Giggle

Twins Game!

Back on September 17th I took our friend Valerie to the Twins game to celebrate her birthday. I've been meaning to post photos since then and I'm just now getting around to posting these. Yeesh! (Sorry Val!)

Brian Dinkelman at bat! Go Dinkleman!

I was taking a photo of Brian Dinkelman on the board not to remember the miserable score at the bottom of the second inning. No...it did not improve much for the Twins. At least the weather was beautiful and the company was great!

I've taken many photos of Minnie and Paul...

Valerie and I

Valerie and I

Thanks for a great afternoon at the Twins game Valerie! I had a great time!! Happy Birthday!

Mommy's Time Out in Vino in the Valley

On Saturday I enjoyed a lovely Mommy's Time Out with a few girlfriends - Nancy, Valerie and Wanda. Wanda's mom, Rose, was kind enough to lend her convertible to Wanda for the weekend for girls day. 

Wanda, Valerie and Nancy swung by my house and picked me up and we hit the road for Wisconsin to visit a little out of the way restaurant called Vino in the Valley.  I do have to admit that the resaturant is out of the way but oh my lord is it WORTH IT!

Not only is the food outstanding the ambiance and atmosphere can not be compared to any other restaurant I've ever been to. If you didn't check out the link above I included; Vino in the Valley is a unique outdoor dining experience. The restaurant is nestled among vineyards in the Rush River valley. The setting is as picturesque as the experience.

The restaurant and the grounds surrounding the restaurant.

We arrived promptly at 4pm when the restaurant opened. Which was a smart thing to do because we were seated immediately.

Nancy, Valerie, Wanda and Megan toasting to a wonderful evening and to great friends!

However, by 6pm when we were done with our meal the wait was 2-3 hours for a table. Yes, people were waiting that long for a table at this little out of the way restaurant.

But if you have to wait it's really not a burden as there is a bar, live music, ample seating on the grass surrounding the covered patio seating, vineyards to walk through, games to play, and let's not forget the horse drawn carriage rides through the vineyards and grounds...

We stayed and enjoyed the atmosphere after we ate - we even went on a carriage ride...

Toasting to chocolate wine!! NUM!

Another view of the grounds - imagine what this place will look like in October...breath-taking!

 
There was even a rainbow...but only a sprinkle of rain

Wanda and went for a walk down to the Rush River to play with our cameras. I took photos of her and she of me.

Then it was time to say so long to Vino in the Valley. Thanks to Wanda for driving so we could enjoy the wine!

I highly recommend that you try this restaurant at least once! I know I'll be going back!

Mommy's Time Out with Carmel :: Happy Birthday Carmel

First, Happy Birthday Carmel! It was fun celebrating your birthday today and just hanging out.  Happy Birthday my friend!

Today was a fantastic Mommy's Time Out. ^TM I started the day sleeping in until 8:30 then got ready for the day and jumped in my car and drove out to Deephaven to spend the day with my friend on her birthday. After some quick chit chat we were on the road to Excelsior to visit the local yarn shop.  Then we stopped to pick up some take out from a local deli and made our way back to Carmel's mom's house where we enjoyed our lunch on the deck of the boat house.  We chatted about old times, current times, laughed, giggled, and talked of the future. A wonderful afternoon.

While I was there I was able to play with my camera and the new filter I picked up. Here are a few photos of Patricia's spring gardens...

Looking up into the Woodland Garden

Family Pet Cemetary in the Woodland Garden

Gate to the vegetable gardens

New gardens surrounding the newly redesigned cottage - installing the new stone chair. (It is very comfortable!)

Patricia - Rock Chair Ala Mode

Mailbox and front door of the newly redesigned cottage.  Many of the materials used to finish the interior were reclaimed wood timbers and floorboards. I did not not take any interior photos.

More of the cottage gardens

Patricia in her element - getting her hands dirty in the garden. My kind of woman!

I was playing with my new filter for this shot. This is looking down the lower driveway to the main house. I love the tree bending over the drive.

