On December 22nd we left Duluth MN and drove the 10 hrs down to St Louis MO to visit my ILs. We arrived back home on Saturday (Jan 2nd). Here are some highlights from the trip:
- Felicity ate every clementine she could get her hands on while Benjamin lived on a diet of ham and toast mostly.
- We taught DH's family to play Pandemic.
- It RAINED for five days straight, and when it was done raining it started flooding. Luckily, the ILs live on high ground.
- The large playground near our ILs house, which last year was a pirate ship according to Ben, was Hogwarts this year. Also, the motorcycle that last year I took a picture of DS and DH on it, was this year a back drop for a photo of DS and DD. So cute.
- Christmas was epic. The kids got SO MUCH. We were in a sea of wrapping paper. Of course, Felicity was more interested in handing out packages than opening them. Big hits included a dinosaur that roars, new crayons, and star wars everything.
- Christmas dinner was also epic. It was characterized by "both/and" rather than "either/or". (Ham and Turkey, Cheesy potatoes and mashed potatoes, etc). Very tasty.
- We got to spend time with Aunt A and Uncle D, along with great Unkin/Aunt S/S.
- We took the kids to the Science Center. Felicity liked the glass railings and the optical illusion "spring" that was not really there. Ben liked the Rube Goldberg track in the front lobby and the Mars rock he got to touch. Ben did not want to see the dinosaur section because it was too scary.
- Ben played lots and lots and lots of board games and watched HP 2 movie for the first time.
- We went to the zoo with our good friends B&R from college (who currently live in San Diego, so we do not see them often), and met their adorable daughter.
- Felicity liked the Polar Bear at the zoo, she got as close to it as she could (wheedling her way up through the crowd of larger children when it got near the glass so that she could be feet from it.). Meanwhile, Benjamin ran from the glass when the bear came close.
- We also got to go ice skating with B&R at Forest Park. I did not know Forest Park had an ice rink, but it does and we went. We also had coffee with them at a bizarre Mediterranean cafe where we were the only customers and the owner tried to hard sell us appetizers. Good "Borgia" though (orange mocha).
- FIL made us his old Beef Stew and his new Chili and both were delicious, despite DH's whining about change.
- I got to go clothes shopping without kids.
- Aaron and I got to go out without kids.
- We went to an old college friend K's new apartment, we had not seen him in four years. It was nice to hang out and catch up. He lives in "Old Grand" neighborhood of St Louis, which I had never been to, so that was also nice.
- We watched a lot of good movies... Frozen (I had seen this.. but I liked it more the second time), St. Vincent, Lone Ranger (OK.. I had to go to bed before the end but I was laughing my head off at it), Guardians of the Galaxy... and others I am already forgetting.
- On the way back from St Louis we stopped overnight to see our friends J&S (and their daughter) in Plainfield, IL. It was so nice to see them! Ben taught their daughter to play Light Sabers and both kids enjoyed sampling her toys.
No comments:
Post a Comment