Surprise RIDE

For a very long time we have been doing "Surprise Rides"..it's where we simply get the boys in the car and announce SURPRISE RIDE and off we go to an adventure that is unknown to them.  No matter how old they get, they LOVE them.

Thursday Tommy and Drew had an early out due to conferences and then no school on Friday.   Thursday was also Alice's 5th birthday and I knew Charlie would have a hockey game that weekend.   I decided a couple of weeks ago it would be a great excuse to surprise everyone and head to Minnesota.  Scott was out of town all week so it would be a longer time away from him, but surely he would enjoy a weekend home alone by himself too.

So I got the boys off to school on Thursday...dropped Max off at his friend Hinckley's house and proceeded to run around like a crazy woman to get everyone packed up and the car loaded up by 1:30. 25 trips up and down the steps...yes I have a fitbit that keeps track so I know that was accurate.  And I had the car ready and loaded to go.

I picked up Jack early from school with the story of a dentist appointment...and we picked up Max from  Hinckley's house...then we went to get the big boys at school.  Jack didn't notice all of the stuff in the way back of the car when I picked him up, he was too busy complaining about the dentist appointment I hadn't warned him about.  :)  The uber observant oldest child of ours opened the front door of the car and immediately saw the car was packed up for a trip.  There was serious cheering and celebrating in the car!  SURPRISE RIDE I announced...to where?  they asked....then they saw Alice's birthday present and knew immediately where we were headed.  So off to Minnesota we went to surprise everyone else.

I hadn't told my Mom, Dad, Mike, or anyone that we were coming.  We found them celebrating sweet Alice's birthday at McDonalds play place and shocked them all with our arrival.  So much fun.  Jack captured a couple of pics...blurry but classic.  I especially LOVE my Dad's face....I LOVE how much they LOVE us.

We had a great time in Minnesota.  Friday morning we hit our favorite breakfast spot, Original Pancake House, did a surprise visit to Papa's office at the bank...then we dropped Max and Grandma back home and the big boys and I headed to the MOA.  We had so much fun poking around, it wasn't crowded and we didn't have to wrangle a sweet 3 year old.  We hit all of the stores they wanted to and were out of there by noon.  Swung through for lunch some at Five Guys and others to Potbelly's....headed home and had Green Mill Pizza for dinner...yum...and then played at Mike and Cara's house.

Papa's office

Made him pose by the cool princess thing at the Disney store

Stopped in the Hello Kitty store...never had been there, so fun

Saturday morning we facetimed with Daddy,  Papa made his famous pancakes...we all went to cheer Charlie on in Hockey, he was the goalie and alternated between waving and playing.  He was SO excited to have a cheering section.  The boys and I went to see our friends the Ericksons...had lunch with them.  Then home for naps and dinner at DQ Grill and Chill and more play time for Max and Alice while Grandma and Papa took the others to see Parental Guidance.  I got to paint a little girls nails which was fun.

 Max opened his birthday present at DQ and was THRILLED beyond THRILLED to have his own Hockey set.  

 Saturday night, Max asked Papa "Can we have some Oreo's Papa"....hmmmm they did their evening ritual of dunking Oreo's together.

 Church on Sunday morning...I snapped this one of Papa and Max

Sunday we went to church...another meal at Original Pancake House....and then off to drive home to Iowa.  In the sleet and snow.

We made it home in time for our class Red Card at church and to meet Daddy there.

What a fun whirlwind Surprise Weekend.  I LOVED it...