Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Ludemann in Minnesota

My parents hosted our loud and rambunctious family for 4 days.  They cooked, cleaned, entertained, and even gave up their bedroom for the 6 of us.  We had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with them!  I can't wait for the boys to learn to how to ice skate on the lake! Or play the card game Zioncheck!  There are only so many ways to keep 3 wild boys entertained indoors. 

We had a fabulous Christmas in Minnesota but dearly missed my sister and her family!  They stayed away from the snow and cold of Minnesota and celebrated at their house in Virginia since my sisters third baby is due in about 5 weeks!  During a FaceTime conversation, she even let us in on the baby girls name.  How exciting!  Why we didn't travel to their house to celebrate in 60 degree weather, I'm not sure!  Don't get me wrong, I love a snowy Christmas, but I wouldn't have minded if our third Christmas Celebration of 2013 would have been in warmer weather.  

The snuggle bugs enjoyed watching the movie planes for the first time!

Minnesota Vacation Part 3: MY COUSINS WEDDING

Leg 3 of the trip was another car trip, even further northwest this time.  We headed to my cousins wedding in Fargo, ND.  Don't worry, we actually stayed in Moorehead, MN so were only in North Dakota for a few hours!  On our way, we took a detour to visit two places.  

PELICAN RAPIDS

The first detour was to our old family cabin that we grew up going to every summer for 2 weeks.  The cabin has since been torn down but the memories remained.  It is right outside of Pelican Rapids, MN where there is a huge pelican that we stopped to take a picture of the cousins by.  I am trying to track down a picture of me and my sister when we were little, taken from the same spot. I hope to get that added to this post soon.

BARNSVILLE

The second detour was to go to Barnsville, MN to see the red house my dad grew up in and to eat Dairy Queen!

THE REHEARSAL DINNER

Luke should have been in charge or writing this section.  He LOVED the food.  I have to pause before you get to see the pictures of the kids and explain some of the food.  Yes the pictures deserved to make the blog.  This food is a part of most of our conversations about the Wedding festivities.  The first picture is of some Louisianna Gumbo complete with Aligator Sausage, Andouille Sausage, 2 other Sausages, Scallops, Chicken and numerous other Gumbo items. The next picture shows Aligator Sausage and Chicken Drumsticks in the best marinade!  I do not have a picture of the dessert but it almost deserves its own post.  My uncle Dan makes the best Carrot Cake.

THE HOTEL

There was more fun to be had at the hotel.  We played scrabble in the lobby and even enjoyed some time in the hotel pool which was shallow and included slides.  The kids had a blast.

THE WEDDING
Here is the handsome crew just after the wedding.  I loved this setting and I of course love the people in the picture.  Please take time to notice Brooks twirling his hair and Wynnlee grabbing onto Leighton's.

 My beautiful sister Amber, and her family Hayden (4), Abby, (3), and Brendan Miller.