Minnesota Memories...

When I was just out of second or third grade, we packed up the car, ready for our annual trip to Alexandria, Minnesota for a week at the lake. My grandparents had a lake house up there, and we couldn't wait to visit as we had every year since I was born. There was SO much to do...swim, fish, walk to the little store for candy, play putt-putt, go shopping, do a puzzle, play board games---the fun was endless as are my memories of Minnesota. This summer was special, though. On our way out of town, my parents stopped at my best friend Amy's house to "drop off something." Little did I know that Amy's parents and my parents had been scheming and when Amy walked outside with her packed suitcase, I couldn't believe my eyes! She was coming with us on vacation! I have never forgotten that surprise and how much it meant to me to share Minnesota with a friend.

I can only think of a couple summers that I have not been able to go up to the lake, and although we had done a lot of traveling already this summer, we were bound and determined to make it up there so that Leila could experience the lake for the first time. And, just like I had been surprised so many years ago, we decided to surprise Madison the same way. On our way out of town, we stopped at her friend Roni's house to "drop something off." Boy were the girls excited to embark on a week's vacation---TOGETHER! They had a great time enjoying the lake together every single day, and especially loved tubing and a try at waterskiing.


Leila loved the lake as well. She wasn't so much for swimming (I think she was afraid of the fish), but loved riding in the boat, playing with all the toys, and just enjoying the weather (NO humidity!). Leila spent a lot of time with her great grandparents, Grandma and Peaches, who most likely won't have very many more summers up in Alex as the drive from Nebraska is long and tiring. She also LOVED being with her Papa and Zany (my parents) the entire week. We all watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics together and were practically giddy seeing all the sights of Beijing we experienced just months ago. Many have asked how Leila reacted to the Olympics, the Chinese people, even the national anthem of China. I have to say that although she watched it with us, she didn't seem too overly excited about anything on the TV. She liked the dancers and all the music, but didn't appear to recognize anything in particular. Our travel there was probably such a blur to her, plus she's really not that into TV---hard to know what her mind was processing. Anyway, Leila was a happy traveler and loved Minnesota as we knew she would!

And Rudy boy---oh Rudy boy. On the second to last day there, we went bowling as we often do. Rudy and Caeden were playing on bar stools, trying to 'hide' from Leila when Rudy came crashing down and landed on his hand/palm. He cried so hard that I was sure he broke something, but he was able to move his wrist and did stop crying eventually. So---as any good mom does---I made him "sleep it off." However, by morning his wrist was swollen and he still wasn't using it, so I made my FIRST TRIP TO THE ER (EVER) in Alexandria, Minnesota. Although they didn't believe anything was broken, the XRays proved that he did, in fact, break his arm. Rudy was excited to have a cast and was much more comfortable once it was put on. Now---of course---he wants nothing more than to have it off!

We finished our trip off with a trip to Minneapolis. Jason and the boys visited the Star Wars Exhibit at the Science Museum in St. Paul, while the girls and I (and my friend Steph from college) took a trip to the Mall of America. We all had a great time, and made a bunch more memories to round out our summer!

Thanks for checking in---I promise to post pictures soon from Leila's big 3rd birthday party of Olympic proportions!

Love,
Alissa