Minnesota - Part One

This past weekend, we flew up to Minnesota to visit our friends and the place we called home for 4 years!    We did so much in our 3 1/2 days there that I decided it deserved 2 blog posts, so here is part one!

We flew up on Thursday morning and Joseph did great on both flights! Luckily we were able to get a row of 3 seats to ourselves on both flights which worked out perfect!  We stayed with Heather & Jim while we were in Minneapolis so when we got there we headed to their house.  They have baby James who is 3 months older than Joseph so it really worked out great that they always had each other to play with!      We enjoyed our first afternoon just visiting and catching up.    It felt so great to be back in Minneapolis and we were surprised by just how familiar everything felt.  It really didn't feel like it had been 13 months since we moved away!

That night, we met our friends Becky and Brendon for dinner at Chammp's.   Becky was 38 weeks pregnant at the time of our dinner and actually ended up having their baby yesterday morning!!  It was great to catch up with them and hear all about their preparations for their baby girl on the way!

The next morning, we headed out to the Minnetonka Apple Orchard for some apple picking.   Fall was such a fun season when we lived in Minnesota, so the apple orchard was at the top of our "to do" list for when we went back for our visit.   The orchard has lots of fun kid activities that the boys had a blast with.    Then we headed to the trees to pick our bag of apples!   The only variety that were "pick your own" at the time we went were the Haralson variety but they were so good and are great for baking so we were happy!  And yes, we brought home a big bag full!   We taught Joseph how to pick the apple off the tree and put it in the bag - even though he really preferred to just get the rotten ones off the ground.  :P    Then I introduced him to the joy of eating an apple fresh picked off the tree!  Oh boy did he love it!   At first he just kind of licked it, but then once he got a hang of it, he didn't let go of that apple for a good 30 minutes and that was still only because I had to take it from him since we were getting in the car to leave!

I always think pictures tell the story the best - so here are pictures from the first day and a half of our trip.    I'll post the second half in a few days so check back soon!

As soon as we got there, Michael and Jim wasted no time getting started on playing Madden football on playstation!

Heather and baby James!

  

Well this one uploaded crooked, but Joseph was OBSESSED with Heather's cat.  He chased the cat the entire time we were there and loved laying on it to give kitty a hug.  I tried hard to explain that kitty doesn't like hugs, but poor kitty still got body slammed several times a day.

After naptime, Joseph and James headed outside for some play time!

Mowing the yard!

Me and Becky after dinner Thursday night

On our way into the apple orchard - such a beautiful fall day

Our family of 3 1/2 at the apple orchard!  :)   The fall colors were gorgeous too!

Joseph riding the tractor - he loved it!

Headed down to the play train area at the apple orchard

Then on to the petting zoo area - he is all about sheep now...or as he likes to call them "Baa!"

In the pumpkin patch part of the orchard - the place is just huge!

Sweet boys in the pumpkin patch

My little punkin

"Come on buddy!"

Time to pick some apples!

Headed down the row of trees

Mommy showing Joseph how to pick an apple

Picking one by himself

First bite of the apple!

Me and Heather!

So fun!   And yes, Joseph was still very into his apple!

He finally decided to just sit down under one of the trees and enjoy his apple snack!

The apple picker!   Michael has mastered the art of getting your money's worth in how many apples you can cram into your prepaid bag.  :)

Is that not the perfect apple?!

Sweet friends