Showing posts with label Lake Minnetonka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lake Minnetonka. Show all posts

7.31.2014

Our Swedish visitor :)

We were very fortunate to have a visitor from Sweden.  Jasmine is the step-daughter of one of Joacim's best friends back home in Sweden, and she came here for her "language trip". According to Joacim, most of the kids her age (~15) in Sweden go on a language drip during that summer in school in order to learn a more conversational English.  Usually they go to England where I guess they have these special programs set up for this, but since we're here and she was already familiar with us from when they visited last summer, she wanted to come here.  I say "I guess" because, well....it's Joacim and his Swenglish explanations are sometimes lacking in clarity :)  

She got here on a Tuesday, and I still had to work, but Joacim WAS able to take some time off so she wasn't alone initially.  Izzy was beside herself with excitement the weeks approaching her arrival, to the point where she was driving me batty with questions.  The funny thing is that, once Jasmin arrived, Izzy kinda clammed up since she's in her shy phase :(

We were having lovely weather, and wanted to spend as much time outside as possible, so we went to the "fake lake" as we're affectionately referring to it.  It's a swimming lake run by the parks department here and it's fantastic.  It's relatively shallow, chlorinated and there are no fish or plants to feel gracing my legs.  In other words, it's heavenly for me.



Izzy seems to enjoy it too!

Jasmine's visit was luckily during the Aquatennial, with the MOST AMAZING fireworks display!  We are very fortunate to have wonderful neighbors who saved us a spot with a fantastic view!




One day we headed downtown to check out the miniature golf course at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  We didn't call ahead, not even thinking that it was necessary, but we got there and all we saw was a sign that said "sold out".  Bummer.  Not knowing what else to do, we headed to the sculpture garden to take a look around, and now I can finally say I've seen this famous sculpture!






7.23.2013

A trip to the zoo and a dinner cruise

On day 3 of my parents visit, Joacim and I had a very special surprise planned for the evening.  We didn't have anything planned for the day, though, so we decided to head to Como Zoo (along with half of the Twin Cities, but I guess that's what you get for going the day after Labor Day :)

Izzy LOVES Bri....this was taken at the beginning of the day

We brought Jimmy John's for lunch....notice that their hairstyles are also the same :)

This was taken at the end of the day.  Notice the fact that she's no longer smiling.

pretty little lilly pads

She DID start to smile again after Grandpa suggested ice cream.  We found this cute place called Java Train nearby.

So, our surprise for the evening's activity was a dinner cruise on Lake Minnetonka.  We had heard about Al and Alma's from some friends of ours that raved about it, so after checking out the website, we signed all of us up.  We didn't tell Izzy either (5-year olds aren't always the greatest at keeping secrets, you know)
Izzy and Bri staked out their spot on the boat right away...a nice, big cushion at the back

Grandma and Grandpa wanted a pic together..pretty cute!




I love this little girl so much...sometimes I just want to nibble on her cheek!

I think she spent a majority of the trip rolling around this cushion...Grandpa came over and tickled her a bit

Auntie Bri is a great caregiver to Izzy



This is our "captain".  Young enough to be my child.  

A family portrait that Izzy half-participated in


The waitress told us that, if we ask nicely, the captain would let Izzy and Bri drive the boat


sisters ;)

our own little family portait (thanks Bri!!)

This is the boat we took
I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone that comes and visits us.  Anyone want to come up to the Great North?????  ;)