Last Sunday we drove to Duluth for Ella’s first wedding. John & Gillian were married on a beautiful evening not far from the North Shore of Lake Superior. Ang worked with Gillian at the Duluth Vineyard Church for a couple years. They also went through VLI together, a two-year church leadership training program. A real treat of the evening for us was during dinner. One, Famous Dave’s catered, and two, there were plenty of willing people to hold Ella. It was a little bit like we were on a date!
Wednesday night Pete, Ella, and I went to the fair, and Thursday morning Ella and I got to go again! This time we went with my parents and grandma (or, as they are now known, Grandma & Grandpa Scott and Great-Grandma Scott). The weather was gorgeous. Since Pete wasn’t with us, we were able to venture into the animal buildings. It was a day of more fried food and all-you-can-drink milk!
Ella met a pig!
and a cow
Great-Grandma & Ang with a giant pronto pup
hanging out with Grandma
Great-Grandma bought a shirt for Ella & had it signed by Tony Oliva!
Ella is one lucky girl! She got to go to the Minnesota State Fair twice this summer! Pete, Ella, and I ventured out to the fair one day after Pete finished at work (he’s currently at the VA hospital). We jumped on a shuttle bus just a few blocks from our apartment and spent a cool, relaxing evening strolling the streets of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Although we offered her plenty of options, Ella didn’t share any of the amazing fair food this year. Better luck next year, I think. My new favorite deep-fried fair delecacy was a basket of corn fritters and fried green tomatoes. (I love the movie and had to try to actual food.) Pete, as always, went straight for the cheese curds…after a visit to the Cheese-on-a-Stick stand. Oh, cheese. He’s a true Wisconsin boy.
While at the fair, Ella attended her very first concert. We wandered up to the Heritage Stage to hear Storyhill. The group consists of two guys, Chris & Johnny, who play guitar and sing. Pete’s proud to say that they are St. Olaf grads. They also worked at camps out in Montana, something we both appreciate. In fact, I was working at Flathead Camp the first time I heard them. Ella seemed to enjoy the show. If I can figure out how to post just a clip of the video we took at the show, I’ll definitely do it. It seems as though she’s singing along. Adorable.
All around, it was a great night at the fair. The weather couldn’t have been better and the food never disappoints. We’re already planning ahead to next summer’s trip!
I just think this little girl looks so grown up in jeans! Nevermind the fact that she was only 9 1/2 weeks old when the pictures were taken. Such a big girl!
You’ll also notice that she’s found her hands. She plays with them constantly and usually also has them in her mouth. I love it.
Last week we drove down to Owatonna for the highly anticipated Steele County Free Fair. We often heard about the event while we were living in Owatonna last year. My students were raving about it even before school was out for the summer! We knew there really was no choice but to check it out ourselves.
We arrived at the fairgrounds and quickly realized we had greatly underestimated the magnitude of what Steele County had to offer. There were tons of booths, an impressive assortment of rides, and endless people. Ella was prepared to take on the crowd in her carrier, which she’d never used before arriving at the fair. We shifted her around in it until we found a position that she seemed to like. Babies are supposed to face the parent while in this, but she was much happier being able to look around. As you can see, she folded her arms under her chin and enjoyed the ride! Later, to avoid the sun, she rode in her stroller.
We had a great time at the Steele County Fair and now feel even more prepared for our next big adventure: the Minnesota State Fair.
Ella’s ready!
all the excitement wore her out
Ella’s first cheese curd? (maybe we’ll wait till next summer)
Daddy makes due & changes Ella on a game counter
Sort of like a totem pole! with Verity (Dr. Jason’s daughter) Yum! a giant pickle family pic at the fair
For the past couple weeks I’ve been dreaming of baking again, so I finally decided to choose a new recipe and give it a whirl during one of Ella’s naps. This return to baking called for something adventurous, something completely new. In the end, I stepped out to make something truly grand. I made scones.
Ok, so it wasn’t so grand or complicated, but it was something I had never made. I love scones, especially as a treat with coffee. I found a simple cherry scone recipe here on Martha Stewart’s website (video included!). I easily substituted dried apricots for the cherries.
in the process…
final product!
I enjoyed making the scones, which is why I made three different kinds. I attempted another recipe with whole wheat, oats, apricots and raspberries. I think it called for too much buttermilk, because the scones turned out looking like big cookies. The batter was far too wet. They tasted okay but I’m not going to be handing those ones out. The third batch used the same recipe as the first, but I used fresh raspberries from Erin’s garden and I shaped them into mini scones. They’re pretty cute.
Although I enjoy baking all kinds of goodies, eating them is off limits. Unfortunate, I know. Pete and I share one mini version of what has been created just to make sure the recipe is okay before giving them to friends, but no more than that. How else am I supposed to shed this baby weight?