The tree is getting older so they were ingenious and created a brace to hold up the tree. It is so unique for the drive way it had to be saved!

They were doing something with the dock footings this afternoon. There is something always going on.  The first boat is a lobster boat.

I love the shadow of the tree in this shot

The other rock chair and ottoman down by the lake garden.

This garden looks so different in the spring. You can see the lake easier because all of the tall ornamental grasses have not grown yet.

Doesn't this just scream SPRING?!

Yes I'm loving the tulips and forget-me-nots

Looking down at the boat house. I love all the tulips and forget-me-nots.

The garden in the center of the circular drive -- the woodland garden is on the hill behind the retaining wall. Well at least part of it.

Yes, I did take a photo of Carmel but she didn't want me to take a photo of her in the shirt she was wearing so I won't post the photo here.

I think I'm going to have to ask Patricia if I can come out to her house this fall and have Elaina's 1-year photos taken in her gardens. Wouldn't that be beautiful? There are lots of fun places in her gardens for fun textures. Hey - there is nothing better than nature as a back drop right?!

Well folks, it's almost 11pm and I have to go to work tomorrow. So off to bed I go!

Ahhh....

I enjoyed a wonderful Mommy's Time Out last night after work. I got together with Emily and she colored and cut my hair. I was able to sit back close my eyes and enjoy a cold diet coke and catch up on celebrity gossip magazines without interruption. Okay a glass of wine would have made it perfect but I had to drive home. I'm a bit of a lightweight when it comes to alcohol as I haven't indulged all that much lately.

Thank you to my fabulous husband for hanging out with the kiddos so I could enjoy a much needed time out after one heck of a busy week at work.

Mommy's Time Out

There is nothing better than soaking in a tub while reading a favorite magazine or book to relax. I decided to take a Mommy's Time Out and headed up to our soaking tub with a glass of ice water and the newest edition of Real Simple.

Mommy's Time Out [mom-ees tahym out] 1. Much needed and sacred time alone without baby, kids, and spouse; girlfriends can be included in Mommy's Time Outs from time to time. 2. Wine (Mommystimeout.net).

As I sat there reading and soaking in the lavender and grapefruit salted water I felt like I was being watched. I looked to the door and saw two little eyeballs about 40 inches from the floor staring at me through a crack in the door. Then we made eye contact and a little giggle emerged and then ran away.  I  thought hopefully that my Mommy's Time Out would continue but knew it was coming to a close very soon.

The door to the bathroom slowly opened some more and Zach sat there with his back to the door jamb, butt on the floor and his little Toy Story Woody's Round-up Guitar in his lap. He started to strum his guitar and sing Hickory Dickory Dock and other assorted nursery rhyme songs to me. I could not help but smile and say, "hello Zachary."

To which he quickly responded, "Mommy I take a bath with you?"

If I said "no" there would be tears of disappointment but if I said "yes" my Mommy's Time Out would be over after only 10 minutes. Isn't the rule of thumb one minute for each year of your age? I had at the very least another 20 minutes to go gall-darn it!

So what did this mommy say? I said, "Yes" because not long from now this tub time will need to go away.

As soon as I said, "Yes" Zach responded with, "I get my toys!" Off he ran to pick out toys to bring into mommy's tub. He returned with three Buzz Lightyear figures two large and one small, a batman motorcycle, the Penguin bad guy and a penguin. He placed all of his toys on the ledge, took off his clothes and started to climb into the tub. I asked where his Johnson &  Johnson's baby shampoo was. He jumped down and ran to his bathroom to get his shampoo and returned with the bottle and then climbed into the tub.

He remembered the last time he climbed into the tub with me that we used Birthday Cake to wash his body (from Philosophy) so he insisted on washing with Birthday Cake again. After he was all washed up and smelling very much like warm vanilla birthday cake I hopped out and let him play in the BIG BATH all by himself. He swam from one end to the other and got everything all wet from his splashing.

So much for Mommy's Time Out today. Although. being seranaded by my three-year-old is pretty priceless.