BEFORE!

This is our main floor bathroom. I decided it was time the stenciling had to go!! I did this when we first moved in...9 years ago. Time to give the room a small makeover.

AFTER!!!!!!!!

What we did....painted the walls, the cabinet & vanity. Removed the towel bar & replaced it with a picture. Added a small round towel bar holder next to the linen closet. New shower curtain, rug, tissue holder & soap dispenser. We were able to redo the bathroom for about $100. Took about a month from the time I started to get ideas and figure out what I wanted to do! Now thinking about what I want to do to our other bathroom........

Zander's 1st day of Preschool!

Finally! They started later this year because they moved into a different building & wanted to get everything all ready for the kids. Today I dropped him off & tomorrow he'll take his first bus ride (will ride w/ Nick & Lexi). He'll go 3 days/week (T/W/Th).

 

 

By his Locker

 

Kite Flying!

It was windy enough to fly kites today. We only had one at first & of COURSE the kids were fighting over it. The neighbor lady heard Zander having a fit & so she came with two kites for us. She said she heard him crying & it broke her heart....I said, huh? he was crying?? I am so used to tuning him out that I don't even hear it anymore! Ha! The kites she gave us were MUCH better than the one we had. Nick lost control of his & it FLEW over the neighbor's house & ended up stopping in the apple tree. Amazingly it didn't break. Kids had fun with these today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Day of School

Getting some pics off my camera...this was from the first day of school. Gettin' off the bus!

 

Downtown Duluth

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Waterfront for the two nights we were in Duluth. Here's the view from our room, we obviously didn't get the waterfront view!! The hotel was nice & was walking distance from the downtown area. We were able to use their skywalk system to get to the Lakefront walk which is along Lake Superior. The weather wasn't the greatest or I think we probably would have done that walk again. Would have really been neat to run along it. I suppose if we would of skipped the casino we could of done that! We were about 3 blocks away from the downtown casino. This casino was small & a dive. VERY VERY smokey. But we did get a package from the hotel for some blackjack match plays & some slot pulls. I accidently stumbled across that while I was online seeing the casino website. So before we walked over there we stopped at the front desk & got the package. I won 3 of the 4 matchplays & Phil did ok with his. We went to that casino twice, won both times. Or I should say that we left at the right times...when we were ahead!

Friday the weather was nice & so after the 2:30 volleyball game, we walked along the lake & went to check out when the boat cruises were to see if we could get one in. We got there around 5:00 & it was leaving at 5:30 & I guess we were too late for that dinner cruise. So we just started walking & checked out some of the shops & looked for a place to eat. Wouldn't you know it...we saw the HELL'S KITCHEN restaurant. Ashley told us that they were going there to eat. We had no idea where the place was but remembered seeing a billboard for it on the Interstate. So we decided to eat there & hopefully get to see her since we really didn't get a chance to talk to her at the games. So we sat down & ordered & was in time for about 30 mins of Happy Hour! Perfect! After we ordered, the whole volleyball team came in. Ashley was able to sit with us which was nice. Phil ordered some steak dinner & I had a Pasta Penne dish. It was one of the BEST meals I've ever had. I added some Italian sausage to it & not sure if that was what did it or what. But mmmmm. Even Phil (who doesn't really care for pasta) said it was really good. So if you ever go to the Hell's Kitchen in Duluth or I see they have one in Minneapolis as well & you don't know what to order. Try the Penne dish. Here is the website of the restaurant.

Saturday morning we walked along downtown & checked out some more shops. The ONE store Phil really wanted to check out....was closed for the season! Bummer.

We then drove around Duluth & then went to the volleyball game. After getting a permission slip signed, Ashley was able to drive home with us instead of the bus. So we stopped at Black Bear Casino for a late lunch. Yep, did the buffet again. Didn't have that awesome dessert as the other day but it was still good. And we won some more money. Me, $10, Phil $59. He won his the last 2 mins we were there. Put $1 in a .10 machine & kept winning! It was so funny, Ashley & I had no idea how much he had in credits & thought for sure he put more than a buck in the machine! So we left on a good note!

