two weeks in minneapolis

we are back from our two week trip to minneapolis. as always, it flew by and we did tons of fun stuff. unfortunately that means it didn't feel all that relaxing but that's okay. we like to pack in as much as we can. this was the longest the kids and i have gone between trips home (a full 12 months). the three of us flew out together and then thatcher joined us five days later. like our other visits, minneapolis felt super foreign for the first couple days, but after that it felt like we never even left! one thing i've noticed in the last 4 years is that my tolerance for heat and humidity has gone way down since moving to seattle. oof! 

i won't do a day by day recap of our trip because that would get too long, but i'll recap the highlights in pictures. and i already covered my trip to duluth. 

we split our time between staying with my mom, thatcher's parents, and one night at our friends liz & joe's, which has become a tradition. we saw lots of friends and family, ate at many of our favorite restaurants, and checked out what was new around the city. 

it rained and thunderstormed the first few days we were there. but the kids still managed to have fun playing with their cousin jack on thatcher and his siblings' quadro from when they were kids. they also went to the bryant square park and wading pool a couple times. 

we met up with my old boss/neighbor/friend karen and her boys at town hall lanes to go bowling. it was azalea's second time bowling and ashford's first and they both had a blast. 

i celebrated my 35th birthday in minneapolis! in the morning my mom, the kids, and i went to meet one of my childhood best friend caylie's baby leo. he was such a cutie! 

then we went to visit my "bonus grandpa" bob at his assisted living building. he will be 94 this winter. he was happy to see the kids and we had fun playing rack-o with him. i can't believe how well he is doing! 

in the afternoon, i did a little solo shopping at 50th and france and got my nails done. 

in the evening, my mom, brother, thatcher, the kids, durant, cheryl, jack, anders and i all went to pizza luce for dinner. it was so fun to have every one together and to get my second pizza luce fix in a week. 

on the 4th of july, we went to our friends nate & missy's for lunch. we caught up with them while the kids played. 

that night the group from my birthday dinner (minus anders who was away for the weekend), went to 32nd street beach at bde maka ska (lake calhoun) to watch the fireworks. it was such a beautiful night! and no mosquitoes since we were in the sand! 

for the third year in a row, my mom and i took the kids to como zoo. my brother and my nephew jack came along this year too. it was a fun day of looking at the animals and going on some rides. then we had a picnic and the kids played on the playground. 

we got to see our friends becky and jeromy's new house in shakopee and went out for bbq lunch with them. yum! i always love watching azalea and linnea together. they are four months apart and only see each other once or twice a year but they always pick up right where they left off. 

one night my mom had my aunt, uncle, and cousins over to her house for tacos and hanging out on the patio. it was a beautiful night. the highlight was getting to meet my aunt and uncle's one year old cavalier king charles, oakley. he is so cute! 

one of the best parts of our trip was getting to spend time with thatcher's brother anders who lives in laos and was in town for the first time in 3.5 years. the kids adore him! 

other things we did that are not pictured: i went into my office twice, we celebrated my father in law's birthday, and thatcher and anders took the kids fishing at cedar lake. whew! 

now we are back in seattle and getting ready for our move...this sunday! wish us luck!