What sort of crazy person would travel NORTH in February, driving through freezing rain, hail, a snow storm dropping 5-10", white out conditions and every sort of hazardous winter weather for almost 9 hours (5 hours of which were through winter storm warning zones), just to spend 3-4 days in sub freezing weather in a foot of snow and call it a vacation?
Me! me! me! Pick me!
It was easily the worst driving conditions I've ever been through (and that's saying something coming from a native Minnesotan) but it was totally worth it. It was the second annual Erickson Sister Weekend and even though I had a cold through the whole thing, I loved it! Here are some points of interest:
- For free Lindt truffles, go to the Lindt chocolate store at the Mall of America during a fierce snowstorm on a Thursday night in February when no one else is there. The sales guy was college aged and wearing bunny ears (?), but was super friendly and when four laughing women walked in, you can imagine the dollar signs blinking in his eyes. I had no idea how many flavors of Lindt truffles there were, but he was very generous in letting us try free samples. He even thrust free chocolate in our hands as we were leaving (after we had bought about 90 truffles for my baby shower).
- I have the best sisters in the world.
- The Rainforest Cafe is rather creepy if you're sitting below the life size mechanically animated gorillas, but the food is delish.
- The best place to spend any sort of lazy day is in Lindstrom (see number 3), even in the winter. I love my grandpa Steve, his generosity, and his love of coin collections. All the sisters left with almost a whole set of state quarters (I'm only missing Delaware and Hawaii).
- I am 7/8 Swedish and 1/8 Norwegian, but I learned that a huge chunk of my family history lived so far north they were actually in the arctic circle! No wonder I call visiting MN in February a vacation... it's in my blood!
- I love my family.
- The best way to watch Mama Mia the movie is with sisters, mom, and a brother who know all the words to all the ABBA songs and can laugh at the absurdity of the movie while reveling in it's fun. It might help if it's around midnight and everyone is deliriously tired, too.
- Baby showers are really fun, especially when you're lucky enough to have sisters, sisters-in-law, and a mother who are so good at throwing parties. My sister-in-law Nicole made this amazing "diaper cake" as a gift to me. The picture was taken after I removed all the adorable little girl hair clips and headbands, the pacifiers, baby spoons and samples and other baby paraphernalia that was decorating it (so I wouldn't lose them while traveling). It was adorable, and is now decorating our house in anticipation of the big event.
- Baby clothes have become a trigger of excitement for me in realizing the reality of having a new baby.
- I have the best family in the world! (Did I say that already?)
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