If you live in the Twin Cities and are looking for something fun to do with your family, or perhaps, needing a birthday party idea – you should check out Tactical Urban Combat.
It’s a huge, super fun, indoor nerf gun arena!
The boys, ranging from age 10 to 14, battled it out for a birthday party and had so much fun (and burned so much energy).
You can come with just yourself – and join other players – or bring a group of up to 20 people!
When you arrive:
Sign in
Go to your designated battle ground
Pick your nerf gun from a large display on the wall
Get your ammo and safety gear
Break into teams
A staff person will go over rules and instructions…. then …
Going over the rules and instructions.
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The Battle Begins!
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Ready for war
They had an amazing time running around, hiding together, ducking behind and peeking out from the obstacles placed strategically around the arena.
They could switch out nerf guns if the one they were using wasn’t ‘accurate’ or ‘powerful’ enough!
The kids had an hour to play – during that time the party host lead them in several games and battles – including Team Elimination and Capture the Flag.
It’s a great place for kids, or for adults that want to feel like a kid again. It’s also a unique way for parents to engage and make memories with their kids.
We went as a family on a separate day and had SO much fun. Here’s a peek:
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Check out one of their two locations:
Mall of America: 340 West Market, Bloomington, MN 55425 – or –
Eden Prairie: 8251 Flying Cloud Dr. #1020, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA
Would you like more ideas for fun things to do around town?
Review: A beautiful, yet heart breaking story that follows generations of African Americans from Africa to the United States. You follow generations of families as they endure (and sometimes conquer) the tragedies of war, slavery, drug abuse, and discrimination.
I listened to the audiobook and because the book shares the stories of so many characters over so many generations, it was a little hard to follow. If you are listening, I recommend you have a pen and paper nearby to help you keep it all straight.
Review: This is one of the best marriage books I’ve ever read. I picked it up, not because I was ready to ‘split,’ but simply curious on the advice she’d give from the perspective of a divorce attorney, why NOT to split!!!
I had no idea how truly insightful and helpful this book would be to EVERY SINGLE MARRIED PERSON!
Do yourself and your marriage a favor and read this book!
I took SIX PAGES OF NOTES!!! Here are some highlights:
Your marriage can go from that bad to this good. No matter how troubled or even chaotic your marriage may seem, you have more control over its future than you think.
Ask yourself and people you trust: “What is it like to be on the other side of me?“
Your spouse can’t make you happy. Happiness is something you bring to a relationship, not something you get from it.
There’s danger in allowing the emotions you’re experiencing right now to lead you to make long-term decisions. Yes, your emotions are real. Examine them. Learn from them. But don’t give them the lead role.
Marriage is two broken but loveable people.
Find friends who will help you WIN in your marriage. Surround yourself with WISE, trustworthy, and objective friends who help you make better decisions. Your friends help you lean into or away from your marriage.
Review: I’m so fascinated by the life of Andrew Van Der Bijl – just a regular man who wanted to make a difference in the world! He decided to smuggle Bibles into countries where people could not get them. Some churches were without any Bible, other churches were sharing just one single copy. The things Andrew saw and other things that happened are beyond explanation – a truly fascinating story!
Because “God Smuggler” by Brother Andrew is one of my favorite autobiographies, I decided to read this biography about him. I really enjoyed it because it shares stories I had not read in his book, as well as a different perspective on the stories I already knew.
Review: This short chapter book gives kids a glimpse into what it must have been like to survive the terrorist attack on 9/11. It’s a fiction story that felt so real I thought it was non-fiction. The ‘I survived’ books are a little ‘harrowing’ with heavy topics, so I would only recommend them for kids ages 10 and up. Overall, it was an excellent story.
Review: My son and I couldn’t get enough of Book 1 (Front Desk), but we had to force ourselves to finish Book 2. This one felt like the author was trying to lecture the reader and push an agenda with a topic that is above the heads of kids reading it. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend it.
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Thanks for reading this post! Have you read a good book recently? Leave a comment and let us know!
Each of these books are affiliate links which means if you purchase on, I may get a small commission. TIA!
Most of our kids are back in school, sitting 8 hours a day, often times wearing a mask. Getting out in the backyard, enjoying fresh air and family time is perfect for fall.
The temps are more mild and kids are ready to burn some energy after a long school day. Playing together not only helps you and your children ‘de-stress,’ but also strengthens the bond with your kids!
Here are FIVE free games to play with your family!
1. Dog tail:
Pull out the longest socks you own.
