Alexander and Jordan

Moody Blues Piano - Alexander Piano - Jordan

Alexander and Jordan:

We had a new experience for this New Year's. Our most wonderful mommy and daddy (especially daddy) planned a trip to Duluth for us. He found this great deal online so we could have a New Year's party, stay at a hotel, have unlimited access to the waterpark for 2 days, and then go skiing with a private lesson. It was so much fun. We spent hours in the waterpark going up the stairs and down the slides and going around the lazy river. Then if we timed it just right, a big bucket of water would dump on our heads. Then the best part was that we could go to our room, rest for a little while, and then come right back! The next day the two of us had a really fun lesson on how to ski while mommy and daddy got 1.5 hours of fun time to ski by themselves (the first time since before Alexander was born). We also took the opportunity to see the overpriced Duluth Aquarium.

While daddy was on break from work, we decided to break the walls downstairs. He decided that he wants to work on the mudroom next. We all hated the looks of the closet down in there, so we broke it with hammers and crowbars. It may be a long time until we get to do something like that again.

Then came Alexander's birthday. As is the tradition, we both got some presents but Alexander, the birthday boy, got more. Jordan was a little sad that he did not get as much but when he "realized" that being happy with what he got was better than having them taken away.

The second week of February we had a very busy weekend. We had a birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese for one of the girls at daycare. Jordan has since admitted that she is the Princess and he is the Prince of daycare. When asked what that means he says that they save the castle and have to get married and have had to kiss out of an obligation as royalty, at least that is the only way that I (Alexander) can justify it.

That weekend we also went to the Minnesota Arboretum for chocolate day. That meant that we got to see where chocolate comes from and how it is used. We made cookies with chocolate, did the hula like those in tropical climates where chocolate comes from, saw cocoa plants and colored pictures about chocolate. Since we got there a little early we went and played in the outdoor natural playground made of sticks and other things from nature.

1. 2.	1. This is the waterpark hotel that we stayed at in Duluth. 2. We had to bundle up to go outside because it was very cold.
3. 4. 5.	3. We thought if we fed the fish, they would be easier to catch for dinner. We were wrong. 4-5. Continuing with our usual custom, when we go somewhere with lots of other amazing animals, we choose to look at the ducks (remember our San Diego Zoo trip?)
6. 7. 8.	6. Visiting the beaver family at their house. 7. Otter, beaver, muskrat, weasel. They all seem to blend together after awhile. They say this is an otter but for all we know, they could be tricking us (again). 8. This helps me understand how the desert dunes of Minnesota were formed.
9. 10. 11.	9. No dinner is complete without a ride on a motorcycle or horse afterwards. 10. Just to prove how cold it was - that is a mostly frozen Mississippi River. 11. This is the view from the top of Spirit Mountain in Duluth.
12. 13. 14.	12-13. What's so hard about skiing? Who needs this flat surface stuff?! Let's go. 14. Mommy showing off her expert skills.
15. 16. 17.	15-17. Rent-a-wreckers are here. We understand that you have a mudroom to destroy.
18. 19. 20.	18-20. Happy Birthday to Alexander (and Jordan)!
21. 22. 23.	21-23. We never need an excuse to have fun at Chuck-E-Cheese, but it is always better to have cake and pizza than not to have them.
24. 25. 26.	24-26. This is the natural playground at the Arboretum. Daddy was telling us to study the stick house. He said that if we really wanted we could pick up all of the sticks in the yard every weekend and make a house. Our dad is always thinking of us and ignoring his own needs.
27. 28. 29.	27. The whole world is a stage and I am just a puppet. 28. So where is the candy bar tree? 29. Can we go fishing?
30. 31. 32.	30. I will take any opportunity to color. 31. Mommy got to help us make the cookies. 32. When is the butter going to be melted? We need it for our cookies.
33. 34. 35.	33. Although I have never even seen a hula hoop before, I can do a pretty good job. 34. Don't ask me why they are comparing me to a bee. It makes no sense to me either. 35. Leaf me alone.
36.	36. This is mommy's best statue imitation.