A trip to Minnesota

So I have a few posts from Iowa that I didn't get posted before I left.  So those will be interspersed into UK funnies!  Sorry!  This one got lost for a couple of days, but I have since located it, and it was mostly written when I was not jet lagged, so hopefully it makes sense!

When I was a kid we used to go up to a Lake in Minnesota every summer.  My whole family would go, I mean, everybody.  I looked forward to that time all year long, and has been one of my favorite spots my whole life.  This year I got to take the boys up, and we had a wonderful time!

Here the boys are having some good old fashioned fun with my grandpa.  Yes, that is an 89 year-old pushing around his two 30 pound great-grandsons.  They all three quite enjoyed it.  If you notice N is wearing his life jacket, even though we were no where near the water.  You can never be too safe!

My family plays a game every year called liars' dice.  There is a tournament at the cabin on the 4th of July.  E's claim to fame is that he was the first winner, and is very proud.  Here N is helping his Uncle T practice up for the big game.

At the actual game my cousin is about to be caught lying... by his dad!

Here is Grandpa preparing for his turn.  My Aunt is waiting to see what he will give her.  We all hate sitting next to Grandpa, because he is impossible to read!  He has one good poker face...
After the game (my Uncle was the big winner) we all headed out out side for a campfire and some fireworks.  Don't look so thrilled T!

One of my favorite stops at the lake is the Minnesota Fountain, which has awesome milkshakes.  N was very excited to have is own kid-sized milkshake.  Complete with whipped cream and a cherry!  I think he's looking forward to that!

Later that day we went mini-golfing.  Little e didn't get to play but was cracking us up.  He was Uncle T's ball holder.  When ever T's ball wasn't in use e had to hold it.  We would try to give him one of our other balls to hold, but he wanted no part of that.  He would just throw the rest away, but he was holding on tight to his uncle's.  We thought there might be trauma at the 18th hole when the ball doesn't come back, but it was surprisingly non-eventful!

Photo taking however, was not non-eventful.  N refused to be in a picture with Grandpa, so here is Uncle T, me, and the boys with our golf clubs.

My other favorite thing to do there is to ride bikes to the next little town over and get an awesome pancake breakfast.  So we loaded the boys in the burley and off we went.  They did really well in there and there was very little fighting!  Amazing.  

While waiting for a table, we hung out with the donkey at the mexican restaurant across the street.  I think there are many photos of my cousin's and I on this very donkey when we were growing up.  He used to be missing an ear, but apparently had a little plastic surgery recently.


N waiting patiently outside.  This is one of my new favorite photos of him.

On the way home the boys, T, and I made a quick stop at the playground, when did these boys get so big?  


Back on the lake, Grandpa hangs out with the boys on the dock.  Just wait until they are old enough to fish out there... they'll love it!

Little e's first boat ride.  Hmmm... I think the life jacket is making his famously chubby cheeks look even chubbier!  He looks thrilled, doesn't he?  I don't think he could really move in that thing!  N was all about the boat.  He kept saying, "go fast 'gain grandpa?"

Before we headed out I had to get some pictures on the beach, where many of my happiest childhood memories happened.  Here is e on the horse.  There is a picture of me on it at about the same age, and my brother, and my cousins, and... well, you get the point!  

N holding down the fort.
Bye, bye Minnesota.  See you next time!