Evolution of a photo...

2007 - in front of the otter tank at the Great Lakes Aquarium

2010 - in front of the same otter tank at the Great Lakes Aquarium

Not only did our kids grow up, but I also learned how to actually take a photo with my camera! Thank goodness! I hate looking back at the dark photos with a big flash glaring from them.

Keeping it Green!

and the boring details. We contracted a new garbage company in the last month. After we were getting nickle and dimed by the mega giant, BFI, I contacted Veolia. They didn't have a fuel surcharge and were't nickle and diming us for our trash collection.
Well, in the last year, we've had a ridiculous increase in the quarterly cost of collecting our trash. Ramsey County was one of the culprits, charging a huge tax, but when I took a closer look the fuel surcharge went from 0 to 65 in 8 short months. We were getting ripped off!
So, along comes the Garbage Man, door to door. Guaranteed ZERO fuel surcharge and minimal collection fees $22/month! Same size barrel, for what were were paying $39/month with Veolia. Sign me up!
This morning, I saw first hand why they don't have a fuel surcharge, their truck is just a little bigger than our mini-van sitting in the driveway.
(and bonus, they don't charge for that extra junk that you might try to sneak in once in a while!)

Target Field

We went to the Twins game the Friday night before the Fourth of July. Our kids have never stayed up for fireworks, so that night was a big treat! We arrived late and there was no line to sit in the big glove.

Target Field is beautiful at night.

Emily had her ears plugged, in anticipation of the fireworks. She really doesn't like loud noises.



It was a really fun night and a great time with the kids. They loved their first time watching fireworks.

Macalester Nursery School circa 1971-72

one of my facebook friends asked me a couple of months ago if I by chance went to Macalaster Preschool back in 1971. She thought that one of the girls in the picture looked like me....or at least like Emily.
She was right! I can't even believe how much Emily looks like I did at the same age.
There's a couple other kids in the class that I continued on to Highland Catholic with, Bruce Masters, Bridget Maher and Nancy Oswald. I would love to know who all the other kids in the picture are......

Target Field Fireworks