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.
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 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:
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.
Swan Turnblad
Christina Turnblad, a copy of their newspaper in the lower section of this picture
.
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
Beams outside the music room
The grand staircase inside the home
.
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 Library of my dreams
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:
One bedroom
The music room
The foyer
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.
Outside view
Inside view
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.
Currently on display: Papier
Costumes made from PAPER
The mansion is a landmark that has been placed on the national, state and city registers of historical places.
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 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! Our friends – aren’t they cute?
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.
The gorgeous 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!
Painted seashells
.
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!
We found this huge conch shell
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:
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?
3 generations of great men
My family with Nana and Papa, and my sister Brooke
.
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.
Clark and cousin Elle
Paul and cousin Ava
Nanny with her grandkids
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!
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.
Sisters in South Haven
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.
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!
It was Ted’s Birthday weekend and we wanted to get out of the Twin Cities and do something fun. A visit to Duluth had been on our Minnesota Bucket List for two years – so we booked a place to stay and invited some friends to join us for the weekend up north. (Bonus, our friends used to LIVE THERE – so they knew all the best spots to visit!!)
We arrived in Duluth on Friday around noon and started the weekend in Canal Park. We walked through a few of the quaint shops and got to the end to see the massive lift bridge. Every 30 minutes, the bridge lifts to let boats come into the Harbour from Lake Superior. You can click here to find the ship schedule.
Moose sighting (sitting?)Watching a glass-blowing class in action
Then we walked to the lighthouse at the end of the loooong pier. My boys were amazed that Superior is really a lake and not an ocean.
We walked back to our hotel to check in, then watched the trucks and tractors working behind the hotel – setting huge boulders in place and creating a large walkway along the lake. Each semi could only hold three boulders. After we watched them work for awhile, we drove to Park Point Beach, which is about an eight minute drive from Canal Park. The drive takes you across the lift bridge – which was fun, and the drive to the beach is nice because you get to enjoy viewing a wide range of homes along the lakefront.
Hanging out behind the hotel, watching the trucks at workThis long truck could only hold 3 boulders
When we arrived at Park Point Beach – full of soft sand and huge, heavy logs that had washed onto the shore. The lake is always VERY cold and since it was late in the day, we weren’t planning to swim. However, the chilly air, the cold water, and lack of swimsuits, did not stop the kids. They were playing in the waves within minutes of our arrival.
They watched the water for about 2 minutes…Then they jumped in and didn’t mind the freezing water. We found a couple cute Sea Turtles
After time at Park Point, we went back to the hotel to dry off and change, then walked to dinner at Canal Street Brewery. The restaurant has a great vibe, and huge windows overlooking the lake. We all enjoyed our meals and would definitely go back.
We’d been watching the weather for several days preceding our trip, and the forecast showed rain and lightning all weekend. Clark asked if we could pray and ask God for nice weather so that we could explore outdoors. God answered our prayer with fantastic weather all day. After getting into bed, it rained all night – but was clear by morning and we had perfect weather for exploring.
Wear comfy clothes that you don’t mind getting wet.
There are two large parking lots – if one is full, there is one just beside it. Both were nearly full when we left, but it didn’t feel overly crowded because the State Park is SO large!
If you are bringing children, I recommend following the trail to the LOWER FALLS. We started at the UPPER falls and found it was DANGEROUS for young, curious children. Our kids wanted to get really close to the edge of the falls, and could have easily fallen over. There is nothing to stop them.
Pack some snacks and a water bottle – All the hiking and water play will make you hungry!
20-30 minutes before you leave, call to make a reservation at the world famous Betty’s Pies. We tried to eat there, but there was too long of a wait. They told us we could call in advance to save our place in line.
Paul caught a HUGE frog!You can get so close to the falls – some people were walking through it.Love this place and these peopleExploring a quiet streamOh George 🙂
We happened to see a sign that said Grand Superior Grille as we were leaving the falls, and stopped here for lunch. The restaurant has sweeping views of the lake, and a well-priced menu. We practically had the place to ourselves and couldn’t believe more people weren’t there. The food and environment were fantastic. George said this was his favorite restaurant we went to all weekend because of the nice environment and good food.
