Where Did We Go Wednesday? Deep Sea Fishing in Florida

Oh don't let these happy smiling pictures of me for you. These were taken on the boat before we even started moving. My husband was gracious enough not to take any pictures of me during the majority of our for our deep sea fishing trip. Within minutes of leaving the harbor the sun went away and the rain started. And the rain pretty much continued the entire for hours we were out there.

Following the instructions of our tour operators I had taken anti nausea medication the night before and the morning of, but apparently that was not good enough. As soon as we stopped the boat and they started getting everything ready to do kite fishing I started puking. I had only had an orange and coffee so there wasn't too much to come up.

So as you can imagine it wasn't exactly a fun trip for me when I ended up having dry heaving episodes three different times. When the third episode happened the two operators decided it was finally time to go enjoy to do fishing. They had not caught anything yet.

I then sat on a bean bag chair and covered myself with my jacket and a rain jacket so that they could keep fishing and I would hopefully start to feel better on this very expensive fishing trip. After three hours I finally Rose from the bean bag and felt somewhat better but they had not caught anything nor had they really even seen anything at all.

It literally was the last 10 minutes of the trip that my husband happened to spot this fish in the water and pointed it out to one of the fishermen and they got set up with the right bait to catch this tripletail fish.

This was one of just a few fish that are in Shore that are edible. The restaurant in the marina will cook up your fish for you and serve it with a bunch of size for a nominal charge. The fisherman full 8-hour fish and we brought it to the restaurant and they kept it in their cooler for us until we came to eat later on in the evening when I felt better and was no longer soaked to the bone.

The fish tasted very good but I don't think I will be doing any deep sea fishing anytime soon. We had thought about doing some fishing with the kids when we take them on a trip this winter but I think we will do inshore fishing as suggested by the fishermen there.

FREE Kids Build Workshop at Home Depot:Gingerbread Man Candy Dish

This might be a fun gift idea that your child can make or something they put up for a holiday decor. Whatever they use it for they are sure to have fun building this for free at Home Depot.

SIGN UP HERE!

Holiday Rice Krispie Treats

I am not sure if Aldis will sell these kits again this year but these are holiday Rice Krispie treats that I made with the kids last Christmas season.

The kits came with molds to make the trees and the snowman. So we will be able to make these again this year if we wanted to. It was a fun little project to do with them.

The pictures will help give you an idea of something that you could try to create on your phone even if you don't have the mold. I think these could easily be shaped by hand or with other cookie cutters.

FREEBIES: Admission at MN State Parks TODAY & Prisma App

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving with your family. I know I did. And on this Black Friday I wanted to tell you about two different things.

The first is that today, on Black Friday there is free admission at all of the Minnesota state parks. This picture I actually took when I was on the Sakatah State trail. That trail is free to use any time, but if you wanted to go to the Sakatah state park you could get in free today, or any other MN State Park you wanted to go check out and explore.

The second thing I wanted to tell you about is the app that I used to transform this image into three different looks by using the filters in the Prisma app. It is a free app to download on your phone. It is available for both Android and iPhone. I first learned about this app when I started doing Instagram Yoga challenges and one of the most often used this app to transform their pictures. I think it is pretty fun to use.

Happy Thanksgiving

Where Did We Go Wednesday - Doc's Harley Davidson of Shawano County

Doc's Harley Davidson of Shawano County

We have been to Doc's Harley-Davidson of Shawano County twice now. It is a nice stop on our way across Wisconsin. It is not your usual Harley-Davidson store. It really is a tourist attraction. The owner has many animals that have been his pets for many years on display there. I have pictured some of them above but there are others that are not pictured. There is also a museum of different vehicles and antiques that is free to walk through as well. They also have a restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor here as well - one of the pictures in the collages of my kids on a pirate ship. It is a large wooden pirate ship that you can explore on your own. Definitely something you don't normally see. 

FREE Lowes Build and Grow - Christmas Ornaments

It's Christmas Time!

Look what Lowe's is offering up on December 3rd for their next Build & Grow!

Kids will have the opportunity to build 2 wooden picture ornaments with an adult. This will fill up fast. I noticed that Lowe's is not holding these Build and Grow events very often anymore. I saw a sign at our closest Lowe's that looks like the next one (after this) won't be until February. So, it looks like they are only doing there every other month now.

