Pure deliciousness

While many 9-year-olds may pick Chuck E Cheese for a birthday dinner, Kaylynn has much more expensive taste.  She decided this year she wanted to go to The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant.  Of course, Cory and I were not going to complain too much!

Here are Kaylynn and Kit on the way to dinner.

 Kaylynn got a special chocolate milk.

 We ate the cheese course so fast we didn't even get a picture of it.  That may be my favorite part!  For dinner, Kaylynn picked shrimp, salmon and ravioli. 

 And for dessert she picked a flambed chocolate and marshmallow fondue.  When our waiter lit it on fire, Kaylynn was a bit nervous!

 But she was not scared to start dipping once the flame was out!

 So stuffed!  Oh so good!

 And, we saw a rainbow on the way home.  It was a perfect night!

Silver Dollar Lake hike

 We went up near Guanella Pass today on a hike towards Silver Dollar Lake.  It was very beautiful with lots of wild flowers.  There were storms in the area so we ended up turning back before we made it all the way to the lake.  But we will definitely go back to finish that hike some day.

 

 Our state flower - the Columbine

 

 These are not my ski poles, but my hiking poles!

 

 Mount Bierstadt near the top of Guanella Pass.

 

 

 

 

Up North

We had a great time in MN at the beginning of June.  We spent the first part of vacation on the North Shore.  We started by visiting Gooseberry Falls.  My dad carved my initials in the wood railing along there when I was a kid.  We looked, but couldn't find them back.  I guess that is what more than 25 years of weathering will do!

Everyone needed a walking stick!

Cory found one too!

We hiked to High Falls and Two Step Falls along the Baptism River.  This bridge seemed a bit precarious.  We did not test the limit of 5 people on it at a time!

The foam where the Baptism River meets Lake Superior was really cool.

Lake Superior was as smooth as glass that day, too.  It was even difficult to make out the horizon.

Loon!

 

 I just thought this fern was neat.

Kaylynn has a similar love of rocks as me!  She learned how to skip them, too!

We also spent some time at Split Rock Lighthouse.

Looking for more rocks - it is a delicate process!

She found a tiny agate piece!

In Duluth, here is a ship going under the lift bridge.

The next morning - brrr, was it cold (and rainy)!

Cory and Kaylynn did decide to brave the rain and go on the alpine coaster.  They had a blast!

We spent another fun-filled day at Valleyfair!

 

Looping Starship

 

Wild Thing

 

Xtreme Swing

I think the Power Tower was Kaylynn's favorite.  It shot you up and dropped you down suddenly from a 275 ft tower!

At one point, the two of them got stuck on the Excalibur.  It didn't seem to phase them - they continued to ride coasters!

This was the one and only ride I braved.  I screamed...Kaylynn laughed!

This was also a favorite - Steel Venom.

Back at Mom and Dad's.  I love the rain drops on the leaves.

Kaylynn also loved to see these baby chipmunks. 

On our last night we took in a Twins game at the "new" stadium. 

We had a fun-filled week!