end of summer

Happy Labor Day! Today is the day we celebrate slowly pushing small heads out of our pelvises which may or may not injure our backs and/or hips permanently. Woo hoo! Totally worth it for a day off of work!

my labor reward

So anyway, I got in to see a sports medicine doctor who gave me a cortisone shot in the right hip. The steroid appears to be working (I have had three pain-free nights in both legs*). It feels so good to NOT HURT!!! Honestly, if you know anyone who suffers with chronic pain, go buy them flowers and chocolate and Aleve. It is just so hard!  If it is my hip causing the pain this is good news because they can fix it... but also bad news because it will likely require surgery with an intensive rehab. I have a phobia of surgery so I am going to need a horse tranquilizer to cope.

*UPDATE: I jinxed myself - lots of leg pain tonight! :(

they bought BFF necklaces and they each wear one, although they fight over which one

Speaking of horses, we went to the Minnesota State Fair... twice! The first time we took  Nori & Henny who loved the Dippin' Dots, big yellow slide, baby lambs and excitement. We even saw a baby pig being born...which put us in the mood for bacon.  We later had a grown-ups night for our second outing. Due to a thunderstorm we spent extra time in the Grandstand testing out some really bizarre products(I swear I thought I was losing it - the things people make money off of!).  Later, I peed my pants a little in the Haunted Mansion with Missy, who was not scared of the lunging monsters, while our guys drank beer and bought riding lawn mowers. New foods this year include cookie dough on a stick (hint, you can make it at home without the stick), mini donut beer, lobster on a stick, the beergarita, and beef brisket with pimento cheese.

ready to play

chocolate waffle

Seltzbickis

blondie

only kid in tights

a little too high for her

die hards

Andy's 1st trip to the Fair since he was trapped there for photography camp

We did so many other things this week on our staycation...I can't even remember them all. We had a couple of breakfasts out, went swimming on a sunny day, both girls had open houses at school and met their new teachers, we did Back to School shopping, spruced up the girls' rooms with new bookshelves and lamps, swam and played at Makenna's 6th birthday, organized the house, had dinner with Casey & Jaimie at MOA, slept in, and watched movies ...it was a much needed low key family week at home. Our girls have been getting along well week, making each other laugh, playing games, and getting in to mischief during rest time. So sweet. For once.

Happy Birthday Makenna (truck tailgate doubles as cake holder/seat. Yee haw!)

my three favorite 1st graders

P.s. Happy 11th Birthday Dorothy!