Can Multiple Apps Connect To The Same Database?

I have an application that was developed under Visual Basic .NET 2005 Standard that I keep continuously running to monitor and gather data and store that data in a SQL Server Express database. This is all done on a single computer that's not networked to anything. The trouble is, I'd like to look at the data in the database from time to time without shutting down the application, but I'm not able to do so. If I try to copy the database files, named lamination.mdf and lamination.ldf, to another location, I get the following error message;

"Cannot copy lamination: There has been a sharing violation. The source or destination file may be in use."

I would like to be able to copy the file to my office computer where it would be convenient to use Management Studio Express to look at the database tables. I can't even use Management Studio Express on the computer where the application is running, as I get the following message when I try to attach the database:

"CREATE FILE encountered operating system error 32(The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.) while attempting to open or create the physical file 'C:Documents and Settings barnardMy DocumentsVisual Studio 2005ProjectsLamination Phase ILamDataBaseLamination.mdf'. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 5123)"

Here is the connection string in the VB application:

"Data Source=.SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename="C:Documents and Settings barnardMy DocumentsVisual Studio 2005ProjectsLamination Phase ILamDataBaseLamination.mdf";Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True"

In the VB app, connections to the database are made only every few minutes, and the connections are immediately closed.

Is there anyway I can either copy the database files, or at least look at the database tables with Management Studio Express without stopping the VB application?

Thanks,

Tim