0 In 2021/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

21 things to do at Mall of America – besides shop!

I’m not usually a mall fan. I’m one of those rare females that doesn’t love to shop. However, I do enjoy going to the Mall of America. Mostly because there is so much more than shopping. You never know what you will see or experience when you visit MOA.

Here are 21 different things to do:

1. Walk through a Tunnel of Sharks

Visit Minnesota’s largest aquarium. Click here for a peek at our visit and more details.

2. Get CREATIVE at Crayola

Click here for a peek inside.

3. Ride a roller coaster or take a spin around the Ferris wheel at Nickelodeon Universe

4. Eat good food

Donuts, cookies, chicken, mexican food, cream puffs, ice cream, sushi, steak, burritos, cupcakes, burgers and SO much more. If there’s a food you are craving, MOA will have it!

5. Make your own one-of-a-kind lipstick at the Lip Lab

6. People watch

Sit and enjoy watching all the people who visit.

Did you know more people visit Mall of America than Disney World?

7. Race a Go Kart

8. Throw an Ax

Photographs of Fair on 4 in Bloomington, MN. All images by The Restaurant Project Copyright 2022

9. Have a problem-solving adventure in an Escape room

I have a friend who visits escape rooms through the Twin Cities and said that Mall of America has the BEST ones around. My 15-year-old tried one for his birthday and absolutely LOVED IT! He did the Gold Rush but can’t wait to go back for the Prison Escape or another challenge.

10. Find your way through a Maze of Mirrors

My boys and I tried this and had fun!

11. Watch a movie at the family-owned B&B theatre

Join their free rewards program and you will have access to:

Treat Yourself Tuesday ($5.00 Tickets) and FREE small box of popcorn with the purchase of a movie ticket with the opportunity to upgrade to larger sizes for a discounted fee! Subject to any applicable premium upcharges and tax. Blackout dates apply
FREE same day refills on large popcorns and sodas
FREE #1 combo coupon on your birthday and more!

12. Attend one of the 400 free events every year

Celebrity meet-and-greet, fashion shows, and concerts around the mall.

13. FLY over America

This is one of our FAVORITE experiences at the mall – whether you are 6 or 60 – you will have so much fun ‘flying over’ the US and experiencing it in an entirely new way! Click here to read our story!

14. Battle it out in Minnesota’s largest Nerf Gun Arena

So much fun!

15. Have a weekly playdate

Every Tuesday there are free events for kids.

16. Get your steps in – Walk a full mile on each level!

17. Moose Mountain Mini Golf Adventure

An 18 hole miniature golf course that’s fun for the whole family.

18. Go “Behind the Scenes” for a 90 minute tour of how the “mall magic” happens

Click here for details.

19. Meet Santa (November and December only)

Click here to plan your Santa Experience.

20. Play with Legos

A visit to MOA is not complete without a stop at the Lego store.

21. Spend a night in one of the hotels attached to the mall!

What’s YOUR favorite thing to do at Mall of America? Leave a comment!

Want more ideas? Click here for my Minnesota Bucket List.

November 24, 2022 By Kathryn

0 In 2022/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

Red Wing Travel Guide: Top 5 Things to Do!

Our family had the sweetest day in Red Wing, Minnesota and I wanted to share it with you in hopes that you would add this adorable town to your Bucket List.

Driving into Red Wing, we felt like we were back in Colorado. This historic town has a large bluff in the background, making it look and feel like a quaint mountain town.

Here are our top 5 favorite parts of the day:

1. Hanisch Bakery

First, start your day by fueling up at Hanisch Bakery. Hanisch has been voted the best bakery in Minnesota. Their food and pastries are made from scratch and absolutely divine. We purchased a loaf of cinnamon bread for $4 and my boys LOVED it! I was so happy with their coffee selection. They had about 10 to choose from – including my favorite flavor of all time – Highlander Grog!

2. Hike Barn Bluff

After fueling up, we hiked Barn Bluff. There are different trails with varying difficulty. We took the moderate path and it was just the right amount of exercise for four boys and their mom and dad.

It was a beautiful hike and you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the Mississippi River when you reach the top.

