Just wanted to share this contest voting link with our Cribsheeters. We’ve been hosting the “Reel ‘Em In” contest on StarTribune.com and I was surprised to see the majority of the Top 10 finalists were kids and their fish! I was expecting to see a bunch of adults with their lunkers.
But when you go look at the pictures they are awfully cute.
Take a look (and vote!) here.

We haven’t taken our kids fishing yet - how very un-Minnesotan of us.
I’m okay with putting the worms on the hook - not so good at getting the fish off of the hook.
(especially the sunnies and bluegills - I get spiked by their fins every time -I just don’t have the magic touch.)

So you have any good kid fish tales to tell?

I have the day off with my girls and we are at the Minnesota Zoo. It is the first week of summer vacation and it’s as if all of Minnesota has descended on this patch of savannah/rainforest/prairie/desert.

Everybody’s smiling and pointing out the grizzly hiding behind the rock (I’d hide too if I were her) and the wild boar splayed out asleep in the afternoon heat. (Give the poor pig some privacy.) Everybody is so happy.

Everybody except me.

I like zoos. I do, I do. I love Como Zoo, which is nice, small, manageable in two easy hours. Including a stop for mac and cheese at the cafe. I even like the stinky giraffe house.

But the Minnesota Zoo is so big. And there are so many non-zoo things. Like a water park and an archeological dig/sand box and a playground. I consider all of these things perfect as single outings. Just not all together. And not in a zoo.

The archeological dig is an inspired idea, really. Kids dive right in and are shoveling away, unearthing bits of dinosaur bones. Trouble is, then you have to coax them out. All around me, parents are yelling at their kids, trying to get them to leave and move on. There’s so much more to see and it’s all really far apart.

Ditto the playground.

And what’s with this non-animal?

So onward. We spent four hours there altogether. It feels like eight if you’re pushing a double stroller. And that was just the outside areas. No dolphins, imax theater or indoor tropical animals.

The girls had a great time, despite their grumpy mommy. Of course we’ll be back.

We have to. We’ve got annual membership.

Ahhhh….summer in the cities.

It almost makes up for the long wintry days. Almost.

This is Zoe and Maya (and Marcie) relaxing after an afternoon watching free music and dance at Rice Park in St. Paul two weekends ago at the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival.

We bumped into some friends (Cribsheet regular Sherry and family) watching the local Sumunar ensemble perform. Kids playing traditional Indonesian music - drums, bells and gongs - in the middle of a giant Target logo in front of the Ordway center.

Surreal and yet so right on a Saturday afternoon with the sun so bright it hurt your eyes. “Who knew?” asked Sherry’s husband Tom in wonder. 

If you missed it, don’t fret. There’s still a whole summer of fun stuff ahead.

Here’s Star Tribune’s interactive guide to summer festivals, free music and water parks. Also, as Kay mentioned, Free rides at Como this week and Free weekends coming up at national parks.

It’s almost like Minnesotans become a different people when the sun comes out.

A few summers ago, my parents visited from Malaysia. They spent their days pushing the stroller around the lakes, beaming each time someone stopped to coo over their Number One Precious Grandchild.

After a few days, they said to me: “Everybody says ‘Isn’t it a beautiful day?’” They looked bemused. “We tell them: ‘In Malaysia, everyday is beautiful.’”

Ah, but Minnesotans sure know how to appreciate lovely weather when it finally does arrive.

(Wouldn’t you know…the morning I post this, it’s cool and cloudy outside….)

(10:45 am update: Now it’s raining. Great timing, May.)

Study Animal Movements?
Visit the Bowels of the Internet?
That Site is a Dump?

What should my headline be?
So many possibilities…

How can I NOT link to this article on StarTribune.com about the new poop promotion for the Minnesota Zoo. The bottom line is too raise awareness and educate visitors about the zoo’s new Africa! exhibit.

I have a newly potty-trained 3 year old boy who is all BOY and fascinated with all things scatalogical. Now to introduce him to what giraffe’s and zebra’s do (do)? He will be all over this like a fly.

I happen to enjoy my share of potty humor - so you will see why my co-workers just heard me guffawing and snorting as I played this game at Minnesota Zoo’s whopooped.org. Complete with gross-out sound effects. And yes it was lunchtime and no it didn’t bother me a bit.
It’s actually very educational and interactive. Give it a whirl.

MN Zoo - whopooped.org - you bowled me over.
Log on. It’s your duty.

Vintage style isn’t just for adults. And at these recession-friendly prices - you can’t go wrong. Here are two golden opportunities for you to get retro-duds for your little ones this weekend.

1) Make it a fun outing - not only is it the Edina Art Fair - there is also a vintage kids clothing sale at Fashion Avenue near 50th & France - Sara Glassman has details here:

2) There is a yard sale from the former owner of “Oh Cool Baby” a vintage kid’s clothing store in NE Mpls that sadly closed up shop.

She is clearing out her old inventory, so you have a second chance on these second hand items. (I used to shop there and I guarantee you’ll find treasures.)
If you’re on Facebook - you can view details and images here.
Otherwise the details are below:
There are literally thousands of pre-90s pieces of vintage clothing for boys and girls, ages newborn to 12yr. Clean, unique, amazing and CHEAP!!
This Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, starting at 10am.
2535 McKinley Street NE Mpls.