Prima Ballerina

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to sit in on my daughter's dance lesson. It was so wonderful to watch. She looked so beautiful and so grown up!

I was so proud!

Not that she did everything on beat or perfect , because she didn't (she is only 7 and this is her first dance class, after all). but it was awesome to see her so focused on something. If you know my daughter than you know that she is easily distracted and has a hard time focusing on the task at hand sometimes. Mostly at school, and mostly when she is doing some sort of chore. But yesterday in her dance class, and even though the room was full of parents watching her, she was so incredibly focused on what she was doing. I can tell she really enjoys going to dance class. My husband and I are very happy about this. It gives our daughter something to work for and something for her to be proud of. I'd say that those are both very important factors for her to have a good self esteem.

Did I already say that I was proud?

'Cause I am.

Hard Rock Cafe Minneapolis

After the Christmas display but before the Spoonbridge and Cherry, I mentioned that I was hungry. My Dad said that there was a Hard Rock Cafe right up the street, but that might be a little too much for him and my Mom. But they did drive me by to take a look and again, I was the only one to get out of the car. (I'm telling you, these people don't get excited about anything.) I checked it all out while they drove around the block. I went into the gift shop, had the hostess at the door take my picture with the big Hard Rock sign inside and then went out to flag down my family. I found them parked right in front of the restaurant in the most cherry parking spot you could ever find. Apparently, this parking spot was too good for my parents to pass up so they decided that they might as well eat at the Hard Rock. You see how the Lord helps me out with stuff like that? A parking spot! Who knew?

Check it out!!

Me and the sign!

My husband eating lunch with Bob Dylan!

Prince!

A sinful amount of melted blue cheese! A cup of buffalo sauce that I didn't even have to ask for!

Dear Hard Rock Cafe,

You and I were made for each other. I knew it when your hostess chased me down to ask me if I wanted her to take my picture with the guitar out front(Not the pic above, that was taken by moi.). I knew it when our waitress's name was Leslie too. I knew it when you played a video of Elvis directly after a Red Hot Chili Peppers video. I definitely knew it when you delivered a cup of buffalo sauce with my meal and I didn't even ask for it. It is because of that cup of buffalo sauce that I am willing to over look the Bruce Springsteen memorabilia.

I love you Hard Rock Cafe!

Vikings!!

So my parents live very close to the Vikings practice facility. My Dad thought I might be a little interested. He was wrong. I was very interested. In fact I was the only one interested. Nobody else even got out of the car. (Well, except my Dad, who had to get out to take my pictures. Thanks Dad!)

I mean, this is so awesome! Jared Allen practices in there! Did you hear what I said? JARED ALLEN. (God, I miss that man.)

Yeah! Football!

(P.S. Nobody better bring up that nasty "F" word in my comments. I don't give a crap about that guy, even if he is having an awesome season.)

A Day in the Life of Elves

We went to the Nicollete Mall to the see the Macy's Christmas display. It was nice but there is not much to say about it.

Blah, blah, blah....Christmas.

Blah, blah, blah....lots of people.

Blah, blah, blah....the kids were kind of scared.

Blah, blah, blah...skinny Santa Claus.

I'm a Sucker for Cherries

We're driving along in downtown Minneapolis and my parents are trying to figure out how to get back to I-35w southbound when I mindlessly snapped the picture above and then read aloud a sign that said "Walker Park." My Mom says something like, "Oh! Is that the park with the big cherry?" That's all I had to hear, I wanted to go to there.

So, as it turned out, Walker park is this cool garden in Minneapolis next to the art museum that has all sorts of cool sculptures. Apparently the Spoonbridge and Cherry is a Minneapolis Icon, (it reminded me of the shuttlecocks at The Nelson Atkins Museum in KC) but I had never heard of it before. Now I think that its the MOST AWESOME THING EVER.

Is this the greatest picture taking opportunity or what? I love these pictures so much I want to lick them.

There was a wedding party there taking pictures. I took a picture 'cause I was jealous.

I would die for wedding pictures like that.

Thanksgiving in Minnesota, eh?

(Baaa,haaa, haa! Don't you love how I always add that "eh" in the titles of my Minnesota posts? (To tell the truth, I've never heard anyone in Minnesota say that) I do!)

(Also, I'd like to say that I HEART Minnesota.)

We just got back from another fabulous trip to Minnesota visiting my parents. We had so Much fun. Tonight, my daughter said, "I want to go back to Grandma and Grandpa's house," and my little boy said with a huff, "I want Grandma and Grandpa's house!" I'll take that as a sign that they enjoyed their vacation.

A few shots from Thanksgiving day:

These are my parents. Aren't they cute? And yes, they are as awesome and nice as they look.

I always drive everyone crazy by making them pose for a picture using the timer, usually they are very patient, as it is a new camera. (They are starting to gripe about it, but I choose to ignore it at this point.) See those sweet potatoes in front of my daughter? Yeah, they are so yummy it's like eating candy. I feel like it should be dessert. (Ask me for the recipe, it's like an apple crisp but with sweet potatoes and nuts. Yummy.)

On Friday, we helped my Mom put up her Christmas lights. (Mostly, my husband did all the helping.) They turned out great, but I didn't manage to get a picture of them lit up at night. Sorry. (Are you supposed to put the comma before or after the but? I would look it up but I'm lazy. (See? I just left the comma out all together that time.))

More pictures to come of our Minneapolis adventures. (I promise, there are no Mall of America pictures. I'm just as sick of that as you are.) Stay tuned! Maybe I won't use as many parenthesis in those posts. (Maybe.)

This One Time, in 1998......

....my Mom made us go to her family reunion in Idaho! I know! We were all so mad.

But then we stopped for breakfast at Burger King.

This is us before eating our Burger King breakfast:

(L-R, my little bro Taylor, ME!, My sis Lisa, and Megan)

and after eating our Burger King breakfast:

Wow.

I'd just like to say that I am thankful (it is the month to be thankful, right?) for Burger King and the positive influence it has had on my life, and the lives of my friends and family. Thank you, Burger King.