Fast fact: Poet and writer Henry David Thoreau hiked this bluff on his travels through Minnesota.

3. Downtown Shopping: Red Wing Shoes

After hiking, we explored a few shops in downtown Red Wing.

First the Duluth Trading company, then Red Wing Shoes.

A stop at Red Wing Shoes is a MUST when you first visit Red Wing. The store is half museum, half shoe store.

Fun Fact: There are painted boots around town. Make spotting boots a part of your adventure!

4. Visit Saint James Hotel

The Saint James Hotel is a great spot to explore, stay the night, and/or eat. We walked around to see the historic artifacts and visit the Ski Jump Museum.

Fun Fact: Red Wing was the Ski Jump Capital of the US

5. Eat good food!

We tried to eat at The Staghead – it had good ratings and was walking distance from the shops were were exploring, but they were understaffed and canceled our reservation. We jumped in the car and drove a mile down the road to Bayside Grill. My boys LOVED IT and said they served some of the best burgers they’d ever had!

Other spots to try? Scarlett Kitchen (at the Saint James Hotel), Red Wing Brewery and Rancho Loco.

Here’s a peek into our day:

Have you been to Red Wing? What would you recommend doing, seeing or eating next time?

Interested in reading more about Minnesota?

Click here for a Weekend Itinerary in Duluth, MN.

Click here to read my Minnesota Bucket List.

Click here to read 15 Fun Facts About Minnesota.

Click here to read the 20 gifts that Minnesota gave the world.

Thanks for reading! Please consider subscribing.

October 22, 2022 By Kathryn

0 In 2022/ Family/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

A peek into our week in Indiana

Ted drove us to indiana – he worked while we got to spend time with my relatives. Our kids favorite place to be is with their cousins. Together they fish, swim, jet ski, wake surf, tube, play ball, play games, ride bikes, laugh, sing, tell stories, eat, visit shipshewana, golf, go to dinner/lunch by boat, and spend time with grandparents. They’ve made some of their most cherished childhood memories side-by-side and I’m so grateful.

Here’s what happened:

The boys went wake surfing…

And fishing…

Tubing…

And boating…

They played lots of games…

And ate yummy food …

They went golfing…

And relaxed…

They spent time with grandparents and great grandparents…

They obliged their moms and grandma by re-creating photos …

And made the best memories together!

I’m thankful for our family who opens their homes and shares their toys and food with our large crew!

August 20, 2022 By Kathryn

0 In 2022/ History/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

Exploring Minnesota: A Visit to the Historic Fort Snelling

I’m not sure why I lived in Minnesota for almost four years without getting a membership to the Minnesota Historic Society or exploring the historic Fort Snelling. I didn’t realize how beneficial those passes would be, or what a beautiful place the Fort is!

Fort Snelling is a fun and education field trip for your family in St. Paul, Minnesota. You will learn about army life, see live demonstrations, learn how they cared for the sick, explore the beautiful home of the commander, taste what they ate, watch how they made their tools, and more!

First of all, the Minnesota Historical society annual family pass is less than $100, and grants your family (plus two guests) access into amazing spots all over Minnesota, including: the Mill City Museum, the State Capitol, the Minnesota History Center, and today’s focus: Fort Snelling!

Upon arrival, we pulled into the gated parking lot for Fort Snelling. The parking fee is $4 for members, $6 for non-members. There’s a beautiful walking path along the Minnesota River up to the entrance of the visitor center. This area was recently remodeled. It has a small museum inside, as well as a gift shop and clean bathrooms.

From there, we enjoyed a golf cart ride to the entrance of the Fort.

The Fort is phenomenal. It was constructed 200 years ago and used until the end of WW2. It’s been restored to show visitors what life was like as a soldier living in this fort. There are characters dressed and ready to teach everyone about anything from laundry, to slavery, to fur trading, to black smithing! (Is that a word?) You can watch guns and canons being shot too, and food being made.

Some things to discover and explore:

The school house
The hospital/medical exhibit
The armory/weapons storage
Jail
Blacksmith shop
Dred Scott’s living quarters and how his time living on the base enable him to fight for his freedom from slavery.
Commander’s home
Kitchen
Archeology exhibit
Soldier’s quarters
Married quarters
Trails to the river

My kids and I absolutely LOVED it. We learned a lot about the history of Minnesota and military life, and enjoyed the beautiful grounds. There was even a baseball game happening as we left. We hope to be a part of that during our next visit.

