The drive across the prairie lands of South Dakota was serene and vast; golden, rolling fields for the 5 hour stretch across the state, with only a smattering of small towns on the way. A special treat for the kids was when I turned off their movie and blasted 'Biggest Ball of Twine In Minnesota' so we could all sing along about pickled wieners. When we arrived in Mitchell (an hour shy of S.F), Reese announced she need to use the restroom which turned out to be perfect timing to do an impromptu drive by of the famous "Corn Palace."
We arrived in Sioux Falls as the sun was setting and drove through town for longer than anyone would have preferred before finally deciding on Panera Bread for dinner, and then headed to our hotel downtown at the Holiday Inn. A bath was necessary as Lee was encrusted and sticky after all of the road trip yummies (suckers, fruit snacks, twizzlers.) After the bath I was quite pleased to find 'Miss America' on the hotel tv and even the kids were swept into the excitement, while Dillon opted to finish up some work before we all hit the hay.
The next morning (Monday) we hit the road later than planned since the kids slept til 850 (a rare treat! And in a hotel no less!), first stopping at McDonalds drive through and then to Falls Park in Sioux Falls. The kids scampered over the rocks and Dillon and I were both surprised at how impressive the natural falls truly are!
The 4 hour drive East to Minneapolis was fascinating to take in, as it was all new territory to us! We stopped at a bathroom area on the side of the road and it was so picturesque with a lake and rolling green land. Dillon and I had a little bet of how many lakes we would see on our drive and Dillon won, as we saw 10! (Side note- while it is known as 'The Land of 10,000 Lakes', a friend told us it is actually more like 20,000!)
The 4 hour drive East to Minneapolis was fascinating to take in, as it was all new territory to us! We stopped at a bathroom area on the side of the road and it was so picturesque with a lake and rolling green land. Dillon and I had a little bet of how many lakes we would see on our drive and Dillon won, as we saw 10! (Side note- while it is known as 'The Land of 10,000 Lakes', a friend told us it is actually more like 20,000!)
We finally rolled into Bloomington (suburb of the Twin Cities), checked in and unloaded our things at the Best Western and then got back in the car and headed to Como Park. Several friends had recommended this free zoo and it was the perfect activity for our kids after being in the car (although our drive there was tricky and stressful!)
We decided on dinner inside the Mall of America. Walking in and seeing Nickelodean Park, Lego Land and the sheer size was so fun! We all munched on Chipotle at the food court on the 3rd floor looking out at the rides, before making a stop at Great American Cookie.
After dinner Reese requested we all head to the hotel pool so we happily obliged. Eventually Dillon and I took turns watching the kids so we could take turns in the hot tub, as the kids pool was a bit chilled. Then back to our room for baths and bedtime. The kids both went down easily and without a fuss to our delight! Quite different from last summers trips when we all shared a room in Estes and both kids cried and cried.
After another good nights rest, Dillon woke up for his conference and we all got dressed and down to the hotel breakfast. We said farewell to Dillon and the kids and I packed our bag, buckled in to our double stroller (a Mall of America necessity!) and walked across the street to begin our MOA adventures. I had done a little research and knew we would want to purchase two kids day passes (half-price because we got lucky and were there on half-price Tuesday!) (and I didnt have to buy a pass because a parent rides free!). We ended up going on 5 different rides, all of them appropriate for a 1 and 3 year old. There were no lines or crowds, just other moms and kids. After the rides we popped in the American Girl store and Reese played with the various dolls and such for a bit. Then on to Lego Land, where both kids played at the little tables set up.
By this time it was about lunchtime and the food choices were a bit overwhelming so we ended up grabbing pizza for everyone. And because I wanted to run in Carters, I bought each kids (and myself) a cookie before we ventured deeper into the mall. I got a little turned around but eventually found the store and was able to pick the kids out a few things before any meltdowns. After Carters we had to go to Nordstroms. Reese had seen a little girl that morning with a balloon and discovered it was from Nordstroms so thats where she wanted to go! It was pretty much at the opposite end of mall but Im glad we got to see it all. We got Reese her balloon (green) and then headed for the Disney store. It was quite magical but because we were nearing nap time we only stayed briefly. We walked back to the hotel, got in pjs and the kids went down right at 2. I took a little nap myself which is rare.
The kids woke up hyper and ready to swim at 4, and I was able to delay them til Dillon arrived back at the hotel around 445. Then to the pool! For dinner we went back to MOA and settled on Bubba Gump Shrimp.
The next morning our alarm went on at 545 and we left before the sun came up, as we had a long journey ahead of us. The kids were groggy but not cranky. We grabbed our usual McDonalds, and headed West. The traffic out of Minneapolis wasnt bad and soon we were back in the countryside watching the sun rise as we passed fields of corn and soy. As I sipped on my tea I started getting excited for what the day would hold! One more round of 'Biggest Ball of Twine' and we crossed into South Dakota.
We arrived in Brookings at 10 just as the Childrens Museum opened. It was AMAZING and I only wish we could have spent all day there. The kids were not ready to leave 2 hour later but we had a schedule to stick to, so we bid farewell and drove across the street for lunch in a historic bistro 'Old Market' where the food did not disappoint.
The next morning our alarm went on at 545 and we left before the sun came up, as we had a long journey ahead of us. The kids were groggy but not cranky. We grabbed our usual McDonalds, and headed West. The traffic out of Minneapolis wasnt bad and soon we were back in the countryside watching the sun rise as we passed fields of corn and soy. As I sipped on my tea I started getting excited for what the day would hold! One more round of 'Biggest Ball of Twine' and we crossed into South Dakota.
We arrived in Brookings at 10 just as the Childrens Museum opened. It was AMAZING and I only wish we could have spent all day there. The kids were not ready to leave 2 hour later but we had a schedule to stick to, so we bid farewell and drove across the street for lunch in a historic bistro 'Old Market' where the food did not disappoint.
After lunch we continued west for just half an hour to reach our last stop of the day, De Smet! We followed the street signs to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Society homes. We didnt have time to do the 2 hour tour, but we were able to see the school Laura attended as a child, her first home in De Smet during 'The Long Winter', the school where she first taught, and the house her Pa built for their family in town. Before we left town we also drove out to the cemetery and saw Ma, Pa, Carrie and Marys' graves. Dillon wanted to make sure he didnt rush me and took the kids to a nearby park so I could explore for a bit and make a couple of gift shop purchases.
Dillon took us home through backroads to save time and avoid some construction traffic, the kids watched shows and napped and ate candy. It was a quick and wonderful excursion with Team Ferguson!
