Twosday Twelve

Family Fun Activities over the Holiday Weekend

1. Strawberry Picking at Afton Apple.  We missed strawberry season last year because of our trip to Germany, so this year I really wanted to get out and pick fresh strawberries.  It was a bit of a drive, but the girls had a lot of fun picking strawberries and checking out the animals.  And the fresh strawberries were SO good!
2. Swimming at Lake Elmo Park Reserve.  We've been out to the Lake Elmo Park Reserve every summer at least once.  A day pass for the park is $5, getting you access to all of the trails and the swimming area (I think there's more there, but that's what I know of).  The swimming area is a man-made filtered pond.  I like that it feels clean, but still has sand to play in.  

Strawberry Desserts Made and Eaten

1. Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
2. Strawberry Milkshakes

Fireworks Viewed

1. On the 3rd, the four of us headed down to Bloomington for the Summer Fete.  We ate fair food, the girls jumped in some inflatables (thanks to the nice lady who gave us a bunch of extra tickets!) and then watched fireworks after dark.  The fireworks show was really good, and really long.  We all enjoyed it, especially the girls!
2. Minneapolis Red, White and Boom.  I contacted our babysitter about coming over to watch the girls while E and I snuck in one more date night before baby comes, and the 4th worked best for her.  E and I ended up downtown, so we picked up some chocolate cake and headed down by the river to watch fireworks.  On our walk over we also caught the "Freedom from Pants" bike ride which was... interesting. 

Tap Rooms Visited 

1. Harriet Brewery.  A tap room tour might seem strange for a lady who is 8 months pregnant, but considering I don't like beer anyway, it seemed like a good idea for when I can't drink anyway.  Unfortunately a bunch of the Minneapolis tap rooms were closed for the 4th, but we did have luck with Harriet Brewery.  The tap room was bright and it looked like they were setting up for live music later that night.  
2. 612 Brew.  This was my favorite of the two we stopped at, simply because I liked the space.  The tap room was big, and the outdoor area was really nice.  I think it would be a great spot to go with a big group sometime.

Miss A's Favorite Songs at the Moment

1. Beat of the Music by Brett Eldredge.  I normally listen to a lot of talk radio in the car, but Miss A has been requesting music more and more lately (and not even the Frozen soundtrack).  She especially likes country music, and can sing along with a surprising number of the songs.
2. Happy by Pharrell.  Because really, who doesn't love this song?