Behind the restaurant is a phenomenal rocky coast.
Skipping rocks
Next, we drove to Brighton Beach but only stayed for a few minutes because it was way too packed. As an alternative, we went to Lester Park. It’s not a beach, but has trails to hike, a playground, and the best part – a beautiful creek to play in. The kids absolutely loved it and could have stayed and played in the creek for HOURS!
Lester Park Tips:
For a calm place to play, use the creek to the left of the playground.
The first creek you see (close to the parking lot) is usually filled with teenagers. Walking a little farther in, is a much better place for kids to explore.
Mom look, I found an L for Luke!Pretty Lester Park TrailsLuke and his friends
.
We talked them into leaving by promising ice cream. I was hoping to go to the historic Portland’s Malt Shop, but we drove by and saw a super long line, so we went back to our hotel and walked to Dairy Queen. While we ate our ice cream, we walked back to the Lift Bridge. The boys enjoyed chasing pigeons and sea gulls, and climbing on the rocks along the coast.
.
I also recommend you visit the fantastic and free Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center.
.
.
For dinner we ordered pizzas and salads from Vitta Pizza.
Notes on Vitta: Their food is fantastic! I shared an amazing salad with Ted and a couple different pizzas (both SO good). The kids loved the pizza too! I sat inside the restaurant while waiting for our food, and wouldn't recommend eating inside - the food is perfect for take out. (Rating 5/5) Go sit along the pier to eat dinner and share your crumbs with the seagulls.
While the dads took the kids swimming, my friend Mary and I got to enjoy a little quiet time to catch our breath and chat. After dinner, the mamas took the kiddos to bed, and Ted went out with Mary’s husband to rent electric scooters and enjoy some guy time.
The weather was amazing ALL day and I’m so thankful! We got to pack in SO much fun!
Sunday morning we went to a quaint coffee shop called Perk Place. I had the most delicious latte called ‘Honey Bear.’ It’s made with a little cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. We drove around the Congdon area to see some of the historic, ornate mansions. We also drove through the downtown area and saw the famous Duluth Trading Company.
Fun Fact: Duluth once had most millionaires per capita than any other US city. People gained their wealth from the Iron Mining and logging industry.
Our next stop was the GORGEOUS Enger Park. This park has:
A Japanese Garden with a large bell you can ring,
Many paths to explore and rocks to climb
An incredible view of Duluth, the harbor, lift bridge and Lake Superior
A tower with nearly 100 steps and about 5 levels. There are 360 degree views on each level.
.
Great views of DuluthThere’s a smooth path to the tower, but my boys would rather climb the rocky terrainThe Japanese GardenIt’s Ted’s Birthday!
After exploring the park, we headed home with happy hearts. It was an incredible weekend, full of fun adventures with good friends.
.
I’m thrilled that I finally got to see Duluth. There is so much history and beauty in that city – hills and large rocks, cool buildings and restaurants, falls and creeks, and of course, Lake Superior.
Planning to visit Duluth? Here are some recommendations of where to go.
Where to go:
Rose garden – Beautiful and overlooks Lake Superior
Glensheen mansion – explore inside and outside, located on Lake Superior
I’m a small town, Indiana girl – and though I was happy to leave my little town just after graduating from high school, I love going home to visit.
The best time to go back home is around the 4thof July. Boats are in the water, friends and family are gathered, and sweet corn is served at every meal.
Family love
The boys are blessed with cousins who live on a lake and share all their lake toys with them, and grandparents who live next door who share all their land toys with them – and lots of family nearby to share all their love with them!
George driving a boat
Luke learning to drive the Boston Whaler
Papa’s four wheeler
Papa’s Ranger
Highlights for the kids:
Tubing
Smores
Swimming and gathering treasures from the bottom of the lake.
They found a glove on the bottom of the lake that Kate had lost when ice skating over the winter!
