Year In Review

I'm doing this a little early this year. I'm going to be super busy with putting all my things into boxes over the next couple of weeks, so I wanted to be sure and get this done BEFORE the end of the year. Here is my year in review:

January

January began with beautiful, quite unseasonably warm weather.

I saw my first live owl (it's my favorite kind of bird).

And we got a little bit of snow, which quickly melted a few days later.

February

The crazy warm winter continued into February. I took advantage and went to the playground.

In the latter half of the month it finally snowed enough for me to use my sled. It was my first time sledding, and I loved it!

My grandma and grandpa from Utah came out to visit, and we went to the Sea Life Aquarium in the Mall of America.

We also visited the Guthrie Theater, which has some interesting architectural details.

March

In March, my grandpa from Thunder Bay came to visit. We went to the Como Zoo and checked out the spring flower arrangement in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory.

And I got a new haircut.

April

In April I met the Easter Bunny.

I was excited to find candy and a couple other small treats left behind by the Easter Bunny on Easter morning.

I visited Gale Woods Farm, where I was able to pet chicks, goats, sheep, and a sheep dog.

And I enjoyed the tulips at the MN Landscape Arboretum.

May

May was a super busy month! I practiced learning and writing my alphabet.

I learned how to kick a soccer ball.

I attended a tree-climbing competition, then showed off my own monkey skills.

I walked through the Quaking Bog in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis.

I took my first field trip.

It warmed up enough to swim outdoors.

I met Smokey the Bear.

I planted a tree with Dad.

And I made friends with a turtle.

June

In June I saw the dinosaurs at the Minnesota Zoo.

And I rode a camel!

July

In July I visited the Eidem Homestead.

I lit sparklers on the fourth of July.

I got my nails painted for the first time.

And I got caught riding in the back of a police cruiser.

I visited a historic town called The Landing, which sits along the Minnesota River.

And I watched gold finches devour flowers I planted.

August

In August I had a stay-cation with Mom and Dad. We visited The Works museum.

We stopped by the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

We took a hike in Elm Creek Park.

We paddled around the lake at Clifton French Park.

I ate my first Sno Cone.

I took my first ride on a big amusement park ride. And I loved it.

I also took my first ride by myself on an amusement park ride. I'm not scared of anything.

I hiked up sandstone bluffs.

And I investigated Interstate State Park.

September

In September I played at the Tamarack Nature Center.

I also checked out the MN Landscape Arboretum's new natural play area. Both were a lot of fun.

I saw the scarecrow exhibit at the arboretum.

And I turned three at the end of the month.

October

In October I enjoyed the fall leaves.

I made my annual trip to a pumpkin patch.

And I dressed as a skeleton from the Day of the Dead for Halloween.

November

In November I could feel winter coming.

December

And in December I helped Mom make chocolate chip cookies (I did most of the work).

Christmas is coming in a few days. I'm sure I'll have more photos to post!

Baking with Evie: Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tonight, I made Mark Bittman's Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies. After they baked and cooled, I only got to eat one. Talk about unfair. Anyway, here's how I did it.

I started by reading over the recipe and gathering all my ingredients (butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, and semi-sweet chocolate chips).

I started with mixing the dry ingredients.

Two cups of flour...

Half a teaspoon of baking soda...

Half a teaspoon of salt... Be careful not to spill!

Stir it all together.

With my dry ingredients ready to go, I moved over to the stand mixer. I plopped two sticks of butter in the bowl, 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar, then mixed it all together. 

When it was mixed together just right, I added the eggs, then the flour/baking soda/salt combination. I put in a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Finally, I added about two cups of chocolate chips (it was what I had in the cupboard). 

I added some dollops of the cookie dough to the baking sheet, put it in the oven for ten minutes...

And out popped yummy chocolate chip cookies. 

I still think I should have been able to eat more than one tonight.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

We had our first big snowfall of the year. I couldn't be more excited!

We were supposed to get 2 - 4 inches... I think we got a little more than that, though.

It started snowing last night. It snowed all day, and we're supposed to get a little more tonight.

I started my morning with a little shoveling.

I figured out it was more fun to throw shovels full of snow at Dad rather than actually help, so I let him finish all the work.

As the snow piled high, Dad got the idea to build a fort. It was awesome!

Then, we went around to the backyard and Mom built a wall of snow bricks with an Arctic Force Fort Maker. Mom wants to know where that toy was when she was a kid.

Lastly, I got to go sledding. Dad even built a jump for us to go over.

I was chilly, covered in snow, and wanted to keep playing, but Mom and Dad made me go inside to warm up and relax. It was a good, full day.

Making Spirits Bright

The MN Landscape Arboretum is decorated for the winter holidays and is hosting holiday music on the weekends from now through Christmas. Santa Claus is also taking toy requests in the balcony area of the Oswald Visitor Center. I got to sit on Santa's lap for the first time this year. It was really exciting.

After listening to music and sitting with Santa, I ventured outside for a short walk. 

It snowed recently, though not much, and it has stayed cold. I don't mind the cold. In fact, I had fun freezing my fingers with what little snow I could find.

Returning to the visitor center, we decided to stroll through the greenhouse.

 I'm really glad we have a membership to the Arboretum so that we get to enjoy events/days like these.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sorry for the hiatus! I've been looking at houses. It's about time we moved again. I found one with a chicken coop. I was sold at first cluck. Hopefully, I'll have more to post from now on, at least until I have to start packing...

Anyway, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween Trick-or-Treating

Photos of Halloween night's trick-or-treating (posted a little late).

Orange pumpkin sign on the door means candy? Hurry! Run!

Trick-or-treat!

I think I made out pretty well for a three-year-old.