21/30...United!

Tonight was our last soccer game.  We have loved our little engine-that-could team that turned out to be some pretty fine soccer players 5 seasons later.  

This guy was on fire tonight! 

We have been playing with several of the same families since we moved to the frozen tundra 3 years ago.  To say the least, it has been a highlight for our family. 

 I can't take credit for this one.  The baby monkey had a turn with the camera.  Coach looks pretty intense.  This is not just child's play.

 Oh, wait.  Maybe it is.  And this picture will forever be burned in my memory because this is where baby monkey prefers to view the game.  Until coach gets tired and shoos her to the sidelines. 

 It's been a joy.  

20/30...St. Paul Farmer's Market

More MN lasts...

The St. Paul Farmers Market has been a Sunday morning tradition for a couple years now.  This morning was our last trip. 

I love the farmers and fresh produce and pasture raised meat.  For the rest the highlight is the hotdogs.  Romocky's Brats and Dogs is the best.  Anyone who gives chocolate money with change must be a winner.

18/30...MN Lasts...Great River Water Park

You just cannot truly appreciate the humid, chlorine-scented air of an indoor waterpark until you have lived through the most intense winter nature can muster.  

If you close your eyes, you cannot almost make yourself believe it is summer.  We are now living the days we all here in Minnesota dreamed of just months ago.  

 This one won't even wear a swimsuit without a skirt.  Priss.  

17/30...More Lasts...Walker Art Sculpture Garden

I will be completely honest.  I don't have a clue what this sculpture even means, and for sure I don't know what in the world it has to do with Minneapolis.  Someone please enlighten me.  But it is iconic.  It screams Minneapolis.  And I wanted to see it one more time before we leave.  Even better to see it with friends.  I mean I do love cherries.  And spoons.  Who doesn't?  

15/30...Indian Food

Onions and garlic and ginger...cumin and coriander and cardamom.  Can you smell it?

One of the things I will miss most from our time here are these combined scents wafting from the McCowen kitchen.  We had an Indian cooking day.  One of many perks to having friends who have lived in India and learned from Indian cooks.

She has a whole shelf just for her Indian spices.  It is a beautiful thing.  Pretty enough for a picture.  Or two.  

We have solved many a world problem over this stove, processed numerous books, laughed to avoid crying, and oh the parenting we have shared.  And wine.  Shared a good bit of that, too.  Perks to having friends who are wine snobs.  

14/30...Big Girls on a Big Day

We went for ice cream to celebrate the end (or survival) of another year of school.  

Nine year olds are like teenagers stuck in childish bodies.  These big girls sat at the big table all by themselves and talked of big girl things.  And ate ice cream.  Because nobody is too big for ice cream.

10/30...Harvest

Little Monkey and I had our first harvest today!  

Three Mother's Days ago my gift was a square foot garden.  Every Mother's Day since we have planted or added to that garden.  This past Mother's Day the hubs was out of town so the kids and visited the St. Paul Farmer's Market and I let them each pick one tomato plant and then I filled out one of our 4 gardens with spring crops...carrots, chard, lettuces, some herbs and kale.  I think there is some significant symbolism in celebrating the beauty and pain and growth and suffering of motherhood by the planting of another years crop.

One of the kids favorite garden chores is pulling the carrots.  Yes, we are moving.  But I just couldn't let a planting season pass and not participate in some small way.  I have visions of us road tripping with our three tomato plants and one old dog in tow.  The Clampetts to be sure.