MN Zoo Day!

This time with Grandma B!

We get discount tickets from work and have lunch on the grounds, the highlight of which is the face painters! What an amazing job :)

Silverwood!

We got Roman and Dad to come along on another adventure today. It had been awhile since we'd been back to Silverwood. Such a nice park. If I had to pick a wedding location this is where I'd choose. The building and terrace are lovely and the landscaping around it very Minnesota. And it's centrally located. And has art sporadically placed throughout the park.

We brought a picnic lunch and ate on the small peninsula.

Always an opportunity to check out the wildlife.

And guess what?

They rent canoes!

$5 for each 30 minutes - what a great way to try it out.

Even though someone was a little nervous. Maybe that had to do with me spinning around in my seat and making the boat go tippy tippy. By the time we were almost done Roman was also having a good time :)

Maybe a preview of what's to come this summer!

At the library

Roman and I have a good time perusing the library when Zoe has dance class. It was a brilliant idea to put a library in the community center, and it was a brilliant idea to start making small games available for use on-site in the library.  This last time we spent 20 or so minutes with the Magnetic Match Rings game. Maybe I was more amazed by magnetic properties, or at least the floating quality. Opposites attract - oh yeah, THAT'S where it comes from.

Living La Vida Rosa

Barbie Dreamhouse Experience @ Mall of America.

It's appeals to a very specific niche, and someone in our house fits that niche perfectly.

Pink VW.

Pink leather seating in the cafe area.

Pink giant shoe fountain outside the exhibit entrance.

Sensing a theme?!

At the ticket counter it said "no cameras...no cellphones...no video...."

 but then I saw all these people whipping out their phones and taking pictures. 

And plenty of staff to stop them if they cared.

Ok then.

They don't care.

(I asked).

Out came the camera, but while we were in the 2nd 'room' of the house. 

Barbie's bedroom, bathroom, closet...

Onward to room 3, which had a make up station.

Have I told you lately that Zoe told her class she wants to be a make up artist when she gets big?

Admiration.

So pretty!

The beads started as an adornment for her headband.

When I told her "no, I don't think people wear it like that" Ms. Zoe told me that it was about FASHION and doing things your own way.

Point taken.

The beads came with us (and migrated to being a necklace by the time we took these).

Spotlight. Pink. 

Ooi, oui.

Working the runway.

With a 2 song rotation, over and over and over again.

No matter.

Wrapping up with a moped ride.

And a good bye from Barbie.

This is based on the Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse animated series which Zoe has been watching on Netflix. A lot. They play on the outrageous-ness that is Barbie (i.e. she puts all cake ingredients in the oven and 2 seconds later she opens the door and bam! there's a fully decorated multi tier cake). I have laughed out loud (which is more than I can say for a lot of things coming out of the television).

Rating: 4 stars for this 5 year old.

All others: meh, probably not worth the money.

More from the land of trees.