Recent content from Aimee Blanchette
Busy millennials confess: We hired a house cleaner and it's worth it
Millennials are hiring house cleaners to help achieve a better work/life balance.
Parents on the art of summer scheduling: 'The stress I feel keeps me up at night'
For many parents, planning their kids' summer break is a mind-boggling affair.
On 'Ellen,' Minnesota's 'Bachelorette' reveals her celebrity crush
Prior Lake's Becca Kufrin appears on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" for her first sit-down interview since "The Bachelor."
To fight flu, more Minnesotans on the hunt for elusive elderberry syrup
During this brutal flu season, a growing number of people are turning to elderberry syrup as a natural remedy. But does it really work?
A Minnesotan has never won 'The Bachelor' — but that could change tonight
Will fan-favorite Becca Kufrin bring home the Neil Lane diamond engagement ring?
Eagan dog owner's clever nail-trimming hack for pup goes viral
Like most dogs, Oliver is not a fan of having his nails trimmed, so his owner devised a viral-worthy plan.
Hi-Lo Diner wants you to vote in its Girl Scout cookie competition
The contest submissions are as sweet as the cookies.
Lonely Minnesota therapy dog goes viral after nobody showed up to read to him
A Facebook post showed the dog waiting for someone, anyone to come read to him at a White Bear Lake library.
St. Paul woman's 'Mobile Menders' repairs clothes and community
The volunteer group heads to homeless shelters, and senior and low-income housing complexes with sewing machines several times a month.
This bakery's cake goes viral after people mistake it for female body part
The winner of Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" called it a geode cake.
Carly Zucker's new KFAN show is station's first female-led program in a decade
Zucker's "Overtime" will explore the personal lives of pro athletes.
John Gantert, the 'wizard' behind Dayton's 8th floor auditorium shows, has died
During the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, the creative wizardry of John Gantert lured thousands of people to downtown Minneapolis for Dayton’s famed…
Twin Cities agency gives teen moms boxes for newborns – just like in Finland
A new Twin Cities nonprofit is providing teen moms with starter kits to parenthood, including a cardboard box for their babies to sleep in.
More Minnesota couples saying 'I do' to winter weddings
Getting married in the offseason means a beautiful wintry backdrop for photos, and some cost savings, too.
Fans push 'Millie to Philly' for 99-year-old-Vikings fan; she settles for Super Bowl
Ninety-nine-year-old Millie Wall, now considered the best Vikings' good luck charm of all time, is going to the Super Bowl.
Facebook event calls for people to dress up like birds, slam into U.S. Bank Stadium
A Facebook event calls for people to dress up like birds and run into the glass at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Vikings surprise 99-year-old with tickets to her first playoff game: 'I've been a fan forever'
Will one of the Vikings' oldest fans help them bring home the victory on Sunday?
Gretchen Carlson in the Twin Cities to 'inspire women to know that their voice matters'
The former Fox News host is urging underprivileged women to speak out in the fight against sexual harassment and domestic violence.
Twitter war erupts over whether there's a Minnesota-style pizza
"If your slice is shaped like a triangle, it's not Minnesota-style pizza," said Red Savoy's president Reed Daniels.
KARE 11's Seavert delivers baskets of hope to Twin Cities moms on bed rest
The local TV reporter is helping high-risk mothers have a more comfortable long-term hospital stay.
'Santa' drops $1,000 on shoppers from fourth floor, gets kicked out of Mall of America
The charitable stunt stunned shoppers, and angered mall security.
Chelsea Handler makes feminist fashion statement on 'Ellen' wearing Minn. T-shirt
The comedian appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" touting female empowerment while wearing a shirt from My Sister.
Minneapolis' iconic Grain Belt sign to light up again — and you can buy bulb
The Grain Belt Beer sign has been dark for years, but is ready to shine again.
First woman with Down Syndrome competes, inspires at Miss Minnesota USA pageant
Mikayla Holmgren widens the door for pageant inclusiveness, wins pageant awards for her spirit, courage and enthusiasm.
'It's an epidemic': Gretchen Carlson takes on sexual harassment crisis
The Anoka native says America is at a tipping point for dismantling the culture of sexual harassment.
KFAN's Chris Hawkey opens up about depression
Radio star Chris Hawkey on his lifelong struggles with depression: "I'm a broken individual just like so many other people out there."
