Little girl on the flying trapeze

I'm special

This morning Charlotte and Grandma Cindy wallked me (Kristi) to work. We walked past a daycare with a playground. Charlotte was looking longingly at it and asked if she could play on it. I tried to explain that it was for the kids who go to that daycare. I apparently chose the wrong words when I said, "Well, that playground is for the special kids who belong to that daycare." (or something like that)

Charlotte replied "But I'm a special kid!"

Indeed.

Home sweet Duluth

Sorry that I was neglectful in following up with more pictures like I said I would. For those of you who were guessing, we went to Duluth!!! We love Duluth. It was our first home after we got married, the first place we really had a life together, and so it feels like we belong there. We have amazing friends up there and it seemed so natural to jump back in to hanging out with them. Of course, lots has happened since we last saw everyone three years ago. Everyone's kids have grown like weeds! The babies (like Charlotte) are now three year olds, and the toddlers from back then are starting kindergarten!!!! Where has the time gone?!?!
So anyway, our trip was wonderful. Lots of time spent with good friends, some time jumping on the rocks along Lake Superior, trips to old favorite restaurants (and a few new ones too), a visit to the medical school and the doctor who delivered Charlotte, watching the aerial lift bridge go up, and of course an ice cream cone down by the lake. It was a time of relaxation and rejuvenation for our family. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Charlotte and her friend Silas, both three. Silas' parents, Josh and Joy, were Charlotte's first daycare when we lived in Duluth.

Charlotte, Silas, and Miren (1), cuddling and jumping on the couch.

No trip to Duluth is complete without a visit to Hawk Ridge. We didn't really see any birds this time though.

We got two tickets for the same thing in one day, separated by only a few hours. Our license plate tabs were expired (which we knew about and were in the process of getting new tabs) and we got pulled over one morning in Duluth. Fair enough, we were breaking the law. But then a few hours later, parked in a public lot in Canal Park we got a second ticket. We couldn't explain to the officer that we had already gotten one ticket that morning because we weren't at the car when the ticket was written. We are appealing the second one.

Here we are, happily enjoying Canal Park, not knowing what was awaiting us back at the car.

Daddy and Charlotte being goofy.

"Daddy, would you like to go swimming?"

What nice smiling faces!

The whole family! It's been a long time since we took a picture with all three of us.

Yum!

Family portrait.

Last time we were here, Charlotte was a tiny baby.

See you next time Duluth!

Just a teaser

We went somewhere. Can you guess where?

More pictures to follow...