Peek into our Week Archives - Page 3 of 7

0 In 2021/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Our escape to Marco Island

When our friends (Mark and Stacey) purchased a home on Marco Island and invited us to leave the snow and freezing February temps in Minnesota and join them for a sunny, GORGEOUS weekend in Florida … we couldn’t say YES fast enough.

I could not wait to put my toes in the sand, see the beautiful Florida sunsets, have time with friends – and not wake up to an alarm, a puppy, or a child.

My amazing in-laws offered to drive up and stay with our boys so that Ted and I could escape to ISLAND LIFE!

When we arrived, the PALM trees immediately put a smile on my face. Palm trees = sunshine.

Our friend Mark told us there are TWO THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED different types of Palm Trees… but Marco Island probably has the prettiest ones of all….what do you think?

Our first stop was lunch in Naples. I’d never been to Naples and thought it was beautiful. Downtown Naples is a great place to walk, window shop, and eat.

Naples, Florida – June 14, 2019: Tourist walk and shop along the restaurants and luxury stores of 5th Avenue in downtown Naples Florida USA

It was hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that in Minnesota, the sky was gray, the ground was covered in snow, and the temperature was barely above zero…and here it was all sunshine and 80 degrees. How was it possible? I didn’t spend much time trying to figure it out – I just wanted to soak so much in that I could bring it back to Minnesota.

Lunch in Naples – I’d been up since 3AM!

After lunch, we drove to our friend’s lovely home on Marco Island. Seventy five percent of the homeowners live on water. If you are a boater or want to be on the water – this place is paradise!

We changed our clothes and jumped on their wave runners.

Did you know Marco Island is the largest of TEN THOUSAND islands in southwest Florida? Most of the islands are unpopulated and covered in mangroves. Some have their own private beaches and are loaded with shells and wildlife. We pulled up to one of the islands, searched for shells, and watched the amazing sunset.

That night I went to bed early since I’d been up since 3 AM to catch a flight.

Friday, we started the day with a bike ride to a bagel shop for breakfast.

We biked home, changed into our swimsuits, and spent the next few hours at the beach. Marco Island beach was huge, with soft, warm sand and loaded with shells.

Marco has one of the WIDEST in Florida!

Walking the beach gave me a flashback:

When I was a child, my parents took a trip to Florida and came back with white shells. We painted them and gave one to each child in my class. The Marco Island beach had the exact same shells all over the beach. I gathered some of my own to carry on this tradition with MY kids!

After a delightful day on the beach, we went home to shower and change, then came back to watch the sunset.

After the sun had set, we went to dinner at the historic Snook Inn.

Saturday we took the wave runners to KeeWaydin Island. KeeWaydin has no roads or bridges to get there. People just pull their boats and wave runners right up to the island and hang out. There are concession ‘boats’ that sell food, drinks, ice cream and even gifts!

Boats moared up on Keewaydin Island near Naples in Florida

After walking around and relaxing on the unique Keewaydin Island, we got back on the wave runners to explore the islands around Marco.

Our plan was to ride the wave runners to see the abandoned Cape Romano house, (pictured below)…but one of the wave runners had engine trouble, so we didn’t get there. Cape Romano was hand built on what USED TO BE an island. A hurricane destroyed the island and most of the home. What is left is now inhabited by wildlife. (Click here to see more pics and read the story!)

Unfortunately, the hurricane in 2022 buried or destroyed what was left of Cape Romano.

We watched another amazing sunset …

…and went to a place called Deep Lagoon for dinner in the beautiful Marco Island Marketplace and Marina.

Sunday we went back to the beach and took a long walk before we had to catch our flight home.

Marco Island has vast amounts of wildlife. We spotted tons of dolphins, a variety of birds, unique fish, turtles and a manatee!

I missed my boys and was excited to see them. As we were landing, we got the text that our boys were going back into ‘distance learning.’ Because of TWO cases of Covid at their school, everyone was sent home for two weeks! I’d get LOTS of time with my boys after being away from them. And we’ve gotten much better at distance learning since last year. (Read how bad it was at the beginning here)

This was the first time I’ve ever escaped the cold to take a trip to Florida in February, and now I may never be able to survive another winter without making this an annual tradition. Getting a break from the frigid temps, having a few days to ourselves, with great friends, was really refreshing and I’m so very grateful!

I came home and realized the warmth I was trying to ‘soak in’ to bring back to Minnesota really worked. It wasn’t much warmer outside, but the warmth stayed with me on the inside! The escape to Florida with friends lifted my spirit.

