Okay so I need to be excited about this because I am odd like this...my Amazon Review Ranking went under 2000 last week! My new rank is 1825. I am very excited and I know that is lame. Still if you want to check it out (and maybe even say some of my reviews are helpful to you) here is the link to my profile: Reviewer Rank
My goal is to be a top 1000 reviewer by the end of the year :-) Hey we all need goals, right?
In other news, my parents and Lyle and I spend a good portion of Sunday night being serenaded by a toddler. Yes, through a long father's day dinner Keegan sung, "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, yay!" pause "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, yay!" pause, etc. This deluge of serenading was "sparked" by the candle on the table which Keegan thought meant it was someone's birthday. Does this mean we don't take him out to nice places enough? I kid you not the kid sung the same two lines from the Happy Birthday song over and over again non-stop over a period of about 40 minutes. At least he was happy.
Keegan has been doing this more and more. He often breaks out into sporadic bursts of song not uncommon to any classic musical. Today on the way to swimming lessons a drive by a sprinkler incited a rousing rendition of "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring, yay!" These audio renditions are always fragmented and concluded with a celebratory cry of "yay!" followed by clapping. I wish I could be such a good critic to myself.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Camping at Lac Qui Parle
Last weekend we went camping at Lac Qui Parle. Where is that you ask? Well go through Shakopee, MN and drive 3.5 hours west and you're there. The closest town is Watson, which has a gas station. The next closest town, which you might even call a small city, is Montevideo. Montevideo actually sports a Walmart (but to our dismay no Super Target or even a Target).
To Keegan's great delight on the ride out there we saw many cows and many barns and many pieces of large farm equipment. Never mind that there were a billion of said items that we passed, Keegan's excitement at seeing cows, horses, barns, trains, and tractors never dimmed. Each viewing was, to him, as breathtaking as the if it was the first one he had ever seen.
Lac Qui Parle is on Lac Qui Parle Lake (surprisingly). When we got there we found out that the check-in building is up by the Upper Campgrounds (where we were camping) and the hiking is down by the Lower Campgrounds (many miles to our south). The check-inn building was also their interpretation center and has a very interesting display of stuffed birds (not the cuddly kind). A Bald eagle and some loons were among the highlights; along with some bear and fox pelts. Also there was a little store in there; which to Keegan's delight sold rock candy on a stick.
After checking in we went to the Upper Campgrounds to set up the camper. Keegan loved his new shades and was determined to get a fire started. As you can see below.
We made a small fire and set up the camper. The campgrounds are completely in prairie and have no shade so to speak. They are very nice large pads that are placed a good distance apart from each other; with ample space to kick balls, play bean bag games, etc...of course we partook in all of these activities and more. The other nice aspect of the camping spaces is that the whole Upper Campground overlooked Lac Qui Parle Lake and it was a beautiful view (see below). The bad part was that my grass allergies got progressively worse as the trip went on. On Sunday I was a quivering mass of watering eyes and snotty nose.
After the fire burned down we decided to take the only hiking trail near the Upper Campgrounds. This trail goes to the largest Cottonwood tree in MN. Okay, maybe not something on the top of my "things I want to see in my life" list but kind of cool considering we were in the middle of exactly nowhere. So we took the hike (mostly through prairie).
Some of it did go through a forest with plants that had leaves almost as big as Keegan.
Finally after 2 miles we got to the Cottonwood tree. It was huge and there was almost an inch of fluff all over the ground.
After that we began the difficult walk back. Two miles is a long way with a toddler who thinks he can walk it all. Keegan ended up riding on our shoulders almost the whole way back. It got even longer when I found a wood tick on my sleeve and then Lyle found another one on my back and then I found two more on my stomach. All in all I pulled 5 wood ticks off of me. Making me twitch the whole walk back. Although you wouldn't know it from the picture below.
Anyway, after getting back and removing my cloths and finding numerous wood ticks (but no deer ticks). My dad further searched my discarded clothing and found three more crawling in my pants. Such did my weekend of phantom itching and heavily applied bug spray begin. I think everyone found a tick on themselves but I was the one with the mother load.
The next day (no ticks for me!) we drove down to the Lower Campgrounds (yes you had to drive down there it was so far away). The Lower Campgounds are where the rest of the hiking trails are and the swimming beach. So we spent the morning at the beach. It was a good time had by all.
After that we drove into the town of Montevideo to visit a huge children's playground they had there. Very cool and artistic play structure. As well as a neat little town for the toddlers. See picture below. We didn't play that long because it was in the nineties and Keegan actually came up to me and said "Mama it's too hot to play anymore." So as you can imagine it was hot. We went and got some ice cream, stopped by Walmart, then went back for naptime. Then finished up the trip by making dinner over a fire and doing other camping things.
