Playing at Gramma and Grampa's house

This was a day set aside for fun and action.

We need to get excited before we begin.

Then Erik joined the festivities. He's ready.

Now we are ready.

Charlie, not quite into it yet. We need to get this party started.

Funny face time. This is Charlies attempt. Is it really a face or is he just sticking his tongue at me?

Erik did a better job at it. This is his funny face.

Amelia just can't make a funny face, just adorable ones.

Ellie at her best.

Ellie wanted me to take some action shots. Here she is falling off the trike, the same one that Aunt Kirstin had in 1973.

Jumping action. Hey, where are your legs?

Erik in a falling action shot.

Practicing her cartwheels.

I think that Charlie's thumb spent more time in his mouth than out of it.

More action shots. Amelia really didn't like being thrown up into the air.

Help!!!! I am crashing.

Erik doing flips with mom's help.

Mom gets into the action also by swinging Ellie.

And Erik.

Me too!

And Charlie.

Ellie being thrown into the air.

Grampa gave some airplane rides.

That really cute smile again.

Mom and daughter with their synchronized cartwheels.

Erik with his great somersault.

That was a full morning of action shots and I am tired. My thumb is tired too and needs comforting.

Hey fish face!!!

Cousin Lorelei  joined us for a while.

Ellie even got the roller blades on for a while. We had a great morning.

Playing in the Minnehaha Creek

This is our second trip the Minnehaha Falls Park to take a Surrey ride.

We couldn't stay away for long. The kids saw these surreys and wanted a ride. These are the hardest things to peddle with a full load - three adults and four kids. All kids are supposed to wear bike helmets and all of them had them on except for one. Amelia was not about to have one on and she put up a terrible fuss. So she went on the ride without one. Needless to say we were all pretty pooped when we finished.

On our ride we stopped for a picnic lunch. Millie had other ideas. She would rather pick dandelions.

Hello. I can't talk right now because I have a mouthful of cheese and it has been there for five minutes. I might keep it in there for much longer. I'll let you know when I swallow it.

All of us on the surrey. Take a look at the devilish look on Charlie face. His hand is on the break.

We made it down the long staircase a second time to the base of the falls.

We got to the play area of the creek and we were almost the only ones there. Amelia loves the water.

This is going to be fun

Ellie trying to balance against the current.

She still has cheese in her mouth. Well it isn't the same batch as the first picture, but she likes to keep it in her mouth to completely digest it. Gross! Just don't sneeze.

Having fun.

Beautiful smile on this girl. Wow!

Keep those pants rolled up Charlie. Don't get wet. Well, the current knocked him over and he took a dive in the creek. Thanks dad for saving him.

Do I dare get closer?

I just love laying in the Minnehaha.

Our family picture in the creek.

Fearless Charlie.

Walking towards the rapids.

Add one more child.

Standing in the middle of some rapids in the middle of the Minnehaha Creek. Such a great time. Let's do it again.

Walking the Minnehaha to the Mississippi

We wanted to spend time at Minnehaha Falls Park and explore the creek all the way to the Mississippi River.

Hiawatha carrying the Princess Minnehaha so she would not get wet on the shores of the Minnehaha or was it Gitche Gumee?

The crew standing on the bridge right above the falls.

Hiawatha and Minnehaha again.

Charlie is trying to escape, but he can't quite fit through the bars.

The falls was really full because of all the rain we received last month, over nine inches in May at my house.

To get to the creek, many stairs had to be descended and this was the resting spot for Gramma and some kids.

The view of the falls from below. When I was a kid (9-10 years old) I used to ride my bike here (many miles from my house) and walk behind the falls. It has crumbled so much that you can't do that safely anymore, besides there are no trespassing signs posted all over the place.

Kyle, Tiffany with their kids, Erik, Amelia, Elisabeth and Charlie. What a great family.

Another break on our long one half mile trek to the Mississippi River. I think Charlie's thumb needs a break!

Then we found this very lifelike statue of Erik the Wonderful.

Ellie was showing off her graceful climbing skills.

Isn't this the best smile you ever saw?

Finally we see the Mississippi River, running high.

Ellie touching the river water. The current was running very fast.

Now it was a time for skipping stones. Kyle was the teacher and everyone practiced and practiced. Some skipped many times (guess who threw it) and some just dropped. By the time we were done, we almost filled up the river, well me throwing boulders in didn't help.

Millie wanted some of the action too. More to follow.

Ellie skipping rocks.

Watch this Grampa. It's going to be good.

She just was not satisfied standing on the shore. She wanted to get into the river and nothing was going to  stop her. "Hi", she seems to say. Or was she showing us that the rock she had is no longer in her hand. Mom didn't let go of her because of the swift current.

Happy Mother's day