Marina wanted to spend another birthday up in Minneapolis. For dinner she wanted some place that had chicken. Brasa sounded like the perfect place for that.  We parked next to a little library that had Teddy Ruxpin tapes.  Brooke and Brittany were quite excited. We had a small wait for our table. Which worked out to give us time to decide what to order. And so the kids could game, I guess.

One thing we loved in Japan was the milk bread toast we had for breakfast. I attempted to replicate it at home.  I need to find a shokupan so I can actually get a full square loaf of bread. My bread was a little too small to hold the egg. Wish I had thought of this before we left Japan. I'm not sure how they manage to cook it through without burning. We'll have to figure that out. I also regret not buying matcha in Japan. Thankfully I found some at an Asian market. I also had to watch a bunch of videos to figure out how to make matcha. Once you figure it out, it's pretty easy.  I cleared the rink and resurfaced it for one more weekend out on the backyard rink.

Just two practices in and Theo had grown so much on the rink. He also looks really cool with his long hair sticking out of his helmet. We had to do a lot of bribing to get him to go to practice this morning. He had been dreading it all week.  After practice he came out smiling and said today was much better and he actually enjoyed it.  To celebrate Theo now liking rec hockey, we treated ourselves to  Isles Buns & Coffee's  famous cinnamon rolls. I spy mini Bundts. We had been wanting to try their cinnamon rolls and since we drove by we thought we'd stop. After we put our order in we were waiting and waiting for them to call my name. Somehow the cashier wrote down my name as Claire. 

Another smiley breakfast for Theo.  I guess Theo and I are predictable when it comes to breakfast.  Yes, yes they are. While Scott was working on the east coast I was making dinner one night. Theo was playing with the alphabet magnets on the fridge. Theo then admitted to losing one of the magnets in the fridge. He had set it on the vent and it fell in. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal until the next morning when I noticed the fridge wasn't as cold.  Turns out his magnet had jammed the cooling fan. 

It seems like Brooke was always ready to tag along for my hotel shoot work trips. Apparently Fairmont wasn't on her list of place she'd be willing to tag along to. There wasn't much around the area that I really wanted to do. After work I wasn't super hungry, so I went and got a beer at Fairmont Brewing Company . It's pretty rad that there's a microbrewery in almost every decently sized city these days. I walked by this unnamed food truck after a brewski. Also nice that there's decent Mexican food in every nook and cranny in these here United States. Incredible that conservatives some how think this is a bad thing.

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. 

My parents came to visit this weekend. It's been over a year since they were here last. Naturally we took them to our favorite buffet Q. Cumbers. Then we walked around Centennial Lakes.  We are a bit obsessed with Q. Cumbers. An endless salad buffet and epic ice cream bar. What's not to like? My dad watched a YouTube video about the Coon Rapids Dam and wanted to see it in person. I had never been here before.  I'd biked up here a few times when we lived on the Northside of Minneapolis and then shot the dam for a client years back. The water was low enough it looked like you could walk to the island, but then it got deep fast.  Not quite, Brookie. If only my parents had e-bikes we could have went on a bike ride.  After the kids got out of school we debated on what to eat for dinner. Bryant Lake Bowl had been on my dad's bucket list for awhile.  We've eaten here but hadn't bowled yet.  This 1930's bowling alley stays true to it's original days. Meaning yo...

I told Chelsea earlier this year she was the only one who hasn't seen our house yet. She said she would visit this summer. She texted me earlier this week asking when she could come. Looking at our calendar I said, this weekend or the weekend after Labor Day. When they arrived Theo gave her a tour of our house.  I told her we had plans to go blueberry picking and she agreed to go along too. They had never gone before.  Hoo, boy. Was I glad that I got out of blueberry picking this year. I spent the day painting back at home. I don't know why, but I do enjoy berry picking. 

Two summer weekends in Minneapolis? Yeah, it's true. We followed Scott again on one of his jobs, which brought us to Maplewood Mall. I had heard there was a double decker carousel there and had always wanted to check it out.  There is a weight limit on the horses so Scott and I had to sit on the swinging bench.  Brooke and I must've had empty stomaches. We were both so dizzy after getting off the carousel. Or we're getting old. Scott always complains we never do things in our own city. Since we were going to be near St Paul, I had been wanting to take the kids to the Mississippi River National Recreation Area Visitor Center to get a junior ranger badge.  St. Paul is one of Twin Cities, so it's OK to have fun just across the border. It's those suburbs I loathe (though honestly sometimes enjoy). Downtown St. Paul maybe sleepy, but it's very charming.

I randomly found bars for our cargo bike on Facebook Marketplace. Pick up was near Crosby Farm in St Paul. I figured we all could use some time in the woods and in a different scenery than our neighborhood.

These kids love cereal.

We had to make it to the farmers market for one last trip this year. It's sad no one really goes anymore, but at least there's easy parking. The last visit is often one of the best. Good prices and the crowds are nonexistent. The kids each picked a little pumpkin. Meadow need a circle. Theo was the perfect paper weight. Theo has been obsessed with jack o lanterns. Every time he sees one he wants to go by it and look at it. It's starting to get to me, but it's so cute. This is the first weekend in a long time where we aren't going anywhere, we don't have any guests and no plans. We asked Meadow what she wanted to to do this weekend and she said take the light rail.  So a ride on the light rail we did. Theo looks like he likes the ride, but he wouldn't sit still. He kept wanting to walk around. It's a long ride. Can't blame him. Since we were going on the light rail we decided to g...