The next day we did the 4 hour drive back. Which Keegan was remarkably good for. He didn't sleep but instead read his books, sang along to songs, and tried to spot...you guessed it...cows, barns, trains, and trucks.
All in all it was a nice camping trip. No rain, nice park. I wasn't too impressed with the hiking (probably because of my more than close encounters with the tick-kind); but the Cottonwood tree was cool and the swimming beach very nice. It would be a great place to go canoeing and it was really quiet. Overall a success!
To Keegan's great delight on the ride out there we saw many cows and many barns and many pieces of large farm equipment. Never mind that there were a billion of said items that we passed, Keegan's excitement at seeing cows, horses, barns, trains, and tractors never dimmed. Each viewing was, to him, as breathtaking as the if it was the first one he had ever seen.
Lac Qui Parle is on Lac Qui Parle Lake (surprisingly). When we got there we found out that the check-in building is up by the Upper Campgrounds (where we were camping) and the hiking is down by the Lower Campgrounds (many miles to our south). The check-inn building was also their interpretation center and has a very interesting display of stuffed birds (not the cuddly kind). A Bald eagle and some loons were among the highlights; along with some bear and fox pelts. Also there was a little store in there; which to Keegan's delight sold rock candy on a stick.
After checking in we went to the Upper Campgrounds to set up the camper. Keegan loved his new shades and was determined to get a fire started. As you can see below.
We made a small fire and set up the camper. The campgrounds are completely in prairie and have no shade so to speak. They are very nice large pads that are placed a good distance apart from each other; with ample space to kick balls, play bean bag games, etc...of course we partook in all of these activities and more. The other nice aspect of the camping spaces is that the whole Upper Campground overlooked Lac Qui Parle Lake and it was a beautiful view (see below). The bad part was that my grass allergies got progressively worse as the trip went on. On Sunday I was a quivering mass of watering eyes and snotty nose.
After the fire burned down we decided to take the only hiking trail near the Upper Campgrounds. This trail goes to the largest Cottonwood tree in MN. Okay, maybe not something on the top of my "things I want to see in my life" list but kind of cool considering we were in the middle of exactly nowhere. So we took the hike (mostly through prairie).
Some of it did go through a forest with plants that had leaves almost as big as Keegan.
Finally after 2 miles we got to the Cottonwood tree. It was huge and there was almost an inch of fluff all over the ground.
After that we began the difficult walk back. Two miles is a long way with a toddler who thinks he can walk it all. Keegan ended up riding on our shoulders almost the whole way back. It got even longer when I found a wood tick on my sleeve and then Lyle found another one on my back and then I found two more on my stomach. All in all I pulled 5 wood ticks off of me. Making me twitch the whole walk back. Although you wouldn't know it from the picture below.
Anyway, after getting back and removing my cloths and finding numerous wood ticks (but no deer ticks). My dad further searched my discarded clothing and found three more crawling in my pants. Such did my weekend of phantom itching and heavily applied bug spray begin. I think everyone found a tick on themselves but I was the one with the mother load.
The next day (no ticks for me!) we drove down to the Lower Campgrounds (yes you had to drive down there it was so far away). The Lower Campgounds are where the rest of the hiking trails are and the swimming beach. So we spent the morning at the beach. It was a good time had by all.
After that we drove into the town of Montevideo to visit a huge children's playground they had there. Very cool and artistic play structure. As well as a neat little town for the toddlers. See picture below. We didn't play that long because it was in the nineties and Keegan actually came up to me and said "Mama it's too hot to play anymore." So as you can imagine it was hot. We went and got some ice cream, stopped by Walmart, then went back for naptime. Then finished up the trip by making dinner over a fire and doing other camping things.
The next day we did the 4 hour drive back. Which Keegan was remarkably good for. He didn't sleep but instead read his books, sang along to songs, and tried to spot...you guessed it...cows, barns, trains, and trucks.
All in all it was a nice camping trip. No rain, nice park. I wasn't too impressed with the hiking (probably because of my more than close encounters with the tick-kind); but the Cottonwood tree was cool and the swimming beach very nice. It would be a great place to go canoeing and it was really quiet. Overall a success!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Curse of "blue blankie"
So I had some other work/non-work related thing down in Bloomington the other day (which is on the opposite side of the cities from our house) at 5:30 or so. So the normal start for the day was interrupted by the fact that Karissa and I would have to drive separate so I could go from work strait to the meeting. I got Keegan ready to go for the day, but he was a little crabby and wanted to take his favorite blanket with him. We have been letting him take the blanket to daycare sometimes, but most of the time he is fine with leaving it at home. Anyway I dropped him off and all went well.
