It really throws off your sense of seasons. Oy.
Now that it is cold and rainy/snowy in Minnesota, I am extra unhappy about it since I've had more than enough crappy weather this year. The fact that August and September were unseasonably cold here doesn't help matters at all - it seems like it's been winter for the last 4 months only it's really just starting. I predict I will be seriously tweaking out by March. Considering that I'll also be in the midst of writing my senior paper then, I'm thinking I should just go ahead and schedule a nervous breakdown now.
I've also had more than enough media-sensationalism and general panic about the H1N1 flu, or "La Gripe A." I just wish they called it "La Gripe A" in the U.S. - it sounds so much scarier in a comedic way - like a cartoon villainess.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mini-Vacation
This past weekend, Jake and the girls and I took a little mini-vacation to the Mall of America. Those of you who know Jake may have just raised an eyebrow or chortled in disbelief since a mall is generally about as appealing to him as a root canal but I speak the truth. However, we didn't do much in the actual shopping areas since for me shopping with Jake in tow ranks far worse than a root canal for me. What we did do was visit Underwater Adventures and the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park.
Even though we live only an hour away, we decided to make more of a vacation out of it so we drove up there Friday afternoon and spent the night at the Hilton hotel just a few blocks from the mall. It was a bit of a splurge, but we got a package deal that included a breakfast buffet for the 4 of us ($50) as well as 4 passes to Underwater Adventures (about $60), and the total room cost (with tax) was $180 so it wasn't all that bad. It came with the nice Hilton perks like super comfy beds, Crabtree & Evelyn soaps, and upscale decorations which made the girls feel like princesses. However - with only 10 free tv channels (less than basic cable), a cost of $15/movie to watch in the room, $5/show for on-demand tv, and a $10/day charge to use the wireless internet, all of which we passed on, the Hilton didn't seem so hospitable. The continental breakfasts might be a bit dodgey sometimes but at least most budget chains offer free wireless internet. I can't say I'd stay at another Hilton if I had a choice, but it was fun for a night. We swam in the pool for over an hour and a half before having dinner and settling in for the night.
On Saturday, we got to the mall at 10 am and stayed until about 6 pm - a full day that left us all pretty exhausted. Underwater Adventures was our first stop and it is a neat experience, especially to see the rays swim up over the glass tunnel right above your head. We saw turtles, rays, sharks, fish, an octopus, jellyfish, sea horses, sea stars, coral, anemone and more. On the downsides, the underwater tunnel is a bit dizzying since the curve of the glass and movement of the water creates some optical illusions that mess with your sense of balance, there isn't as much information about the different animals as you'd find in a zoo, and it's a bit harder to wander at your own pace in a tunnel with a bunch of other people, so it's not a place I'd insist on visiting regularly but I'm very glad we went and I'd go back again sometime. The thing Jake and I, and other older visitors, really enjoyed was getting to pet the star fish, horseshoe crabs, anemone, and snow crabs at the very end of the exhibit. By that time, though, Cecelia and Vivian were more interested in running off to the little pirate ship play area so they didn't get as much out of the hands-on exhibits.
Our next big stop was the American Girl store which delighted Ce and Vivi to see the dolls they ogle over in the catalog up close and personal with all their tiny little accessories. We watched the hair stylists in the doll salon create new hair-dos for visiting dolls, and quickly checked out the bistro upstairs where girls can eat lunch with their dolls. I was also impressed with the staff there who were incredibly friendly and personable to all of their clients - they really seem to enjoy their jobs and it left me with an even better opinion of the company.
Then we spent the rest of the day at Nickelodeon Universe where we rode almost all of the rides for which Cecelia and Vivian met the height requirements. Usually this involved Jake and I being crammed into kid-sized cars as well, but even some of those rides were surprisingly fun. We took a break to eat at the slightly overpriced but child-enchanting Rainforest Cafe. With a $10 off coupon printed from their website, it was pretty reasonable and the kids thought it was amazing.