This would make a cute gift for your kids to give someone.

SIGN UP TODAY!!!

Storm Trooper Cupcakes

Storm Trooper Cupcakes (aka Angry Melted Snowmen Cupcakes) were the request of my son for his 7th birthday party with his friends. I used Wilton black writing icing to draw faces on marshmallows and made butter cream frosting to top the cupcakes. The red "sticks" are supposed to be light sabers (even though I am fully aware the storm troopers do not use light sabers) and let my son put everything on his cupcakes the way he wanted. This meant you can't see the bottom of the light sabers because he wanted them sticking up, and well it looks like stick arms. LOL! It was his birthday and it made him happy.

#Practiceingratitude Yoga Challenge

This was a fun short challenge. I gave me the opportunity to practice some more difficult poses like a chin stand and a forearm stand that I did in a previous challenge. I was able to see how with some more practice I am getting better at them. The only thing I didn't like about the challenge was that I didn't know what the poses were ahead of time and the host must live in West Coast time zone or possibly even further away like Hawaii or something because they would share the pose in the afternoon and often I am already changed out of my work clothes and wearing clothes for the day.

This one just ended this week and I I'm still doing a different challenge. I have added in another challenge this week as well so that I am back to two challenges at a time.

20 Elementary Age Boy Gift Ideas

Be sure to check out my list of Tween Girl Ideas that I posted  last week!

FYI - there are NO affiliate links in here and I wasn't asked to put any of these items on here, these truly are all items that my kids want or I want to get for them.

Stocking Stuffers (Under $10)

Geyser Tube with Caps https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RBEHKY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I2KBUTYVLGVFHN

Bird Call https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002P3850W/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I20FL0QEP7I4R5&psc=1

The Dangerous Book for Boys https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062208977/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=IN2849V4HJJOC

Energy Ball Scientific Fun     https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Ball-Scientific-Lights-Sound/dp/B010OEFVP0

Magic Wooden Box https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096E7M4S/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A7I2GMSDXJA22

$10-25 Price Range

ThinkFun Maker Studio Gears Building Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TLEMN92/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I1NIKAUZBLBBSR

Lulu Jr. Illustory Junior https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TLFTTB6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=IASODVZANTGPX&psc=1

Amazing Toys DIY Solar Powered Scientific Dinosaur https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WL6L8IY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=IYCGEGE3ZO5MY

The Lego Adventure Book Vol. 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1593274424/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I174GSL6E5U0Q4

Exploding Kittens Card Game https://www.amazon.com/Exploding-Kittens-About-Explosions-Sometimes/dp/B010TQY7A8

Snap Circuits Jr. Electronic Discovery Kit https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B00CIXVITO/ref=zg_bs_toys-and-games_19

Star Wars Death Star Planetarium https://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Milton-Science-Death-Planetarium/dp/B00339P9ME/ref=sr_1_5?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1475172381&sr=1-5&keywords=star+wars

$25-$50 Price Range

Jolly Lama! Performing Juggling Sticks https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BJCVPE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=ITGDXV70ZJ7D6

GoSports Slammo Game Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K8ANYZU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I3BCWFJ0LGMRZ0

Camouflage Mummy Sleeping Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008L0YTGC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I1JWN2FMJ1KMNH

Geospace Walkaroo Jr. Stilts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00175XCCU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I3601LJ9R7JMO8

Thames and Kosmos Little Labs Intro to Engineering https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TG20S4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I3MOHFYI1PDW1X

$50+ Price Range

PlasmaCar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GUGY1S/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=ILVPM45K20UWL

LEGO Star Wars Imperial Assualt Hovertank https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Imperial-Assault-Hovertank-75152/dp/B01CVGV93C/ref=sr_1_23?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1475172514&sr=1-23&keywords=star+wars+rogue+one

Thames and Kosmos Remote Control Machines https://www.amazon.com/Thames-Kosmos-Remote-Control-Machines/dp/B003KYXAQO/ref=lp_11177497011_1_4?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1475173140&sr=1-4

#StrongAndBendyBums Yoga Challenge

I so much do not have a bendy bum. So that is why I'm going to try this one out. I would like to increase my flexibility in my hamstrings and in my back. Some of these look like they are going to be quite challenging for me.

