Trip

On the final day of our weekend getaway, we went to the Mall of America. The big attraction there, other than the shopping of course, was the Sealife Aquarium or something named like that. It's changing to new ownership this week, and other than a few exhibits being closed, I don't remember the rest of the details. I will say that 9:45 on a Sunday is the perfect time to get to the mall, or at least it was this weekend. Excellent parking spot and the line through the aquarium was nonexistent in most places.

It took Grace a little while to warm up to the endeavor, but at the end of the tour they had a kids play area with a little slide and she broke out of her shell after that. Come to think of it, slides were kind of her thing for the weekend at the MCM. In any case, by the time we got through the aquarium the 2nd time (about 1/2 hr per trip), the mall stores opened and we did some serious shopping.

We had promised Sarah she could get an American Girl doll, and she sure wasn't going to let us forget that. She bought the Hawaiian doll Kanani (Kanini? Panini?) since Grandma Marilyn was in Hawaii at the time. Of course Grace needed something. We let her pick out a baby, but she wanted the toys in the display that came with the baby, so I kind of suckered her out of the baby and just got her the toys. When we opened them and she asked where the baby is I felt kind of guilty, but I am glad to report I have slept just fine since then.

We did a little of this and a little of that. The girls played in the Nickelodeon area for a while. Grace was angry she was too short to go on the roller coasters, but as I hinted at yesterday, she was tall enough for the Log Ride if she had a chaperone. Erin had wandered off and when she returned, she jokingly suggested we ride it, and I bought tickets before she had a chance to take it back. Fun was had by all, and when Sarah realized she wasn't going to die from the ordeal, offered to go again! So, Valley Fair, here we come! In 2012.

I had my 4th serving of Chipotle for the weekend. Fresh this time! Then it was off to Legoland where both of the girls got an Easter bunny set and Easter basket set. Then it was home again, although after dashing through the snow from Albertville (ask Erin if she found anything nice) to Sauk, we took a breather at mom and dad's for a very short visit with Dad, Levi, Steph and Isaiah. We made it home safe and sound and grateful to be sleeping in our own beds again.

Did I mention that the girls are sleeping in the basement now? Erin and I had stayed down there with them the previous week, but after the weekend, I think they were too tired to notice we slept in our own bed. It's the beginning of a new era, I tell you what.