Everyone tucks one sock into the back of their shorts, like a dog tail.
The object is to grab everyone else’s “tail” (or sock) while keeping your own.
Say GO and the last one wearing a sock wins!
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2. Mr. Fox, what time is it?
Select one person to be Mr. or Mrs. Fox. This person will stand with his or her back to the rest of the players.
All other players line up on the other side of the yard/field. The players take turns asking Mr. Fox what time it is. (“Mr. Fox, what time is it?)
The fox will then respond with a time, such as 3 o’clock. The players must then take the same number of steps forward (in this case, 3 steps). These steps may be as large or small as the players wish, no matter how close they get to the fox.
When Mr. Fox is ready, he will respond to “What time is it?” with “LUNCHTIME!”
When the kids hear ‘lunchtime,’ they will run back to the starting line and try not to get “tagged” by Mr. Fox.
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3. Create an Obstacle Course
Work with your kids to design an obstacle course in the backyard and time each other to complete the course.
4. “Vote with your Feet!”
This is a take on the “Would you rather?” game, except your kids have to run to one or the other side of the yard.
If they “vote” for the first one, run to the right. If they vote for second, run to the left.
Would you rather….
Be Superman or Batman?
Eat Pizza or Hotdogs?
Ride a roller coaster or a water slide?
Go to Target or Walmart?
Laugh or cry?
Jump high or run fast?
Have summer all year or winter all year?
Be really smart or really funny?
Drive a truck or a sports car?
Go back in time or go to the future?
Be able to fly or be invisible?
Have ONE great friend or 20 pretty good friends?
Be in the Mountains or at the Beach?
Take a ride in a speed boat or helicopter?
Go Skydiving or Swim with Sharks?
Build a Sand Castle or Play in the Waves?
Go Skiing or Ride a bike?
Watch a Movie or Read a Book?
Go Rock climbing or Swimming?
Own a Cat or a Dog?
Write a Story or a Draw picture?
Clean the Bathroom or Vacuum the carpet?
Ice Skate or Roller Skate?
Drink Pop or Water?
Play Inside or Outside?
Take a Shower or Bath?
Take a trip to Australia or Italy?
Go Fishing or Make slime?
Play a Video game or Board game?
Have more time or more money?
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5. Be creative with sidewalk chalk:
Lay down and trace each other – then decorate with clothes, faces, etc.
Write a word of encouragement for passers-by
Use tape and color in the spaces like stained glass
Clark’s artwork
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What game will YOU play outside this fall? Leave me comment!
Review: This book is so entertaining, you won’t want to put it down. All summer, my son would ask: “Can we read another chapter?”
It’s the story of a girl and her parents who moved to the US from China. They get jobs at a motel in California. Mia, only 10 years old, runs the front desk. The book tells interesting stories about the guests who come to the motel, and gives insight into what it’s like to be an immigrant. The stories are endearing and you will fall in love with the characters!
My son said: “I wish this book would never end.” I felt the same. We were thrilled to learn there are two more books that follow Front Desk. We are currently reading book 2, called “Three Keys.”
Because Clark is such an active kid, he doesn’t usually want to sit and read. This is one of the first books where he actually loved sitting with me and reading together. It’s been one of my sweetest memories of the summer.
Parent tip: Keep trying new books until you find one your kid loves!
Review: This book gave a good overview of Thomas Edison’s life. He was an interesting character and reminds me a little of Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. He was an amazing creator, inventor and scientist, but not so much a people person.
Reading this book made me so grateful for the things I take for granted – like making a phone call and talking to someone on the other side of the country and flipping on the lights in my house. I loved hearing how the ‘lightbulb’ was invented and how much ‘trial and error’ Edison put into creating it. His quote that: “Genius is 1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration” comes to life in this book. Edison wouldn’t give up working on an idea or problem until he solved it!
What I love about Janet Benge’s “Heroes of History” books is that she writes biographies that are entertaining and don’t get overly detailed with too much information.
Someone on amazon said: “I learned just enough about Edison’s life to be both enlightened and entertained—without having to endure the insufferable sludge of detail that weighs down most biographies.” I completely agree!
I was excited to see he had published a book about his “Row the Boat” philosophy, which he uses in life and coaching. Coach Fleck is known for turning losing teams into winning teams with his approach.
The book was short and easy-to-read. The beginning is a quick synopsis of PJ Fleck’s life. In my opinion, the best part of the book starts in Chapter 6 when he outlines exactly what “Row the Boat” means!