Where Did We Go Wednesday - RAD Zoo

The RAD Zoo has been featured on here a few times. It is pretty close to us so we get a family membership and try to get there as often as we can. Even though it is close we don't get often as we would like because the kids are busy but it is nice to go there and because we have been going there since they opened we have gotten to know the owners and they let us know what things are new that we haven't seen so we are sure to see them. The zoo is filled with a large variety of reptiles and amphibians and fish and birds. It is mostly reptiles and amphibians but they do have other animals like birds and fish and sharks in there as well.

On this trip the kids got a little more education than we bargained for and saw these two box turtles mating. When I asked one of the owners questions about gestational period and laying eggs they offered to bring out there one-year-old baby turtle that is off exhibit. It was really neat to see that because hit was maybe an inch and a half to 2 inches long and it's a year old. They also brought out a baby alligator that is probably about 1 years old and was maybe 12 inches long. They said they acquired that one because someone had it as a pet and didn't want it anymore and they took it in.

This time the kids had a real treat and had the opportunity to pet the coral cat shark that they have. I am sure my kids have had the opportunity to put a lot more animals there then most people have because of the frequency we have gone and because the owners have gotten to know us. So I don't think normally people would get to pet the shark when they go. They do provide the opportunity when they are doing their shows to pet an alligator, a snake, and or a turtle or tortoise. So if you do go there there is a high likelihood that you will get to pet something and even possibly feed something like the turtles or tortoises.

Boot Print Pottery Pendant

This is a super easy craft you can have a child do. You can even use Air Dry Clay and paint clear nail polish on it.

To make this pendant, form your clay in to a ball shape. Then have the child step on it gently until it flattened, but they have not touched the ground. Use a straw to poke a hole at the top and rmove the clay from the hole.

Allow to dry and then either paint or glaze however the clay you are using dictates.

Have fun!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal - Clean Eating Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
1 C Old Fashioned Oats
1 3/4 C milk
1/4 C pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp almond (or vanilla) extract
Top as desired: whip cream, pecans, maple syrup

Directions:

• Bring milk, pumpkin , and all seasoning to a slow boil over medium heat
• Stir in oats
• Cook for about 5 minutes
• Top as desired
• Enjoy!

Gift Idea!!!! 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Light

Want to know a secret? Santa is bringing my son a bunch of Star Wars items, including one of these 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Lights.  There are even more options than what I have listed below, but that will give you an idea of some of them that are available at Target. They have a big wall light version, plus they also have mini wall light versions which would make a great stocking stuffer. I am torn as to which one he would like best. I am leaning towards Darth Vader or Yoda.....Hmmmmmm.....Dark Side or Light Side? Such a dilemma!

3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Lights are the perfect gift this holiday season. They have a full range of comic book, super hero, Disney Princess, sports and car lights that look as though they are popping right out of the wall! They are battery operated and cool to the touch so you can place them any where in the room! Your kids will loves having these in their rooms and they're also the perfect editions to a den, family room, man's cave or office! Find all of these amazing products here: http://bit.ly/TargetUSFamily

Paw Patrol:
Chase, Rubble or Skye


Star Wars:
Darth Vader - Mask
Dark Vader - Light Saber
BB=8
Boba Fett
Yoda
Storm Trooper
C-3PO
Death Star
Kylo Ren


Marvel:
Deadpool
Spiderman
Thor - Hammer
Captain America - Sheild
Iron Man - Mask
Iron Man - Hand
Hulk Fist

My Little Pony:
Pinkie Pie
Rainbow Dash
Twilight Sparkle

Warner Bros:
Batman
Superman


Disney:
Olaf


Universal:
Minions - Bob, Stuart or Kevin

3DlightFX The Best Holiday Gift For Children,Teens and Adults! 3D Deco Lights Available at Target http://bit.ly/TargetUSFamily

Review: #PortableBluetoothSpeakers by Ancord

This is a rare times when I am reviewing a product that is the second time I have purchased it. This is the Ancord Portable Bluetooth Speaker. We already own this same outdoor speaker, same color even but it does come in a couple other colors. We got this speaker the first time to use outdoors around our camp fire at our cabin. I love the idea that it was portable and durable and waterproof and shockproof and many more features. This speaker in particular has a rechargeable battery with up to a 12 hour battery life which is a lot longer than a lot of the other outdoor portable speakers out there.