This was the temporary home of Dred Scott and his wife. He lived below the army 'hospital'/infirmary, because he was a slave to a doctor. Because of his time in Minnesota, a 'free state,' Dred Scott went to court to obtain his freedom from slavery. — Army Barracks

Fort Snelling is very close to the Minneapolis airport, so if you have a layover – it would be worth checking out!

Locations, Hours, and Admission:

Historic Fort Snelling is open Wednesdays through Sundays from May 31 to September 4, 2022. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m

Address: 200 Tower Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55111

Admission is $12 for adults, or $10 for seniors and college students with ID. Children aged 5-17 are $8.

Admission is free for Minnesota Historical Society members, military veterans and family, native Americans and families, and active military and families (walk up only.) Tickets may be purchased in advance online, through the box office at 651-259-3015, or at the visitor center.

Website: Click here

Here’s a peek into our visit:

Thanks for reading!

Here are more places worth mentioning:

Click here for a peek into our visit to Mill City Museum.

Click here to read our Minnesota Bucket List.

Click here to read: 20 Gifts Minnesota Gave the World

July 27, 2022 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Family/ Memories/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

Experience the Garden of Eden with a visit to Fawn Doe Rosa

When my son heard there was a place near the Twin Cities where you could interact with wildlife, he nagged me until we made it happen – and I’m SO glad we made it happen.

Fawn Doe Rosa is a one-of-a-kind experience. Stepping onto the grounds feels like stepping into the Garden of Eden. There are big trees, a peaceful pond, lovely bridge, rolling hills….and beautiful animals that graze among all the guests!

We loved it. Even my TEENAGER was fascinated by this experience (and not much fascinates him right now).

Fawn Doe Rosa opened in 1963 and was originally called “Bambi-land.” The staff focuses on care, conservation and rehabilitation of the animals in the park.

We went on a Saturday, and though there were lots of other people, the grounds were spacious enough that it didn’t feel crowded.

We brought our lunch and ate at the picnic area outside, because they ask that you don’t bring any food inside. There is a playground next to the picnic area.

We enjoyed chasing chickens, adoring the baby fawns, feeding the goats and llamas, but the highlights for us were:

1 – Cuddling with the large buck:

2 – Feeding the animals:

It’s not free (in fact, it’s not cheap), but it’s a bucket-list spot. Adult admission currently costs $10.25/person and kids (ages 2-12) cost $9.25/person. Children under 2 are free. At the admission counter, you can pay for animal feed or pony rides. They offer coupons on their site for the animal feed.

Though it’s about an hour east of the Twin Cities, it’s worth the drive. They are not open all year, so check their website before you visit.

Location: 2131 US-8, St Croix Falls, WI 54024

Click here for more info.

There are 3 other note-worthy pitstops in the area:

the breath-taking Taylor Falls,
the quaint downtown – St. Croix Falls,
Franconia Scupture Park

Need additional ideas of what to do in the Twin Cities? Here’s my Bucket List.

Thanks for reading! Please consider subscribing.

May 24, 2022 By Kathryn

2 In 2021/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Our Anniversary Weekend In Arizona

Ted and I escaped to Arizona for our 20th anniversary – and what a place to celebrate!

The weather was gorgeous and we spent nearly every waking hour outdoors.

Here’s a peek into our trip:

Wednesday:

We arrived at the Phoenix airport, rented a Jeep, met up with some of our best friends (Mark and Stacey), and had lunch at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale. My heart was happy as we sat outside in the warm sun, surrounded by palm trees, filling up on tacos, chips and salsa!

After lunch we window-shopped in Old Town Scottsdale. This unique shopping area is filled with western style art, clothing, and jewelry.

Though there are many beautiful hotels in the area to choose from (Faimont Princess and The Sanctuary are two of my favs), we found the perfect AirBnB right in the middle of town. After dropping our bags inside the condo, we went straight to the rooftop deck to watch the sunset (and moonrise).

