Today, the Schaefer Family Day-O-Fun was a smashing success.
I am exhausted. :)
The day started out by heading down to Northfield, MN, around 9:45 a.m. We walked up and down main street, went to the little farmer's market/art fair, read some books at the library, watched some funny street dances, pet a bunny on the sidewalk, ate at Hoagan Brother's, walked along the river and fed ducks, and watched the waterfall.
Here are our video diaries of Northfield:
Then we headed back north to swim at Lake Elmo. We hadn't been there all summer yet, so we thought...nothing like the present, right? :) I took the pictures below while Jonas took Layla to the restroom to change. I only have one picture of her, from after we were swimming, because these kids are crazy fearless in the water, and they seriously require two adults fully present...or things could happen! Layla is, again, still, amazingly skilled in the water...if I can say so, as her mother. ;) She now goes fully under water (not holding her nose or anything), kicks her feet, uses her arms to swim, and goes distance...real distance under the water! I'm not sure why I'm so amazed by this in a 3-year-old, but I am. Maybe most kids are like this and I just live in a little bubble of motherly pride. ;)
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| JUST as we got there everyone had to come out of the water for a safety break. |
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| TORTURE. |
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| Off on an adventure! |
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| You know....just chillaxin'. |
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| His favorite game was to run far away from me, then run back and tell me he missed me. |
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| Leaving Mama. |
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| Waiting 2 seconds. |
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| RETURNING!! |
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| Mama! |
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| I missed you! |
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| Grab the hat, off again. |
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| Finally in the water. |
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| Exhausted, cold Layla sitting on my lap after a full hour of swimming. |
After our Lake Elmo swim we played on the playground / pirate ship for a while, drove through Burger King for the kids, and then headed off to Irish Fest 2013 on Harriet Island (right across the river from downtown St. Paul). It was PACKED this year! Absolutely packed! Each and every year it grows and grows, for sure. Here is our video diary of this time:
The Irish Dancing is my favorite part, by FAR, of the entire festival...but we heard some girls called "The Wailing Orphans" on the big stage singing "500 Miles"...and that was pretty cool too. ;) Nothing says mixed tape from Renee in Kosovo like Mr. Big and The Proclaimers!
You guys, I swear I am not pregnant, nor having a PMS moment or anything, but I cried so much during the Irish Dancing. I felt like a DORK, because no one else is crying. Obviously. I have no idea what was wrong with me this year!!! I think it's just something about people doing things really well, in unison. Love that stuff. Plus, these were just cute kids, and you could sometimes spot their parents...so proud. Tear. ;)
We headed home and the kids CRASHED in bed by 7:15 p.m. I'm about to follow them. Great, great summer day over here! Goodnight, all. :)
