The Search for Miss Direction: One Last Hurrah

Earlier in the week I looked at my planner and my stomach fell to my toes when I realized this was the LAST week of summer vacation. I know most parents are WAY past ready for the kiddos to go back (and don't get me wrong, I have my fair share of those moments!) but we have had such an awesome summer that I wasn't quite ready for it to end yet. Having both members of my Dynamic Duo has kept me on my toes and all of us busy. We've had a summer full of trips (Cinci, Michigan road trip and Georgia!) sports (Reds, Tigers, Mud Hens and even some Michigan soccer!), friends (park outings, play dates here, fun at the mall or the other cities, concerts, the zoo!) and of course, states! (I think North Carolina may be my favorite of the summer, though I was fond of all the fun stuff in Jersey, too!)

So I decided that today would be one last day of fun filled adventure for just the three of us. I had been invited earlier in the week to join some friends at a place called Kids Just Gotta Play. It's, in short, a play structure and related products showroom. But they have a fun twist! For a small fee, the kiddos can play on ALL the equipment ALL day. So trampolines, slides, climbing walls, basketball hoops, swings - you name it, it was there. Some of our friends joined us and the kids had an awesome morning bouncing, climbing, sliding and playing together. I would definitely take them back (the play time is only during the week, though) and I would definitely recommend it to other families with active kiddos.

We had to get some more fun in, so on the way home we stopped and they got to pick whatever they wanted for lunch and then we came home for a picnic viewing of "Free Willy." (Mikayla claims this is her new favorite movie and she wants a whale. I told her maybe next summer) I even sprang for dirt for dessert :) It was fabulous. So while I'm sad to wrap it up, I know we went out in epic style.

While the kids were absorbed in the movie I managed to get the North Dakota scrapbook page done and prep up tonight's dinner of Fleischkuechle (pronounced flesh-keek-luh). Yes, another German dish from North Dakota, imagine that! The dish rates a wikipedia article (with a North Dakota mention) but is basically a meat pie that is deep fried. A couple of reviews I read on the recipe from people in North Dakota specifically mentioned they were ONLY to be served with ketchup and pickles and to not even think about adding cheese. Well OK, then! (Also, like many of the reviews and based on the other research I did, I flattened mine, I didn't make them like the picture on the recipe) Once I got them hang of putting them together they were a breeze. A further word to the wise, if you don't get them sealed all the way make sure you poke a few holes in them right when they come out of the fryer to let any grease drain out before you eat them. With it I got one more sunflower recipe in with Crunchy Sunflower Coleslaw. (Mostly for my Noah, who loves coleslaw!) And if you need one more North Dakota recipe, I had planned on making this Piereth Pie but I knew we'd be hard pressed to eat the whole thing and decided to just skip it. We still need to finish the chippers!

We spent the afternoon getting out all kinds of toys and just having fun. The Bean was all into her nail sticker book and they were both having quite the engineering adventure with some big blocks. Me - I was enjoying standing back and watching them work together. Mostly - hehe

Tomorrow morning NJ and I are heading out for breakfast (he's requested Krispy Kreme, the kid is hooked) and then shopping for his supplies and first day of school outfit. It's kind of a "Mom and Kid" tradition around here, and I'm looking forward to it. That is, as long as we make it home by noon. Because tomorrow is the official start of my FAVORITE time of the year - College Football season! My Wolverines take on Appalachian State tomorrow in their season opener. Can't wait! Then we're hoping to make it to Mass and Grant is wanting to take the kids to see "How to Train Your Dragon II" Bright and early Sunday morning we're off to the 'Mont for the annual golf tournament and BBQ which we've been excited about. Then Monday is Labor Day and our official kick off of Ohio week and then Tuesday school starts. Ah, crazy! It'll be busy, so until then...

North Dakota Fun Fact of the Day: Jamestown boasts the world’s largest buffalo at 26 feet tall and 36 feet long and weighs some sixty tons. (Again, this is what I had to work with during North Dakota week...)