This rooftop would be our favorite spot to end every day.

That night, we had a phenomenal anniversary dinner at Dominick’s steakhouse. When we arrived, the host handed us a handwritten card, wishing us a happy anniversary. The food and service were outstanding. Our dinner ended with complimentary dessert – beignets, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and melted chocolate on the side. Yum! I’m still dreaming about that dinner. That was a delicious and memorable way to end our anniversary.

Thursday

We conquered Camelback Mountain. When we arrived at the mountain, I read signs saying, “Beware: EXTREMELY challenging.”

‘How hard can this be?’ I thought, as I saw a smooth trail ahead of me. Well, that trail soon ended and was replaced by nothing but huge boulders. We climbed rock after rock and felt like we’d never make it to the top. I kept thinking about the relaxing afternoon that awaited us, and that kept me going one step at a time. I wrongly assumed going down would be much easier, but that was a different kind of challenge. It felt SO good to have conquered that mountain.

We spent a luxurious afternoon at the Fairmont Princess spa! We got a couples massage, used their eucalyptus steam room, sauna, hot tub, waterfall pool, and adults only pool.

We left in time to catch the sunset from our rooftop deck and had sushi for dinner.

Friday

We woke up early on Friday and drove 60 miles north to Sedona.

I’m not sure how I’ve lived my whole life without knowing how spectacular Sedona would be. There aren’t even words to describe the beauty.

We started the day with a hike up Soldiers Pass, which led to a unique cave to explore. We brought sandwiches and had lunch with a view.

We hiked back down, drove through town, got coffee, then hiked Cathedral Rock. Because the landscape in Sedona is so incredible, you barely notice that you putting in effort into those challenging climbs. The hikes were phenomenal.

We met some new friends for dinner, then drove back to our condo to sleep.

Saturday

Saturday morning we met old friends for coffee, then went to Hash kitchen for brunch. Hash kitchen is an experience. It’s a breakfast party with a live DJ! Unfortunately (fortunately?), I forgot my tube top or any other sort of club wear that we saw other patrons wearing. The music inside was LOUD (did I mention the live DJ?), so thankfully, we found a table outside and enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the warm sun.

After breakfast we spent the day exploring Scottsdale and a quaint little town called Cave Creek.

We went back to our place to watch another sunset, and spend time with friends.

For dinner, we went to a cool spot called Sorsa Wine Room, and sat on their patio that overlooks a beautiful shopping area.

Sunday

Our last day. We packed up, then went to a friend’s church (you must visit Gateway if you are in town), before heading to their airport to fly home.

We packed a lot into that long weekend, and had such a great time!

A couple things we didn’t do that I’d like to include next time:

Hiking pinnacle peak
Dinner at Elements
Shopping at Scottsdale Quarter, Kierland Commons or Last Chance in Phoenix

Things to have with you at all times in Arizona:

Sunglasses
Good hiking shoes (not white)
Chapstick
Water

Thanks for reading! Have you ever explored Arizona? What are you favorite things to do?

Thank you to my in-laws for taking such great care of our boys, our home, and our dog while we were away. We love you Kevin and Shirley!

December 5, 2021 By Kathryn

2 In 2021/ Free stuff/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

Step inside a $43 million dollar Minneapolis mansion

Did you know if you have a library card, you can get access to museums, plays, and other fun things around town?

When I noticed a complimentary pass to a place on my Minnesota bucket list: A visit to the American Swedish Institute, aka – a historic mansion, I snatched up a ticket and snuck away for a couple hours.

Wow, it was spectacular! I enjoyed walking around and imagining what the owners did to earn the money to afford such luxury, and to think about how they lived, and the lavish parties they’d thrown.

I started doing some research and asking questions to find out about the history of this home – and was surprised by what I found out.

How big is this place and how much was it?

The home cost 1.5 million dollars to build in 1903, but is currently worth over $43 million.

It has 33 rooms and 75,000 sq ft!

What did the owners do for a living?

The owner of this home was a Swedish man named Swan Turnblad and his wife, Christina. They owned and distributed a Swedish newspaper. Swan loved new technology and was one of the first owners of a “color” printer.