First of all, just planning our trip to Florida gave me something to look forward to, then getting to be in that Florida sunshine melted that ‘winter gloom’ and boosted my joy, even after coming home.

If you are a person who gets the “winter blues” … consider getting away for a long weekend like we did! If that’s not a possibility, click here for some other suggestions!

Here are more pictures and some video footage of our trip:

April 10, 2021 By Kathryn

3 In 2021/ Free stuff/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Minnesota

Why Como Zoo and Conservatory Should Be on Your Twin Cities Bucket List

One of my favorite places to visit in Minnesota is Como Zoo and Conservatory.

Not only is it historic and beautiful, but it’s FREE (though donations are appreciated).

The animals are nice and they are definitely what lure my children here, but my favorite part is the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.

The Conservatory was built in 1915, and is one of the few remaining original Victorian style glasshouses in North America. Inside are two acres of beautiful flowers and greenery ‘under glass.’ The display inside the conservatory changes five times a year, so you never know what beauty you’ll encounter when you visit.

Because of Covid, they are asking everyone to book tickets online in advance (there is no charge for the tickets). This is one of the few Covid changes I like, because it means there are only a select number of tickets they give out each day, so it’s not crowded! (Click here to reserve your space.)

The animals came before the conservatory. Como Zoo started in 1897 when the city of St. Paul was gifted 3 deer and created a fenced in area to keep them.

Como was the first zoo in the world to successfully hand raise Siberian tigers.

Besides tigers and deer, there are many other animals to observe and enjoy. Luke loves the Arctic foxes and penguins, George’s favorites are the monkeys (we all like the monkeys). Paul likes the sloth and fish, I love the birds and giraffes, Clark liked the cougar and giant Polar bear.

The Como Zoo has exhibits inside and outside, so you can enjoy this place all year long.

In the summer, be sure to visit the beautiful Japanese Garden:

After your visit to the zoo, plan to visit the fun playground across the street. There are plenty of tables, perfect for a picnic.

The state’s oldest Dairy Queen dates back to 1947 an is just a mile away. (720 Lexington Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113) This is a fun way to end a spectacular day!

Click here for a peek into one of our visits to Como Zoo and Conservatory! What animals do you spot?

Click here to read my Minnesota Bucket list!

Click here for a peek into our visit to the amazing Mill City Museum.

March 23, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Memories/ Peek into our Week

Peek into our Week: February 2021

Superbowl and Puppy Plays Ball

Now that I have a house full of guys who enjoy football, I’ve started watching the actual football game and not just the commercials (though those are fun too!) My favorite commercial is at the end of this post.

On Super Bowl Sunday, I made some chicken wings and Jalapeño Stuffed Peppers.

During halftime, the boys were playing “flag” football in the family room, and Wrigley joined in the game. It was all fun and games – until Wrigley missed the flag and bit Paul on the side of the leg.

Clark had always dreamed of having a dog that could play football with him, and his dream came true on Super Bowl Sunday!

Also, Clark asked why the background dancers had underwear on their faces during half-time. My friend Jessica explained that it was for a good purpose, but it still looked ugly and was a weird halftime show!

I was COMPLETELY impressed with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. What a game!

Serving With Our Neighbors

In 2020, my neighbor asked if we’d want to get together for a service projects on a regular basis. Um YES!

This month we met at a local Feed My Starving Children site to pack food for the hungry. It was an amazing experience, and as we were leaving, Clark asked how soon we could come back.

Baby it’s COOOOLLLLDDD outside

We’ve had a fairly mild winter, but February was FUH-REEZING! Though most of the south shuts down when it gets to subzero temps, Minnesotans are almost un-fazed by it.

Since I’m not a true Minnesotan, I prefer to be INSIDE when the weather dips below zero. The boys and I have been playing games like Spoons, Rat-a-tat cat and Skipbo. We’ve also tried a few things from this list.

Egly boys make People Magazine!

The boys made it into People Magazine (and NOT because they are the sexiest men alive) If you haven’t seen it yet, click here to watch the video that was shared by People for “small acts of kindness day!”

Our hope is that this video inspires other small acts of kindness. If 1 out of every 100 people who watch this video are inspired to do something kind for someone else – that means more than 30,000 acts of kindness were done!!!

Back to Basketball

There was a six week hiatus from sports, but now Paul, Clark, and George are all playing basketball again. They are so fun to watch. Follow me or Ted on instagram to see their best plays.

Back-to-School

Clark, Paul and I joined Luke in going back to school. The three of them are finally in school full time and I’m teaching a couple days each week. Because of Covid, no parents are allowed to have lunch with their kids, but when I’m teaching, I get to eat with my boys! What a treat!

