Fargo Visit 2010

Yay - we just returned home from spending a wonderful week with our family in Fargo.

Jacob did tremendously well on all our flights and I think we taught him how to deal with the pressure changes. I kept asking him to show me a reeealy biiig yawn and he would comply happily. Even during his naps I could see his mouth opening and closing sometimes like he was trying to change the pressure in his ears.

He also loved going on the people movers (or as daddy calls them, "the flat escalators") at the Minneapolis airport. He would hesitate only at the beginning at then ruuuuun as fast as he could as he was being moved along and then jump off at the end. It was so fun going through the airport with him. Thankfully that airport also has a play area for kids as we had a 2 hour layover on the way out which would have proved to be a challenge just to keep him occupied. The most popular attraction at this play area proved to be the coin vortex - all of us parents happily chipped in so the kids could send lots of coins around and around, all at once, over and over again. Who'd a thunk it?

My sister's kids are growing like beautiful weeds and Jacob thoroughly enjoyed all the craziness that 5 kids in a house can bring.

Since we were there over the Labor Day weekend we had the pleasure of driving about 30 minutes away to Rollag, MN for the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion - we used to go there when we were kids and loved the smells and the constant chug-chug-chug of the big machine beasts. It's really quite a show that hasn't changed much - except that they've added more attractions - a carousel, more food buildings, the Buttzville bathrooms - which tends to draw a much larger crowd and longer lines for everything.

It was quite awesome to share the experience with our kids and see their faces light up as we watched the steam engine pull into the "station" so we could go for a ride around the event. We all enjoyed the ice cream - I had a traditional mid-western caramel roll!!! - and the lunch made by the church ladies.

We spent some time on Friday over at the PlayLand at West Acres with just the boys while the girls were at school.

Most of the rest of our visit took place at my sister's house, with her decked out back yard. The kids learned to share - especially Jacob and Shae - and us parents did a lot of swinging, talking, and being silly with the kids.

We did attempt a dinner out. We wanted to go to The Great Wall for Chinese but that was closed Sunday night so we went a little further down the strip mall to the pizza place and took over a corner of the restaurant. Jacob sucked down his milk and water and all the kids inhaled the french fries while we waited for the pies. I don't think we left a slice behind and everyone left happy. Although I have to admit it was our Jacob who got us out of the booth and into our cars - he was done and wanted to leave as soon as possible. No sitting around the dinner table chatting for that kid.

Every morning while we were there little Shae would wake up and instantly want to search out Jacob. They obviously became great buddies and Shae almost busted out the tear factory when he learned on Wednesday morning that we were leaving shortly after breakfast. So sad!

For his part Jacob was so ready to go home that he was hanging on the doorknob with his little bag slung over his arm as soon as breakfast was over. However, as soon as we pulled up to our house he burst into tears - apparently he missed Shae, Rowan and the girls. He mentioned again last night that he missed everyone and listed them by name - even GranMary and the cats. Our house does seem extremely quiet compared to the (mostly) happy chaos of my sister's place.