Moorhead woman writes own obituary: 'Forgive someone who doesn't deserve it'
She filled her own obituary with advice, and the Fargo-Moorhead community honored her by hanging their holiday lights early.
Postpartum doulas are in high demand with millennial moms
They will plan meals, change diapers, walk dogs, run errands, tidy the house and care for babies at night so that new parents can sleep.
MSP's 'flight to nowhere' helps people get comfortable with flying
Airport wants to take the fear out of flying for people with special needs.
Map shows weirdest town names by state — see which in Minnesota made the list
Little Canadians reject list of America's most unusual town names.
Pet monkey who was 'kind of a celebrity' around St. Paul has died
Mikee, 'the last legal pet monkey in Minnesota,' dies at 19.
![] Mark Vancleave - mark.vancleave@startribune.com * Local pumpkin master Jennifer Benke shared her advice for carving intricate designs. Her specialty](http://stmedia.stimg.co/08_000_PUMPKINS101916_MV8_1098_41991343.JPG?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
How to carve a pumpkin like a pro
A master carver dishes on her tips and tricks, and even shows us how to make a Prince pumpkin.
Former Vikings player reveals he can sing, stuns judges on 'The Voice'
On Monday night, 300-pound retired defensive tackle Esera Tuaolo traded knocking over football opponents for stunning the judges during the season premiere of NBC's "The Voice."
Maple Grove graduate makes the finals of Fox's 'So You Think You Can Dance'
Taylor Sieve, 19, wowed the judges on Monday night, cementing her spot in the final four.
5-foot boa constrictor on the loose in Princeton, Minn.
Due to cooler temperatures outside, the snake may not be doing well.
Back-to-school shopping: nostalgic or nightmare?
How one mom's effort to simplify her daughter's back-to-school shopping turned into a lesson for both.
Minnesotan born at 1954 State Fair, now dying of cancer, goes 'one last time'
With a birth certificate to prove it, Ed Mosiman is something of a State Fair legend.
Minnesota driver's dilemma: To honk or not to honk?
When you're Minnesota Nice, honking comes with internal conflict.
19 years after MOA marriage, wife and terminally ill husband will renew vows
A couple who got married at Mall of America after knowing each other for just five minutes are saying 'I do' again, this time amid a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Al Roker of NBC's 'Today Show' to broadcast live from Minnesota State Fair
The TV personality is promoting his Minnesota appearance in a Facebook video wearing Vikings purple.
Eugene 'Gene' Kruckeberg, maker of Hope Butter, dies at 78
The head butter maker for one of the last independently owned creameries in the state died July 25.
Minnesota girl competes for $1M tonight on NBC's 'World of Dance' finale
Eva Igo, 14, is one of three dancers still standing in the TV competition — and will learn her fate tonight.
Minnesota musicians unite in the fight to destigmatize mental illness
A key event that makes the local support scene unique is HazelFest, a sober music festival taking place Saturday at Hazelden.
Video shows Justine Damond rescuing family of ducklings in Mpls. weeks before death
The Guardian released video showing Justine Damond saving ducklings from a storm drain just weeks before her shooting death by a Minneapolis police officer.
Father granted wish to see son graduate early from the U dies from ALS
Ken Brown wasn't expected to live until May so the U held a special ceremony in March.
From Paul Bunyan to a 65-foot fish, where to find state's giant roadside statues
We've rounded up the top 10 statues most likely to entice travelers off the Minnesota highway. Some are big, some are weird, but all are worth a stop.
Minnesota woman's first muskie nearly breaks state record
The 23-year-old woman from southern Minnesota caught a possible record-breaking fish that was too big to properly document.
New Children's Museum unleashes the power of play
When the Minnesota Children's Museum in St. Paul set out to renovate and expand, Barbara Hahn, the museum's vice president of learning innovation, wondered: "How do we create new exhibits to unleash the power of play?"
Giant 1,000-foot slip and slide opening in northern Minnesota this summer
The Iron Range town of Chisholm, Minn., is planning to be the epicenter of summer fun for one big day in August, thanks to a 1,000-foot waterslide.
'Father's Eve' created in St. Paul garage is now a nationwide dad's night out
A casual get-together in 2012 has exploded into dozens of events around the country for dads to bond together.
Minneapolis City Hall will become 'Kitty Hall' to bring awareness to cat adoption
Get ready for to vote for the cutest, furriest mayor ever.
