Grandpa Papa and Grandma Nana came to visit us from June 26-July 2. We had a wonderful time with them. Here are all the highlights.
Grandpa made a book about their African safari for the boys. They enjoyed looking at it together.
The grandparents accompanied the boys at their yoga classes, art camp and music class throughout the week and watched them while I worked. They came with us to the free school lunch program in town every day, and we took them to the new nature center! They also got to be here for Tanner’s birthday party!
On Friday, we went on a waterfall excursion in Mankato MN, which is just 1.5 hours from our home.
First we saw Minnemishinona Falls which was right under a bridge off the road.
Dallin was in his own little world collecting flowers and marching around.
Contemplating life.
Then we went to Minneopa Falls State Park to play and eat lunch. The boys played baseball with some sticks and tried spitting cherry seeds farther than grandpa could.
Then we walked to the falls. There are two sets of waterfalls here.
The view was really beautiful!
What a handsome boy!
Dallin didn’t want to be in any pictures.
We thought that was it with seeing the waterfall, but we saw a trail and decided to see where it would take us. It was a perfect little hike for us, and it led us directly to the bottom of the big waterfall!
First view, but we could get closer, so we kept hiking! It was such a beautiful forest!
We made it!
Tanner is standing where you can feel all the wind from the water crashing down.
All tuckered out after the hike back to the car.
Next, we found Sibley Park, which was all farm-themed!
We fed the goats.
Then we ate at a yummy Indian restaurant. Dallin was oh so tired.
The next day we went on a cave excursion to Spook Cave in Iowa. On the way, we discovered some Amish areas and found a museum about Laurie Ingalls Wilder that we will have to take Papa back to (I had no idea he loved Wilder books!). Jeremy thought this treat made by an Amish family looked good.
We ate lunch in McGregor, Iowa. The boys were very well behaved at the restaurant.
At the Spook Cave Park, there was lots to do.
The only access to the cave is on a canoe!
Getting in the cave was a tight squeeze, we all had to duck.
The boys loved it.
We all had to duck at various parts of the cave tour, except Dallin!
On our way out, adjusting to the light.
We had ice cream treats and then did some fishing.
They caught stuff!!!
You can’t really see in this picture, but Tanner’s face is of shock as he touches/holds the fish he caught.
He pulled his hand away fast, and the fish flopped all over the ground.
He wasn’t sure what to think.
He caught another one pretty soon after!
The Spook Cave is just a couple miles from the Mississippi River, so we drive to some sights along the river, including this small sculpture garden of significant people that influenced history at this area of the river.
We ate at a restaurant in Wisconsin, by the river.
It was our last meal with the grandparents.
We took a scenic drive home along the Mississippi River, on the Wisconsin side. I’ve always liked this river, but I think this summer I am falling in love with it. Driving along it for so many miles, we really got a sense of how vast it is. It isn’t just a river, it’s a series of marshes and inlets, islands, lakes, and ponds all interconnected by this massive body of moving water. And the coast along the river is magnificent! Bluff after bluff of forest-covered hills and ravines on both sides. Just when I think the bluffs will end, we drive around a bend and there’s another series of them as far as the eye can see. Everything is so green, too! I made Jeremy stop the car so I could take a picture of one of the views, but my camera does it no justice.
The next day, we said goodbye to grandma and grandpa after sacrament meeting at church.
Thank you so much for coming to visit us, Papa and Nana. We had a blast with you!!!
