Bakken Museum

Today, I visited The Bakken Museum with Mom and Dad. It's near Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. We were all pleasantly surprised by this "one-of-a-kind museum exploring the mysteries of our electrical world."

Mom and Dad learned about pacemakers and an old EKG machine.

I learned about heartbeats in animals. 

I learned about my own heartbeat.

I also learned about magnetism.

It was a lot of fun playing with magnets with Mom. 

The museum is in a really cool, old house with interesting architectural details. In the upstairs portion, there is a reading room with both adult and kid books, and there is access to an outdoor garden. 

We'll definitely have to go back sometime when the weather is warm so we can also check out the gardens. 

Year in Review

It's been quite the year this year! There were some really great moments, and some not-so-great moments.

These were the highlights for me:

January


Before moving from Maryland to Minnesota, I visited one last Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of the American Indian.

February

After I got settled into my new home in Minnesota, I took a day to check out the Nicollet Mall area of downtown Minneapolis. 

March

Needing to get out of the house again, I visited the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. I spent most of my time in the conservatory since it was still very much winter outside.

April

In the beginning of April, the weather improved just enough that, dressed warmly, I could at least get outside and play.

I visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

I got pretty excited about the treats left out for me on Easter morning.

May

After what seemed like a very long wait, it finally started to look a bit green outside.

I checked out the Minnesota Children's Museum.

I also checked out Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.

I enjoyed watching Native American dancers perform at the Mill City Farmer's Market in Minneapolis.

And I enjoyed a drive along the St. Croix River with Mom and Dad the next day.

Memorial Day weekend treated us to warm enough weather that I was able to enjoy the community pool when it opened.

June

I visited the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. 

I boogied down at a car show at the Father Hennepin Festival in Champlin, MN.

I listened to live music at the Maple Grove Town Green stage. 

I flew to Utah.

I visited with some of Mom's family.

And I visited with some of Dad's family.

July

This month, I went swimming, a lot.

I watched my first fireworks show.

I channeled my inner Van Gogh.

I played at a splash pad.

I sat in the driver's seat of a fire engine.

Did I mention I did a lot of swimming in July?

And I rode on a boat down the Mississippi River.

August

I traveled to Utah again, but this time to southern Utah. I played in the Zion River in Zion National Park.

I did a little rafting with Dad on a lake.

I rode on an ATV.

And I went for a hike.

Back in Minnesota, I visited the Science Museum of Minnesota.

September

I traveled to Thunder Bay at the beginning of September to visit my grandpa. I crossed a big suspension  bridge.

I made friends with a chicken at Fort William Historical Park.

I walked along the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, Minnesota.

I had a late summer picnic at the park with Mom and Dad.

October

I celebrated my second birthday with a trip to the Minnesota Zoo. 

I posed for birthday portraits.

I took advantage of the still summer-like weather we had in later October.

I helped pick out pumpkins at a pumpkin patch for Halloween.

I painted the pumpkin I picked out for myself.

I dressed as a ghost for Halloween.

November

We had some cold days in November, then it warmed up again later in the month. I went for a walk, shuffling my feet through the fallen leaves, with Mom and Dad on Thanksgiving Day.

December

I helped decorate the Christmas tree we cut down.

I showed my uncle around the Twin Cities.

And I was super excited to see all the presents under our tree on Christmas Day.