Here are 10 of my favorite parts of the book:
You are the captain of your boat. You decide to row or not.
The ‘oars’ of the boat represent your energy. Your energy is contagious and the energy you invest and share with others determines the quality of your life.
There will be times when rowing is extremely hard and will require powerful work. Other times, efficiency will be utilized.
The boat represents sacrifice. The more you serve, give, and make your life about helping others, the better and more fulfilled your life will be. The more you do this, the bigger your boat gets.
The compass is about the vision we have for our lives, how we speak to ourselves and the people we surround ourselves with help create the dream.
When rowing, your back is to the direction you are traveling – the future – which you cannot control, nor can you see. You don’t know what’s ahead of you. You’re rowing in the present, which is the only thing that you can impact and have control of.
You can either choose to keep rowing or put your oars back in the boat and stop. And while rowing, you are looking in the past, which is the only thing that you can actually learn from – but can’t change.
The dream is the journey and the journey is the dream. You will make your biggest impact where it will be the hardest.
Cadets prayer “make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. “
Coach PJ Fleck wants to set the standard academically, athletically, socially, and spiritually.
Ted and I had a 6 hour drive to Chicago, and I suggested we listen to an audiobook together. He picked this one. I didn’t know who the author was before reading this, but truly enjoyed the book. The author is a sports commentator and a fabulous storyteller!
I loved what the author shares about:
adopting four of their six kids,
wins and fails in parenting, and
how he came to faith and how that has impacted his life and sustained him through chemotherapy and other life challenges.
This book is easy-to-read (or listen to). It’s filled with great life lessons and it’s very entertaining.
This post was originally written for the Help Club for Moms group, but I thought I’d share it with you as well!
Starting the new school year can be a little crazy if you are a ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants’ or overly laid back person like me. Lots of rushing, perhaps some yelling, maybe tears, and forgetting important things (like lunch) have all been a part of our mornings because we had no systems or routines.
So, here are some changes I’m making this year to start the school year strong.
1. PRACTICE your Morning Routine.
If you want to prevent a super stressful first day of school, begin your ‘back-to-school’ routine a few days beforehand. Slowly start going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. In the morning, “play” like you are going to school. Work out the kinks and see how long it takes everyone to get ready. Mom tip: Take the kids to the park when everyone gets ready on time!
2. Prep the Night Before
Have your children get in the habit of prepping for school the night before:
Clothes laid out?
Ipads charging?
Backpacks and shoes by the door?
3. Get out the calendar
Whether you use a paper calendar (like me) or a digital one, take time to add activities right away – school breaks, conferences, parent-teacher night, and even testing dates. Put important dates on the calendar NOW, so you have time to plan ahead.
4. Email the teacher
As soon as you get the teacher’s email address – send him or her a short and quick note, letting them know how thankful you are that he/she will be investing in your child this year!
The benefit of this is two-fold:
– You establish a positive relationship from the beginning.
– The teacher’s email is now in your contacts, so when you need to email the teacher during the school year, you aren’t scrambling to find the paper that contains the email address.
5. Set the Tone
You set the tone for the attitudes in your home. If you keep a positive attitude, it’s more likely that your child will as well. Focus on the positive and share what you are excited about regarding the new school year. If your child is feeling stressed or anxious, listen to them and pray with them. Remind them that you are available, and God is always with them.
Hope those tips will help you this year! Praying this year is a great one for you and your children.
This is one of my favorite products of the summer. It’s thin and dries fast. My son used it at the pool the other day, and let his friend use it afterwards because he forgot his – he said it didn’t even feel wet!
Look how small it folds up compared to the standard beach towel:
Standard beach towel on the left, Quick Dry towel on the right
This is my favorite face wash of all time. I love the pump on top – it’s easy to use and not messy! It makes my face smell so good, and feel soft and moisturized.
I pour a packet into water bottles and my kids love it. It’s a great alternative to soda, and keeps your kids getting all the liquids they need during summer. There are yummy flavors like Raspberry Lemonade, Cherry Pomegranate – and more!
I’d never thought I’d have an opinion on ‘poop bags,’ but now that I’m a dog owner, I suddenly care about these things. There’s only one kind of waste bags I like to buy – and it’s this one from Amazon! Not too thin, not too small, and easy to tie up!
The teacher in me wants to keep my kids writing over the summer. I ask my boys to write or draw their favorite thing from the day, the trip, etc. These are fun to look back on from year to year, summer to summer!
