MindWare on Kare 11 News

MindWare was also on Kare 11 news on Wednesday afternoon last week. Here is the link so you can watch the video. :)


http://www.kare11.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=595131262001#/Back%20to%20School%20brain%20games%20from%20MindWare%20Toys/595131262001

MindWare on WCCO News

Below is a link to see a video of MindWare (where I work) on WCCO news this morning. It was really fun to see some of our products on the local news. I can’t wait to see the spot on Kare 11 this afternoon at 4 pm. I’m guessing we will get a link to that video as well, so I will try to post that one later.

http://wcco.com/video

Click on the link above & search for “Brain-Sharpening Games” to view the video.

The picture above is our nephew Justin when we gave him Qwirkle for his 9th birthday. :)

Como Zoo

We went to Como Zoo with Angela, Evan, Luke & Mom yesterday. Tiffany joined us later. Evan had fun taking pictures with our camera. He got some especially good ones in the Butterfly Tent.

First, I took this picture of a Morning Glory at Mom's house.

Evan's picture of fish.

Luke


Evan in the Butterfly Tent. Next are a few of Evan's butterfly pictures.

Evan's picture of flamingoes.

Evan's picture of a sea lion.

Todd & Luke in their "wheels". Todd's knee was hurting pretty bad, so we decided to rent a wheelchair to go around the zoo. It was nice because it had a mesh bag on the back for carrying our stuff.

Grandma A & Evan

A Budding Guitarist

All the kids like playing with the guitar when they are over..............well, that now includes Luke, too. :)

Garden Railroad Open House

On Sunday, we went to a Garden Railroad Open House at the home of our friends, Bill & Paula Juring. Bill is part of a garden railroad club & his railroad display is amazing! Below are just a few pictures that do not do the diplay justice............but hopefully you can get an idea of just how cool it is. :)

In the background, behind Todd, you can see the Depot that Bill built to store the trains & railroad components in the winter. He actually has it set up so that the trains run right into the Depot building & park in there.

Todd would really like to collect trains like this...................maybe someday. :)

Presenting Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Marocco!

Saturday, we went to the wedding of my friend, Rachel Finkenbinder, where she married Matthew Marocco. Rachel was a beautiful bride & I loved her dress. It was especially nice that Rachel's grandfather performed the ceremony with Pastor Cilke. He was so cute when he got all choked up & said, "I'm sorry, she's my granddaughter." :)

Steve Finkenbinder walking his daughter, Rachel, down the aisle.


I accidentally took this picture, but it turned out to be a really good one of Rachel's bouquet & wedding Bible.

Rachel & Matthew lighting the Unity Candle.

Rachel's grandfather performing Rachel & Matthew's wedding ceremony.

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Marocco

Bride & Groom with the Bride's Parents......Debbie, Rachel, Matthew & Steve.

The three sisters........Joanna, Rachel & Sarah.

The Wedding Party

Their wedding cake.

Matthew & Rachel's 1st dance as husband & wife.

Rachel & Steve's Father-Daughter dance to Butterfly Kisses.

It was also my friends, Leon & Danielle's 11th anniversary. I remember being at their wedding 11 years ago............I caught the bouquet! :) Here they are with their 4 kids.

Rachel, Sonja & Todd.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs

Todd & I went to an outdoor movie at the Shoreview Community Center tonight with my mom & our friend, Connie.

We saw the movie............

The movie was shown on one of those big blow-up screens. It was really cool!

Connie, Sonja, Todd & Mom Lane. It was a really nice night for watching a movie outside & we had a great time! :)

Presenting Mr. & Mrs. Noel Nix!!

Yesterday, Todd & I attended the wedding of our friends, Theresa Thompson & Noel Nix. We were also asked to be in charge of decorating the room at The St. Paul Hotel where the ceremony was held. A great honor & a big responsibility. By the way, if you have never been to The St. Paul Hotel, it is absolutely beautiful! :)

We had all been trying to figure out how to keep the arch stable when we put it together & set it up. We could use weights..........or bricks..........neither a very attractive option. Then all of a sudden on Friday, when we were working on the programs, I had a splendid idea. I bought 4 tall glass vases at the Dollar Store. Todd & I brought the purple sand & glass rocks that we used in the centerpieces for our reception and filled each vase half full with the sand................

............and the other half full with the rocks. It was definitely a God thing that we had exactly enought sand & rocks to fill all 4 vases! They worked great and looked beautiful! :)

Stretching out the net of lights to put it on the arch.

We had a lot of fun decorating..........here is a picture to prove it. The Thompsons borrowed the white columns & a bunch of artificial trees & plants from Brookdale Christian Center. So with those & the arch, we were able to transform the room from just a meeting room to a beautiful place to have a wedding ceremony. :)

The photographer let me take pictures when he was taking them........as long as I did not use a flash. I was surprised at how well the pictures turned out without using the flash on our camera. Here is a picture of Theresa & Noel.

I liked this picture showing the back of Theresa's dress & veil.

Isn't she lovely............isn't she beautiful? :)

Theresa & her parents, Curt & Claudette.

Theresa & her 3 sisters...........Leah, Janelle & Andra. :)

Janelle & Sonja :)

Theresa & Noel

Noel & Theresa

Noel & Theresa's beautiful wedding cake. This was the theme of their wedding.........Love Like Roses.

The flower girl, Aubrey was adorable! :)

Theresa & Noel had their own table for two at the reception.

Theresa, Sonja, Noel & Todd. :)

Theresa & Noel's 1st dance as husband & wife. I don't know how I ended up with such cool lighting in this picture, but I'm liking it. :)

Congratulations Theresa & Noel!!!!