coming to visit us. I wanted them to try our ice rink before the season was over.  Theo and I really wanted to go to the cottage, but it was fun to have the in-laws check out the rink. As it was Valentine's day, the kids get spoiled with treats.  We got cake from the nearby Mexican market and the grandparents got the kiddos candies. We wanted to show my dad the Wirth Lake ice trail. Of course it started snowing heavily on our drive there. Meadow wasn't interested in coming. At least Theo was open to checking it out. 

I've been talking Brooke's ear off about a really cool DIY ice trail at Wirth Park. So we made a date out of it, she claimed it wasn't going to be cleared and when we got there it was perfect. It snowed the day before with more snow coming this weekend so I thought no way was someone going to go through all that work to shovel. I guess I was wrong.  This was way cooler than I thought it would have been. I wish the kids had been with us. About a dozen other skating enthusiasts were out skating the circuitous circuit. 

The day after we got back from the cottage Theo and I went to his first Timberwolves game. He was a bit scared in the upper deck, but got used to it and loved the game. Later that week it was finally my actual birthday. An unseasonably warm end to January has meant we haven't been skating. I thought we could walk to the new restaurant I wanted to try out for my (second) birthday dinner. It felt like fall outside. The old Fuji-Ya (Minneapolis' original sushi joint) at Lyn-Lake is now Jade Dynasty and I've been wanting to try it out for weeks. The owners previously owned Hong Kong Noodles in Stadium Village and Nankin in Downtown.  We upgraded to Beef and Broccoli. We were hoping the table would have the giant turntable like at MingHin in Chicago.

It's ice skating season, but that doesn't mean we spent the whole weekend out on the backyard rink. During the week Meadow and I got a chance to rollerblade at the Vikings stadium. She's way faster than me. I thought it would be like ice skating, it is but also not. I thought I didn't do too bad having not skated in 20 years.  The kids are back into doing crafts again. Theo claimed the potholder loom too hard so Meadow took over. 

Somehow we never made Christmas cookies this December. So the kids and Brooke made 'em in January instead. Theo reminded me this week that we never made Christmas cookies this year. I brought out all our cookie cutters and let them pick whatever shape they wanted.  I'm glad I did a half recipe. Theo rarely lays on the couch like this. I should have noticed his odd behavior.  I made waffles for breakfast, a true rarity these days, since Brooke took over weekend breakfasts.

Every once and a while Theo remembers I got them Switch Sports as a reward. No one ever wants to play as a family. 😭 I was out late the night before and feeling it this morning. It must be time to go to a random Hennepin County Library. I can only be lazy for so long.  This return pile is small compared to normal. We also needed to get Theo a helmet for skating, so even I tagged along.