As we're waiting for the big vacation this fall, we took a quick getaway to Minneapolis-St. Paul to have some fun and visit Aunt Megan. While I know that I enjoyed it more than Matthew (how much girl talk can he handle?) it was a nice break from the routine. And hey, Megan has a Wii! Benji was also quite fascinated by Megan's two cats. He didn't run up to them, but when Megan invited him over to pet Blackers he touched her ever so gently. They didn't seem too fond of him, especially when he stood by their food bowls and told them they needed to eat. Megan was excellent tour guide, taking us to the farmer's market, the sculpture garden (where Benji thought the Spoon Bridge and Cherry sculpture was a water slide), and one of the 10,000 lakes (Lake Calhoun, I think, where Benji wanted to go swimming).
As far as Benji was concerned, though, the best part of the trip was the Mall of America — and the amusement park inside. He could go on some of the rides all by himself and the ones where he needed a chaparone didn't need a ticket for the adult. So we got him an all-day pass and let him ride over and over. I think he rode his favorite ride 10-15 times!
Benji and Matthew got a head start on the rides while Megan and I went shopping. It looks like they took a stop on the carousel.
They also rode the giant ferris wheel. I think here Benji is looking up at the top of the wheel.
Benji loved the hot air balloon race. He felt like they were flying!
By far his favorite ride was "bouncy bouncy bouncy". We have no idea what the real name of the ride was (they were all named about Nickelodeon shows and we don't have that channel), but I think bouncy bouncy bouncy was a very appropriate name. (I think this video clip is especially long.)
Some of the other kids were upset on the ride, but Benji was an old pro. I liked that it had two restraints, including a seat belt that only the operator could unlock.
After we were done shopping, I took Benji on his first roller coaster. He loved it! We might have some trouble at Disney because he'll want to go on all the coasters, but we'll have to steer him to Goofy's Barnstormer.
i sincerely do not know what you are doing here. are you lost? were you
looking for your delicate calico cat, and did you follow her up two flights of stairs
to this room? she is not here. she was here, yes. we gave her a warm bowl of milk, we talked with her about campaign finance reform for a time, and then she bid us good day. i believe she was
going to the post office two blocks down, but i don't quite recall.
for surely you did
not find your way from prinsiana, the least traveled site on
the internet. if you did, though, perhaps you are looking for humor. perhaps you are looking for profundity. perhaps you are looking for answers.
i'm sorry, but you shall go naught-for-three.
