Fair Week

Last week was "Fair Week" for the Middendorfs. We went to Valleyfair on Tuesday evening. Fred's been wanting to get the boys there, but with time off for fishing, a week in Melrose, and saving time for the baby, he hasn't had a day to take off and go. So we just went for the "starlight", which saved money on Fred's admission, but the boys would have been the same all-day, odd I thought. Anyway, they had plenty of time to ride all their rides. I got to go on the carousel and ferris wheel, they let me know those were approved for pregnant women. Fred got to take the boys on the hot air balloons and got himself a little queasie. Then he took Jacob on the tilt-a-wirl and looked really pale after that, I guess age has finally caught up with him. The only big coaster style ride Jacob could go on was mouse trap, so they did that. By next year Jacob should be able to ride the big coasters and him and Fred will have a blast.

Fred with the boys on the carousel.

Fred and Gavin on the old time cars.

Jacob showing off his hula skills during one of the shows.

The boys in the bees.

Gavin's squeal on this ride was delightful.

They did many rounds on the "Mild Thing".

On Thursday it was the first day of the state fair. As usual, the Jeske clan was there. We didn't try too many new things - just schezuan schrimp, spam bites, pizza on a stick, chicken fried bacon, chicken pita, and deep fried cheeseburger were new to us. We had our old favorites - cheese curds, gyro, onion rings, cinni-minis, walley cakes, malts, corn fritters, cookies, cheese on a stick, buffalo bites, pronto pups and corn dogs (we do a test each year to see which we prefer). We had a few other things too, its sounds like a lot of food and it is, but we have a group of 12 so we really don't eat more than a couple bites of everything. Yum!

At the fair we always start by touring the Pet Center, then going thru the "Little Farm Hands", then heading to the 4-H building for their show. After the 4-H show we head to the food building for "lunch", even though we've been eating all morning. Then the kids get to do some rides, not too many, and check out the butterfly house. We watch the parade and find the new babies at the Miracle of Birth center. We also do one trip down the giant slide. Some years we get around more and get to the horticulture building and the international bazaar, but the kids have slowed us down a bit, so we don't see as much of the fair as we used to. Its still a yummy day and this year we had beautiful weather, so we had much more company at the fair than usual.

Our nephew Jesse tags along with Jeske clan and this year, Gavin would not hold on to anyone else's hand.

The cousins in orange ready to check out "Little Farm Hands".

Funny faced animals.

Gavin on a motorcycle ride.

Jesse in front and Jacob behind him on the Giant Slide.

Picture Post

I took very few pictures in the last month or so. But here are a few anyway...

Gavin and his fishing rod. He catches a "fish" every time and loves it - "I caught another one!"

Good job for Grandpa, helping the boys fish.

Brave Dad. Fred and the boys on a canoe ride.

Waterfight. Isaac and Jacob team up against Maddie.

Gavin on a ride with cousin Jesse, he loves Jesse and Jesse is very good to him.

Jacob and Jordan doing some teamwork in the sand.

Tennis camp for Jacob.

Jacob in tennis form.

Gavin catching up with an old friend, Koen.

What my 18 year olds will look like? In the backseat of a police car at Chaska's "Touch a Truck".

Driving a bus.

Surviving Melrose

I think I've finally recovered from 2 weeks in Melrose. We did the last week of July there, the whole family. The basic schedule went like this: wait for Fred to get out of bed; eat some breakfast and think about what's for lunch; gather lake gear and head to the lake; enjoy the day at the lake; then, head into town in time for the boys to collapse into their beds. That was Saturday thru Thursday. Some days we had guests at the cabin, rarely it was just us. We had great weather and the boys enjoyed everything except the loading on of sunscreen which occurred at least a couple times a day. They did lots of swimming, lots of jumping off the raft, some tubing, some fishing, some canoeing, lots of boating, and Jacob got up on skis. The skiing was exciting, but didn't last long and he didn't want to try it any other day. We got our niece Maddie and nephew Jesse up on skis too and they did the whole loop around, very impressive. We capped off our vacation with a night at the Stearns County Fair and the demolition derby. To quote Gavin his first derby was "super, super cool". We really had such glorious weather while we were in Melrose that we were helpful at all to the remodel of the cabin, which looks great now. We kept waiting for some dreary, rainy weather to get to my mom's to-do list, but when the rain came it was stormy and not safe to stay and work. Oh, well, it was vacation after all.

We were back in Chaska for the weekend so I could visit the doctor and we could attend my cousin's wedding. The boys and I headed back to Melrose on Sunday afternoon to start vacation Bible school (VBS) that evening. Jacob got to go, I got to volunteer and Gavin got to hang out with Grandpa Ron each night. It was an exhausting week of late nights. My parents were a great help, but the boys and I still missed Fred. We ended that week with a birthday celebration for our nephews and one more day at the lake.

The boys and I spent last week doing mostly nothing, except hiding from the humidity and staying indoors. We did go to a waterpark in Edina one day with friends, but that was about as much heat as I could take. Oh, and for a free lunch (with my parents) we went to the Carver County fair on Thursday. I guess I will brave the heat for a gyro, yum!

Last weekend Fred and the boys attempted camping in the backyard. Luckily they weren't able to get a campsite at a local campground. When Fred tried to set-up the tent it was askew and we had to disassemble it and reassemble it before getting it to stand up. We did get in some s'more roasting before a shower swept thru, Gavin mostly enjoyed deconstructed s'mores (marshmallows and chocolate alone). I did get 2 hours in the house by myself before they came inside with Jacob crying because he'd wet the bed - not a common occurence, but it will happen when he doesn't go to the bathroom right before bed. And thus concluded the evening of "camping". We thought maybe they'd nap camp the next day, but that didn't happen either. On Sunday evening we made a trip to Waconia for the Carver county fair. The boys went to the derby and I played bingo, winning twice.

This week we were back into the swing. Jacob had tennis each morning at 9. We also did the park on Monday, beach on Tuesday, Jacob went to a playdate most of the day on Wednesday (reminding me how easy one napping child is), pool and "Touch A Truck" on Thursday. We did take today to relax and recover at home.

We are heading to Melrose this weekend to enjoy "River Fest" and get our new van. For all the van aversion I've had in the past, as I've taken Jacob to preschool the last couple years I've developed van envy. Doors that open themselves and don't bang into other people's cars. Oh the convenience. And the boys are way excited about the DVD players. Auntie Drea will be sad that she no longer gets to ride in the backseat with the dogs, but I think she'll be OK too.

I apparently put my camera on vacation while we were and I took very few pictures. Oops.