I have these on my “subscribe and save” list because I can only find them on Amazon and also because they are:
yummy!
Quick and easy!
Loved by my boys and me!
If you have to leave early and don’t have time for breakfast, or if you are going to be gone for several hours and need an easy snack – these are great!
I bought this one for my husband for Father’s Day and it’s been great! It’s a much better price than some of the other wireless speakers, and works just as well. These come in handy if you are going to the pool, playing in the backyard, or sitting on the patio and want to listen to music or a podcast.
My mom and I love these collagen eye patches. They are so easy to use – just open the package and stick them under your eyes. The moisture from the patches and the flexibility helps them form and stick. There is an instant cooling effect that I feel which probably helps with any eye puffiness. (Putting them in the fridge before hand makes them even better)! They have a moisturizing effect that really plumps up my fine lines in only 15 minutes of wearing them. I like that they are indivdually packaged to maximize the moisture in each patch and reduce any contamination. The patches are large enough to cover my under eye are well. I think it provides better and longer-lasting results than eye cream.
If summers are for making memories, we made a TON OF THEM in July. Here are some highlights!
July started with a vacation:
A week in Indiana is better than a trip to Disney
My aunt, grandmother, and cousins
Cousins and mamas
Luke and my nephew Eli
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My mom and all of her grandchildren!
A letter my grandmother received from her uncle during WW2.
George hearing the story of my grandparents opening their store more than 50 years ago.
My nephew was excited to see my book at my grandparent’s store.
At my grandparent’s antique store
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We had a wonderful dinner and date night at Kelly Jae’s in honor of my sister (in pink) and brother-in-law’s 21st anniversary. My sister and her husband (in white) joined us, as well as childhood friends (on left).
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I got to spend a morning with childhood friends. Only one still lives in town. The rest of us happened to all be there for the 4th of July!
My dad took us for a boat ride down memory lane. These homes on Lake Tippecanoe used to belong to my grandparents. My mom and dad lived in a small cottage behind these two homes, and it’s where I was brought home from the hospital. I grew up swimming, tubing, and learning to ski on this lake.
My grandparents sold this property when I was in high school, and this was the first time I’d been back!
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Wrigley’s World
While we were in Indiana, some good friends took the BEST care of Wrigley.
Though the boys had a blast in Indiana, they were SO happy to see Wrigley when we got home.
My chauffeur:
I put Wrigley in the car and ran in to grab my phone. I came back out and found Wrigley ready to drive Miss Daisy Egly.
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Pan-o-Prag – our local fair
I’m not sure how the fair in Lakeville got the name “Pan-o-Prag,” but that’s what the locals call it and we spent a hot afternoon enjoying it all – carnival games, rides, fried food, and a parade! To keep the cost from getting out of control, I told the kids they could ride two rides, play two games, and pick one snack.
We have a tradition of eating breakfast at Jensen’s on the anniversary of our move to Minnesota. The boys are thriving and happy. They love all the lakes and fishing. They also love our neighborhood and the many friends they’ve met.
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Date Night Re-make
July 31, 2018
July 31, 2021
Three years ago Ted and I went out on our first Minnesota date night. We went back on the same night to celebrate!
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A night away and all alone
Downtown Stillwater, MN
The Stillwater walking bridge across the St. Croix River
My breakfast in bed
My home for the night
For the first time since being a mom, and possibly the first time ever (?), I spent the night at a hotel all alone. After a busy summer, I was craving some peace and quiet, so I booked a night at a Bed and Breakfast in Stillwater, MN and had a glorious 24 hours to myself!
I explored, did a little shopping, a lot of walking and reading. I slept 10 straight hours and was awakened by a knock on my door with a tray of breakfast and hot coffee!!!!! What an absolute delight! I could have stayed in bed all day, but I had an 11am check-out. I asked for a later check-out and was awarded an extra FIFTEEN MINUTES! Woot. woot.
Thanks so much for reading about our busy July! What have you been up to? Leave a comment by clicking that little comment box next to the title.
Review: I read this many years ago, but decided to listen to it this time. Wow. Why have I waited so long to listen to this fantastic book?? It was written nearly 100 years ago, but applies to life today. The book covers topics such as:
dealing with difficult people,
navigating tough conversations,
making a positive impression,
speaking so others listen, etc.
This is a MUST READ for anyone age 15 and older. And if you are like me, and it’s been more than 5 years since you’ve read this book, I recommend you re-read it or listen to the audio edition!
