Days 8 - 10: Minnesota!!!

We sucked it up on Friday morning (Day 8) and flew a LONG day from Taos to Cozad, Nebraska (2 1/2 hours) for a quick lunch and PIE, and then another two and a half hours to Minneapolis (FINALLY). We were all ready to get out of the plane when we arrived. Luckily, Uncle Jason was waiting to whisk us away to Shorewood (thanks, Jason!), where he and Aunt Becky and kids Nathan and Avery live. There is nothing like hanging out with family to heal from a stressful trip. Upon arrival, the grown-ups received well-deserved Friday night adult beverages and a very refreshing Chinese Chicken Salad with Real Lettuce (something we have been missing lately -- THANK YOU Becky!), and Peter finally got to run all the ya-yas out in Becky and Jason's ENORMOUS backyard with various and sundry neighbor kids. From that moment on, he was a different (much better behaved) kid.

Here he is with Nathan at Psycho Suzi's (a tiki bar where you can get an EXCELLENT brunch AND build your own bloody Marys!). Nathan introduced him to "monkey brains" -- the styling product that you see evidence of in the photo.

And here is Karolina surrounded by admirers. Avery is going to be a phenomenal babysitter some day -- I don't think she has left Karolina's side since we arrived, and she has been keeping the older kids in line during the last couple of nights' slumber parties.

Saturday (Day 9) we spent the day like any self-respecting Minnesotan in good weather -- on a boat on the lake. We swam, we fished (Peter caught FIVE fish!), we ate corn dogs and cheese curds at the local art festival (addictive!). The cabin of the boat made a perfect cradle for Karolina's naps. It was the perfect way to kick off the summer, and the humidity actually feels good after the New Mexican desert.

Today (Day 10) we are relaxing, enjoying each others' company, and gearing up for a short (90-minute) hop to South Dakota, to see our Second Midwestern family -- the Briggs. We are going to try and catch Peter and give him a bath with real soap (as opposed to lake water) before we go. He has been having a heck of a time running wild with his cousins. I sure do wish we lived closer.