Last week was my long anticipated trip to Minnesota. The original intention of the trip was to go to the 5 Browns concert at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Mom had gotten tickets and sounded so sad and forsaken on the phone when she reported that she had one extra ticket. So I booked a flight and there I went. I didn't take any of the girls with me, or Travis for that matter. It is always a treat to travel alone. however, it is also nice to have the kids get together with cousins. Speaking of cousins, here is Dylan with his electric guitar. He takes lessons. He loves Primus, Phish, and Metallica.
Tuesday was the day to go to Sara's. We lunched and knit and had a nice time. Then Jim made hamburgers on the grill and we ate outside. The weather during my visit north was beyond perfect. It was in the mid 70s all week!! Now the Minnesotans are wishing that it would rain a bit more and be warmer so that their tomatoes and other veggies will ripen. This is a picture on Sara's deck with Sara, Paul, Mom, Matt, and Hayley. OJ was working and Jim was avoiding the camera or something. The table centerpiece is Sara's miniature garden that is very cute.
After our day at Sara's, I wanted to stop quickly at the Mall of America (or more commonly known to our family as the Mollica Merica). I wanted to go to the American Girl Store. Mom was only a little convinced that it was a good idea. Somehow, I parked close to the store and the trip there was without pain. On the way to the aforementioned store, we ran into Diego!! What luck.
Wednesday night was my planned dinner with Shelly who has been my friend since 4th grade. We were thrown by her horse once upon a time. Anyway, my lunch with Tammy fell through on Wednesday and sure enough, she could make dinner. Next, Anne saw on Facebook that I was in Minnesota and she was there, too. When we talked, it turned out she could make dinner, also!! It was a Skipperette reunion!! Skipperettes was the danceline I was on in high school. I had brought my childhood photo album with me for another get together so I hauled it to Maynard's in Excelsior and we poured over the pictures. We had such a great time talking and laughing and catching up on who is doing what, where. Tammy called our coach and sure enough, 15 minutes later, Gina and her husband Bill walked out onto the patio and joined us!! What a treat it was to have all met together. From L to R: Anne, Shelly, Bill, Gina, Jenni, and Tammy.
Thursday night was the 5 Browns concert. We went and had dinner at Dorothy's, which was so wonderful. We ate out on her screen porch! It was such a treat to eat outside every night, and no mosquitoes and no humidity and no sweat!! The concert was wonderful and we were all amazed at the abilities of those pianists. I loved the songs I recognized and enjoyed watching/hearing them play new songs. It was a great ending with Danse Macabre and an encore of Peer Gynt. LOVE IT!! L to R: Jenni, Elizabeth, Mom, Sara, Dorothy.
When I was in Park City, earlier this summer, I met up with Beth. We found out that we were going to be in Minnesota at the same time and wouldn't it be fun to get together up there. So I printed up invitations and sent them out, had mom send some out, and put it on Facebook. It turned out that Kristin was in town and so we had a Plymouth II Ward Young Women's reunion. It was another magical time. We looked at pictures and did a lot of laughing. We always did silly poses for pictures so we had to do it again. L to R: Brenda, Dominique, Sara, Beth, Marianne; in front: Kristin & Jenni
Here are some of the moms and leaders: Barbara, Judy, LynnRae, Jeannie, and in front Kati and Mom.
Kristin was my best friend growing up and it is always such a treat to see her!!
Here is another one of my best friends, Sara!! We are always taking pictures and rarely get a picture together!! Both at her 40th and my 40th, we didn't get pictures together - what a shame!!
Saturday night, Steph and Marissa came for dinner and brought the kids. Here is Maya and Owen. We laughed to watch Owen work so hard to eat his Champagne grapes one at a time.
Here we are as the night drew to a close and the kids were less willing to cooperate.
So now I am home and have just under 2 weeks until I go back to school. Where has the time gone? How come I didn't get the ornaments painted? Why didn't I lose 30 lbs? Alas. It was a summer with many trials, but those are passing and things are pretty good. I think I'm almost ready for the year. I got my class lists and the best thing is that I have my own classroom this year!! That is a major deal for me. I'm so happy I could cry. So, life moves forward. Enjoy the last days of summer!
Tuesday was the day to go to Sara's. We lunched and knit and had a nice time. Then Jim made hamburgers on the grill and we ate outside. The weather during my visit north was beyond perfect. It was in the mid 70s all week!! Now the Minnesotans are wishing that it would rain a bit more and be warmer so that their tomatoes and other veggies will ripen. This is a picture on Sara's deck with Sara, Paul, Mom, Matt, and Hayley. OJ was working and Jim was avoiding the camera or something. The table centerpiece is Sara's miniature garden that is very cute.
After our day at Sara's, I wanted to stop quickly at the Mall of America (or more commonly known to our family as the Mollica Merica). I wanted to go to the American Girl Store. Mom was only a little convinced that it was a good idea. Somehow, I parked close to the store and the trip there was without pain. On the way to the aforementioned store, we ran into Diego!! What luck.
Wednesday night was my planned dinner with Shelly who has been my friend since 4th grade. We were thrown by her horse once upon a time. Anyway, my lunch with Tammy fell through on Wednesday and sure enough, she could make dinner. Next, Anne saw on Facebook that I was in Minnesota and she was there, too. When we talked, it turned out she could make dinner, also!! It was a Skipperette reunion!! Skipperettes was the danceline I was on in high school. I had brought my childhood photo album with me for another get together so I hauled it to Maynard's in Excelsior and we poured over the pictures. We had such a great time talking and laughing and catching up on who is doing what, where. Tammy called our coach and sure enough, 15 minutes later, Gina and her husband Bill walked out onto the patio and joined us!! What a treat it was to have all met together. From L to R: Anne, Shelly, Bill, Gina, Jenni, and Tammy.
Thursday night was the 5 Browns concert. We went and had dinner at Dorothy's, which was so wonderful. We ate out on her screen porch! It was such a treat to eat outside every night, and no mosquitoes and no humidity and no sweat!! The concert was wonderful and we were all amazed at the abilities of those pianists. I loved the songs I recognized and enjoyed watching/hearing them play new songs. It was a great ending with Danse Macabre and an encore of Peer Gynt. LOVE IT!! L to R: Jenni, Elizabeth, Mom, Sara, Dorothy.
When I was in Park City, earlier this summer, I met up with Beth. We found out that we were going to be in Minnesota at the same time and wouldn't it be fun to get together up there. So I printed up invitations and sent them out, had mom send some out, and put it on Facebook. It turned out that Kristin was in town and so we had a Plymouth II Ward Young Women's reunion. It was another magical time. We looked at pictures and did a lot of laughing. We always did silly poses for pictures so we had to do it again. L to R: Brenda, Dominique, Sara, Beth, Marianne; in front: Kristin & Jenni
Here are some of the moms and leaders: Barbara, Judy, LynnRae, Jeannie, and in front Kati and Mom. 
Kristin was my best friend growing up and it is always such a treat to see her!!
Here is another one of my best friends, Sara!! We are always taking pictures and rarely get a picture together!! Both at her 40th and my 40th, we didn't get pictures together - what a shame!!
Saturday night, Steph and Marissa came for dinner and brought the kids. Here is Maya and Owen. We laughed to watch Owen work so hard to eat his Champagne grapes one at a time.
Here we are as the night drew to a close and the kids were less willing to cooperate. 
So now I am home and have just under 2 weeks until I go back to school. Where has the time gone? How come I didn't get the ornaments painted? Why didn't I lose 30 lbs? Alas. It was a summer with many trials, but those are passing and things are pretty good. I think I'm almost ready for the year. I got my class lists and the best thing is that I have my own classroom this year!! That is a major deal for me. I'm so happy I could cry. So, life moves forward. Enjoy the last days of summer!
4 comments:
So you had a good time then? Yes, the weather was LOVERLY, wasn't it? (And yes we do need the rain)(which we got some the other night so yay).
I didn't realize that we didn't get a picture together either of those other times. What were we thinking? Glad we got one this time. And I agree with Loni, you are so berry beautiful (and I look like lunch meat).
Awww, it looks like you had a fabulous time, and I'm so sad I couldn't be there to spend it with you. Another time, maybe:)
Thanks for visiting with me and checking out the knee. Its always great to visit with children. I'm really gald you had a good time and were able to rekindle old friendships.
Minnesota... what a beautiful place. I had forgotten just how green it is.. and the weather was perfect! Glad you had fun!
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