Review: Ted’s had this book for years and I saw it on my hoopla app and decided to listen. The book shared myths about millionaires, and some insight into how some millionaires gain their wealth, which included:
Living below their means,
not purchasing items for ‘status’
The book also gave some investing and saving strategies, as well as career options for obtaining wealth.
Review: I thought this was going to be a traditional ‘biography,’ but was actually made up of Jim Elliot‘s letters and journal entries he wrote over the course of about 10 years.
It was well written, but dragged on at times. I was impressed with the depth and detail that Jim put into his letters and journal entries. It has inspired me to write more letters! After finishing the book, I hand wrote TEN LETTERS, and hope to keep it up.
Review: This book is very easy to read and pretty entertaining. Each chapter the author asks a question then ‘shares her stuff.’ She then encourages the reader to do the same. The questions Laura posed in this book really inspired me to write more stories about who’s impacted my life, what pivotal moments changed my life, magical moments that occurred in my life, and more.
A picture book I read with my boys that’s worth mentioning:
Review: I have a whole new respect and appreciation for bees after reading this beautiful book:
What about you? What have you been reading? What do you want to read? I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment by clicking on the tiny ‘comment box’ next to the title of this post.
I’m “almost” finished reading Front Desk with one of my sons. We are absolutely loving and don’t want it to end – I’ll give you a full review next month. Please consider subscribing so you don’t miss that post.
Do you want to have a better day? Then let me ask you a question: What do you see when you look at this image?
Did you say a black dot?
You’d be right.
HOWEVER, do you notice anything else besides the black dot?
If you thought: “white space,” then you’d be right again! There is actually more WHITE space than black.
Very few people point out the WHITE space. It takes a little more effort to even notice it.
Let’s say this dark spot represents the problems in our world. The white space is the GOOD stuff happening. There is ALWAYS good stuff, we just tend to overlook it. The black dot GRABS out attention. It’s EASIER to notice, and it’s TALKED about more!
If you watch or read the news, the focus is almost exclusively on the ‘black dot.’
We need to PAY attention to what we are PAYING Attention to!
We can’t control the negativity in the world. We can’t prevent the ‘black dot.’ We CAN control what we watch, what we listen to, what we talk about, and what we FOCUS on!
What we FOCUS ON determines how we FEEL!!!!!
Let me say that again in a different way…
Our focus determines our feelings
A couple of months ago I told my boys we were going to the arboretum. In typical kid fashion, they were like
“The arboretum…to look at trees? Mom, that’s BORING!”
So I turned it into a game. I let them bring their school iPads and I said: “Whoever takes the best picture, gets $1.”
Suddenly, their attitudes changed. It was a competition! They had a goal. They had something to focus on.
Look at these incredible pictures and the beauty they found that day:
Paul was on the hunt for flowers and found some!
Paul pointed out this amazing curved tree
Mushrooms
I love the reflections in the water
We got home and my boys proudly showed their dad the pictures they captured. My husband pointed out that our boys would have missed this beauty if they weren’t on the lookout for it.
They FOUND beauty because the LOOKED for it!
You FIND what you LOOK FOR!
Beauty and goodness aren’t hard to find, they are just overlooked.
What’s wrong is ALWAYS available, but so is what’s right. We find what we look for.
Change your FOCUS because: Your FOCUS determines your feelings!
Thanks for reading and please consider subscribing.
How do become Queen? You put on your plastic crown and declare it! (Thanks, Ted, for the crown!)
The boys and I celebrated my birthday with a great breakfast at Hope Kitchen. Instead of a cake, we ate some delicious Crumbl Cookies.
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What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man
Ted asked us to do a hill hike with him on Father’s Day, so we lured the boys to the top with Dunkin’ Donuts.
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America Ninja Warriors
A local gym was running a special for a month-long membership so I signed my boys up. They had so much fun and burned LOTS of energy!
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A quick trip through Illinois
On our way to Indiana, we had one full day in Illinois. We got to eat at our favorite restaurant with some of our best friends.
At Bien Trucha with the Hoeft family.Makayla Beebe’s been babysitting the boys since they were tiny. And I was her children’s pastor when SHE was tiny!
On the way to Indiana, we stopped at Portillos.
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What I’m loving
I love this Alba face wash! The scent, the way it makes my skin feel, and the easy pump!
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This quick dry towel. It’s super thin, so it doesn’t take much space in our swim bag.
What are you up to and what are you loving? Leave me a comment!
