Great Minnesota Get-Together

One of my favorite traditions growing up was visiting the Minnesota State Fair the week before Labor Day. The food and people watching are like no where else in the world! I was lucky enough to fly home for the fair this year and satisfy all of my fried-food cravings. I attended the fair with my mom, stepdad, and twin brothers. We had a long list of foods to sample throughout the day, and ended up going back for seconds of some of our favorites! The Tom Thumb mini-donuts were especially delicious this year. The mini-donut beer was also quite tasty! We commented throughout the day about how crowded it was, and discovered when we got home that it was the highest-attended day in Minnesota State Fair history! We were proud to be a part of the historic day. I will be dreaming of grilled corn and cheese curds until my next visit.

The Great Minnesota Get-together

Some of my fondest childhood memories were made at the Minnesota State fair. I remember strolling through the barns with my family, petting the sheep's puffy wool and admiring the largest boar. I remember riding down the giant yellow and green slide on rough burlap sacks with my brothers and sisters. And I will never forget the first time I walked through the haunted house and how terrified my brother and I were as ghosts and goblins appeared around every dark corner. The great Minnesota get together is my happy place.

I am so grateful that I got to spend Labor Day weekend with my family at the fair. It was my nieces' first fair experience, and I know that they will forever cherish the memories made just as much as I will.  

Poutine- french fries, gravy, and cheese curds. One of my new favorite fair foods. 

Princess butter sculptures. 

There is nothing more refreshing than a beer-garita.

The Minnesota State Fair is truly the greatest get together. 

Life according to Instagram, Week 30.

Another week brought to you by Instagram...

1. Last Sunday was a bake cookies and stay in my pajamas all day kind of day

2. Monday morning I returned to work. After a few morning meetings, David and I were ready to set up our room... 
3. After a few hours, we were done! 

4-8. Monday night Joanna, Janice, and I reminisced about our adventures in Africa over margaritas and Mexican food at Habana Outpost. Looking through Joanna's scrapbook made me want to go back! 

9. Opening boxes of organizational school supplies is like Christmas for me... 
10. Back to my daily commutes and beautiful views of Manhattan from the Q train. 
11. Thursday pizza date nights are my favorite. 
12. Fun Fridays are back! Every year, we have buddies at work that we check in on and take extra special care. This week's Fun Friday challenge was dress like your buddies; Annie, Nicole, and I rocked the white and sunshine yellow combo! 

13. So excited to see my family in Minnesota! 
14. My sister Katie and brother-in-law Corey greeted Reese, Sage, and Chris when they arrived at baggage claim. 
15. I was so happy we got to see Katie and Corey before they flew out to Vegas that night! 
16. I came home to my favorite angel food cake from my Grandma C. She is the best! 

17. Up before the sun to drive up north to visit my Grandma A. 
18. Lake Mille Lacs. 
19. Welcome to Garrison. One of my favorite little pit stops on my drives up north. 
20. Just me and the open road. 

21. I love looking through my grandma's old photo albums. There were taken when my grandparents first started dating in the early 1940's. 
22. Pictures of my grandma and grandpa by the same fish I stopped at on my drive up north. 
23. My grandma's treasures. 
24. So happy to spend the morning with my grandma! 

25-26. Northern Minnesota. 

27-28. Pool time! 

29-30. My wonderful grandparents. 

31. On the bus to the Minnesota State Fair! Sage and Reese were very excited for their first trip to the great Minnesota get-together. 
32. Checking out the poultry barn. 

33. Pronto-Pups for dinner. 
34. Cheese curds. A Minnesota state fair staple. 

35-36. State fair by night. 

37. One of the many perks of my parents' house- sugary cereals I don't allow myself to buy back in NYC. I could eat an entire box of Fruit Loops in one sitting. 

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