The first day of school is exciting, nerve-racking and exhausting. I can’t image how my kids must feel. The stress of new teachers, routines and expectations is hard. Each year I’ve put together a little back to school treat to help remind them they are special and this school year will be the best one…
Iceland/Germany/Czech Republic
Hill topped medieval castles, juicy currywurst, and frothy bier halls. All images I presented to my husband as I was trying to convince him to book a trip to Iceland, Germany and the Czech Republic to celebrate our tenth anniversary. Germany and more specifically, attending Oktoberfest, was on his life list but when I pitched…
Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock Lighthouse State Parks
My husband grew up spending almost every weekend of his summer vacation camping or at the lake. I did not. Part of loving him has meant learning to love the things he is passionate about. As parents, we also think it’s important to share our passions with our kids and give them as many experiences…
Pirate Birthday Party
Birthdays are a big deal. Especially when you’re turning five and especially at our house. To celebrate turning a “whole hand” my son requested a pirate birthday party. Bring on the pirate hats, eye patches, treasure chests and a bounty of other pirate booty. Here’s how the party came together: Walk the Plank! On our…
George Crosby Manitou State Park
August 2019 One pack. Just one pack crammed with all you need to survive in the wilderness for a couple of nights. It’s liberating and empowering if you’re willing to tolerate the latrine situation. About two hours north of Duluth, MN on the North Shore sits a secluded and less visited state park called George…
Grinch Party
December 2017 Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie is a favorite at our house. This holiday season we decided to take in a theater production of the Christmas classic. The show was put on by the Minneapolis Children’s Theater, a nice introduction to live performances for our young boys. If you’re me, a…
Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Every year in preparation for the holidays, I scour various websites stealing ideas for our elf, Elroy, to do for Elf on the Shelf. I map out each day and make a list of what trick Elroy will do and what supplies I need to keep the elf magic alive. Here are 60-something of Elroy’s…
Interstate State Park
June 2019 Every summer our family packs up a tent and several tubs of gear and finds a state park to explore. This year we chose Interstate State Park near Taylor’s Falls, MN on the St. Croix River. The idea of exploring glacial potholes and floating in a canoe appealed to us and was just…
Girls Day Away Ideas for Adventurers
Not into shopping and spas, gather some gal pals and set off for a day at a few unique and fun places that will have you and your friends talking for years to come. As a busy mom of two boys sometimes an entire weekend away gives me more anxiety than joy. It’s one of…
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
Last summer, we loaded up a 28 foot Class C RV we rented and drove about 3,000 miles west to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks for an 8 night trip in two of American’s most beautiful National Parks. We put on a lot of miles and equally as many smiles as we traversed landscapes…