Minnesota Zoo

One of the things we did while in Minnesota was go to the Minnesota Zoo (the New Zoo). I had never been. I think it opened when I was 10 or something. We always went to the Como Zoo...maybe because the Como Zoo was free and the Minnesota Zoo wasn't.

Grandma Judy, Joe, my sister Sarah and her three boys, my sister Kara and her daughter and my cousin Brianna's son Jay all went. Below are some of the pictures from the day at the Zoo.

Parker, cousin Derek and Kallsen

The Snake crossing the path might have been the high light for the boys

Kallsen (I LOVE this picture)

Jay and Joseph

Parker being Fierce (I LOVE this picture)

Joseph checking on cousin Jackson

Derek and Parker

Sara Beth and her two youngest

Sara Beth and the boys marking what they've seen so far

Parker looking at fish

Grizzly

Joseph, Jay, Kallsen, Amelia and Parker

It was a great day at the Zoo. My sister Sarah and her boys Davey, Derek and Jackson had to leave early...I wish they all could've been in this last picture.

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.

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