Primary August 14, 2012

Please note:

• The primary is tomorrow;
• MN House District 52A (north side of town) is not on the ballot in some precincts. There are no contested candidates in MN House District 54A (south side of town);
• Names may be in different order on your actual ballot;
• On the front side, you can only vote for one party. If you cross over, you will void your ballot. Choose wisely. On the back side, the judicial races are non-partisan, so you can vote in these races regardless of your party choice.
• You have been redistricted.  Your state and federal districts have changed.  Some of your favorite candidates may no longer be in your district.  Let's get up to speed on these changes.

Here are links to candidate sites:

Independence Party

US Senate

Stephen Williams

Glen R. Anderson Menze

Republican Party

US Senate

David Carlson

Bob Carney Jr.

Kurt Bills, party endorsed

US House District 2

David Gerson

John Kline, party endorsed

MN House District 52A

Joe Blum

David Meisinger (no website found)

Democratic Party

US Senate

Dick Franson
Darryl Stanton
Jack Edward Shepard
Amy Klobuchar, party endorsed

US House District 2

Mike Obermueller, endorsed, uncontested

MN House District 52A

Rick Hansen, endorsed, uncontested

Nonpartisan portion of Ballot

MN Supreme Court, Chief Justice

Lorie Skjerven Gildea, Incumbent

Jill Clark

Dan Griffith

MN Supreme Court, Associate Justice 4

Alan Nelson

Tim Tingelstad

David R Stras, Incumbent

Here is town square televison's list of candidates, including races not on this primary ballot.

Paisley Parking

Ava, brother Andrew and I took a walk in Lake Ann Park in Chanhassen. The park trail crosses over onto rogue pathways through the palatial estates of one artist formerly and again known as Prince.

Happy Birthday to Me

Mmm...Big Eddy's Russian Imperial Stout.
Way to go Leinenkugel's!
- The Infrequent Blogger

Princess Power

Sarah and Helena went to Target to get some supplies for the coming birthday party.



I've been to Target before, but when I saw that there was and entire aisle dedicated to the princess lifestyle I just had to document this revelation.

Then I turned the corner up the next aisle and OMG! there's an entire department for the purposes of all things princess.

Party Crashers

Helena will be Three on Thursday.



Yesterday, Pop-Pop and Helena went to the park together.

Helena played in the sand with the neighborhood kids.

We met one Dad, a Grandma and a dozen Moms (in varying stages of pregnancy). All the kids, except Helena, were wearing their protective sun bonnets.

One of the moms was having a birthday. We got to sing Happy Birthday and we scored yet another cupcake in the process!

Early Risers

It's all about Harper.


So I'm getting up at 5:00 AM every morning. I don't mind being up earlier than everybody in San Diego. I don't mind being the first one to doze off when they're just getting ready to party. I'll just have to get back on my work schedule in Minnesota anyway.


The thing is...it would be nice to have a little me-time...to drink a leisurely cup of coffee...to post a blog or two.

But NO!!!

Harper has to have her me-time too!




It's all about Harper!

A Fair Summer Day

Saturday turned out to be a nice summer day. Denice and I spent most of the day at Valleyfair. It was The Sportsman's Guide company picnic. Our neighbor, Trisha, is in personnel so she works at this event. Denice and I took Trisha's girls to the amusement park. Emma (7) took this picture of us with Sophie (5). Nice job Emma!

Sophie was pretty excited to get on the first ride. That was the Monster, a sort of spidery, spinning kind of ride.

Here is Denice on the Monster and, if you look closely, the top of Sophie's head.

Emma and I rode the Monster too.

I like riding the big roller coasters. Emma was tall enough to come with me. For the first time, Emma rode The Corkscrew, The High Roller and The Wild Mouse. She was never very scared.

Well maybe a little nervous.

Trisha got to take a break and wanted to ride some hideous death-drop thing. Trisha says I chickened out. Well anyway, she and Denice took off and I watched the girls while they went on the Snoopy rides together.

First it was Lucy's Tugboat.

Look! There's Denice and Trisha falling to their deaths!

Here's Emma with Snoopy. See the white framework of the High Roller in the background.

We cooled off and got wet in the wave pool. The waves got a little too high over Sophie's head.

Emma and I had to ride one more roller coaster.

Is Sophie tall enough for this ride? It's the horizontal pencil on top of the candy cane test! Notice the Corkscrew in the background.

Yes, Sophie just squeaked by. And that wound up our summer day together.