My husband told me that he would love to have the exact speaker or something similar to it to use at home when he is working outside. So I started researching different types of speakers but nothing had the combination of everything I wanted like this one does. What I wanted was a waterproof, shock proof, long battery life, and and FM tuner on it as well. And rechargeable battery.

It seems like many other speakers have some of these qualities but not all of them together. When I say shockproof what it means is that it has a rugged case and if you were to drop it from a reasonable distance it is not going to break. We aren't throwing the speaker around but I wanted to not have to worry if it gets knocked off a table outside on to the cement or something else.

The FM tuner is a wonderful feature in case of emergency. When you don't have electricity because the power went out during the storm and you don't want to drain your cell phone battery having a battery operated radio is a good thing to have. And you also don't want to run out of battery while you are waiting out a storm so the longer the battery life the better.

When I had the opportunity to review this product I jumped on it because my husband added it to his Christmas wish list, so hopefully he skims past this post on my social media sites :-)

I did receive this at a deep discount (not free) in order to review it. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are my own. No monetary compensation was received.

You can buy this on Amazon.

20 Tween Girl Gift Ideas

I have a daughter right in the Tween age and she has been giving me ideas to add to her wish list and I have added even more of my own as I come across items I think she would really enjoy. Of course, she will only get a small percentage of these items because we do stick to a budget and I make homemade gifts as well. I just wanted to share some of the things on the list in case the readers of Northern Cheapskate are looking for ideas.

As a tip: I have all these items added to an Amazon Wish List and I periodically check the list to see if prices change and if I see a price is dropped to a price I think it a good deal I will pick it up.


FYI - there are NO affiliate links in here and I wasn't asked to put any of these items on here, these truly are all items that my kids want or I want to get for them.

Stocking Stuffers (under $10)

Be Amazing Toys Energy Stick https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K0DSDC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I18VMXJE1OLWJ9

Toysmith Garden Root Viewer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00025EIZQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I2CAJKDODZME9K&psc=1

Sleepover Party Mad Libs https://www.amazon.com/dp/084312699X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I2AI6DC1D9EZR9

Mermaid Fish Scale Leggings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015VU4ITM/ref=twister_dp_update?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The Daring Book for Girls https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062208969/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I1G9M8QP033T4I

$10-25 Price Range

4M Doodling Robot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EWWW9O/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I1ZF0SGKCJJ469&psc=1

Melissa and Doug Craft Weaving Loom https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KO6UGXG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I309YMZ5E0735E

Be Amazing Toys Test Tube Adventures https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KO6UGXG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I309YMZ5E0735E

Rainbow in My Room Night Light Light Projector

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TK8440/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I31XSMRERLRJ54&psc=1

Sew Everything Workshop Beginner’s Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761139737/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I2ZKP3E9WAOSV2

Glow’n’Grow Terrarium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I9KDFK0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I1PZTPOL1K56W

4M Magentic Mini Tile Art https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016ISNW2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I36W49PJ0084UN

$25-$50 Price Range

Chicago Bullet Roller Skate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047HDHZC/ref=twister_dp_update?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Ozobot Programmable Toy Robot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TCC9MA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I1UPGRBTFRKPAH&psc=1

Sound Soul Music Fountain Speakers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014MCIGYS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I36Z4Y1TDAUFC9&psc=1

Go Sports Slammo Game

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K8ANYZU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I3BCWFJ0LGMRZ0

Intex Inflatable Pull-Out Chair Bed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OHEYZG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=22SN3QPF6OLB&coliid=I3QZUHYMVPGMGZ

$50+ Price Range

Snowboard: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DREG5I/ref=twister_B01LXV9OFA?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

Razor Powerwing Scooter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K3JUHA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U031QMTZWNFQ&coliid=I3Q6TLKUYCFR22&psc=1

Perfume Science Kit https://www.amazon.com/Thames-Kosmos-646517-Sophisticated-Science/dp/B001ALLMWS

Save 20% HICKIES shoe lacing system! Great gift for Holidays!

Turn any pair of shoes into custom-fitted slip-ons with HICKIES lacing system. Perfect gift for any age from kids to adults. https://www.hickies.com/

HICKIES are great for any adult or kid with a wide range of colours.

An unexpected, fun and extremely functional product.

One size fits all!
Amazing stocking stuffer prices at $11.99 (HICKIES Kids), $14.99 (HICKIES Adult) and $17.99 (HICKIES Metallics)

The travel, parenting and fitness hack that you never knew you needed, until now.