That night while I was at my meeting I get a IM from Karissa asking where "blue blankie" is because Keegan is upset that it isn't around in his bed. I thought he had taken it to daycare, so I told her so. I then thought that it actually might be in the car... well it was, so I IM'ed her back saying so and found out that Keegan had gotten a replacement blanket from Karissa. Karissa told Keegan that this blue blanket was blue blankie's mother. Keegan went on for the next 15 minutes telling the new blue blanket that he has a mom too, then told the blanket that he liked blue blankie better. Keegan degraded after that and I ended up having to leave early from my meeting so that he could have his blankie. Well I get home and got about the dirtiest look I have ever gotten from Keegan, and then he laid down and went to sleep... probably exhausted from being upset for an hour when he should have been sleeping.
Keegan also started swimming classes again on Monday, which he seemed to have a really good time at. Overall he listens pretty well, and knows how to do basically everything in class right now. There is one other kid in his class, but that kid is 5 or 6 months younger than Keegan is.
That night while I was at my meeting I get a IM from Karissa asking where "blue blankie" is because Keegan is upset that it isn't around in his bed. I thought he had taken it to daycare, so I told her so. I then thought that it actually might be in the car... well it was, so I IM'ed her back saying so and found out that Keegan had gotten a replacement blanket from Karissa. Karissa told Keegan that this blue blanket was blue blankie's mother. Keegan went on for the next 15 minutes telling the new blue blanket that he has a mom too, then told the blanket that he liked blue blankie better. Keegan degraded after that and I ended up having to leave early from my meeting so that he could have his blankie. Well I get home and got about the dirtiest look I have ever gotten from Keegan, and then he laid down and went to sleep... probably exhausted from being upset for an hour when he should have been sleeping.
Keegan also started swimming classes again on Monday, which he seemed to have a really good time at. Overall he listens pretty well, and knows how to do basically everything in class right now. There is one other kid in his class, but that kid is 5 or 6 months younger than Keegan is.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Why?
Lyle and I have been waiting for the start of the inevitable "Why?" phase of Keegan's life. Well this weekend it started.
Me: Keegan let's water the flowers.
Kee: Why?
Me: Because they need water or else they will die.
Kee: Why?
Me: Because water is for flowers what food is for you. Would you like it if you never had food?
Kee: No
Me: Okay, let's go get the watering can.
Kee: Why?
I begin to understand why some parents say "Because I say so." Keegan absorbs a lot though so usually we try to answer his "why" questions with an explanation. When these why questions start to get silly I will say "well, why not?" That usually byes me a couple "why free" minutes while he tries to decide why I shouldn't be doing something.
It is slightly annoying at times, but for now it is mostly funny. The only not funny thing he has been doing is interrupting conversations. Last night every time I tried to talk to Lyle Keegan would start yelling "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy I talking". Lyle and I stopped talking and listened to what Keegan had to say, then I told him Mommy needed to talk to Daddy for a little bit. Keegan was perfectly reasonable about it and let us talk. Of course, we had to explain "why" we needed to talk :-) So for now as long as I tell Keegan that Mommy and Daddy need to talk without him interrupting he is good with it; I wonder how long that will last...
Makes me wonder what's next...
Me: Keegan let's water the flowers.
Kee: Why?
Me: Because they need water or else they will die.
Kee: Why?
Me: Because water is for flowers what food is for you. Would you like it if you never had food?
Kee: No
Me: Okay, let's go get the watering can.
Kee: Why?
I begin to understand why some parents say "Because I say so." Keegan absorbs a lot though so usually we try to answer his "why" questions with an explanation. When these why questions start to get silly I will say "well, why not?" That usually byes me a couple "why free" minutes while he tries to decide why I shouldn't be doing something.
It is slightly annoying at times, but for now it is mostly funny. The only not funny thing he has been doing is interrupting conversations. Last night every time I tried to talk to Lyle Keegan would start yelling "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy I talking". Lyle and I stopped talking and listened to what Keegan had to say, then I told him Mommy needed to talk to Daddy for a little bit. Keegan was perfectly reasonable about it and let us talk. Of course, we had to explain "why" we needed to talk :-) So for now as long as I tell Keegan that Mommy and Daddy need to talk without him interrupting he is good with it; I wonder how long that will last...
Makes me wonder what's next...
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