How long did it take to build this mansion?

This home took almost 5 years to build. They employed EIGHTEEN woodworkers for 3 solid years to create the beautiful beams, trim and moldings you see through the home:

The magnificent fireplace inside the entrance to the home. Anyone else have a foyer fireplace like this one?

A room in the basement that was originally a “billiards” room

What kind of parties did they host?

Only one! A fund raiser.

They had a lavish ball room with a stage – big enough for a live band, but they never hosted one ball!

The owner’s wife was very reclusive and her closest friends were the servants. She grew up as a servant herself, so related to her staff more than the wealthy women in town.

I’d love to rent this space, invite everyone I know to dress up in their fanciest clothes, and have a big ball. This gorgeous room must be used!

How long did the owners live in the mansion?

The owners only lived in the home for 7 years! Mrs. Turnblad never liked the home. It was way too big and pretentious for her. They left the mansion to live in an apartment above their printing press!

What do I have in common with the original owners?

Only ONE thing (that I know of) – my favorite part of the home was also their favorite part of the home – the LIBRARY!

The home was so big, that they mostly lived in the library. Ted and I could happily live in that library!

Did anyone else live in the home?

Yes, they had one daughter, as well as two servants and their children who lived in the mansion. When the owners left, they allowed the servants and their children to occupy the home!

The children’s diaries were found and the children wrote about the fun they had playing hide and seek in this gigantic home!

What else is special about this home?

The beautiful bathroom with the amazing sky light. This is the original tub and tile. I would love to take a bath here at night and watch the sky.

There are 11 porcelain tile Swedish “stoves” (fireplaces) in the mansion, every one of them is unique.

The ceilings are a work of art:

The original kitchen:

I didn’t take a picture, but the pantry is larger than my entire kitchen.

Who bought the mansion after the original owners moved out?

No one. There was only one owner, and they donated the mansion to the American Swedish Institute. Today it is a cultural center, museum, art center, and gathering place for anybody interested in Swedish and Nordic culture.

What’s new now?

The. basement has been updated with a beautiful children’s play room and classrooms.

2. The Solarium was updated

The solarium (sun room) became unusable. It was too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, and the framing had been destroyed by the harsh Minnesota winters.

It cost almost as much to update this room (over a million dollars in current dollars) as the original owners paid for the entire house at the turn of the century.

I loved the solarium! Next time I want to bring a book to sit in here and read!

3. Nelson Cultural Center

In 2012, a 34,000 square foot addition known as the Nelson Cultural Center opened. It is a gathering place that houses the café, the art gallery, classrooms, and event spaces.

The mansion is a landmark that has been placed on the national, state and city registers of historical places.

Do you want to visit?

Check out the smart pass website by clicking here to see if there are any complimentary passes, or visit their website to purchase a pass.

Thanks for reading!

Click here for the Top 25 things to do in Minnesota!

June 4, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Our escape to Marco Island

When our friends (Mark and Stacey) purchased a home on Marco Island and invited us to leave the snow and freezing February temps in Minnesota and join them for a sunny, GORGEOUS weekend in Florida … we couldn’t say YES fast enough.

I could not wait to put my toes in the sand, see the beautiful Florida sunsets, have time with friends – and not wake up to an alarm, a puppy, or a child.

My amazing in-laws offered to drive up and stay with our boys so that Ted and I could escape to ISLAND LIFE!

When we arrived, the PALM trees immediately put a smile on my face. Palm trees = sunshine.

Our friend Mark told us there are TWO THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED different types of Palm Trees… but Marco Island probably has the prettiest ones of all….what do you think?

Our first stop was lunch in Naples. I’d never been to Naples and thought it was beautiful. Downtown Naples is a great place to walk, window shop, and eat.

Naples, Florida – June 14, 2019: Tourist walk and shop along the restaurants and luxury stores of 5th Avenue in downtown Naples Florida USA

It was hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that in Minnesota, the sky was gray, the ground was covered in snow, and the temperature was barely above zero…and here it was all sunshine and 80 degrees. How was it possible? I didn’t spend much time trying to figure it out – I just wanted to soak so much in that I could bring it back to Minnesota.