It was TRICKY and HOT teaching with a face shield AND mask. Thankfully, as of last week, shields are no longer required!

Valentine’s Day Fun

“I chews You!” George made this alligator box for Luke

Clark wanted to ‘sWish’ everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day

Life with Wrigley

Wrigley is sleeping through night and mostly ringing the bell when he needs to go out. He likes people and playing catch. The boys love him sooo much!

What I’m listening to:

I love Bob Goff and enjoy his podcast. This episode was so inspiring!

What I’m watching:

Has anyone watched this series on Apple TV? It’s so good!

What I’m reading:

This book is amazing!

My favorite Super Bowl commercial:

What have you been up to? Leave me a comment!

February 23, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our First Weeks of 2021

Here’s what we’ve been up to recently:

“Snow” much SNOW:

The pond behind our house is frozen – at least 12 inches of solid ice – so it’s become the boy’s blank canvas to ‘create!’

They’ve made an ice rink to play soccer and skate, they’ve made forts, trails and whatever else they can imagine!

After a recent snow storm, the boys noticed an elderly woman shoveling her driveway all by herself. All four boys grabbed their shovels and helped her finish.

So many books, so little time

I have a goal to read 50 books this year…here are a few I plan to read. Have you read any of these? Which one should I start with?

Life with Wrigley:

Luke and Wrigley up at 5AM!! :( — Luke and Wrigley both up at 5AM!

Having a puppy really is like having a new baby – so I’m kind of exhausted. The boys are amazing at taking him out during the day – but I’m up with him EARLY!

We’ve been “sleep training” him by putting him in the crate at night. The first two nights he whined a lot, but is now sleeping through the night. At first he was up by 5AM! He woke me and Luke up with his barking and whining. Now he’s sleeping til 6AM. That still feels too early, but I know he’s a baby and all my ‘babies’ like to wake up early.

Wrigley enjoys playing outside. Usually he’s only out for 30-60 minutes. We take him for walks (or he takes us for a walk)…and he plays with the neighbor’s doodles.

Wrigley is WELL LOVED!

Luke’s first week of school:

Just as we were getting in a rhythm of distance learning, Luke started school again.

Luke completed his FIRST FULL WEEK OF SCHOOL! Though kindergarten began in September, he’s never spent 5 full, consecutive days in the classroom until now. Clark and Paul will start in February and George will continue distance learning for now.

How’s your new year been? Leave me a comment!

January 30, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Christmas/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our Christmas week

Christmas Eve:

It was a cold day with LOTS of snow. All four boys shoveled two of our neighbors driveways.

We played with our dog, completed a Christmas puzzle, then watched White Christmas (one of my FAVORITE Christmas movies).

Luke and Paul were excited to go to bed that night because they could hardly wait for it to be Christmas morning!

After the two littles fell asleep, George and Clark helped me put presents under the tree, then George created a scavenger hunt from the “elves.”

Clark set up some games around the house for everyone to play on Christmas Day.

Christmas Day:

Scavenger hunt for the littles:

George created a scavenger hunt from our ‘elves.’ He wrote a clue, that led to another clue, that led to another … all around our house. The final clue led to a gift from “Santa.” The gift was a game called “Ticket to Ride.” I’d read good reviews of this game so I thought my boys would like it.

I made the mistake of trying to play it with them right away, without having ever played before. I didn’t realize how many details were involved. I tried to read the instructions and play at the same time. This was a FAIL! I didn’t understand how to play, let alone how to teach all four boys what to do. We all got frustrated and quit.

Afterwards, I watched a YouTube video on how to play. I finally understood and asked my boys if they wanted to try again. The boys said no, they just wanted to open their other presents.

Opening presents:

Our big Christmas gift to the boys was a dog (Read that story here) …but other family members had gifts for them to open Christmas morning.

I filled their stockings with some fun treats, hid the stockings in my closet, tied a long string around them, and wrapped that string all around the house. I gave the boys the end of the string, and they had to follow it to find their stockings.

The boys also did a “Secret Santa” gift exchange with each other. After Thanksgiving, I put the names of the boys in a bowl and they each drew a name. They have a $15 budget and get to pick out a gift for each other.

Luke drew George’s name and got him a puzzle (see below).
Paul drew Clark’s name and bought him football cards.
Clark drew Luke’s name and got him a remote control car.
George drew Paul and bought him some Pokemon cards.

