Summer Fun in Minnesota

Erik and I on vacation on a Minnesota lake with my brother and his family

Ahh....summer vacation!  Vacation always brings some of the sweetest moments of summer.  This year,  we were lucky enough to go to a lake cabin up north with my (Suzy's) brother and his family.  While my parents, my four siblings and myself are scattered across the country, we still find time to visit each other.  Those visits happen on holidays and on shared family vacations.  Since growing up, my siblings, parents and I have toured the Great Lakes many times over, visited Niagra Falls, Chesapeake Bay Area, Yellowstone, Washington D.C., the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the beaches of Florida and, of course, the many wonders of Minnesota and the Twin Cities.

Some of my favorite trips are those where my family comes through the Twin Cities and I get to share everything I love about these amazing cities.  So this year, that is just what we did.  Seeing our nieces and nephews is always exciting as well as I watch them grow and mature.  Here is our summer vacation...

                         


















We began our trip with a St. Paul day.  My favorite picture?  Reading with the Snoopy characters in Rice Park!  In all, we took in Grand Avenue, Harriet Island, Rice Park, the Excel Center, and Como Park's Conservatory and Zoo.  What a day!

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And then came the lake.  The drive itself was blissful--passing by Lake Mille Lacs and feeling the breeze off the lake.  A short drive down a dirt road in the woods and we were there and ready for mornings reading by the lake, days jumping off the dock and nights eating s'mores around the campfire.  Before we arrived, the kids even took in some horseback riding!

Time spent with our nieces and nephews is so nice. No matter how old they are, I am always amazed at how they have grown.  With a great spread of ages among me and my brothers and sister, my first nephew was born when I was still in grade school.  Still, with each new niece and nephew, I have been a huge part of their lives.  From babysitting to helping out when they came home from the hospital, to discussing ideas for future colleges and currently helping to plan a wedding, I am always thankful for our relationships.


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The trip ended with my favorite tour of Minneapolis.  We took in all of the must-sees: St. Anthony Main, a walk across the Stone Arch Bridge, Mill City Ruins, Downtown, Target Field Plaza, a walk around Loring Park and the Walker Sculpture Garden, Uptown, the Chain of Lakes and wading in the water downstream from Minnehaha Falls.  As any good vacation, we ended with ice cream cones in the park.  It was perfect!

Of course, no child's trip would be complete without a visit to the Mall of America's Lego Land and amusement park!

All in all, it was one packed trip!  Busy in the city as we strived to see all we could see and relaxing at the lake as we lounged in the water for days.  These are the types of trips we can't wait to give our own children.  Living in the cities, so many of these very places will fill our Saturdays while trips to lakes up north will undoubtedly fill our summers.  Family vacations of our dreams will include trips as an immediate family, but also trips enjoyed with extended family full of quality time and lasting memories.

What's up for next year?  Well, depending on our family situation at the time, we plan to explore Wisconsin's Apostle Islands with my little brother.  Can't wait to share the wonders of our city and our state all over again with him and his wife!