My mini "Amazing Race" around the midwest!

Last Friday was the day that Ava, Colin and I started our 'Amazing Race Around The Midwest'! We started in Appleton, flew through Minneapolis to Des Moines...spent the night at our friends' the Lynchs' home, and then on Saturday, Grammie & Grampy Gorden picked us up and drove us to Fremont, Nebraska, where we visited with my Grandma and Grandpa Gorden. Sunday, we turned around and drove back to Des Moines, flew through Chicago and then arrived home in Appleton at 6pm...with 1 hour left to celebrate Mother's Day before the kids' bedtime!

The above picture is how the kids strolled through the airports--Ava said her 'seat' was a Queen Throne!

Has anyone ever heard us gush about Minneapolis? Not only do we love the Mall of America, love the restaurants in Minneapolis, but we really do LOVE the airport there too! Ava enjoyed playing in the play area...as we had 2 hours to just wander around!


I mentioned that we spent the night in Des Moines. The above picture is my dearest friend Karen (aka: my faraway friend or my friend from Des Moines). She and I met in a class at the University of Iowa and we befriended each other because the TA for our class could never tell us apart! We talk almost daily, and my girls have 'accidentally' referred to her as Aunt Karen and the name has stuck! I'm sure she will find some way of payback for me posting this picture of her, but I finally figured out how to get photos off my cell phone! We took this funny cheesehead picture last year when she came to visit us and she and I had gone to Door County for the day, just the 2 of us. We try our best to see each other 1x a year...and it is even better if both of our families can be together too!


The above 2 pictures are of Ava and Nolan. They just love each other. Their 1st meeting was when they were 1 and we have a photo of them holding hands in highchairs. Now, I think each time they see each other, we'll try to get an eating/holding hands photo of them. They really hit it off and both were very sad to leave each other on Saturday.

The Lynch Family, Katie, Colin and Ava. Karen had NO idea I was going to surprise her with a visit...and to sweeten the surprise, it was her birthday. She claims it was the best birthday ever...and truth be told...it was as much fun for me to surprise her as it was for her to be surprised! Happy Birthday, again, my dear friend!


Here are Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Gorden and Ava. This is Ava--always looking for a cuddle. If you look REALLY close, you will see a small ceramic bear in her hand. Great Grandma used to paint ceramics and she gave Ava this figurine. It is a very treasured "toy"...Ava is still carrying it around 1 week later!

4 Generations of Gordens.

THIS was the most comical part of the trip. Many of you know that the Glynn kids are not car sleepers, don't sleep well away from their own beds or off of their semi-rigid sleep schedule. We were on our way to dinner Saturday night and Ava fell asleep in the van. When we arrived at the restaurant, I carried the 'rag doll Ava' inside and stood her up while I got a booster seat for her seat and she stayed asleep! For over an hour, while we enjoyed dinner, THIS is how she looked:
She finally woke up as we were ready to leave the restaurant. Her meal that night? A peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, made by Grammie! :)


We stayed at the most amazing Holiday Inn Express. It might be the cleanest hotel I've ever stayed in, the rooms are HUGE and very accomodating to double stroller and pack n plays! They also have a great zero entry pool. Colin hated the swimming experience--it was too cold for his chubby thighs...but Ava? She LOVED it. The video is of her going down one of the slides--no fear!

All in all the weekend was wonderful. It was so special to surprise Karen in Des Moines on her birthday and fun to just hang out with her a little.

It was so special to see Grandma and Grandpa Gorden and to introduce them to Colin.

It was so special to spend time with MY parents...usually when we visit, we are dashing here and there and don't have a lot of time to connect.

It was so special for Ava to have semi-alone time with me, and to get Grammie and Grampy all to herself (vs sharing them with the big girls!)

And it was SO special for ME to come home to:
1) A clean van, inside and out
2) Numerous cards and artistic greetings
3) ALL of my summer flowers....the girls and Andy purchased and planted all of them for me!
4) Nearly all of my clutter-collector areas in the house have been decluttered. I asked Andy to do the front closet...and he did that, the built in cupboard in the dining room, a cupboard in the kitchen, 2 drawers in the kitchen...it is wonderful!
5) 2 smiling and loving little girls who were wanting to jump through security to see us when we got off the plane and 1 loving husband who did so much to make the weekend special for all! Thank you, Andy!