Christmas Day Scavenger Hunt for the Parents:

As a Christmas gift for me and Ted, Clark created a super fun obstacle course for us to complete. We had targets to hit with a nerf gun, matchbox cars that had to get past a certain line, a box to tear open to find a clue and a quarter, basketballs to get in the net, then a word to complete in a “Wheel of Fortune” type game. When we completed all our ‘challenges,’ we had to race to put our “quarter” on the winning circle to win a prize (see picture above). I won “Wheel of Fortune” and the matchbox car game, but Ted is way better with a nerf gun and basketball. He won and got a big chocolate bar. I was second and Clark gave me chocolate coins.

Christmas Day Walk:

It was COLD outside (7 degrees), but Ted encouraged us to bundle up and get outside with him, and I’m glad we did!

Christmas Dinner:

Steak, Brussel Sprouts, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and …. French Fries. (I forgot to take a picture)

We Watched:

A Christmas Story – Ted and George love this movie. Since they watch “White Christmas” with me, I watch this movie with them.

We read:

The Christmas Lizard: this is a cute story of the Lizard climbing up the tree and hearing the different reasons Christmas is celebrated. The Nutcracker says “tradition,” the elves say “parties,” etc. When he gets to the very top of the tree he finds the Angel and the angel points to the manger and tells the lizard that the reason we celebrate Christmas is Jesus.

We played:

What do you Meme? … Uno and…

After Luke and Paul went to bed, I was able to talk George into giving Ticket to Ride another try. We both really enjoyed playing! I would only recommend it for ages 10 and up!

The Day After Christmas:

Luke got George’s name as his “Secret Santa” gift exchange. I helped him create a puzzle as a gift for George.

We put it together and it turned out so cool!

We also went ice skating with friends.

One friend lifted his hockey stick to hit a puck, and accidentally smacked Clark in the eye. It hurt bad at first (and looks really bad), but Clark was playing again in ten minutes.

We took another walk and had a snowball fight:

My boys received this “snowball maker” toy last year – it makes these perfect, round snowballs and saves your hands from freezing or your gloves from getting soaked:

Hope you had a Merry Christmas friends! Sending love from our family to yours!

Here’s a peek into our fall and winter. I love how my iPhone can take pictures and videos and turn them into this:

December 28, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Family/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Peek into our Thanksgiving week in Oklahoma

Because of this unique year, we feel incredibly blessed to have spent a week with our Oklahoma family.

Here are some highlights:

One of the blessings of this season is that we are exploring more outdoor spaces. Of all the years I’ve lived in and visited Oklahoma, I’d never been to the Redbud Nature Preserve. My sister and her family invited us to join them here for a hike and we absolutely loved it!

The Gathering Place

This is a phenomenal outdoor park in Tulsa. (Click on this link to look at this place!) The big boys played football with Ted, while I explored the play structures with Luke.

Thanksgiving Day

What’s your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving? My favorite dish on Thanksgiving is the mashed potatoes and gravy – I’ve loved that dish my whole life. It might be my favorite because I only eat it once a year – on Thanksgiving!

My mother-in-law made turkey, ham, and the most delicious mashed potatoes and gravy. I made green beans, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin and pecan pie.

I forgot to add the sugar to the pumpkin pie recipe so I just sprinkled some on top before I baked it. It was a ‘healthier’ version and not super sweet, but still tasted good. This might be the way I make it from now on?

Fishing adventures

Papa and Ted took the boys fishing and they each caught a big one!

We celebrated Paul’s 9th birthday with cousins and cupcakes!

Paul wanted a real animal – but he had to settle for a stuffed one. We had cupcakes with cousins, then went on a hike and found an abandoned hive.

Thanks for reading! Whether you stayed home or celebrated with family, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too. In spite of this challenging year, we all have so much to be thankful for!

December 7, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Family/ Peek into our Week

Peek into our Week

Halloween 2020

There were about 30% of our neighbors with lights out, not participating.
About 20% of neighbors had a bowl or baggies setting out.
The remaining 50% passed out candy as usual.
100% of kids had FUN and collected way too much candy.

Basketball Begins

Paul played his first ever game of basketball!
He made FOUR baskets.
Eight points for his team.
The final score was 18 to 13 and it was SO fun to watch them play.

Pumpkin Pancake Contest

I made two different kinds to see which was better.
The Trader Joe’s brand was more work but tasted better.
The Birchbenders only required water, and were easier to make, but I didn’t think they were as good.
My kids loved them both!

The Tale of Two Georges

George and I finished reading this ‘George Washington’ biography together and now George wishes his middle name was Washington. We have so much admiration and respect for our first president. He was a true patriot who worked tirelessly to create, protect, and lead the United States of America.
Did you know George Washington decided the leader of our country should be called “The President of the United States?” (or “Mr. President” for short)

It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas

We put up our Christmas tree and hung lights outside.
The Christmas tree and lights bring us JOY and we need more JOY this year!

