Road trip to Minnesota

'Twas fun to be on a road trip and see different sites on the way to the specific destination. I had the privileged to have a road trip this year with my friend's family (Sasha, Russ and Zach) heading to Minneapolis, Minnesota. We left Arkansas around 8am last 7th of August and it was even pouring heavily on us that we had hard time seeing the road. The first stop Kansas City, Missouri to grab some lunch at Fritz it was a nifty place you have to order through a phone on your booth and the server will serve the drinks and your food will be served on a train they have the train track overhead and it drop the container where the food was place and it lower and voila our lunch was served we had fun and the kids had a blast. After that we head to Papillion, Nebraska where we are going to stay the night and it was free because one of the family that convoy with us it was his brothers place and we had great time visiting with them and especially the kids and that night we had 6 kids ranging from 2 years old to 13 years old I would guess. And the bad part of having kids on a road trip and especially if they don't feel good you really need to pack a lot of patient as in tons cause my friend at one point is ready give her son away but oh well that's just how kids temperament would be.

Friday, at 11am we head out for Minnesota and it's another 6 hours drive or more. Travelling with other family around and just by myself being in that group I had so much fun cause I can do whatever I wanna do or wherever I wanna go without thinking of a kid who will tug along with and to consider if they will have fun or not but of course I would love if my husband was with me but he opted not to go which I respected. And the good thing is I have 2 friends who are wanting to see and visit with me, one who lives in Wisconsin which is 2 hours away and who is driving down to meet me and one who lives 30 minutes away just outside St. Paul, Minnesota and is going to meet me as well. And on Friday night we had to pick James who flew in from New Orleans and that night James was hungry and silly me I told him we can look for some food outside the hotel and see if there's any place that is open and that is close by so we walk 1/2 mile from our hotel and there's nothing in sight that we could find and we end up running around the Mall of America which by then is close to our hotel and decided to board the train and head to downtown Minneapolis and as usual most of the places are closing or closed for the night, so we just hailed a taxi and head back to the hotel still hungry poor James. And that was also my first time to see that the downtown was jump-packed because that's where there night life is and I'm telling you police are just everywhere there's some in the usual police car, some in segway and even in horses too.

Saturday, we head to Mall of America for some fun and shopping. We went first to Underwater Aquarium and it was nifty and I was able to pet Stingrays and Sharks it was scary and fun at the same time. Then we head to Nickelodeon and the kids had fun riding the rides and went to see Lego land. Before lunch time my friends Rick and Joy Schneider who came all the way from Spooner, WI were already waiting for me and ready to go to IKEA to have some lunch and shop as well and I was able to introduce to my friends who I went with on that trip and then the 3 of us head to IKEA to grab some lunch and shop some and that place was just wonderful if I could have the money and a trailer to put some big stuff I would really shop a lot for my house but oh well I just have to be happy to pick up some small items in the store. Then we went back to the Mall of America to shop this time, so I was able to shop some office clothes mainly which I am happy and don't forget another purse hehe which my hubby thinks I'm crazy but oh well I always have this reason that I'm a woman and I need to have a lot of purses in different colors. The bad thing is that I didn't see Joy nor Rick when they head out to have eat dinner with Rick's Mom cause Joy is in another floor of the mall and the mall is just humongous so we just bade goodbye through the phone, which we convince to ourselves that's why we didn't really say goodbye cause I know we will see each other again. And also one of my friends is waiting for me outside the store that I was stuck forever. So I had Ganggang and Joe Turner with me who was waiting patiently for me to check out. And we visit and shop again then decided to go to the hotel so I can change and then we head back to the Mall of America and had dinner at Rainforest Cafe and that was just so nice and we had fun visiting each other and the place has a unique atmosphere and before we end that night they invited me if I would love the idea of going to Duluth, Minnesota and see the Lake Superior which part of it borders Canada and without any second thought I said yes but of course I still have to ask my companion if they want to go and when we are leaving to drive back home and they are fine with my idea but they go with me cause they have to accommodate the kids needs and for the kids to have fun time.

Sunday, I'm up early and ready to be picked up. Then we head to Duluth, Minnesota and on our way my friend's hubby asked us if we would love to shop at the outlet store and without any thoughts we said YES!!! hehe. Then drove straight to Duluth and when we were there we ate at Grandma's Saloon which is the oldest place in that town and the food was good and after lunch we went around the lake and there are tons of seagulls hovering everywhere and then we walk some and went to the lighthouse and watch a ship go through on the lift bridge and that place is famous of that. Then we head to Gooseberry Falls which had nice falls and just imagine the place is full, we hike the trail there and I just loved it cause I would say I'm on my element cause I love hiking and being out in the nature. After that we head to Split Rock Lighthouse another nature trail and you could see how vast the Lake Superior is you can't even see where it ends and I had fun playing with the water, I was like I have to do this so I can feel Canadian and American water all together hehe. And being that far up North the weather was just so nice and even we went home I can't believe that we turn on the heater cause it was so cold at night it drops like 40-50°F comparing to Arkansas’s weather we sweat at night hehe and I got back to the hotel past 11pm and pack my things so I would be ready for my trip back home and see my hubby again. I missed him so much but oh well thanks to him for letting me go and travel.

My friend woke me up early Monday morning and we got ready grab some breakfast head straight to Arkansas we just stop to refuel, bathroom, breaks and grab some food. We hit 4 States in one day counting Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas. And I got home past 5pm and just so excited to see my hubby and be back in his arms hmmm. And so far I never feel tired because I had fun and no husband or kid to take with.

Again, thanks to Rick and Joy Scneider for being so nice that you really drove down to Minneapolis to met with me for a short time of 6 hours (I wish we could hang out longer than that next time.) and to Joe and Jaycelle (Ganggang) Turner for accommodating and driving me around town and even going that far that it's just like an hour or two we are already in Canada.

Davis Family (Russell, Zach and Sasha) they really looked tired on this picture.

The Holmes Family looking at there food overhead (Fritz Railroad Restaurant)

with Rick and Joy Schneider inside Mall of America at the Nickelodeon Theme Park.

the bridge will lift when there's a ship that's going underneath the bridge.

the bridge will go down when it is safe to do so lighthouse in the area Joe and Jaycelle Turner taken at the Gooseberry Falls State Park taken at Split Rock Lighthouse and when you look at the opposite direction you are facing Canada.