Our Annual Trip to Minnesota

In October we took a trip. We started with a stopover in Seattle and spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was then they gave Sabrina her birthday presents, including a Hello Kitty airplane. We couldn't fit it in our checked baggage, but luckily it had a handle so it was one of Sabrina's carry-ons.

We then went to Minneapolis so Marel could work in the office for a few days. The cousins came up from Omaha to spend the weekend with us before Marel had to work, and we all had a good time. Balo and Celia enjoyed walking around Ikea together. Balo even let Celia hold his hand.

Sabrina and Clara also had fun sitting in the back seat together.

Sabrina also took a liking to Balo. She was always up for whatever he wanted to do. Balo: "Sabrina, let's fight!" Sabrina: "Ok!" Here they are eating breakfast at the hotel, which all the kids say is one of their favorite parts of our Minneapolis trips.

We went to the sculpture garden to take some cousin pictures. We also attempted a few portraits. Elena was adorable and ever-stoic. This was about the biggest smile we ever saw from her.

The rest of the kids were feeling a little too silly to take good pictures.

New this year was the blue snowman, which was enjoyed by all.

We also took the perennial jumping rabbit picture.

We ended up that night with what has become another one of our annual traditions: dinner at the Dancing Ganesha restaurant, where the food is excellent and they don't mind the kids taking over the place just a little bit.

The cousins had to go back home to Nebraska after church on Sunday morning, but not before taking one last picture together.

After Marel spent a few days in the office, we left Minnesota. Of course we had to stop when we saw these in the airport.

We figured as long as we were halfway across the country, we should just go all the way and visit the other cousins in Maryland. More on that later...