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Publisher's Note - August 31st

August 31, 2023

Hello Macaronians!! I hope you all had a wonderful week! As summer starts to officially wrap up I hope you're taking advantage of the somewhat cooler weather and finding lots of fun memories to make outside. I feel like before we know it there will be snow on the ground, yuck!

What were we up to this week?

We headed to Minneapolis for a long weekend to visit friends and family and also attend the Great Minnesota Get Together - The State Fair! We had the best trip and it was nice to be back in Minnesota where I grew up.

After we returned the kids were thrilled to be back at the Giggling Life Care Farm for their Monday programs! They had two weeks off, and even I missed all the animals! We spent so much time with them during the fair that it was hard to be away from them. School year programs have fewer kids too, so it's a little quieter and the kids love that.

After the farm we stopped at the new Rush Bowls in Thornton, near the King Sooper's on 136th and Colorado. There were so many options to choose from, but we finally settled on a couple flavors. I had heard the fresh made peanut butter was not to be missed, so I picked the PB&J bowl. My daughter got one of the tropical bowls. All the bowls come with topper options, and they get mixed with froyo (which I think is unsweetened, so it doesn't turn it into a super sweet treat.) I LOVED the peanut butter, and the kids were totally in love with the bowls. They ask at least twice a day when we're going back!

On Tuesday my daughter started her production of Elf, Jr. with The Arts HUB in Lafayette. They did a parent/actor orientation and then an audition workshop for the kids participating. She's been working really hard on all her audition materials, and will be auditioning on Thursday. And then the production will be underway, and she's so excited!

What are we up to this week?

We're starting the next phase of our upstairs project this week, which includes painting everything and getting new carpet. So we'll start painting my son's room this week. I hate painting, so it should be a whole lot of fun.

My parents are also here for about a week and we've been looking forward to their visit. They'll join us at a bunch of the kids activities, and we always have yummy dinners with delicious wines while they're here. We also sneak in some pinochle in the evenings.

I'm excited to go to the Grand Opening celebration of Living Spaces, which is the new store in the old Sears space by Costco. It's a national furniture and home decor store, and I'm so curious to see what they've done in that huge space! Rumor is they have an incredible kids play area!

Here's a little more info from their recent press release:

"Living Spaces has earned a reputation as one of the leading home furnishings retailers, providing guests with an unparalleled selection and outstanding values.  Rather than limit the brand to one aesthetic, Living Spaces prides itself on having something for everyone. The Thornton store in particular will offer over 168,000 square feet of various styles, including modern living, classic living, rustic living, reclining collections and opening price point options, plus four custom homes that represent different looks. 

Guests will also delight in the designer displays from such acclaimed industry heavyweights as Joanna Gaines, as well as Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent.  These celebrity partnerships allow anyone to bring home their sought-after styles at affordable prices.

When guests aren’t shopping for their home, they can partake in delicious food and beverages at the well-stocked café, while their little ones enjoy a play  matrix and kids’ fun space that are made just for them."

Keep an eye on my social media, I'll share more about our visit to Living Spaces, and the cool playground!

On Friday night we're heading to Jurassic World at Ball Arena. My son is a big dinosaur fan, so the show should bring a huge smile to his face!

Our weekend is pretty quiet, other than a dinner reservation at Cativella downtown. Otherwise we'll be hanging out playing games and making yummy food! 

For those of you with a three-day weekend, I hope you find time for some relaxation and making special memories with your kiddos!

I'll see you in your inbox next week!

Peace, love, and macaroni,

Susan