this is my blog: An Epic Post for an Epic Month!

I haven't posted in over a month! I helped Sophia make homemade Valentine's cards for her class party... I love that she's finally writing!

for my birthday we stayed in Minneapolis for a long weekend. The hotel pool was a highlight for Sophia!

Silly, happy times!

The city...

We loved the MN Science Museum!

A live science demonstration (we loved watching the effects of liquid nitrogen on different objects)

"Feeling" the circulatory system!

This was the line to go in as we were coming out...popular place!

After a nap we headed across the street to the Mall of America (MOA)

The aquarium at the Mall is epic!

An eel!

Sophia still loves Sting Rays...

"Petting pool!"

Over the sting ray pool

Jellyfish

Seahorses and crabs... the seahorses are so neat!

The way cool underwater tunnel!

Post-aquarium snack... obviously not too healthy... the trip was one long indulgence session!

There was a cool dance team expo in the middle of the mall!

The audience

There is an amusement park in the middle of the mall! The log ride said "no pregnant people"...boo.

Soph went on some kid rides all by herself!

A view of the amusement park

On our last night in the city we splurged and had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe in the MOA. Sophia loved it! They have cool animatronic critters (the snake was a little scary for Sophia, but we loved the monkeys and butterflys!) and every 1/2 or so they simulated a thunderstorm.

You can't tell, but we were seated in front of a "rain wall," which was very entertaining (the rain wall is behind me and Soph)

There were tropical fish aquariums all over!

Sparkling volcano dessert!

On our way out of the city we stopped at Ikea, an incredible Swedish furniture store and restaurant. Made me think of the Swedes in my family!

The next weekend was DJ's 5th birthday party!

The birthday boy in the midst of unwrapping

At the end of February we finally saw some big snow! Sophia loved finally trying out her snowboard... we call her the "mini shredder." :)

Walking up the sledding hill gets exhausting!

Travis and Sophia made an igloo in the front yard...

Sophia's Godfather, Brandon, came to watch her ballet practice :)

Then we all had lunch at a French pastry shop downtown

Sophia under the bed with her sick kitty :( He just started eating again! After 3 weeks of no food... I think he'll pull out of it now! (Fingers crossed).

Then came the big thaw!

We have a renewed interest in bubbles...

Sophia at the hospital she was born in :) We all went there on friday the 16th and heard the baby's heart beat!

Our last whole weekend revolved around MARGIE!!! This is the boarding stable...

The view from the stable. It's a slice of heaven!

Thanks to my mother in law for loaning us tack!

Our hard-won, long-awaited dream come true! Margie! She was delivered to the stable on Sat; a beautiful day in the 70's! We groomed her and loved her and then let her go meet her new horse family (there are 3 others at the stable)

In the afternoon we packed lunches and headed to Gooseberry Park

Another beautiful day on Sunday! We headed to the stable for some riding!

Backing Up! She's very responsive

I've never used a "barn bathroom" like this one! :)

Picnic at the stable while Travis and Margie went for a trail ride :) We spent about 3 hours up there on Sunday. Family time with our own horse brings indescribable joy... life is SO good!