St. Croix State Park - Memorial Day Weekend 2015

Camping with the Holjes is always an adventure. This year was no different! Sara and Trisha headed up to St. Croix State Park in the morning to set up camp. Ron, Craig and the kids followed after school. We were lucky to be able to get to the campground early because our "reserved" sites were full of gnats and not connected. We high tailed it back to the rangers office to get "better sites" for our crew before they got snapped up. Our trip had both highs and lows! Here are some fun highlights from our 3 day adventure....

1. Successfully setting up camp and "blocking" out our neighbors.



2. Canoeing and kayaking down the famous St. Croix Scenic River as we hunted for turtles sunning on nearby logs and clams along the beach.





3. Mom watching the birds of prey show on her own because everyone else was "comfortable".



4. The kids enjoying the simple pleasures of life without any electronic devices -- playing nukum on the volleyball courts, sumo wrestling, bike riding in the campground, playing cards, all day snacking, etc.





5. Enjoying gourmet meals every day around the campfire. This year's features included grilled shrimp, tasty halibut, marinated flank steak, sangria, fresh donuts, breakfast casseroles, and a special birthday cake for Nathan.





6. A hike along the Kettle river through the fairytale rainforest of ferns (and unfortunately ticks too as we would discover later).




7. Our second climb up to the top of a fire tower. This year, the boys played catch from the top with a tennis ball. Mom and Presley supported each other to the top as they each over came their own fear of heights.



8. An awesome Mom and son 5.5 mile ride out to Lake Clayton followed by some fishing on the beach. The Holje/Pergande clan continued their tradition of not caching anything.



9. And then the rain set in. Pergandes headed to Hinckley to wait out the storm. Our visit included a trip to Tobie's for their famous caramel and cinnamon rolls, as well as a viewing of Tomorrowland at the local movie theater.



10. Staying tough and camping overnight in the constant rain. The crew woke, closed down camp, and headed back to the Twin Cities. Lots of memories for the future!

Great Granny Turns 95!

How lucky are we to be able to celebrate Great Granny's 95th birthday. We spent the afternoon eve of Granny's birthday celebrating her 95 years. She tells us she is going for three digits! Looking forward to cheering her on. She is doing amazing and we are so blessed to be able to celebrate her birthday with her! Thanks to the Kadows for hosting a fun event!

Mother's Day 2015 Rocked It!

Mom (me) had the most amazing Mother's Day. Ron told me that we could do anything I wanted for my day! I might steal Grandma Harriet's language and call it the best Mother's Day so far! The kids greeted me with amazing homemade cards that I will cherish. They keep getting better and better. And Presley even treated me to some special treats -- an US Weekly magazine and some nail polish for our girls' pedicures.

To start the day, we planted our annual flower pots and also did some yardwork. While this might not seem glamorous to most, I was excited to be working side by side with my family without them complaining. And the flower pots are done! We planted 11 flower plants/beds, swept the patio, and pulled some weeds!



We all then showered and headed into St. Paul for some exploration and new experiences! We started with a trip to the The Schubert Club Music Museum located in the iconic Landmark Center. When we arrived, we were delightfully surprised to hear and see the St. Paul Symphony putting on it's annual Mother's Day Concert in the atrium.



The Schubert Music Club Museum was formed by women in 1882. It's a free museum that offers visitors a reflection on music-making through the centuries and through the exploration of different instruments including the harpsichord, gamelans from Indonesia, and exercise bike instruments. The kids loved that most of the instruments could be played by them. I also loved the massive “cyclone” sculpture of instruments, which reminded us of our visit to the EMP in Seattle in 2014.





After the museum, we went to the Happy Gnome for some Euchre playing, a yummy lunch, and some beer flight tastings.



We then ended our evening with a nice evening at home -- some bread baking, craft decorating, and movie watching! What a great family and a great day!

Presley Travels to Baker Wilderness Park for Fieldtrip

Mom volunteered at one of Presley's recent field trips to Baker Wilderness Park. It was a beautiful day for May. Mom was able to ride the bus with the kids and had fun "participating" with the kids (and taking pictures) as they learned about compass navigation, the animals in the park, fun new games, and archery. Fun day for all!

Mom and Dad Night Out

Mom and Dad enjoyed an awesome date night out with neighbors and pals, the Checcos, to enjoy an amazing dinner experience at Travail. The infamous, Marky Mark drove us there and back to keep us safe. At Travail, we enjoyed fun infused cocktails, 19 completely unique and delectable courses, including one served on a rock and one on a trek through the kitchen. We also enjoyed local brews from a large boot. Fun adult time for Mom and Dad.

Soccer Season Kick Off

Presley is playing on the U11 C1+ Premier team this season. The team has been practicing through the winter but the official game and tournament season starts this May. To kick off the season, Presley's team participated in a service project to clean up Crestwood Park, the park where they practice each week, in honor of Earth Day. The girls were amazing, filling up almost a dozen trash bags with garbage! The team ended with a nice brunch out and some nice bonding time.

Spring Hockey Season for Canyon and Presley

The weekend after returning from Australia, Presley had her first hockey tournament with her spring team, 2004 Machine Black, in Duluth. Dad and daughter headed up Friday morning for the weekend. Mom headed up Friday afternoon to catch a game and spend the night while Canyon stayed back in the cities at a friend's house. Presley and her team played great, winning the overall tournament and enjoying some nice time in the city on a beautiful weekend. Mom left Saturday morning after spending a very special morning with Presley.




On Saturday, Mom spent the evening with some pals and their newest venture, Chicks with Wicks, creating dozens of homemade candles made from wine bottles. A very productive evening with creative branding brainstorming and our newest uniforms!




The following weekend, Canyon was scheduled to have a tournament with his spring team, 2002 Icemen. However, the Sunday before his tournament, on Mom's birthday, he got checked from behind into the boards during a practice scrimmage. He broke his thumb and will be out of both baseball and hockey for 3-6 weeks. My little guy has been a trooper and in good spirits, still supporting his teams and participating to the best of his ability.