Minnesota Visit- June 2012

Wow, I'm horrible at staying up to date on the blog these days.  We spent 10 days in Minnesota in June, and I have yet to share any pictures or details of our trip.  Oops.  Since it's been a while and my memory isn't quite that great these days, I will just post random tid-bits and pictures from our trip.  We had a great visit, and since we hadn't been back or had visitors in 6 months, it felt very overdue. 

While we were back my brother got married (and Jace and my nephew Micah were the ring bearers), we visited two Zoos, the Science Museum, Valley Fair amusement park, the aquarium, two dinosaur exhibits, Mall of America, Legoland, Build-a-Bear... and lots of other fun places.  My favorite part of the trip was watching Jace bond with his grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousin.  It's hard not living close to family, and during these visits it just makes it that much more bittersweet to see him forming stronger relationships with them.

Mr Independant pulling his own luggage.

Jace, my nephew Micah and I at the rehersal dinner.

Jace learning to play foosball

Sleeping beauty... the night before the wedding.

Re-fueling at Brueggers and Caribou with mommy
and mommy's best friend Alli before the wedding

Daddy and Jace hanging out waiting for the festivities
to begin.

Daddy/Uncle Tate with the ring bearers about to send them down the aisle.

I could just melt... <3

Once Jace realized everyone was ooh-ing and aah-ing over him he decided
to put on a little show and put the ring pillow in his mouth to hand it over.

Jace and Micah with bride and groom.

Running away from pictures... again.

Apparently the sun was in our eyes??

Some of the family outside the church.

No more pictures!!!!!!!!!!

At the end of the reception

Jace and Micah on the dance floor.



The day after the wedding was Father's Day so we spent the day at Tate's parents house hanging out and enjoying some good food.  Then Monday we spent the day with my best friend Alli, getting breakfast at our favorite old school hang out (the Bruegger's/Caribou in Woodbury where we grew up), shopping, and eating some yummy chow mein at our old favorite chinese restaurant.  On Tuesday we spent the day with my sister in law Dana and nephew Micah, going out to lunch and hanging out at Micah's house.  It was nice to have some low-key days just hanging out after a busy weekend.



Stripping at Brueggers.

Trying on jewelry :)

Mmm... Yang's chow mein :) :)

Trouble making cousins...

"You can't see us and you can't hear us!"

Swimming in their undies...



The next morning while Tate was at work again, Jace and I headed to the Science Museum with my mom, aunt, brother, sister in law and nephew.  Jace LOVED the dinosaur fossils (of course!) and really enjoyed all the other exhibits as well.  Afterwards we met up with my cousin Maria for lunch at Granite City and afterwards, rather than getting stuck in rush hour, Jace and I pulled off the freeway and spent an hour at Como Zoo and conservatory. 

Jace and Micah as newscasters.

Making the T-Rex's jaw move with a lever.

LOVED all the dinosaur fossils.

Looking up at the dino with Grandma Nancy.

Learning about air.

Laughing at giant Micah's shadow.

At Como Zoo

Ooooh rainforest...

Running around the conservatory.

Making a wish in the fountain

Having so much fun :)

The kids room at the Zoo

At the polar bear exhibit.

By the time we met up with daddy, Jace was so tired
he was sleeping sitting up <3

Thursday Tate helped his dad work on the land, so Jace and I decided to go explore Mall of America for the day.  We ended up doing a ton of fun things like going to LegoLand, seeing Madagascar 3 in the movie theater, building a dinosaur stuffed animal at Build-a-Bear workshop, meeting some of our favorite Nick Jr friends at Nickelodeon universe, going to the underwater aquarium, shopping around, and having some yummy treats.  It was a blast and great to be able to spend the day just mommy and Jace since one on one dates with him are going to become more rare once the baby is here.

Touching starfish

Wandering through the underwater tunnels looking
up at all the sea creatures.

Sharks swimming over our heads...

Miniature seahorses

Nickelodeon universe

Meeting some of our favorite Nick Jr characters... we met lots more too.

Building castles at legoland.

Jace and his favorite food at the movie theater... now
he always asks for "butter and salt" on his popcorn. 
It ruined him! ;)

Waiting in line to build-a-dino.

Pushing the pedal to fill up his T-rex

Posing with his new T-Rex outside Build-a-Bear.  He
loved this way more than I thought he would!

First orange julius at the Mall of America.

So happy on the way back to grandma and grandpas.

That night we went out to dinner with Tate's parents at Burger Jones... the food was rediculously amazing.  My burger was topped with cheese curds, chicken fried bacon, velveeta, onions, pickles, etc.  Tate's was topped with peanut butter, hot sauce, jalenpenos, a fried egg, etc.  We also dipped our french fries in gravy and had sides of onion rings and cheese curds.  Maybe it's a good thing we don't live close to one of these!  Jace loved hanging out at Tate's parents house during the week.  His favorite things to do were watch Monster's, Inc. and eat popcorn in grandma and grandpa's bed, and play outside in the front yard with bubbles.

Climbing trees and Grandma and Grandpas

Watching Monster's, Inc with Grandpa.

On Friday, Tate's parents and sister took the day off of work and we all headed to Valley Fair amusement park for the day.  I hadn't been there in years and was surprised to see how many rides they have for kids Jace's age.  He had a blast going on some rides with all of us, and some by himself.  Tate and Mandi also went on a couple "real" rides, but being pregnant I was not allowed to... so instead I made up for it by sitting around and eating plenty of junk food. ;)

Jace and Grandpa Tom

First ride with g-ma and g-pa

Riding the boat with Auntie Mandi

Bounce House

Riding his little pink lady bug.

Charlie Brown show

Big Rollar Coaster with Auntie Mandi

Water park fun

Getting ready for the hopper.

Race cars with daddy.

Rollar Coaster with Auntie Mandi

Submarine Ride with Auntie Mandi

So happy!

Leaving Valley Fair... with Grandma and Grandpa

On Saturday we had a low key day and then spent the evening in Minneapolis at Stella's Fish Cafe for Tate's aunt and uncles anniversary party.  Then on Sunday we hung out at Tate's parents the majority of the day except for a small family trip to Mall of America to do a little shopping.  Tate's dad made a great fish fry and even Jace loved it.  It was nice to have a low-key weekend before leaving on Monday. 

On Monday morning before we flew home, my mom and brother took Jace and I to the Minnesota Zoo to see the animals and the limited time Dinosaur exhibit.  Jace loved running around seeing the animals and especially loved the dolphin show, the "real" dinosaur exhibit, and getting to ride a camel.

Dolphin show

Jace clapping for dolphins

Jace watching the dinosaurs move and make noises. 
He was in heaven!

With grandma Nancy

With uncle Alex

Grandma Nancy, t-rex and Jace hanging out

Playing in the water at the Zoo



Camel rides!

Shortly after we left the Zoo we packed up and flew home.  It was a great trip full of lots of fun times with family and friends and we're excited to come back again next week for another wedding and another long visit!