Juicy Lucy

As planned, we (my wife and 3 boys) headed to the 5-8 Club Monday night to have our first Juicy Lucy. The 5-8 is one of two restaurants in Minneapolis that claim they were the establishment that 'created' the first Juicy Lucy. We took a poll on Facebook and the 5-8 Club won out as the place to go...by 1 vote.

We invited several friends and family through an open invitation through Facebook to join us for dinner at the 5-8 Monday night. When we got there, it was a line up out the door with a seat your self sign. So people stand inside the back door waiting for someone to get up and then a dash to get to the open booth before someone else gets to it. My sister Sarah, who goes to church next door, went and found the patio on the far side had open seats that couldn't be seen from the door (and if you've not been there before, you don't know about the patio) and got plenty of seats for everyone. We couldn't all sit together, but that was fine.

A quick apology for anyone that came a little late and didn't see any of us because we were on the patio, that was not well marked. Some pictures below...

The 5-8 Club in Minneapolis

The Top 10 at the 5-8

Friends Dave, Tonya and Carrie at the 5-8


Friend Matt and his son Tommy at the 5-8

My Juicy Lucy at the 5-8

(you can already see the cheese oozing out)

The video below is when waiting in line at the backdoor...a quick scan of the 5-8 Club's dinning room. Not a big place, but a popular place.

One of the patrons, who was in line behind our group, said he had never seen it this busy before and had never seen so many kids. He was wondering what the deal was. I wonder if a mass invitation through Facebook had any reason for the crowd Monday night.

A Great Sunday

Our first full day in Minnesota was Sunday and it was a great day. It began with my friend Matt and I hitting two disc golf courses. One in Plymouth, where I grew up, and one in Eden Prairie. The course in Eden Prairie is a pay-to-play course surrounded by a lot of courses that are free to play and well designed. Needless to say, as a long time player, I was looking forward to the experience.

The pay-to-play course is part of the Three Rivers Park District. They have three pay-to-play courses in Minneapolis. The course we played is at Bryant Lake Park. It is not a course for the faint of heart. It is both physically challenging and mentally challenging.

Here's the info board at the first tee

Looking back at a hole from the next tee

Following the disc golf outing, we held Kallsen's 5th birthday party. My grandpa Kallsen (age 96 and Kallsen's name sake) came along with my sisters and their husbands and kids. My friend Matt (who played Disc Golf) came over with his wife and son. It was a really fantastic day.

Me reading Kallsen one of his birthday cards

Kallsen's cupcake birthday cake

Kallsen blowing out the candle

Following the party, Kallsen wanted a sleep over. So my sister Sarah's boys Davey (5) and Derek (3); my boys Joseph (12), Kallsen (5) and Parker (3); and my twin sister's daughter Amelia (11) slept in the basement of my parents house with me as the one adult chaperon downstairs.

That meant that all the other adults...my Mom and Day; my wife; both my sisters and my nephew Josh (19) and Joe (visiting from Ireland) all slept in regular beds upstairs.

We woke to a great breakfast of pancakes, bacon and muffins that my wife Sara Beth cooked from everyone. A truly great day and a wonderful birthday for Kallsen.

A Chicago Side Trip

We took a side trip to the Sears Tower (now the Willis) in Chicago today. Here's one picture of Parker on the glass looking down. I love this picture.

Tripping to Minnesota Part 2

Here's some more pictures as we travel across the mid part of the country on the way from South Carolina to Minnesota. We've not visited Minnesota since April, 2007. I'm looking forward to visiting my parents, seeing my sisters, brother-in-laws; friends; Joe from Ireland; playing a round of Disc Golf in Minnesota; going to the Minnesota Zoo; having my first Jucy Lucy and some RR time.

Later today we're going to the observation deck of the Willis Tower in Chicago. 1,350 feet above the city. Below are some pictures of the trip so far...

Giant cross in Tennessee

Rough looking welcome sign

Parker & Kallsen shading their faces from the sun in Kentucky

Picnic time at rest area in Kentucky

Crossing the Ohio River going from Kentucky to Indiana

When we crossed into Indiana, the Southern Indiana Welcome was closed...this was the best we could do...Parker and Kallsen in front of the Smart Car.

The Boys acting silly in Indiana

Tripping to Minnesota

We left today for our vacation to Minnesota. Here's a couple of pictures as we post from the road.

Kallsen, Parker and Joseph just as we crossed into Georgia

Kallsen & Parker as we enter North Carolina

All three boys at the top of Smokey Mountain National Park

Heavy Money Part 2

We took our "Minnesota Bucket" to Ingles and used the Coin Star machine to change the coins to cash. Below are some pictures from our adventure.

Strike a Pose

Hard at Work

Parker pushing the money in

Parker is so happy about his money

Look at me! While I look at someone else.

Our money totals $113.97

Heavy Money

For the past several months, maybe even more than a year, Kallsen and Parker have been putting all the loose change that Mommy and Daddy have at the end of each day in their 'Minnesota Bucket' for our up coming trip to visit Adam's family in Minnesota. Here's a picture of the boys posing with their money in a pumpkin.

The money weighed in at a hefty 23+ pounds...

Our Recent Past

Here are some pictures of the boys taken over the past week. If you're reading this on Facebook, you can see all the pictures at AdamandSaraWright.com

Joseph enjoying a cold drink

Parker on slide in Easley

Parker and Kallsen at Sertoma Field

Me and my boys coming down giant slide

Kallsen in his race car