Drove home in the rain & got back to Mankato & stayed the night with Ashley. I guess she wanted us to whoop her butt in Wii bowling!

We had a nice time away! Thanks again to my mom & dad for watching the kids for us.

Stupid Computer

I typed a long post about our trip but this dumb laptop froze up & I lost it all. I had our computer guy look at it & of course the whole time he had, it never once froze up for him. Why is that!?!? So he found nothing wrong & it's frozen up on me pretty much every time I use it.

So anyhow, I'll have to finish my Duluth post another time. It's after midnight & I've got to get up in six hours. I need my beauty sleep.

MMMMMMM

We found THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY while we were walking along Lake Superior's Lake Front walk. My friend Stacie said to make sure we stop in & have a caramel apple. Well, how do you pick one?!!? Well to make it a little easier, Phil doesn't like nuts, so that elimanated quite a few of them! I picked out this caramel/chocolate/mint covered apple. MMMMMM Now I wish I would of bought some of the candy they had as well! We did eat a few of the fudge samples. So good!

 

 

 

Glensheen Mansion

We toured this on Friday in between volleyball games. I had taken this tour waaayyyy back in the 80's. I'm guessing around '85 or so when I was a teenager. Mom, Dad, my neighbor friend Stacey & I took a trip to Duluth. Funny thing I remember from that trip & the tour was that they do NOT allow you to take any photos or video inside the house. Well, my dad had his video camera with, the big kind way back then. He brought it in & left it on & was holding it down my his knees thinking he'd be sneaky about it. Well, the tour guide said "sir, please turn the video camera off" He said it was & he replied "the red light is still on" Oh. And he turned it off!!

The tour guide told us the house was built for around $850,000......which in today's money it would cost about 30 MILLION. Wow. There is a lot of history on the place & a few different books out that I might pick up at the library and read. It was a good tour & if you haven't ever been through it, check it out.

 

Huh!?

We walked by this store quite a few times. I had to have Phil explain to me what Urine Cleaner is. And for those inquiring minds...yes we did go check this place out. Whooly crap, it costs money to be a pot head. They were selling glass pipe smoker things for $250.!!

 

Hello #15

The Mankato Mavs being introduced. We went to all 3 games in Duluth. It is so different going to away games compared to home games. The first game we went to was Friday morning at 9:30. There was a total of like six MSU fans there. The other team (from Washington State) had 1 fan. And there were a few others I'm assuming from Duluth or whatever watching. So it was VERY quiet in the gym & so all of our cheering could be heard by all! The other games were 2:30 Friday afternoon & then Saturday at 12:30. They were 1 for 3. The most impressive thing was after the Saturday game (they played UMD -Duluth) when the UMG coach came up to Ashley & said to her "you were frickin' awesome" That was cool.

 

Hinckley/Duluth

Just a little update. Phil & I left yesterday around 10:30. We were ready to go at 8:30 but Grandma misunderstood me & didn't get to our house until 10:00. Yes, we were both anxious to get out of there!!!! So we left...Zachary cried of course, which he seems to do anytime I/we leave him.

So we stopped in St Cloud for lunch & drove by a Days Inn that said they had a waterslide. Phil said he wanted to stay there & spend the day in St Cloud & shop or whatever. So we checked into it but Hinckley Days Inn had already charged our credit card so we were stuck. So we continued on our way to Hinckley.

We got there & headed to the casino. Phil played the slots while I played Blackjack. He lost some & I won some. We then ate at the famous Tobies restaurant. Then back to the hotel for a swim/hot tub.

