Fun with the Parents

It's been four years since Mom and Dad came up for a visit, so I was really excited when Mom said she'd come this year for Mother's Day.  Even more excited because I knew I'd miss being in town for Flying Pig weekend.  My goal for their trip was to help them have so much fun they'd want to come back.

Thursday night: We had a monsoon in Minnesota.  And Wisconsin.  My parents were driving and they were really happy to get here.

Friday: We hit up the Como Conservatory perhaps the only thing we do every time they come to town, and The Raptor Center.  Qat Lady made a special appearance.  It wound up being a super cold and windy day so we opted for an indoor shopping trip at Ikea in the afternoon and then dinner at Marla's with a guest appearance by Nathan.

Saturday: Mom and I did Zumba while Nathan took Dad on a walk on the Greenway.  Then we all enjoyed the Farmer's Market as well.  We hit up Cedar Lake and the Kenilworth Trail for a walk.  Mom made an early Mother's Day request to see the Matisse Special Exhibit at Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Nathan joined us for that as well.  Then we all went to dinner.

Sunday I was finally feeling slightly better from my cough, so when I woke up early I decided to go for a 4 mile run instead of the 1-mile runs I'd been doing the previous week.  After the run we made Mother's Day Crepes. Mom got her present, a sample pack from Jamazing who Mom met at the Farmer's Market.  The bulk of the day was antiquing in Stillwater, with a brief walk on the Minnehaha Creek. We closed the day with Lucinda at the Chatterbox, which is always one of my favorites.  Apparently I wore Mom out too, because she had to take a nap before dinner.

Monday was planned as a slightly shorter day, though we tried to cram in as much as possible.  I offered my dad about fifteen things he could do to avoid shopping with Mom and I.   I have no idea why he decided to tag along, but he did and was fairly patient with us.  We headed to Mall of America where Mom hit pay dirt as far as clothing goes.  I was successful at Eddie Bauer and Marshall's.  After shopping, they hit the road and will drive until they get to Chicago, and then make the rest of the trip tomorrow.