Last week, We enjoyed a visit from three special people…Gigi, Papa and Auntie B!
We had grand plans of playing outside in what should have been a wintry snowy visit…but made the best of our atypical snow-less winter and enjoyed some inside fun!
We parlayed their visit with a belated Christmas celebration. We left our decorations up and little A enjoyed every prolonged minute of play time with the nativity set.
B was elated to discover that Gigi and Papa had come to his house…they arrived after he had gone to bed and he was surprised by them waking him up their first morning in town.
The first day of their visit was laid back, B enjoyed taking Gigi and Papa to the ‘tree house’ play gym to play and then showed them how to play with his cars and train set later at home.
The next day, we bundled up and headed to the Mall of America to explore and play (I will have to someday post on our ‘adventure on getting to the mall and the lesson I learned while driving there, but that’ll be for another post).
The mall provided lots to look at…
And kept this little nugget quite content in the stroller.
Gigi and Papa helped B pick out and make a special Christmas gift.
This was our first endeavor with Build-a-Bear…our little guy was hesitant at first, but as always, warmed up to the idea of pushing buttons and watching machines work.
After stuffing the little pup and enjoying lunch, we walked through Lego Land. B’s little finger raced through the store as he pointed to all the things that he liked.
Later, we ventured into Nickelodeon Universe to explore the various rides. A didn’t know what to think of all the sights and sounds!
B found this truck ride which suited his fancy quite well…he rode with Gigi & Papa!
After riding the trucks, B and C took a ride on a miniature school bus. The little bus went round and round in circles up in the air, to our disbelief, B loved the ride!
Little A seemed to enjoy keeping her feet safely planted on the ground (sort of).
After rides, Gigi, Auntie B and I snuck in a little shopping…B kept the rest of our crowd entertained by making laps around the mall itself.
After calling it a day at the mall, we headed home to make Grandma’s Famous Enchiladas before celebrating our family Christmas.
In lieu of a cake, we lit brownies and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. B was on a role when it came to consuming the brownies and ripping through the wrapping paper!
The next day, we enjoyed taking everyone to the church that we have been attending. After church we enjoyed a quite complicated lunch…we tried three places before actually choosing where we wanted to eat 
and then headed home for a lazy afternoon of naps and football. During naptime, the girls (minus little A) snuck out to shop at one of my new favorite spots. We enjoyed some delicious coffee, sweet conversation & company and even some new moccasins to keep our toes warm! Ella also enjoyed a little extra playtime outside with Papa, B and Auntie B.
The next day we enjoyed breakfast at home (one of our favorite things in our neck of the wood)…
After breakfast, we headed back to the tree house to play…but found a batting cage and basketball court that caught our attention instead. C enjoyed hitting some balls, while B enjoyed being just like his daddy!
After working up quite a sweat, we headed for lunch which consisted of one of my absolute favorite treats…popovers… from a local hole in the wall.
After lunch, B turned in for naptime…of course not before hearing a story in his nook with Auntie B.
Auntie B headed home later that night to get back for work…to B’s utter delight, Gigi and Papa stayed a bit longer which meant even more quality play time.
The next day, we ventured out (despite frigid wind chills) to explore the Minnesota Children’s Museum. It was a hit! We spent more than three hours just exploring one floor!
B drove a city bus…
Maneuvered a conveyor belt…
Drove a crane…
Raced boats…
Built with blocks…
All while little A enjoyed quality time with Gigi…
Papa…
And her beloved bottle!
Later, the kiddos (and some of us adults) enjoyed a nap in effort to gain enough energy to do a little more playing…
And in typical Our Neck of the Wood Fashion, work around the house! Gigi and Papa were gracious to enter into our world to help us remove counter tops and re-wire a cooktop outlet.
After the kitchen had been tackled, our little foreman headed to bed after some special story time with Gigi and Papa.
The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast together before sending C off to work.
We played some more, packed up, met C for lunch and then wished Gigi and Papa a safe trip back to Texas.
All in all it was a simple and delightful trip…nothing fancy, but a whole lot of good family time. We treasure days like this and are so grateful to have family who is willing to enter into our ‘craziness’ and experience life as it is in our neck of the wood.
We promised more snow that next time they come (at least next winter that is) and look forward to getting out of our neck of the wood to try sledding, skating, tubing and maybe even skiing!
Be blessed.
Gigi, Papa and Auntie B…thank you thank you thank you!
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