Farmers Markets and Backyard Rink Building

Everyone ate whatever they wanted for breakfast. Theo picked mangos and eggs. I think he could eat that every day.

Kid loves mangoes.

We finally framed Scott's family sausage recipe. 

Hungarian Sausage if you're curious.

Along with a recipe card of my Grandma's. 

We thought we'd check out the downtown Minneapolis Farmers Market one last time this year.

I was expecting there to be a lot more open vendors but the stalls were already full of Christmas trees. 

There wasn't quite as much produce as we expected, but we did pickup a giant jug of maple syrup.

When your kids are pretentious and only eat real maple syrup, the big jug is needed. 

I think we're all on team real maple syrup.

The kids declared today a no screen day. 

First we had to clean up the yard one last time before the snow comes. 

Then we started working on the kids Christmas present. I picked up a full IronSleek backyard rink kit with all the lumber needed off of Facebook Market a few weeks back. It even came with lights to ring the rink.

We hadn't told the kids yet. They went inside to play upstairs and noticed from the 3rd floor window we were up to something. 

Theo and Meadow were peaking from the attic window debating what we were building. Theo came down and then guessed, "Ice rink!"

We had to figure out the best plan to work around our yard. We first thought of going over the sidewalk but didn't think it was fair to our renters. 

It would be a chore to take out trash to the alley. Also I was a bit worried about the electrical line running under the garden.

Me in deep thought about how to make this odd shape work. I also bought IronSleek round corner brackets to deal with the odd shape of our gardens and bushes.

Nearly all built out minus the plastic liner and a few more brackets. 

Theo came up with the idea to attach it to our garden to make it bigger. We'll see once we add the liner if that was worth it. 

Then Meadow and I walked to the library to pick up her next Warriors book. 

"I'm Papa!"

The kids each drew a tree for Scott. 

They know their papa loves big trees.

The next morning I made a french toast bake for breakfast.

While Scott watched the Packers game I took the kids out on an adventure to Crosby Farm. 

There's quite a few geocaches here that we were on the hunt for. Theo scored this Canadian flag pin. 

Lots of breaks to climb trees and pose.

Geocaching ain't my thing, but these kids love it.