Save 20% on HICKIES lacing system! - Save 20% on HICKIES lacing system! Use code USFG at checkout to save. Only valid on https://www.hickies.com/
http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=13107&dealid=3026 .@usfg

#PracticeInGratitude Yoga Challenge

So I am going to give this yoga challenge a shot. I much prefer challenges that tell me all of the poses in advance so I am not waiting to see what the post is that we have to do and post because sometimes I am up and ready to do my yoga earlier than the hosts are. So we'll see how this goes. I do admit that I stopped doing the YouTube fitness challenge. Since I have started going back to classes I just don't have as much time in my day to sit and watch a YouTube video then do the exercises and take pictures of them and post them to Instagram so I only did two of the five days for that one. And I am okay with that. Sometimes you need to cut things to make way for other things. So I am still doing the other yoga challenge that last all month and then this one will be shorter challenge. I am sure I can find another one that starts right after this one is done.

How the #HippyHalloween Yoga Challenge Turned Out

The first two collages are from the first 10 days of this yoga challenge. So far the first third of this challenge has been doable and have been put aside I do and up getting more of a workout doing the use because I take quite a few pictures before I get one that I am willing to post. Often while doing it I am noticing any type of Corrections I need to make in the pose to get into a better and make sure that I am doing it correctly.

20 - 3rd Grade Level AR Books About Birthdays

It was just my son's birthday recently! So, let's check out what books are out there at the 3rd grade level about birthdays. He's only a 1st grader, but is a very good reader. Both my kids are. Proud mama!


3.1
A Hat for Ivan by Max Lucado
Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Suess

3.2
The Meanest Birthday Girl by Josh Schneider
Three Cheers for Catherine the Great by Cari Best

3.3
Happy Birthday by Gail Gibbons
Happy Birdday Tacky by Helen Lester
Scaredy Squirrel has a Birthday Party by Melanie Watt

3.4
Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School by David Mackintosh
Martha Moth Makes Socks by Cambria Evans

3.5
Angelina's Perfect Party by Katharine Craig
Lyle and the Birthday Party by Bernard Waber

3.6
A Birthday for Frances by Russell Hoban
Cam Jansen and the Birthday Mystery by David Adler
The Matau by Eric Walters

3.7 
Happy Birthday Mallory by Laurie Friendman

3.8
Moira's Birthday by Robert Munsch
The Foot Stomping Adventures of Clementine Sweet by Kitty Griffin
Under the Same Sun by Sharon Robinson

3.9
Over and Over by Charlotte Zolotow
The Princess and Her Pets by Angela Kanter

100 Places that Adults Want to Go in the Twin Cities

Whether it be a date night or meeting up with a friend, I hope you find this list as a good resource for ideas of places that adults will want to checkout. Yes, I do have kids and we have plenty of places we like to go with them (guess maybe I should make another list for that). I started making this list when a friend moved and I wanted to find fun and interesting things to meet up to do. She had suggested several times I should make up this list and finally I decided it would be nice for me to share my ideas, as I looked at so many other lists for ideas but ended up coming up with many of my own ideas that you may not have seen on other lists. I generally try to keep costs down, so many of these things are free or lost cost.

FYI - These are in no particular order, just in the order I thought of them, did them or learned about them.