She takes them to get the world’s best donuts at Rise and Roll, to get candy, ride the Carousel, and a Soft pretzel at Davis Mercantile
Riding the wave runner
My nephew Jack asked me to take him out. I let him drive, not realizing that he is a CRAZY fast driver. Within minutes, he threw me off the back – I thought I was going to lose my arm, but thankfully I only lost my sunglasses. After the ride with Jack – I’m retiring from the wave runner.
I bought replacements sunglasses for $1. And George asked for some too!
Highlights for me:
Annual Date Night on the lake with Ted, my sister, and brother-in-law.
We do a “progressive dinner” on the boat – stopping at one restaurant for an appetizer, then another for dinner … watching the sunset in between.
Sisters
Time with family and friends
Cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncle
Look at Luke’s smile (Jon is holding him in the back). Luke was so excited to see Jon. The last time he saw him was on The Voice. Luke said: You’re my cousin and you’re real?!?
Before moving to Minnesota, there were only two things I knew about this place:
#1. Long cold winters
#2. Home to Mall of America
.
Here are some fun facts I’ve learned about Minnesota:
.
1. Minnesota is called the Land of 10,000 lakes, but there are actually 15,291 lakes in Minnesota- more lakes than any other state in the lower 48.
.
.
In order to qualify as a “lake” – a body of water must be 10 acres. So, there are not only over 15 thousand lakes … but COUNTLESS ponds!
.
.
2. Minnesota has more shoreline than California, Hawaii and Florida COMBINED!
.
.
.
3. Minnesota ranks #1 in the US for fishing licenses and boat ownership. (One boat for every 6 residents)
.
fishing
.
.
4. Minnesota water flows in three directions – north to Canada, south to the Gulf, east to the Atlantic.
.
.
.
5. Did you ever wonder why the Los Angeles basketball team are the “LAKERS?” Well, they were originally from Minnesota – the land of lakes!
.
.
.
6. The Minnesota Twins Baseball team was the first team to be named after a STATE and not a city.
.
.
.
7. Minnesota was the first state to send troops to fight in the civil war.
Minnesota also had the last surviving member of the Union Army – Henry Woolsen – who died in Duluth at age 106.
.
Minnesota soldiers of the Civil War reunited at Fort Snelling in June 1902. Photos courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.
.
.
8. The Mississippi River starts in Minnesota and runs over 2500 miles down to the Gulf of Mexico.
.
.
.
9. There is only ONE waterfall on the Mississippi River – St. Anthony Falls, located near Minneapolis.
.
This waterfall was originally used to power several flour mills. From 1880 to about 1930, Minneapolis was known as the “Flour Milling Capital of the World.” Here’s a peek into one former mill, now a museum!
Here’s a fun game to get your kids talking! My boys love this game and ask me to play when we are having dinner together or driving.
Because this game needs NO SUPPLIES, you can play during dinner, on a walk, or anytime you want to engage with your kids.
Would you rather….
Be Superman or Batman?
Eat Pizza or Hotdogs?
Ride a roller coaster or a water slide?
Go to Target or Walmart?
Laugh or cry?
Jump high or run fast?
Have summer all year or winter all year?
Be really smart or really funny?
Drive a truck or a sports car?
Go back in time or go to the future?
Be able to fly or be invisible?
Have ONE great friend or 20 pretty good friends?
Be in the Mountains or at the Beach?
Take a ride in a speed boat or helicopter?
Go Skydiving or Swim with Sharks?
Build a Sand Castle or Play in the Waves?
Go Skiing or Ride a bike?
Watch a Movie or Read a Book?
Go Rock climbing or Swimming?
Own a Cat or a Dog?
Write a Story or a Draw picture?
Clean the Bathroom or Vacuum the carpet?
Ice Skate or Roller Skate?
Drink Pop or Water?
Play Inside or Outside?
Take a Shower or Bath?
Take a trip to Australia or Italy?
Go Fishing or Make slime?
Play a Video game or Board game?
Have more time or more money?
VOTE WITH YOUR FEET:
If you’d like to play this game with more than one child, call it: VOTE WITH YOUR FEET! Kids have to vote for which one they’d rather do by WALKING to one side of the room! This gets kids moving and allows them to see that they have something in common with another person.