Woke up this morning at 6:30...was so mad, my chance to sleep in & I couldn't sleep!! Went & had breakfast. Pouring rain outside. Hit a few shops & then on the road to Duluth. Saw on the map Carlton..which dad said there was a casino there. Called him to get directions but he didn't answer. Wouldn't you know it a few miles down the road we see the casino right off the interstate. Black Bear Casino. So we stopped. Phil found his favorite nickel double up poker slots. I hit the blackjack tables. I won a little again....so I tore him away from his machine to go eat. We don't like buffets anymore cause we always overdo it & they usually aren't very good.....but it was 1:30 & we hadn't eaten lunch yet & I was HUNGRY! I asked the toothless guy on the slot machine next to Phil if the food there was any good & he said yes. So we went for it. And he was right. It was good. Even Phil said that there wasn't anything he didn't like, which is unusual for him to say. The one dessert...no idea what it was but dang was that good! It had a crust, then part cookie dough, part brownie. Phil topped it was carmel & ice cream!! Low fat too I'm sure.

So I was ready to go after that but Phil wanted to play again. Dang, I'm gonna blame him cause I can't blame myself right?!? Sat at a table again & went through $40 in probably 5 minutes. That sucked. So I was mad & found another table. Played some more & tried different tables. Didn't do well & ended up giving back what most of what I had won in Hinckley. Phil either lost or won five bucks. Can't remember. He plays 5 cent machines while I'm betting 5 bucks a hand! We finally got out of there & got checked into our hotel in Duluth.

We worked out together in the fitness room which was nice. I had him do one of my interval work outs & of course I was a pool of sweat when we were done & him nothing. He said he was sweating but when you can't see it I don't buy it.

We then went for a walk on the LakeWalk after it finally had stopped raining all day! We checked out the Chocolate Factory on a recommendation from Stacie. Got a caramel/chocolate/mint dipped apple. It was good........but next time I'd get more of a carmel one, this was more chocolate, not so much of the caramel. Funny they take a healthy thing & make it into a not so healthy treat!!!!

Back at the hotel now & will either check out the hot tub or....there's a casino about 3 blocks away!! Hmmmmmm what to do what to do!??! LOL

Oh, I did call home this afternoon & mom was surviving with the kids. Zander went home with Grandpa last night and stayed there. He seems to be doing ok with his new mouthpiece thing. He got that in on Tuesday. It's so he stops sucking his thumb. He's banned from sticky candy until it comes out. I'll have to take a picture of it. Not sure how long he will have to keep it in, until the habit is broke we were told.

She was making banana bread when I called. Couldn't find my flour so had to go to the neighbor. Am I the only one that keeps flour in the freezer?!?! I don't use it enough & I'd rather not have bugs in it so that's where I keep mine! I'm sure Nick liked that for his after school treat. He did say to me before he left he was glad Grandma was coming...better food & less rules!

Going to watch Ashley play volleyball tomorrow & hopefully tour the Gleensheen mansion.

She Had To Do It.......

An Exclusive Club: Senior outside hitter Ashley Nachreiner became the seventh Maverick in school history to reach the 1,000 kill club. Nachreiner tallied her 1,000th career kill after her third kill in the match against Tampa (9/5). Now sitting at 1,058 kills, Nachreiner is just 58 kills behind Sarah DeMars for sixth on the all-time kills list.


We were hoping we'd get to see her hit 1000.....we are traveling to Duluth to watch her play this weekend. Guess I'll have to make some changes to my signs or something! (I had made one last year that said ON HER WAY....1000 KILLS CLUB)

First Day of School 2008!

Well they made it today! I don't know who was more excited, them or ME!!! I was up before the alarm went off!! Made a nice breakfast of french toast & sausages & got all four up & out the door by 7:40 this morning! Zander was the hardest to get up. Nick was up before I needed to wake him. Lexi got up without a fight as did Zachary. We stayed for the opening service & then Z & Z got to have a donut at school.

I got to take a nap before which all three of us were out within five minutes!! Now we wait for the school bus to drop the kids off to see how the first day went!

 

First Day 2008