Minneapolis

We went to Minneapolis yesterday and spent the day at valley fair. The girls were just perfect.

They stayed with us the entire time, they didn't fight at all, and they didn't throw fits at all other than when we had to leave. There were several rides that we all could ride on together which I loved. When we went to the mall of america the last two years, I would have to stay with Andi while he went with Ashlyn on any rides other than the kiddie rides. We rode the scrambler, the octopus, a hot air balloon ride that you sit in a basket and it takes you up in the air and around and around, some ride that just went around in circles really fast,


and of course the Tilter. Then there was the rollercoaster for kids that they went on, the kiddie free fall ride called the frog hopper, and then your other basic kiddie rides.






We took them to an Imax show there as well on the Wild Ocean in africa. Andi fell asleep right away, and I'll have to admit, I slept for the firstt 15 minutes of it as well. Not because it was boring, I was just that tired! When it was time for lunch we thought we'd go to a little diner they had, rather than get food at the stands. What a mistake. I kept laying out napkins so the girls wouldn't touch the table! The food comes, and the cheese on the girls' cheeseburgers were plastic. It was melted, and still, all I had do was lift the corner and pull the entire thing off. When I did that, there was a hair underneath the cheese on Ashlyn's. Andy took it back, and they gave him another. Normally, the girls know if they don't eat what was given to them, they're not going to eat any sort of snack, however, when I saw the girls were nto wanting to eat them, I was glad. I told them they don't have to eat, we will get them a snack and explained that this was an exception to our normal rule because the place was disgusting!

While we were there, we also saw a child who apparently belonged to the most irresponsible parents to ever exist. While we were in line to get on the balloon ride, this little girl who was probably 5, maybe even 4 yet, tried getting on the ride. The man asked her where her parents were, she pointed to one of the rollercoasters in the distance and said "um..they're on a ride." My heart jumped. He told her she couldn't ride without her parents, and we got on the ride and he started it. I waited for him to go talk to her, and call security. He told her to stand on the other side of the gate. When she did, she wandered off to a stand where a girl was in charge of some game. I was about in tears. I couldn't believe this guy let that little girl take off again. I guess it just takes a woman to deal with these sorts of things because the woman was smart enough to know to keep her there by her until she could get security over there. When security took the girl I took that as the perfect chance to show the girls that that is a safe person to let them take their hands and guide them somewhere if they ever get lost at a place like that. I told them that instead of walking around looking for someone, to go to the nearest stand and tell a worker they are lost. Ashlyn was upset all night asking me if the girl found her mommy. I told her yes, and she got mad and said "You don't know that because you didn't see!"
After we had all the fun we could take at valleyfair, Andy picked up some fresh mini donuts at the bakery shop they had there and shared them with the girls, then we went to the gift shop and got the girls each something on our way out. After valley fair, we were all hungry so we went to a restaurant called Champs. Andi was given a balloon flower, and Ashlyn was given a horse. They had a great time! After that we went to target to get my film developed and picked up some things for the girls' school, and a gymnastics outfit for Ashlyn. We signed Ashlyn up for the ymca's gynastics program yesterday. She starts this wednesday at 6:15. She looks adorable in her outfit! :)

It's been a wonderful weekend, and today we are taking the girls to the orchards (for real this time!)