Back to the Classroom

All four boys are in school now (two days a week).
While they were in school, I worked on earning my Minnesota teaching license and applied to be a substitute teacher in their schools.
My first day was teaching 7th grade language arts and I LOVED getting to teach George and lots of his friends.
I was a little nervous about teaching middle school, but the kids were TRULY “Minnesota nice” and I can’t wait to do it again.

What have you. been up to? Leave a comment!

November 11, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our Week (Fall 2020)

Here’s what we’ve been up to in September and October:

My boys and a couple of their friends at a local apple orchard.

Luke wakes up and waits at the steps for me to see him, say good morning and give him a hug. I haven’t asked him to wait…it’s just become a tradition.

The boys are in school two days a week, and do school at home three days a week.

Luke in Soccer
Paul in Soccer
Clark in football

This was our first season of FOUR boys in sports! Luke, Paul, and George were in soccer. Clark was in football.

Paul and his friend caught Pike!

Then…it started snowing….

The wonder of snow!
Catching snowflakes

And didn’t stop snowing…

Here the boys are selling hot chocolate to neighbors.

All the snow means SNOW SLUSHEES!

Life Hack: Buy a sweatshirt that makes you look and feel like a teddy bear to get more cuddles!

Rain or shine (or snow) – Paul is ready to fish!

Amazon had a sale on animal crackers. They inspired me to make my favorite childhood treat for my kids – Circus Sundaes! Vanilla Ice Cream, strawberry syrup, animal crackers and whip cream.

Paul asked if he could sleep by Luke. When I checked on them, I found this!

We’ve also made a trip to the Arboretum – read about that by clicking here.

And a trip to Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden – click here to read about that!

October 27, 2020 By Kathryn

1 In 2020/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Minnesota

Exploring Minnesota: Eloise Butler Garden

Last Saturday was a beautiful fall day, so we decided to explore a new spot in the Twin Cities – the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. Founded in 1907, the Wildflower Garden is the oldest public native plant garden in the United States!

There is no charge to explore and hike, but there is a minimal parking fee.

Most days the park is staffed by naturalists and volunteers who are happy to tell you what’s blooming, where to explore, and to answer other questions you may have about birds or flowers.

There were ‘scavenger hunt’ sheets available for kids at the entryway, and my boys loved being on a ‘hunt!’

Once inside, there’s a marked out “trail” for you to walk. I was grateful for this because I have a tendency to get lost if I’m allowed to wander aimlessly. The marked trail is less than a mile and even our youngest son walked all the way through without complaint. (There is also a longer trail for you to explore, but we took the short cut.)

There were so many things to enjoy – different trees, small animals, lots of birds and so many plants. The signs throughout the gardens teach you about the various wildlife.

Eloise Butler Garden and Bird Sanctuary is beautiful and I look forward to exploring it in the spring when the flowers are blooming!

It’s open April though October – but click here for more information on this spot!

The Walker Sculpture Garden is close by, so I recommend you visit that place next.

If you want to read about another beautiful place to explore, read this post about the Minnesota Arboretum.

Click here for my Minnesota Bucket list.

October 24, 2020 By Kathryn

4 In 2020/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week

The Magnificent Minnesota Arboretum

Since the world seems to be enveloped in ugly unrest, we could all benefit from getting outside and surrounding ourselves in nature. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is the PERFECT place to go. The Arboretum is made up of 1,200 acres of natural beauty, professionally-maintained gardens, rare plant collections, and accessible trails.

When I told my boys that we were going to the Arboretum, they weren’t as excited as I was, especially since the most kid-friendly parts of the park (the hedge maze and the giant willow tree fort) are closed due to Covid. So how did I get them excited about going? I came up with a contest…

Whoever could take the most beautiful picture would win one dollar.

My competitive boys were all in!

When we arrived, I was thrilled to see that there is a paved, 3-mile loop around the Arboretum, with parking spaces every half mile or so. We drove the loop, and when the boys or I would spot something we wanted to see up close, we’d park and get out to explore.

The fact that my boys were on a hunt for something pretty and unique, made this visit so much fun! They were pointing out and capturing the most fascinating things! (See pictures below)

I appreciate that the Arboretum has something special in every season. Currently, the fall colors are in full bloom and they are breathtaking (our pictures don’t even do it justice). If you come in the winter, you can enjoy the light display. The spring and summer are full of floral beauty.

Below are a few of my favorite photos.

We let the neighbor kids vote on who should win the photo contest. Read the captions in each picture to find out which kid won. Leave a comment to tell us which picture YOU think is the best.