100 Places To Go in the Twin Cities Area

1. Try out the NEW Adult Nights Out at the Minnesota Zoo (FREE for members!!)
2. Or try out a Social Science Night at the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM and MPR members get a discount)
3. Have a 3-course dinner for two at Kafe 421  for only $25 (salad, pasta and dessert to share)
4. Play bocce ball or go bowling at Pinstripes in Edina and have dinner (go on Monday night for $10 Bottomless Spaghetti and Meatball and Chopped Salad)
5. Knock over some pins at Memory Lanes Bowling for as little $1.99/game.
6. Walk the 4 mile trail around at Cleary Lake at Cleary Lake Regional Park (also, add in the other 3 miles of trails), then.....
7. Grab some fresh pastries or soup and sandwich from Edelwiess Bakery and Cafe in Prior Lake
8. Take a guided tour of the St. Paul Cathedral and/or 
9. Tour the Basilica of St. Mary
10. Visit the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul (FREE admission on Tu evenings)
11. Do some hiking and exploring around Fort Snelling State Park and while you are there, 
12. Visit Historic Fort Snelling
13. Discover 19th-Century Minnesota at The Landing in Shakopee
14. Play Disc Golf or use the cross country ski trails or lay out at Wirth Lake beach at Theordore Wirth Park and while you are there,
15. Meander through the Quaking Bog as well as take a 
16. Stroll through the  Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
17. If you want to see more flowers still, check out the Lyndale Rose Garden
18. Take in all the sights and sounds at the Longfellow Gardens in Minnehaha Regional Park
19. Learn a little at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (free admission)
20. Take in even more art with a tour of the Weisman Art Museu
21. Browse and appreciate at the Walker Art Center on Target Free Thursday Nights or Free First Saturdays (this one also has family activities) 
22. Have a picnic and explore the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
23. Take a cooking class at Mississippi Market
24. Watch a free performance of the St. Paul Ballet on Ballet Tuesdays at the Landmark Center and while you are there, why not check out
25. The Landmark Center Museums and Exhibits, as well as
26. Have lunch at Anita's Cafe an Lunch
27. Don a pair of skates or blades and go skating at Skateville in Burnsville (they have times for 18+ and Active Older Adults)
28. Have dinner and ride the bull at Cadillac Ranch at the Mall of America
29. Be a thrill seeker and complete the course at Dutchman's Deck Adventure Course  and when you are ready to be back on land, 
30. Try out your skills on Moose Mountain Adventure Golf
31. Go tubing or skiing at Elm Creek Recreation Area
32. Take a beginner lesson in skiing or snowboarding at Buck Hill 
33. Take a class at their Outdoor School or try out the climbing wall at REI in Bloomington
34. Take in some nature at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (FREE admission on Thursdays Nov-Mar, and 12-6pm Apr-Oct)
35. Go to the opposite side of the Cities and check out the Muriel Sahlin Arboretum in Roseville
36. Enjoy a cruise on Lake Minnetonka with Al and Alma's  (this is the one I did, but there are others and often there is a Groupon Deal for this kind of cruise) 
37. Ride on a working steamboat on the Steamboat Minnehaha
38. Stroll around Caponi Art Park and Sculpture Garden
39. Hike Around Minnehaha Falls and grab a fish taco at the Sea Salt Eatery.
40. Spend some time shopping and eat on Grand Ave.  
41. Enjoy some ice cream at the Grand Ole Creamery and Pizzeria
42. Stop in at ArtScraps Reuse Store and see what you can find to inspire a new project
43. Watch a show at the upgraded Omni Theater and Explore the Science Museum of Minnesota (get a membership and it pays for itself very quickly)
44. Or consider going to a monthly Behind the Scenes at the Science Museum of Minnesota, it's on Monday afternoons which is not a day they are typically open.
45. Spend an afternoon at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
46. Dine and Shop at Midtown Global Market, check out their events calendar to find free events and discount days with vendors
47. Attend free events at the Mall of America, events are always changing and may include live performances, book signings, meet and greets, fashion shows and much more!!!
48. Catch a free performance, concert or movie at Centennial Lake Park and Edinborough Park Ampitheater
49. Take a leisurely paddleboat ride around the Centennial Lakes waterways 
50. Take your pick of the many hiking trails that make up over 15 miles of trails around the many lakes at Lebanon Hills Regional Park
51. Do some outdoor ice skating at Wells Fargo Winter Skate at Landmark Plaza (free to skate and show your Wells Fargo check or credit card for free skate rental!)
52. Take your ice skating indoors at The Depot Ice Rink (check the website for specials and discounts)
53. Take in a film or two or three at the  Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival (pretty much is ongoing most days in April)
54. See any movie for $5 on Tuesdays at Marcus Theaters (plus rewards members get free popcorn too!!)
