B&N, mall rides, parks, and a fallen tree

*Don't be dissuaded by the initial boring tree pictures. It gets better. Or at least I think it does.*

I really need to update this every couple days or so, or else these posts get too long. Oh well. Last week we had a crazy storm which uprooted one of our big trees in the back yard. The tree fell onto our neighbors' lilac bushes and partially onto their yard, too. They said they were planning on pruning back the bushes significantly anyway, so that they would grow back fuller, so no worries there. Brett's boss came over for a few hours Saturday and helped Brett chain saw and pull away tons of branches. Brett was only able to haul one load of brush to the drop-off site because the place closed at 3 p.m., so we have several large piles of brush that we have since called about having a service take them away for us. The guy is coming tomorrow or Friday. We still need to figure out what to do with the massive upheaval of earth leftover from the tree. Fun times!

Last Friday night we met up with my parents a few miles away in a neighborhood called Cottagewood that is in either Deephaven or Minnetonka. Every Friday night they have a grill night, and a local church or organization hosts the night and provides some sides and they do the serving of the food. It's $6 a person and you get one grilled meat, a drink, and a couple sides. Local businesses set up games for the kids, too.

Stella had a ball at the park that you can see toward the back of the picture

Cute general store

Earlier that day, Stella and I met up with my friend Sarah and her two boys, James and Sam, at Minnehaha Creek. Whenever Stella started to stray too closely to the creek, 4-year-old Sam would race over to her, pick her up, and carry her to safety. Soon it became a game to Stella, and she would return to the creek on purpose, smile, assure me that this time it was "one more time", and call for Sam: "Saaaaam!" He would run to her every time.

Enjoying a picnic cookie

Sam, the Protector

I've found that Barnes and Noble is a great place for kids. Last week she had so much fun playing at the Lego table and train table. We went to another one today after getting her glasses adjusted at the Glasses Menagerie in Uptown.

Stella gasped when she saw this magnificent display

After the glasses store, I bought her a turkey bacon egg sandwich at Caribou, and then we walked the exciting (not so much) halls of Knollwood Mall. She experienced her first mall "ride" and can't stop talking about it ever since. The ride was 75 cents. I explained to her that I didn't have any more coins after the initial 75 were spent, so she keeps reiterating that we'll return when "Mommy has more coins."

Primping before heading out for our errand

Watching some other kids get fitted for glasses

Only a two-year-old could be excited about mirrored columns in the mall

Clearly loving the Mickey ride

"It's not working!" And that is when my explanation of needing more coins began. I think I repeated it 7 times. At least.

Her explanation for the napkin over her food - it was "too hot"

I try to get out at least once during the day, so one of those outings this week was exploring the very tiny pet shop in Excelsior. She got to see bunnies, hamsters, birds, and fish. She stuck her hand in one of the tanks trying to grab a fish. Sigh.

We shared a single scoop of Oreo ice cream at Licks Unlimited

Brett was home at a decent hour once last week, so we took her to Wayzata after dinner to play at the park that is right off the beach. Oh, how she loves her parks.

We still visit the library once a week. Last week they set up this cute farmers' market stand. Since the memory of baking muffins with me the day before was very fresh in her head, she pretended to peel zucchini and mix eggs in a bowl at the library. So cute.

In other news, my third trimester of pregnancy begins this week. Three months to go until the due date. Crazy. We've decided on a name for the baby, and the middle name is close to being decided. And no, we're not revealing her name until she's born, so don't ask. Heartburn is still my companion, so a Zantac-a-day-do-I-pop. I don't sleep well. No surprise there, as it just comes with the pregnancy terrain. I feel like a big whale ALREADY in spite of chasing a toddler and eating pretty healthy. I think I just retain water or something. I don't know. I'm trying to be careful, but not sweating it, because you know what, some of us get kind of thick during pregnancy and some of us don't. I know I'll lose it again just as I did with Stella. It's annoying feeling like this and feeling self conscious about how I look. BLAH BLAH BLAH. Okay, enough of this depressing topic.

In case you were wondering, I really enjoyed The Paris Wife, and Bossypants was funny, but not as funny as everyone else seemed to think it was. Over the span of two days, I read the hilarious Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Oh my, I laughed. Once again, my disclaimer to the conservative among you: this book will probably not be your cup 'o tea.

I'm bummed I'm done with it because it means I have to search for something else to read now. I should have read slower, but I can't. It's not my style.

Brett and I watched the movie Mud via Vudu last Friday night. It was really good despite a few cottonmouths I could have done without viewing. Oh well, after all, it was set in the south, so you're likely to see some godforsaken snakes.

Recent Stella sayings: Last night she wanted to pray. She copied pretty much what I had just prayed, but added some new requests: "Please help George and please help Man with the Yellow Hat." The other night when we prayed, I had prayed for Daddy who was away, and then later she prayed, "Please  help Daddy far away air plane"and then proceeded immediately with making a very loud airplane impersonation/sound effect.

Oh! Stella experienced her first bee sting the other day at my parents' house while she and Mom were watering flowers in their front yard. Stella got stung on the foot, and my mom got stung on the hand. Stella's swelling went away by morning, but my mom's swelling spread up her hand into her forearm, so the nurse told her to come in so they could look at it. They have her taking prednisone and also gave her an epipen in case it happens again. Poor Mom!

We have some fun shenanigans planned for the weekend, and I will just wait to share later. I will say that Brett turns 31 on Friday, the 16th, so wish him a merry one!