Enjoying the Mississippi

Kristen, the pictures of you and the boys are adorable! My godness, they're growing up so fast. They are precious.

These don't compare with the pics that preceeded them (okay, that's a grandma talking!), but here is a glimpse into the guys' trip up the Mississippi. Gpa and uncles left on Saturday, Dad caught up with them yesterday. I drove him up to Red Wing, MN - beautiful old town on the banks of that beautiful river. I've seen a bit of the Mississippi in Minniapolis with Don - what a great time! Now I've been able to experience just a bit more of her life and history. Fun.

What was most fun was seeing the guys enjoying time together on that boat Gpa built so long ago. I asked him if he ever imagined the boat would afford him these kinds of special times as he was building it. He answered quickly, "Yes." This was always his dream. I'm enjoying getting to know what goes on in the heart and mind of the man. : )

The day before Dad joined them the weather was bad and Dad got a message from Uncle Steve that they had run aground and that they were taking on water. I thought, yeah, that's Uncle Steve for you. Just kidding! But no! They HAD run aground and had taken on quite a bit of water. They bailed as they continued to the marina. Found out the water was from the waves (yes, 5 foot waves on Lake Pippin in the Mississippi!) pounding against the unsealed windows. That was alot of pounding!!

We felt so sorry for the difficulty of the trip.................. until we got there and saw the harsh conditions they were staying in. The St. James Hotel. A lavishly restored 1886 beauty. I included a bit of the room and the view from their window. Don't feel a bit sorry for them anymore! Seriously, they're having a wonderful time together. If you look real close in the last pic you'll see the boat making its way home.

So... enjoy a bit of the cruise. Love you all soooooooooooooooooooooo much.