By the time we left at 6, the place was starting to get a bit crowded, Cecelia and Vivian were starting to wilt, and Jake was starting to fray at the edges from a day spent in a mall. I got a couple of mochas for Jake and I, and chocolate chip cookies all around which perked everyone up enough to make it to the car without any meltdowns. Vivi was asleep before we were out of the parking ramp and both she and Cecelia were happy to lay their heads on their own pillows when we finally got home and they had some dinner.
All in all, it was a nice little trip and a great chance for the four of us to spend some time together playing and having fun.
Even though we live only an hour away, we decided to make more of a vacation out of it so we drove up there Friday afternoon and spent the night at the Hilton hotel just a few blocks from the mall. It was a bit of a splurge, but we got a package deal that included a breakfast buffet for the 4 of us ($50) as well as 4 passes to Underwater Adventures (about $60), and the total room cost (with tax) was $180 so it wasn't all that bad. It came with the nice Hilton perks like super comfy beds, Crabtree & Evelyn soaps, and upscale decorations which made the girls feel like princesses. However - with only 10 free tv channels (less than basic cable), a cost of $15/movie to watch in the room, $5/show for on-demand tv, and a $10/day charge to use the wireless internet, all of which we passed on, the Hilton didn't seem so hospitable. The continental breakfasts might be a bit dodgey sometimes but at least most budget chains offer free wireless internet. I can't say I'd stay at another Hilton if I had a choice, but it was fun for a night. We swam in the pool for over an hour and a half before having dinner and settling in for the night.
On Saturday, we got to the mall at 10 am and stayed until about 6 pm - a full day that left us all pretty exhausted. Underwater Adventures was our first stop and it is a neat experience, especially to see the rays swim up over the glass tunnel right above your head. We saw turtles, rays, sharks, fish, an octopus, jellyfish, sea horses, sea stars, coral, anemone and more. On the downsides, the underwater tunnel is a bit dizzying since the curve of the glass and movement of the water creates some optical illusions that mess with your sense of balance, there isn't as much information about the different animals as you'd find in a zoo, and it's a bit harder to wander at your own pace in a tunnel with a bunch of other people, so it's not a place I'd insist on visiting regularly but I'm very glad we went and I'd go back again sometime. The thing Jake and I, and other older visitors, really enjoyed was getting to pet the star fish, horseshoe crabs, anemone, and snow crabs at the very end of the exhibit. By that time, though, Cecelia and Vivian were more interested in running off to the little pirate ship play area so they didn't get as much out of the hands-on exhibits.
Our next big stop was the American Girl store which delighted Ce and Vivi to see the dolls they ogle over in the catalog up close and personal with all their tiny little accessories. We watched the hair stylists in the doll salon create new hair-dos for visiting dolls, and quickly checked out the bistro upstairs where girls can eat lunch with their dolls. I was also impressed with the staff there who were incredibly friendly and personable to all of their clients - they really seem to enjoy their jobs and it left me with an even better opinion of the company.
Then we spent the rest of the day at Nickelodeon Universe where we rode almost all of the rides for which Cecelia and Vivian met the height requirements. Usually this involved Jake and I being crammed into kid-sized cars as well, but even some of those rides were surprisingly fun. We took a break to eat at the slightly overpriced but child-enchanting Rainforest Cafe. With a $10 off coupon printed from their website, it was pretty reasonable and the kids thought it was amazing.
By the time we left at 6, the place was starting to get a bit crowded, Cecelia and Vivian were starting to wilt, and Jake was starting to fray at the edges from a day spent in a mall. I got a couple of mochas for Jake and I, and chocolate chip cookies all around which perked everyone up enough to make it to the car without any meltdowns. Vivi was asleep before we were out of the parking ramp and both she and Cecelia were happy to lay their heads on their own pillows when we finally got home and they had some dinner.
All in all, it was a nice little trip and a great chance for the four of us to spend some time together playing and having fun.
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