Week 227 and Week 139.5 - ATL, Twin Cities, Wausau, Madison, Tomahawk

Yikes!  So much has happened this week that I am just going to provide commentary to photos - we were in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Wausau, Madison, and Tomahawk!  All in 7 days!  Double yikes!

We started with a short plane ride from Atlanta to Minneapolis.  I fueled the kids with Doritos and Gummy Savers. 

We are especially appreciative to Auntie Laurie for spending so much time with us and hosting us in her lovely place in her lovely city.  Yay!

Our week starts with Pho in Minneapolis:

And we ended up at the coolest kids' bookstore - Wild Rumpus.  Where we met the amazing Gabe, Matt, and Dana:

We were lucky to stay at Aunt Laurie's cool urban digs - Sophia sports her morning 'do:

The girls are terrible eaters while traveling.  These plates have been somewhat helpful:

The Como Zoo:

We were thrilled to have Thomas and Em to hang out with us!

There is a plastic machine called Mold-A-Rama that makes this awesome yellow lion out of hot plastic.  Em and I made one for the girls... and promptly lost it.  What was left was this photo:

There was a driving school - Char is happy in this photo before lasting twenty seconds driving around a track (and getting stuck) - thankfully the attendant refunded our tickets:

However the train was more benign:

 

We met Casey, Holly and Bailey (our first time meeting Bailey)!  Here is Bailey with Uncle Wade:

Uncle Steve was a good sport while Char tormented his sunglasses:

Sophia pensive in Auntie Laurie's chair:

We walked to Lake Harriet - and the girls did not like fish in their swimming water!  Here is Sophia after eating some sand:

Girls eating ice cream at Lynden's Soda Fountain in St. Paul:

Waiting forever for our table at Nook (and what a darn fine burger it was):

A chip-filled coma from Minneapolis to Wausau:

We went to a corn festival in Sun Prairie - here is Sophia showing her urban roots as she hates the smell of the petting zoo:

 

The best part of this festival was the bounce houses:

A corn tote was super delicious - even the girls could not resist (as they normally subsist on air this was a major coup):

I think I got butter on my camera while taking this photo:

We then went to Laura and Dan's wedding reception:

The Favorite cupcakes were a favorite indeed!

DB has many talents- including making all of the signs and this awesome window:

Charlotte let me test out the light:

Next stop - Lake Nakomis:

I love this picture!

The greatest deal in ice cream - the Windmill.  See what $2 can get you!

Matt and Laurie can both ably wear kiddie sunglasses!

Grandpa at the beach with the girls:

A final swing before dinner!

 

Week 226 and Week 138.5 - America!

When I lived in LA I used to check the last minute flights published every Wednesday to see where I could go for the weekend.  I am not sure I ever went anywhere.

This was me, on a separate level, last Saturday.

I was looking to go to the US - and as a last ditch effort I found a flight on Saturday to go to Atlanta that left... on Monday.  So I bought the tickets for me and the girls... and had 30 hours to get ready for the flight!  Who does that?  Oh yea, I do.

I am glad I did not have more time as I would have freaked out for flying by myself with the girls.  I was saved as Delta has screens in their seats and Frozen was on offer.  The best was telling the girls to use their inside voice while they sang along to "Let It Go."
Flying was actually not too bad - though Sophia had a melt down on our short flight from Seattle to Atlanta.  

We have had jet lag - and I nearly lost my marbles as we were up for 3 hours earlier this week.

My sister has been a good soldier/co-conspirator as she organized "Project Exhaustion" and the girls swam for hours the last 2 days, knocking their jet lag out of them (thank goodness).

Sabrina is an amazing swimmer!  She is an inspiration for Sophia (and me!).

The girls love playing with their cousins.  And I am sad that we don't live closer to them.  I did not grow up close to my cousins but Matt did and I think his whole childhood experience was richer as a result.

Jet lagged Sophia - she was sick for this day actually:

Charlotte having breakfast at my folks's house.  Notice the green backyard (that I never spent any time in):

Sophia likes to watch this surprisingly moving Cinderella sequel - Char calls it too scary (she does not like the evil stepmother):

Camping Kye girls style!

Frozen is a godsend!

Swimming!

Ideal mid swim snack - Doritos!

We saw the Briggs - the originators of the Princess dresses for our girls!  The tradition continues:

Week 225 and Week 137.5 - This too shall pass

Coming off of rough week #2.  But seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.  Off to America tomorrow to reconnect with family so the girls can be with their cousins and grandparents.  One thing that I hate is being so far from friends and family.  I am excited for a local (or national) phone call to be an easy thing.

Wish me well in my 28 hours in transit with 2 girls in tow! 

On a funnier note - Sophia is literally wearing the same outfit 7 days in a row!   She really likes this skirt that Aunt Susie in Singapore bought for Charlotte in Bali.  She just wants to spin all day!

We went to Hard Rock last Sunday with Will B and his daughter Jessica.  We have been following each other around and were shocked to learn this was the first time she was hanging out with Charlotte (many a conversation I had had with Will while pregnant in Singapore... a good egg that one).  Jessica is 5 months older than Charlotte:

Trying to get the girls to pose in front of a fake NY taxi.  Char not so into it:

Char got her face painted at summer school - it was awesome!

Aya, Emi, and Kay took us to Rossio - our first time!  The girls really ate air (too much stimulus at these social meals, sometimes, sigh).  Here are the girls running around the fish tank at MGM:

Sophia ran in circles while yelling - here is her in action:

Girls wearing my shoes - again!

The girls like to put their baby dolls to bed - they do a good job of tucking them in:

 We just put up this owl tree in the girls' room - a fun interactive activity:

A not so fun interactive activity is brushing Sophia's teeth.  Here Matt is this morning: