Final Days

Well, I am on my way home today.   We got to Mpls a little early so we went to the Mall of America.  It is the largest mall I have ever seen.  There is an amusement park in the center.

Here I am overlooking the amusement park.....

                        

                                                 

                                                  

                                                                     City bus tour

Overlooking the Lego store.....

                                            In line and ready to go on Sponge Bob Plunge!  

AHHHHHHH........................we were all screaming!!!

Sponge Bob's House

After our Mall of America visit, Nana and Bumpa took me to the airport.

I am on this plane in seat 29F waiting to back up and leave.

Here I go!!!

Up, Up and Away.   Goodbye to Nana and Bumpa and MN!!

Highlights: Week Three in MN

Welcome to Week 3 of the Three Week Highlights. 

I was pretty busy since it was the 4th of July week.  We did lots of fun stuff.   And I got sick so had to see the doctor. I had larangitis and a sore throat.  I had fun with cousins Max and Connor who were at Uncle Don's over the 4th.

Bumpa took me out in the canoe.   I did not like the black flies!

This is me with Uncle Don, Bumpa, Joleen, Max and Connor

I am not feeling too great.   We went out for a little morning ride to see the eagles

Strawberry picking - and eating - was good

We went to see the Discovery Museum in Grand Rapids.   Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz whose real name is Judy Garland (actually Frances Gumm)  was born in Grand Rapids so her childhood home is here and a museum gallery.

Bumpa made a pretty good Lion......

and Nana a great Tinman - tinperson!

There were lots of displays and things to do in the discovery section

Hulahooping!

I used a gift card to buy some legos.  I love them!

We went on the pontoon again.  This is Don and Bobbi's dog, Rose.  She was the captain for the day.

Nathan took me fishing again in the evening.  We caught crappies.   This is how they look before cleaning...

This is the circle of life of the fish.....

Bones, skin and heads.  Icky!!!!

Filets for eating......yummy!

This was a BUSY week!   Carl and Rose came from South Dakota to visit.  Nana, Rose and I went to Chisholm on Saturday, my last day, to see the Chisholm Museum of Mining.

Me wearing an old miners hat with a HEAVY battery pack.   Not a very fun job, I don't think.  Underground and pretty dirty, too. 

There was lots of HUGE machinery outside.  This is a 1910 steam shovel

This would be a really big tire swing....

Highlights: Week 2 in MN

Nana and I went to Mpls for the week.   We stayed with Audrey and Roger the first night.
Audrey took us to the Eastman Nature Center, near their house.  It was fun.....I even did a puppet show for some little girls.  They had me release a monarch butterfly.

Getting Ready to Go! 

Off it Goes!

Then we went to the Country Inn Suites Motel in Buffalo, MN where Nana grew up.  We even went to see Toy Story 3.

 

ROOM SERVICE!

Practicing for my flight home at Pulaski  Beach Playground

 

Tuesday we went to Minitrista is visit family.  Here I am swimming with cousins Chloe, Cooper and Sylvie in their pool

Me on "TV" at  the Science Museum of MN on Wednesday

Shadow Dancing at the Science Museum

Tower Building

More Tower Building

I went to the MN Zoo in Apple Valley on Thursday.  We spent the night with Nana's cousins, the Woodfills.    We saw these camels while on the monorail

Leafy Dragon in the Discovery Bay exhibit in the Zoo

Michael Ryan Boyd and I on a giant, fake jawbone in Discovery Bay

Mary the Bat Lady!

Week 1: Highlights

Arrived at Uncle Don's on Sunday, June 21.   Let the fishing begin!

                 

   My first Northern.....for now!

Cousins Matthew, Emily, Megan and Colton came to visit on Thursday. 

Aunt Rachel came from Illinois and brought a two week old puppy!  I got to feed her!

Nate took me fishing on the boat.

Day 7 and 8: Mountain Madness

The Early Birds:

We woke at like 6:00 in the morning!

Driving:

The excitement is KILLING ME!!!!!!

The Guys that “rock”:

They are HUGE! We decided to take a hike called the presidential trail.

The Guys that "Rock"

My favorite President

Fritzie, Moab, George, Tom, Teddy & Abe

Mary & Bumpa

Mary & Mary

Presidential homicide:

Nana and I almost died, when some tipi poles ALMOST hit us on the trail; the wind was blowing hard!

Look Out!

Outdoor Zoo:

We drove through Custer state park and saw all these animals like bison, pronghorns, deer, and prairie dogs!

Custer State Park

Mama & Baby Bison

Pronghorn

DIE-ting Mammoths:

We went to “The Mammoth Site”

Mammoth Tusks

“Them Dry Bones”:

So many Mammoth bones make you wonder….

Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Dry Bones

Standing Tall

Going home with my homey:

Time to sleep with dreams of mammoths and old famous guys.

Day 8

WAKE UP CALL!! :

Up and out to the car for a mystery destination.

Deadly Situation:

Welcome to Bear Country they say, we drive past lots of other animals to.

Bear Country is a drive through zoo. The bears are the main event. It is a deadly situation because we have almost no gas and we are in the bear exhibit.

Grizzly

Albino Bison

Grizzly Taking a Bath

Good News:

We made it to the gas station

The Craziest of the Horses:

Our next stop was Crazy Horse!

Bigger than a Mall:

The crazy horse museum is huge also. I bought two pairs of earrings there.

Esme, Fritzie & Moab

Marys at Crazy Horse Statue

Homeward forward:

You know what happens next.

You Guessed It:

When we got home we got home we went to bed; the next day brings on the stress of so many miles.

WAIT A MINTUTE!!! :

Tomorrow we drive to Moorhead! Then the day after that we go to Uncle Donny’s house!