55. See 3 movies for the price of 1 at Vali-Hi Drive In Theater (Plus $1 hot dogs!)
56. Another cheap movie option is $2 matinee or $3 evening tickets at the Riverview Theatre
57. Learn more about raptor at the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota
58. Learn more about the Swedish Heritage at the American Swedish Institute
59. Take a guided tour of the James J. Hill House
60. Get up close with nature at the Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington
61. Go canoeing at the Rice Creek Chain of Lake Campground and Park Reserve
62. Enjoy the Macy's Flower Show in Minneapolis in the Spring
63. Try out a SUP or paddleboat for free with Midwest Moutaineering  (check their schedule for dates)
64. Learn more about the history of St. Paul and trains at the Minnesota Transportation Museum at the historic Jackson Street Roundhouse
65. Go watch the ponies at Canterbury Park (be sure to look at the website for deals and specials as they usually have them)
66. Tour the Wabasha Street Caves (year round, but there is a Ghosts and Graves tour in October!)
67. Or if you have already done the cave tour, try out the St. Paul Gangster Tour
68. Try to find your way out of the Riddle Room.
69. FREE Schubert Club Courtroom Concerts: Thursdays, October through April
70. Sundays at the Landmark FREE Events
71. Attend a Preview Performance at the Guthrie Theater, most preview show tickets start at $15
72. Have a meal ANYTIME of the day, ANY DAY of the year at Mickey's Diner. It's on the National Register of Historic Places, been featured on Food Network, in national magazines and in several Hollywood movies.
73. Tour a MN Brewery. Some of the tours are free and often give a free tasting and others may cost about $5
74. Get in the Holiday Spirit and tour the Holidazzle Village (late Nov thru Dec)
75. Enjoy the many events of St. Paul Winter Carnival (the majority of the events take place one week in Jan/Feb, but there are several events leading up to it for a couple weeks as well as a couple afterwards)
76. Target Practice at Gander Mountain in Lakeville (others may have it but this is the one I have been to)
77. Get your paint on at Simply Jane Studio either with a scheduled class or Drop-In paint time
78. Check out the comedy at ComedySportz on Thursday for $10 Thursdays
79. Or get some FREE laughs at Open Mic Night at Acme Comedy Club on Mondays
80. Enjoy 2 for 1s (beer) and participate/watch some Karaoke (M & Tu) or Stand Up Comedy (W) at Dulonos Pizza, they have no cover live music but no 2 for 1s during live music
81. Find your way through the Amazing Mirror Maze (you can go through as many times as you want during one session, be sure to check Groupon as there is often a discount there for it)
82. Attend a Signature Event at the Alexander Ramsey House, including the Victorian Christmas, History Happy Hour, Ramsey After Dark, History Chef and more!
83. Go Cross Country Skiing at Hyland Park Reserve (they have a 5k route with manufactured snow, so skiing conditions in the winter on that route are often good)
84. Attend a FREE Music Under Glass Concert (8 week series in Jan/Feb) at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
85. Or listen to the Minnesota Sinfonia at one of their FREE concerts or educational programs
86. During the summer, attend one of the Minneapolis Parks Music and Movies in the Parks 
87. Reserve your tickets for a FREE Taping and Performance of Lowertown Line on PBS
88. Go for a bike ride. No bike? No problem. Get a 24 hour pass for $6 for a bike through Nice Ride Minnesota.
89. Savor a Juicy Lucy with Jojo's at the original 5-8 Club, or try out one of their other 3 locations
90. Be amazed at a Shakopee Prior Lake Water Ski Association Show FREE water ski show
91. Or depending upon where you are in the Cities, watch a performance on water by the Twin Cities River Rats
92. Watch the Minnesota Twins play for as little as $6 a ticket. To get a price this good you have to plan ahead buy tickets early and bring some binoculars for better viewing.
93. Or watch the St. Paul Saints from the Berm ($5) or Bleachers ($6) at many of their games
94. For only $2 (one ride) ride the Lake Harriet Street Car or ride all day for $5
95. Get a group of 6+ ladies together for a Thursday night out for a show at Old Log Theatre and get $5 off each ticket and a free glass of wine each
96. Put your way through 9 Holes of Mini Golf at Putter There for only $3
97. Check out an event at the Gay 90's, No Cover M-W for 21+ and drink specials
98. Try out lawn bowling, watch some rugby on TV or test your trivia abilities while enjoying some fish and chips at Brit's Pub.
99. Attend a monthly FREE tasting event at Sweet Science Ice Cream.
100. People watch and listen to free concerts at the Minnesota State Fair, be sure to buy gate tickets in advance to save a few bucks.

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November Yoga Challenge #TheGratitudeChallenge

Let's do this one! It starts today so join in now or play catch up later on. This month I am going to do this Challenge and the first 5 days of this month I am going to do a different type of fitness challenge and possibly look for another yoga challenge to add in.