10 surprises at revamped MN Children's Museum, including a 4-story slide
Officially open today, the museum's $30 million makeover gives kids a place to break the rules and explore their wild ideas.
Political move or thrifty shopper? Ivanka Trump wears $35 dress from Target
Unlike the $51,500 jacket that First Lady Melania Trump recently wore, Ivanka Trump chose a dress this week that's less than $20 from Target.
Minnesotans are melting away their double chins with new fat-blasting injections
It's part of a movement in cosmetic surgery toward cheaper, less invasive therapies targeting smaller areas of the body without going under the knife.
New Cirque du Soleil show — all about ice — coming to Target Center
Just days after Ringling Bros. performed its final show, Cirque du Soleil announced its latest high-flying circus production.
'We can never forget': Volunteers to cover Fort Snelling with 20,000 flags for Memorial Day
The volunteer group hopes to one day place a flag next to every gravestone, which would total 200,000.
Semi pins car against median barrier, seriously injuring man on I-94 near Hudson
Troopers removed the injured man from the car by breaking out the back window.
Oops! Forgotten weed stash donated to Once Upon A Child in Maplewood
Maplewood police: "Hey genius, Once Upon A Child thanks you for the clothing donation, but you forgot something in your pant pockets."
Fisherman catches mysterious shark jawbone in Mississippi River
"When we saw it coming up, we had no idea what it was," said Joey Piskel, who watched his dad, Joe Piskel, reel it in. "We thought it was a sheep skull or cow jaw until we saw the teeth."
After calling off nuptials, Minn. bride donates entire dream wedding to charity
When bride-to-be Jenna Yorkovich's fairytale wedding came to a screeching halt weeks before the big day, she turned her planned walk-down-the-aisle into a happy ending anyway.
The fittest city in America? It's Duluth, actually
Surprise! Minnesota's northern city comes in at No. 1 on Fitbit's new list of rankings.
Sweet! Minnesota's Largest Candy Store gets even bigger with massive new dome
The beloved candy emporium on Hwy. 169 is adding an 85,000-pound, 60-foot space planetarium.
Minnesotan singer advances to top 10 of 'The Voice'
The one-time Prince hopeful considered quitting music after his dad died of a heart attack.
'Fidget spinners' are all the rage, but some Minnesota schools have had enough
Fidget spinners are the latest craze to hit classrooms, playgrounds and social media. But some schools say the spinning has gotten out of control.
Stunt or trend? Nordstrom under fire for selling $425 jeans covered in fake mud
Reminiscent of every child's elementary school playground days, the jeans appear to have been smeared with mud on the knees, thighs and crotch. But they will cost you.
Minneapolis man creates 1,000-piece Lego diorama of Nye's Polonaise Room
The former piano bar and restaurant has been built entirely out of Legos.
Woman with Down syndrome to compete in Miss Minnesota USA pageant
When Mikayla Holmgren takes the stage later this year, it will be a first for the Minnesota contest and, as far as pageant officials know, the country.
St. Paul Saints will settle 'duck, duck, gray duck' debate with daffy new jerseys
A prank turned the Saints into the Duck Duck Gray Ducks.
Starbucks' most unusual drink yet — the Unicorn Frappuccino — wows fans
The brand-new drink changes colors and flavors.
'I do, I did, I'm done': Divorce cakes are trending right now
People have begun "celebrating" their splits with so-called divorce cakes.
Obituary: Ione Siegel, friend of Loring Park, dies at 88
A property manager near the Minneapolis park for nearly four decades, she was remembered as genuine and passionate, a doer and a quiet advocate.
Jessica Alba surprises Target shoppers with makeovers in Edina store
The Hollywood celebrity had some funny questions for locals: "Do you do fishing? Is that like one of the activities you do?"
![Ken Brown and his on, Collin, laughed they fist bumped to celebrate Collin's graduation from the University of Minnesota Monday afternoon. ] JEFF WHEE](http://stmedia.stimg.co/1003446141+3grad032117.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
U grants dying man's wish to see his son graduate
For possibly the first time ever, the University of Minnesota will host a one-student graduation ceremony Monday.
Families divided in the Trump era: 'I didn't talk to my parents for weeks'
The election has been over for months, but the rancor it spawned among families, friends and couples is not fading.
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