Lunch in Naples – I’d been up since 3AM!

After lunch, we drove to our friend’s lovely home on Marco Island. Seventy five percent of the homeowners live on water. If you are a boater or want to be on the water – this place is paradise!

We changed our clothes and jumped on their wave runners.

Did you know Marco Island is the largest of TEN THOUSAND islands in southwest Florida? Most of the islands are unpopulated and covered in mangroves. Some have their own private beaches and are loaded with shells and wildlife. We pulled up to one of the islands, searched for shells, and watched the amazing sunset.

That night I went to bed early since I’d been up since 3 AM to catch a flight.

Friday, we started the day with a bike ride to a bagel shop for breakfast.

We biked home, changed into our swimsuits, and spent the next few hours at the beach. Marco Island beach was huge, with soft, warm sand and loaded with shells.

Marco has one of the WIDEST in Florida!

Walking the beach gave me a flashback:

When I was a child, my parents took a trip to Florida and came back with white shells. We painted them and gave one to each child in my class. The Marco Island beach had the exact same shells all over the beach. I gathered some of my own to carry on this tradition with MY kids!

After a delightful day on the beach, we went home to shower and change, then came back to watch the sunset.

After the sun had set, we went to dinner at the historic Snook Inn.

Saturday we took the wave runners to KeeWaydin Island. KeeWaydin has no roads or bridges to get there. People just pull their boats and wave runners right up to the island and hang out. There are concession ‘boats’ that sell food, drinks, ice cream and even gifts!

Boats moared up on Keewaydin Island near Naples in Florida

After walking around and relaxing on the unique Keewaydin Island, we got back on the wave runners to explore the islands around Marco.

Our plan was to ride the wave runners to see the abandoned Cape Romano house, (pictured below)…but one of the wave runners had engine trouble, so we didn’t get there. Cape Romano was hand built on what USED TO BE an island. A hurricane destroyed the island and most of the home. What is left is now inhabited by wildlife. (Click here to see more pics and read the story!)

Unfortunately, the hurricane in 2022 buried or destroyed what was left of Cape Romano.

We watched another amazing sunset …

…and went to a place called Deep Lagoon for dinner in the beautiful Marco Island Marketplace and Marina.

Sunday we went back to the beach and took a long walk before we had to catch our flight home.

Marco Island has vast amounts of wildlife. We spotted tons of dolphins, a variety of birds, unique fish, turtles and a manatee!

I missed my boys and was excited to see them. As we were landing, we got the text that our boys were going back into ‘distance learning.’ Because of TWO cases of Covid at their school, everyone was sent home for two weeks! I’d get LOTS of time with my boys after being away from them. And we’ve gotten much better at distance learning since last year. (Read how bad it was at the beginning here)

This was the first time I’ve ever escaped the cold to take a trip to Florida in February, and now I may never be able to survive another winter without making this an annual tradition. Getting a break from the frigid temps, having a few days to ourselves, with great friends, was really refreshing and I’m so very grateful!

I came home and realized the warmth I was trying to ‘soak in’ to bring back to Minnesota really worked. It wasn’t much warmer outside, but the warmth stayed with me on the inside! The escape to Florida with friends lifted my spirit.

First of all, just planning our trip to Florida gave me something to look forward to, then getting to be in that Florida sunshine melted that ‘winter gloom’ and boosted my joy, even after coming home.

If you are a person who gets the “winter blues” … consider getting away for a long weekend like we did! If that’s not a possibility, click here for some other suggestions!

Here are more pictures and some video footage of our trip:

April 10, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Family/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Peek into our Thanksgiving week in Oklahoma

Because of this unique year, we feel incredibly blessed to have spent a week with our Oklahoma family.

Here are some highlights:

One of the blessings of this season is that we are exploring more outdoor spaces. Of all the years I’ve lived in and visited Oklahoma, I’d never been to the Redbud Nature Preserve. My sister and her family invited us to join them here for a hike and we absolutely loved it!

The Gathering Place

This is a phenomenal outdoor park in Tulsa. (Click on this link to look at this place!) The big boys played football with Ted, while I explored the play structures with Luke.

