A Birthday in Minneapolis

**No time for pictures this morning. Sorry. I rewrote this post on the road yesterday.


We left the fast-paced frenzy of Chicago and headed to Minneapolis. We passed through Wisconsin. Who would have thought I would love Wisconsin? I had no prior thoughts or feelings about Wisconsin but I have to say that I found it to be a gorgeous state. It was so green and I could see rivers and lakes. I loved it and would love to go back some day and spend some time there instead of just passing through.

We arrived in Minneapolis though and were set to go to the Mall of America on the 27th which just happened to be my 37th birthday. We got to our motel on the 26th and it was the tallest one we’ve had on this trip. We got put on the top floor which was 18 stories up and were in the furthest corner of the motel. My husband and I tried to forget how high up we were!! I avoided looking out the window for the first day and then started adjusting to the height a little better after that.

We got to the mall Sunday the 27th. It was huge. For those of you who have already been there you know it also has an amusement park in the middle of it. So we got wristbands to do that, as well. I don’t think my husband and children would have survived the day just shopping!

I have to say that I was disappointed in the mall. I guess I was hoping for a lot more different and unique stores. But it had a lot of stores that I am familiar with and I really didn’t want to shop somewhere that I could shop at home! Plus, some of the other stores that I DIDN’T have were a little spendy. I was hoping for more variety and more “gifty” type stores. It also takes a LOT of time to walk. If you have a store in mind it will take you forever to get there! Walking the mall eats up a lot of your time! Maybe I have too high of standards – but I was a little fried by lunchtime. My husband had given me some birthday money to spend and I wasn’t doing very well. That would make anyone bummed – to have money you can’t buy stuff with – right?? So I took a lunch break with my family. I went back to shopping for an hour or so and found a cute ring which made me happy. Then I went to ride some rides with my family for a few hours.

My oldest daughter had been wanting to ride some rides that do quite a bit of turning or flipping. I’d been watching this one skateboarding ride where you are on top of a huge skateboard that takes you up one side and then up another. The twist is that you also go around in circles while you are on it! I finally told her I’d go on it with her and she was so delighted with me. We waited over 20 minutes in line and finally were set to go. You had to take flip flops off to ride and so I was prepared to rush over and put mine in the box and then sit next to her. When they lifted the gate I rushed over and did just that only to return and find the seats completely full on the side we wanted! I couldn’t find her. I walked around and there she was sitting next to other people so I had to go on a completely different side and sit by strangers. We looked around at each other and stuck our bottom lips out pouting that we’d waited that long and couldn’t sit by each other. I had told her to save me a seat so was a little distressed not sure at what had happened. Come to find out after the ride, she had TRIED to save me a seat! She had told a lady that my seat was saved and the woman had rudely said, “No, it isn’t!” and sat down! I was so mad. It was obvious that we’d waited in line over 20 minutes together. It was obvious that she was a young girl. It was obvious that they had had to count the exact number of people needed for that ride to go in the gated area so if my daughter was saving a seat I had already been counted. Why are people so rude??? That was the only ride we rode on together that day and we didn’t even get to ride together. I was so proud of my daughter though. She handled it so well even though she was a little upset. I just don’t understand why people have to be so selfish and rude.

Anyways, it took us a few minutes to stop fuming after the ride. Which WAS fun and not as bad as I thought it would be. The two sections spun around so my daughter and I did get to see each other’s faces a few times on the ride even though it still wasn’t the same sitting by strangers and not together.

I finished up my shopping buying my family a few surprises which was fun for me.
We went across the street to Chevy’s for dinner where I hadn’t been in years. I got a Mexican hat since it was my birthday even though they don’t sing to you anymore. I’m going to put it up in my kitchen.
We called it a day.

The next day was a “chillax” kind of day for us that we all needed. We’re starting to wear down a little (maybe except my husband who is like the Everready battery) and so we didn’t do too much during the day. We did go to IKEA which I’ve been wanting to go to since it seems like everyone has been but me. It was an interesting store. Their whole style isn’t me but I found a few things I liked. Some of which are still in the store. HA!

Then on Monday night we went to a Minnesota Twins baseball game which was fun. I haven’t been to a pro game in years and my daughters’ have never been. They liked it and the Twins won which made it better.
Now we are starting to slowly make our way home. We have a couple more stops to make on the way but our trip is winding down. Today is a long drive – 10 hours. We’ll see what God delights in showing me today….