Lake Itasca (8-14)

Chris had to do a work thing in Bimidji,  so we decided to make it into a mini vacation. While he was at his work thing, I took the kids and explored around downtown Bimidji. We checked out souvenir shops, had ice cream at a cute place, and went to a local bookstore where each kid got to pick out one thing. Cook got a book of Stephen King book of short stories, Ama picked a couple of Neverland Girls books (including an activity book), and Rowan got a My Little Pony stuffed animal (Rarity).

As long as we were close, we checked out Itasca State Park, and waded in the Mississippi Headwaters. The water was clear and cool, and it was impossible to resist. Rowan got in up to her thighs, and Ama just ended up diving right in with her clothes on.

Black Hills Vacation (7-14)

In July, 2014, we drove to the Black Hills and met up with G & G and Eric and Blaze and their kids. We stayed at a KOA near Mt. Rushmore that is the same place G & G took Cook and Amaranth the year before. It was an amazing campground with horses, pizza, swimming pools, ice cream, everything a camper needs! We also spent one afternoon in Keystone getting an oldy timey family portrait taken with everybody except Lyric (he was busy wimpering in the corner - there's always gotta be one).

We went up to Dinosaur Park and let the kids climb around on the dinosaurs. It always surprises me how satisfying it is to see my kids doing the same things I did when I was little. I can only imagine it is even moreso for G & G watching their grandkids doing it!

The kids watching My Little Pony in our cabin. Strangely the only show everyone can always agree on. Being outside walking and playing always makes the kids appreciate getting to watch a little TV, and it's also a nice break for the adults to not have to keep an eye on a bunch of toddlers for a while.

One day we drove up to Sylvan Lake. We tried to hike a little bit, but there were too many children to get very far very fast. I lent Cook my more sensible shoes so that he could hike down Icebox Canyon a little ways with Chris (Cook's flipflops were killing his feet). The rest of us looked at small crayfish and threw rocks and sticks in the water (Lyric was the champ at that), and Rowan took a long, long nap and missed out on swimming. Cook and Ama caught tiny fish in a bucket and swam a little but the water was cold. Our afternoon picnic was interrupted by a sudden and violent hail storm, where we all sat with a rubber raft over our heads trying to protect all the kids and all of our food and stuff from getting soaked. It sucked so much we all laughed the whole time.

And, of course, we went to Storybook Island in Rapid City. First, we had a picnic in the park, and then we walked through the Storybook Island area, which is so huge and amazing - they just keep adding stuff to it! Rowan took a train ride with Blaze, Lyric, and Jazz, and bravely waved goodbye to us without even panicking when the train pulled away!

At one point, Cook had taken off his shoes and socks, and then was trying to get them back on, but his sock was rolled up. So he was whipping it around trying to unroll it, but accidentally let it go and it landed in the duck pond - wet sock. He had everybody cracking up as he went in after it.

Ama found a spaceship climbing toy in the playground and went on a very intense imagination journey where she tried to imagine what it would be like to see the earth for the first time and know that you were finally going back. This picture captures just one moment in the emotional rollercoaster.

Black Hills Cont. (7-14)

Of course, no trip to the Black Hills would be complete without some bumper boats and go-kart racing! I don't think Cook would've let us go home without going to this place just outside of Rapid City because it was his favorite thing they did the summer before. Everybody except Grandma got a chance to ride in a go-kart (she claimed she didnt' want to, can't argue with that).

Every vacation is awesome, but the best ones are the ones you can do with family. Making memories together is priceless, especially for kids who don't get a lot of opportunities to see their cousins, aunts, and uncles. Lesson learned. Again.

Barbie Dreamhouse Tour (7-14)

We went to the Barbie Dreamhouse tour at the Mall of America with grandma, and it was so cool that Ama has been wanting to go back and do it again ever since. It actually was really fun and magical. At the end of the tour they have a little cafe and gift shop, and Ama picked out a Stacie playhouse as a souvenir. 

Lake Harriet (6-14)

We spent a beautiful summer day at Lake Harriet playing on their new huge playground. We also explored the bandshell and had a picnic next to the marina.  Sometimes it's fun to be a tourist in your own city. It kind of felt like we were somewhere new!

Climbing at Red Wing (6-14)

We took a day trip to Red Wing so the boys could do some outdoor climbing at Barn Bluff. It was a beautiful day so there were a lot of people out climbing. We took Christian with us because he and Cook and Chris always talk about climbing together but rarely get to do it.

Rainy Day Rowan (5-14)

Rowan and Daddy went out for a walk on a rainy day so that Rowan could try out her fancy new matching umbrella and boots. She did some puddle stomping in the alley and Chris took like a zillion pictures!

Birthday Season 2014!

First up, Rowan turned 2 and we had a family party for her. She got lots of presents, including an umbrella and matching rain boots, Mooshka dollies (from Amaranth), and a play mat (from Cook). 

Then Cook turned 13, and had a party and sleepover with friends from school. They watched movies and played video games in the basement, and in the morning I found a pile of boys asleep on the futon that was still in couch position. Oops. Poor guys.

Then in May, Amaranth turned 8. We had a family party on her birthday, and then she also had a movie party, where she and 3 of her friends went to the Lego Movie at Riverview Theater. Real butter!