Minneapolis 2013

Our yearly trip to Minneapolis never comes at a better time. I am just starting to feel better and really needed a change of pace for a few days and I think the rest of the family did too. We headed to Minneapolis on Friday and came back late Sunday night. We opted out of the hotel that we've stayed out for the past couple of years and found a better deal through Expedia for the same layout. A one bedroom suite with full kitchen and dining area. It was perfect and the best part...we all were healthy! Last year was a rough trip because the boys came down with a bad virus (potentially the flu) while we were there and it was close to miserable for us all. This year was great. We had some all day passes from my sister to the Mall of America theme park so of course we spent much time riding rides. We even left the park to rest and returned later in the evening. The overhead roof was clear so the entire amusement park area was dark as if you were riding all of the rides outside. The boys thought that was pretty cool. Highlights included...

Lego Land

Checking out the fish at the zoo

Ferris Wheel

A trip to Cabela's

We had a great time. We ended our trip with a shopping experience like none other. This is our second time visiting a second hand store called IAMUnique and it is true to it's name. Very unique and a bit overwhelming for the kids. They complied with the idea after hearing that they could pick out a toy from among the myriad of gadgets on the fully stocked shelves. It's nothing special, just an over-sized second hand store. I go into overdrive, trying to think of all the items that we could use for the next season of clothing. I usually pick up things for Ethan and this year was able to find quite a bit of summer clothes for him as well as some good books that we all enjoy reading together. It's crazy and a little insane (adding to the chaos was the fact that the day we went was 50% off everything) but worth the trip. We save a lot and it ends up being a good learning experience for the kids (what they can buy at a second hand store with their money vs buying things retail). All in all, a great trip! We're now getting excited for Florida come June!