I have spent a couple of hours tonight (w/ MTV's Season:29 Real World Ex-Plosion premiere & Friends on in the background) recounting some fun things that happened this summer! Aside from the events listed below, a visit to the Washington County Fair and The Children's Museum have also been posted, but back dated and can be found HERE and HERE.
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After sharing Summer Highlights: part I HERE, I now have the last half of summer to share- so here are a few more miscellaneous and noteworthy things that kept us busy in the HOT days of August. First up, we had our niece, Hannah, spend the first week in August with us.
Like last year Hannah was a BIG help with Avrie and also helpful with some work in the office. I say this EVERY TIME she is here, but I could REALLY really get used to having an office assistant! ;)
Throughout the week we had a ton of fun spending time at the park & Aaron's softball games. Avrie and Hannah played tons of games inside and outside & watched a couple of Avrie's favorite movies. We pretty much had a great week enjoying a bunch of girl cousin/BFF time!
[watching airplanes & homeruns in the sky]Time was FLYING by us and before we knew it- Brad & Kris were already back at the house picking Hannah up to take her back home. Nooooooo!!!! :(
Hannah- we always look forward to this fun week with you all year round! We appreciate all of your help and you being such a wonderful cousin, friend and role model for Avrie to look up to! xoxo
[#avNhannahweek]***
The second weekend of August found Avrie and I home while Aaron was out of town- for something that I can't recall..... SOOOoo... I decided to check in on Lana & Teddy to see what they were up to for the weekend!? They were also free so we both decided to make it an impromptu trip up to Sauk Rapids for a mini BFF weekend!
Avrie and I headed for Lana's that Saturday morning and as soon as we arrived, Avrie made chocolate chip cookies with Lana! We made sure to touch and play with every single one of Teddy's toys. A little later on in the day we headed out to visit and walk around a local county fair. We had rootbeer floats & french fries for lunch, then later we made a spaghetti bread for dinner (and forgot the cheese- HAHA)! After the kids took a bath & put jammies on we got them in them in bed, Lana & I ate said cookies. Can you tell that Lana and I enjoy eating!? ;) That night we watched a TERRIBLE movie "Spring Breakers" Blahhhhhh don't ever watch it EVEN with James Franko playing the piano and singing one of Britney's most 'serious' songs- it was BAD! Gosh... yuck, SOOOOO stupid! Sunday morning we woke up to a wonderful breakfast (made by Lana) hung out to play with Teddy and all of his toys again! Teddy & Avrie were quite the pair on the keyboard! They were jammin!
Teddy wasn't feeling the very best and had been up the previous night with a fever, so at nap time Avrie and I headed for home. It was such a fun and much needed weekend spent with my bestest bud Lana or as Avrie would say "wanna".***
The third weekend in August was Tavern on Main's Annual Concert Weekend. The outdoor tent party is mandatory for everyone to work. I was excited to be working outside, under the tent where all the music & action is. I worked at bar #2, with Rachel, both Friday & Saturday night- we had a lot of fun laughing at those who were having maybe a little too much fun with repeat customers BOTH nights! In years past I have always stayed late after my shift to be the DD for Aaron and friends, but this year Aaron was home hanging with with Avrie ;)
However, my good friend Bridget was there on Saturday [bottom right] with some of her friends. I did stay late this night and was their DD. This night came with A LOT of laughs, Bridget's friend Kate ABSOLUTELY cracks me up EVERYTIME I see her- this night was NO different! [inside joke: kate was the assistant snapper of the adult onesie "I'LL DO IT" i will never ever forget that one!!!!] After the weekend was through, I was exhausted, a little bit richer but with raw & sore fingers from crackin' beer can, after beer can, after beer can! The sore neck & back, & sleepy eyes are always worth it for a little concert weekend fun! ;)
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During the last week of August, we have The Great Mn Get Together- The Minnesota State Fair! My FAVORITE summer Holiday!!!
I was able to go TWICE and both on the HOTTEST days um EVER... in fact... right now, today, the temps are about 120 degrees different. NO LIE! My first visit was with Hammer and I think we really did go on the hottest day in the 11 day span of fair time. Still awesome, not complaining at all! We found ways to keep cool!
[ahhhhh seriously SO refreshing. BEST. idea. EVER!] The mist machines placed all around the fairgrounds were a HUGE hit with us, along with fans on a stick and a couple of huge fans found randomly throughout the fair!
Hammer and I ate maybe too much for a hot day but not nearly ENOUGH for a huge State Fair fanatic like myself. Of all the food I did eat, my favorite was, HANDS DOWN, deep fried green olives (stuffed w/ cream cheese) on a stick, dipped in ranch. ummmm..... YUM!!!!!
Hammer, once again, SO FUN having you as my Fair Buddy this year! Next year, too!?!
Seeing that I didn't feel like I had filled my "Fair Food Quota", I somehow (seriously, magically) convinced my hubby AND Larry to go AGAIN the very next day! WAHOO!!!!!
Yup... it wasn't as HOT but still warm and we went in the evening hours, so that helped. This time, Aaron, Larry and I- most certainly- ended up eating way TOO MUCH (yessssssssssss). NOW, I felt good about my go at the fair this year. Below is a little bit of what I had to eat the second night, YUMMM again (i am so hungry thinking about all of this fair food- so happy it's ONLY 200-some odd days away! ;)
LOVE the fair... love love love it! 
[snap chattin' @ the fair - a2thej_sonnek]***
And wow, because this post is LONG ENOUGH... I will post all about our summer time fun at the lake another time! Geez, now I am REALLY wishing for Summer to be back, like... TOMORROW!! I may be born and raised and have only ever lived in Minnesota BUT I am SO NOT A winter girl... I need AND I love the warm warm sun!
Check back real soon for the last of our sunny days of celebrating The 4th of July, weekends at the beach, hanging out in Hayward and Labor Day in Crosslake with Aaron's family at Brad & Kris's new cabin!
AND then... wait for it.... I will finally be able to move onto Fall of 2013 & The 2013 Holiday Season! Hang in there friends, Jan/Feb is always a quiet time around here, which will and always does, allow me to catch up with life. I miss this...
