Come join us for the Sidewalk Arts Festival, Sioux Fall’s largest one-day outdoor festival. Beginning September 10, 2011 at 9am-5 pm.  Held in historic downtown Sioux Falls on the streets surrounding the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science. The festival showcases art and craft booths from more then ten states and draws 40,000 visitors annually. There will be live entertainment, as well as children’s activities and food and beverage vendors. The Sidewalk Arts Festival is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science.  Walk up Phillips Street and enjoy a beer and Bratwurst right after at GermanFest!  It’s going to be a busy weekend downtown! Make it a great one! 09/09/2011

Join us for beer and bratwurst at the 17th Annual GermanFest on Saturday September 10, 2011 from 2pm-10pm. This is a free event that will take place at Falls Park West adjacent to Phillips Ave! All ages welcome!   Schedule of Events: Children’s puppet show presented by Siouxland Libraries 2-6pm Bochfest Boys 4pm Dachshund Races 6-10pm Mississippi Valley Dutchmen other attractions: Children’s games and entertainment German food and drink Dancing   Make sure to bring your lawn chairs and stay for a while! 09/08/2011

The first Minnehaha Courthouse was finished in 1893. Built by Wallace A. Dow it was said to be the largest courthouse between Chicago and Denver. The building is constructed of native Sioux Quartzite with slate stairs, granite pillars, stained glass windows and tiled fireplaces. Also notable is the 16 large murals painted by Ole Running between 1915-1917 for the sum of $500.00. Used for county business until 1962 when it became too small it was turned into The Old Courthouse Museum in 1974. Today there are three levels open to the public where you can view the history of Sioux Falls and the surrounding area. The restored courtroom and the law library are also available for rent for special occasions.  For more information please click here!                                   09/07/2011

It’s to awesome to only show in one part so here is part two of downtown Sioux Falls! Just some of the great things to discover in downtown Sioux Falls. Come and visit and make your own discoveries! To see more of our beautiful down town please click on the icon for part one.                                 09/05/2011

There is something about downtown! That mix of old and new, a nod to the history of the past and the promise of the future! I love our downtown, from the Jazz Club I go to on Saturday nights to the beautiful architecture! Here are some images from our beautiful downtown. I hope you come and visit us soon! Rosalie Check back for part two of our beautiful downtown tomorrow!  Part Two!              09/04/2011

Here are some more pictures of SculptureWalk 2011.  If you missed part one of my series you can click on the link on the bottom. Have a great Labor Day Weekend Everyone!                                             SculptureWalk Part One                                                                                      09/03/2011

It changes every year and you can vote for your favorite. But be sure to give yourself plenty of time because there are fifty different statues on SculptureWalk spanning over a mile! I went and photographed my favorites and I had a hard time choosing so this is part one of my feature! Hope you all enjoy! Here is part two!!                                               09/02/2011

Free family fun with a good message is what is available to you September 2,3,4 in Worthing, SD! LifeLight Festival is a Christian music festival that includes 6 stages worth of music and inflatables and games for the kids. There is also a skate area, an arts area and vendor booths for your shopping pleasure. Seminars are also being offered during certain times of the festival as well. If you want to make a weekend of it you can also camp on site! Food and beverage vendors are also on site.   For more information and a calendar of events please visit http://www.LifeLight.org/ Have a great Labor Day and be safe everyone! 09/02/2011

  First documented by Lewis and Clark in 1804 the falls of the Big Sioux River have been the heart of Sioux Falls ever since. That site is now home to Falls Park. With the remnants of the old Queen Bee Mill and the observation tower as well as the bike trail there is something for everyone. Sit a spell at the Falls Overlook Café and have a tasty sandwich or dessert. Or wait around for the Wells Fargo Sound and Light show played at around dusk over the falls (from Memorial Day-Labor Day). Also on site is the Falls Park Visitor Center and gift shop. Wait around until Thanksgiving and the whole park is illuminated with thousands of lights in preparation for Christmas. Anytime of year is good to come to Falls Park!   09/01/2011

  How Old Is grandma??? Stay with this -- the answer is at the end.  It will blow you away. One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.. The Grandmother replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before: '       television '       penicillin '       polio shots '       frozen foods '       Xerox '       contact lenses '       Frisbees and '       the pill There were no: '       credit cards '       laser beams or '       ball-point pens Man had not invented: '       pantyhose '       air conditioners '       dishwashers '       clothes dryers '       and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and '      man h... 08/27/2011

Sioux Falls  Public School District- School Calender 2011-2012 AUGUST 16-Elem Open House or date TBA Aug 23 to Sept 9 17-Gr 9-12 PST - evening 18,22Middle School PST - evening (APark & Memorial 18th only) 22- First Day of school SEPTEMBER 5-No Classes-Holiday-Labor Day 30-No Classes-District Planned Inservice Day OCTOBER 14-No Middle School Classes - MS Inservice Only 21-End of 1st Quarter NOVEMBER Fall Parent Teacher Conferences Elementary and MS - Nov 1, 3, 7 Evenings Nov 10 Afternoon - no EL/MS PM classes HS - Sept 26, Oct 3 Evenings 10-Elementary & Middle School - No Classes - In-service   High School - 7:30 -12:30 Early Dismissal  11-No Classes - Holiday - Veterans' Day Observance 23-No Classes - Compensatory Day 24-25-No Classes - Holiday - Thanksgiving Break DECEMBER 21-22-High ... 08/20/2011