Thanksgiving Day

What’s your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving? My favorite dish on Thanksgiving is the mashed potatoes and gravy – I’ve loved that dish my whole life. It might be my favorite because I only eat it once a year – on Thanksgiving!

My mother-in-law made turkey, ham, and the most delicious mashed potatoes and gravy. I made green beans, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin and pecan pie.

I forgot to add the sugar to the pumpkin pie recipe so I just sprinkled some on top before I baked it. It was a ‘healthier’ version and not super sweet, but still tasted good. This might be the way I make it from now on?

Fishing adventures

Papa and Ted took the boys fishing and they each caught a big one!

We celebrated Paul’s 9th birthday with cousins and cupcakes!

Paul wanted a real animal – but he had to settle for a stuffed one. We had cupcakes with cousins, then went on a hike and found an abandoned hive.

Thanks for reading! Whether you stayed home or celebrated with family, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too. In spite of this challenging year, we all have so much to be thankful for!

December 7, 2020 By Kathryn

1 In 2020/ Memories/ Traveling

Sisters in SoHa

When my mom suggested we have a sister/mom reunion in South Haven, Michigan and my sister offered to let us use her family’s camper – I was all in.

I did have to jump through a million ‘mom’ hoops to get things organized so I could be away. You know, just the usual –

child care while daddy worked,
rides to and from practice for 3 kids because dad can’t be in 3 places at once,
laundry done,
make a few healthy meals so they aren’t living on chips and candy for 3 1/2 days, etc.

When all the details came together, we met on a Thursday evening and started our weekend on the beach.

Listening to the waves, smelling the fresh air, watching the water roll in and out, and feeling the sand under my toes was the perfect way to relax and unwind. It allowed me to take a deep breath in and just be in the moment.

My sisters and I used to spend summers in South Haven when we were children. This was our first time back there together in 30 years!!

After sunset, we drove into town to have a late dinner at a restaurant called Taste. We loved getting to chat and eat – with no interruptions from all our kids (there are 12 children between the four of us).

Friday, we got to sleep as late as we wanted but were all up before 8 am. We slowly drank our coffee, read, and chatted.

Eventually, we left and got quiche and breakfast sandwiches from a cute local bakery. After breakfast, we explored downtown South Haven – reliving some of our childhood memories. We found the house where dad lived, we walked inside an old steamboat/restaurant he used to take us to (The Idler), we saw the beach stand where we used to buy hotdogs and Blue Moon ice cream, and the local store where we’d stock up on junk food (because #dadsrules are different than #momsrules).

After exploring, we spent the rest of the day on the beach – searching for unique rocks and sea glass like hidden treasure. We swam, walked, and read some more (I was reading BoyMom and Prevail).

We stayed until the sun set, then got takeout from our favorite local Mexican restaurant (Su Casa). I love their homemade tortilla chips and spicy green salsa.

Saturday morning, we enjoyed the South Haven Farmer’s Market. We got local berries and picked up a cinnamon roll from 6 chicks. One roll cost $5.95 and was as big as a dinner plate. We went back to the camper and shared the warm Cinnamon Roll, topped with the fresh berries we had just purchased at the Farmer’s Market. YUM!

Saturday was incredibly windy, so we went to the beach (with sweaters) and watched the Kite Boarders and Surfers ride the waves. Have you ever seen this before? I had not – and it was so fun to watch. Check it out in the video below.

That afternoon, we drove into Fennville. This town has beautiful vineyards and has several places to try local wine and cider.

For dinner, we went to Salt of the Earth. We shared a wood-fired pizza and delicious appetizers!

Sunday morning, we walked the beach one final time, then packed our things, cleaned the camper, and headed home. I felt relaxed, refreshed, and wishing the weekend hadn’t passed so quickly.

I’m so thankful to my mom for organizing it, getting us there, and feeding us all weekend. Thank you to Krista for letting us use her family’s camper. And for our husbands, who cared for the kids and encouraged us to get away. It was so nice to have a break from quarantine life and relax with people I love so much.

My sister’s RV
One last picture together

Thanks for reading! I hope you get a break from #quarantinelife too!

Here’s a one minute ‘wrap up’ of our weekend:

September 9, 2020 By Kathryn

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