1st Family Trip

We did it. We actually went on a family trip for more than a weekend! Hooray for Jed being a "big boy!"
We left Saturday morning for Minneapolis and came home Tuesday so it was still a rather short trip, but I'll take what we can get. I think he is slllllooooooooooooowly beginning to realize that sometimes you just have to MAKE time for these things or you'll have a whole life behind you without any great memories. Kind of like taking the time to take family pictures. *cough, cough* If you keep making excuses, they'll never get done. Yeah I'd like to be 20 pounds thinner, but O to the WELL. Get over it! DO it!

Anyway after a few minor hiccups and roads closed where they shouldn't have been, we redirected and found our hotel. We were a half a mile away from the Mall of America, so we went over there to find somewhere to eat supper and let the girls have a peek! Ironically we walked in a door very near to the American Doll store, so we checked one thing off the girl's bucket list! We spent a good hour in the two-story store, picking out dolls that looked just like them, eye color and hair and outfits too. Jayda loved every second of it, Paisley was just in a mad dash to throw a doll in her cart and BUY IT! She shops much more like her dad! Jayda would have stayed the night in there if she could. (which btw American Doll store owners, isn't a bad idea). We bit the bullet and spent more on a stinkin doll than should ever be possible, but whatever. It's money. And it almost made me cry, how happy they were to walk out of there with something so special. Jayda grabbed my hand when we walked out and quietly said, "thank you, mom." Which she rarely does without being prompted. It was an "awwww," moment. Then we went to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings and in a couple more stores. We walked by the Buckle and Jed said, do you wanna go in there? I wasn't, just because I can shop there anytime, but decided since he was offering, that YES, I will. (good choice). It was the best Buckle I've ever been in. Jayda agreed, "Everything is SOOO cute!" After the damage there we went back to the hotel and called it a night.

Sunday we spent at Valley Fair. We arrived as the gates were opening and Snoopy was standing in front, with a balloon for Paisley! She probably would have followed him around all day. Later she saw him again and ran up to him to give him a hug. She said, "He's so cuddly!" Right away Jayda and I went on a ride that I shouldn't have. Way to much spinning, blech! From that point on I was a little queasy and couldn't kick it. The girls had a great time, Paisley had fun on all the little rides and Jayda braved a lot of the bigger rides with Jed. I think he pushed her a bit past her comfort zone, but there was no going back! We checked out the iMax theatre, which was pretty cool just because of it's size and the fact that it had air conditioning, but the 30 minute movie was really stupid. Thankfully it was included in the admission fee, so nothing lost. Jayda and I went on the water ride as we were leaving for a cool down.

Then we showered up and went back to the Mall of America and went to the "Planes" movie. It's like the "Cars" movies but with planes. Very cute. And their chairs reclined! Awesome! The mall was closed when we got out of the movie so we went back to hotel and ate then to bed!

Monday was waterpark day. Our hotel had the "Water Park of America" attached to it and as hotel guests we were able to go in 2 hours before it officially opened to the public. It was indoor, so that was the only drawback, but the girls loved it. Jayda and Jed went on all the huge slides and Paisley and I went down the lazy river and hung out in the kid zone. Jed had a swimming trunk malfunction so we went over to the mall real quick to find him some new shorts. Good Ole Old Navy pulled through for us! And we were back in the pool for another 2 hours before our session ended. We showered and found a P.F. Chang's! Came back to the hotel and the girls played with their new stuff and we watched a movie in the room. Nighty Night! All slept WELL! Got up at 8am and hit the road back home.