SIOUX FALLS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 2011-12 School Year Calendar August 12 New Personnel Orientation                                           15 Personnel Pre-Service 18 First Day of School - Early Dismissal 19 Early Dismissal September 5 No School - Labor Day October 7 No School - Teacher In-Service 10 No School - Native American Day 21 End of Quarter 27 No School - PK-12 Conferences 28 No School - Vacation Day November 23 Early Dismissal 24 No School-Thanksgiving 25 No School - Vacation Day December 22 End of Semester - Early Dismissal 23 No School - Christmas Break Begins January 2 No School - New Year's Holiday 3 No School - Vacation Day 4 No School - Teacher In-Service 5 School Resumes February 3 All School Mass - Early Dismissal 16 No School - PK-12 Conferences 17 No School - President... 08/20/2011

....the time I have been waiting for since well, mid May?! Yes school is back in session! Please remember to watch out for extra little pedestrians running out into the street!  Also slow down in those school zones because officers are handing out tickets! I hope you all are enjoying the season as well as I am!     08/20/2011

I walking into the home with my clients and we hesitantly looked around. We were faced with the sign. It was hanging on the wall and politely insisted....please take off your shoes. They looked at me and I looked at them and I said I think I am going to keep my shoes on for this one! It was rather apparent that children and animals and adults that lived like animals lived there. The floor had not been cleaned for days?weeks?months? Who knows! Anyway just to reiterate a disgusting house with sticky floors covered in dog hair is not going to get sold when there are other homes available. People won't remember the house they will remember the grossness! So swing to it with the Swiffer and tidy up a little because the entire time your house is listed you are ALWAYS expecting company! Check ... 08/15/2011

    They are Cicadas! That creaky sounding insect that makes music at night. I guess to me there is nothing more soothing then sitting outside and listening to them sing. That is until one almost flies into your face! This guy almost did and I got my camera really quick to take a picture of him. You hardly even see them but this guy was hung up on a spider's web so he was sticking around for a picture.  Some facts about cicadas: 1. There are over 2500 species of cicadas 2. Only male cicadas sing which they do by vibrating a membrane on their abdomen. 3. While you would think that they eat other insects they actually eat plant sap. 4. Cicadas can live from 2-17 years.  5. Cicadas live in buroughs about 8.5 feet under ground. 6. Cicadas look a little scary but they are totally harmless to... 08/13/2011

I was trolling around Facebook like I do frequently (yes I am a FB STALKER!) and I came across an interesting post! It was a friend of mine that said that Facebook synches up your cell phone contacts into your Facebook account if they are your friends or not! EVERYONE! So I went and checked it out and it's true! Right at the top of the list practically was my ex-husband, whose name is John, But that's not what I have him listed in my phone as!! So word to the wise if you want to turn off this lovely feature go to the account tab, then to edit friends, then over on the left your contacts, and then on the right hand side there will be a link that says this page. From what I understand you also have to turn off this feature in your phone as well. I haven't figured out how to do this one ye... 08/11/2011

St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, SD was the first cathedral in Dakota Territory. Built in 1919 it has been a beacon on the hill to the faithful of Sioux Falls for over 90 years. It has just recently undergone an extensive renovation to return it to its original beauty.  From the beautiful marble floors, to the rich woodwork, to the hand painted frescos it is a beauty to behold! This is part two of my pictures.  Enjoy! To see part one of this series please click on the picture of the Cathedral.    08/09/2011

RASE July 2011 Housing Market Statistical Reporting   Sioux Falls, SD – August 8, 2011:Now that we've reached the height of summer, we're finally beginning to move beyond comparisons to the 2010 incentive market. Sudden, large movements in year-over-year change for certain metrics are likely the result of activity occurring at this time last year. Qualified buyers may find more attractive opportunities now than during either of the recent tax credits. Interest rates should hold their ground around five percent, though a shift in the federal credit rating could change that. Some indicators suggest improving conditions, but let’s see just how we’re faring locally.   New Listings in the Sioux Empire region decreased 19.3 percent to 459. Pending Sales were down 1.6 percent to 239. Inventor... 08/08/2011

Built in May of 1919 St Joseph Cathedral has recently undergone a major renovation. What has always been beautiful is now just breathtaking! I hope you enjoy my pictures!   Part two will be some of the detail work that is so beautiful!   To see part two of my series of St Joseph Cathedral please click on the image of the Cathedral.    08/08/2011

What curls around the city of Sioux Falls and is used by many? Well our awesome bike trail of course! Twenty miles worth of trail for your biking, rollerblading and running pleasure! If you like wildlife take a spin at dusk or dawn and you are likely to see Canadian Geese, beavers, White Tailed Deer and wild bunnies.  The bike trail is a great way to explore the Sioux Falls Park System as well since it meanders through many parks. I like to make a day of it and take a picnic lunch and do the whole thing! Hope you enjoy my pictures!   08/07/2011