One more thing completed!

This past weekend we took a random trip up north to Ely, MN. Friday I called Mack and told him that we had nothing to do this weekend, so after I got off work Saturday afternoon we should drive up to Ely, go camping and get Cheyanne a dog sledding harness. So that is what we did. While I was at work Saturday, Mack packed up the truck, got all the camping gear and food ready and when I got home we were off to Ely. The first time we took this trip was last winter, after Christmas. There was snow on the ground but no snow fall at least for that weekend. The trip is 4.5 hrs. long so Mack made me mack sure there wasn't going to be a blizzard that weekend. I checked the weather and it was fine. BUT, by the time Mack got home from work that day, it started snowing. The weather man said the snow will turn into a blizzard and by the time we got on the road, that's what it became. A trip in a blizzard, the 4.5 hours become 7. So this time around it was going to be a whole different experience. The sun is shining, everything is green, not to mention the 67-75* weather we had ALL weekend. Yes, Minnesota, you will be missed (in the summer) when we move to TX. Even though, I will miss the snow too. But the weekend was great, and beautiful. We camped in the tent that we put in the back on Mack's truck bed, which was so fun. Mack got great steaks and mac-n-cheese, which I cooked in the dark and they turned out better than I thought. Then, the next morning we got up at 6, yes I was the 1st one awake, I still can't believe it. Mack started a fire, we ate breakfast (great again!) Pancakes, bacon and eggs with a glass of milk, then we packed up and headed to get Cheyanne's harness. After we went into town, got hot chocolate, then went to the North American bear exhibit. It was pretty neat, but Mack really wanted to see bears fighting lol. After that, we walked around town a bit then made the long drive home, which became an extra 2 hours because of road construction, yuck. But what a fun weekend we had, and one more thing completed on our "MN Check List" before our move to TX at the end of the month.

More pictures of the furry creatures.

1 Cow..2 Cow..3 Cow..ZOO!

Well, 1 more thing down on our "MN To Do" List! Saturday we went to the

Minneapolis Uptown Art Fair, got some kettle corn (it was as good as my dad's, that's the only reason I bought some), Mack got some spicy gumbo and we drank some lemonade as we walked around and saw some interesting art and people. The weather in Minneapolis is a hot 76* here lol. Man we are not excited to come back to this 110* and higher heat Texas has been having. Sunday we went to the Minnesota Zoo! It was a blast. We saw lions, tigers, sharks and bears..O MY! We went to a Dolphin show, where saw the father, mother and baby dolphin do tricks and cool us down with water. All the kids (me) included where having a lot of fun I had to sit on my feet so I could see more! It was a great Sunday with the hubby. We came home, had dinner and took the dogs for a bike ride around the neighborhood. Speaking of houses, WE ARE MOVING to TEXAS, AUGUST 28th!! Whoop! That is 18 days away from today! I have not even started packing yet. That is also 7 days after, marking our ONE YEAR, I have been married to this wonderful, godly and handsome man!
Today, I have been very busy, I got caught up on all of my shows, HGTV Design Star..yes I am going to redo a whole house one day lol, Pretty Little Liars, I cannot wait to see who is "A", is it Jason or Jena?, and of course..Master Chef, I really want Jennifer to win!...(Christian..Yuck & rude!) Also, I planned our driving trip back down to Texas. For a start we have "Door-to-Door" taking all of our stuff down to TX so we don't have to rent a Uhaul and haul it all down there, pack, unpack and then do it all over again when we find a house to live in. Then, I called hotels, and made a little (5 hr detour) so I can finally see CHICAGO! Yes folks, CHICAGO! I cannot wait to see what I got to talk about in class, the Millennium Park, Sears Towers and THE BEAN! So that's one day and night in Chicago then getting up early in the morning headed down to Texas, stop in Memphis, TN, spend the night, then the rest of the journey home to Tyler the 30th. Yes we will be moved down to TX AUGUST 30th! Whoop! I cannot wait to see all our friends and family! It will great not to worry missing things anymore. So cheers to that, being close to Friends and Family!
Night ALL and God Bless!

Things To Do Before We Leave MN:

To Do List:

1. Go to the Mall of America..again. = CHECK.
2. Ride our last of the rollarcoasters at the MOA. = CHECK.
3. Go to Ely.
4. Buy Cheyanne a dog harness in Ely.
5. Go to Canada.
6. Go to the MN Zoo. = CHECK.
7. Go Downtown and walk around.
8. Ride our bikes at all the Minneapolis Parks.
9. Go to Wisconsin, site see and paddle the river. = CHECK.
10. Go to a MN Twins baseball game!
11. Go see the Metrodome.


As of now..that's all I have. Only 1 more month until we move to TEXAS!

Minnesota no More

Well folks..it has been a journey. I graduated May 13th, from Texas A&M University..Whoop! Man..wasn't that an exciting adventure. Graduation was so fun and such an experience. Then, I was packed up and that next Monday my mom, Papa, Gigi and I all took the long trip up to Minnesota to finally get to live with Mack after this long yr. apart. So, with Gigi and Papa in one car and my mom and I in another we were off. We were only 2 hours out when I got a phone call from Ann, my school counselor, telling me I did not graduate because Texas A&M did not have my HS transcript?! REALLY?! HIGH SCHOOL transcript? I had made it registering for 8 semesters and they couldn't tell me this before any of those years and even before graduation? What is this?! So here I was driving to Minnesota..already gone through graduation and just now get this phone call. So I call my HS and college back and forth getting this finally worked out 2 days later. I received my diploma in the mail and DID graduate..obviously! Then we stopped in some fun places on the way up. Iowa to see an Amish basket store and in Missouri to go to the Precious Moments museum..which was awesome! Then finally arrived in Minnesota, where I was jumping up and down in my seat SO EXCITED to pull up and see Mack waiting for us!

Well..we unpacked..2 days later they left for the long drive back to TX and Mack and I were in MN together at last. We were in our apartment for the next two months with our two dogs (who had to re-acquainted with each other) and one bedroom. It was great..but I was tired taking the dogs out on a leash every time they wanted to go outside. So we were on the search for a house..and we FOUND ONE! 8 miles from Mack's work and 8 miles from mine in Minneapolis! It was great! 3 bedrooms/2 baths, fully finished basement (which are creepy by the way), kitchen, dining room and living room! It was a great first house! We struggled with getting the realtor to return our calls and finalize everything but when it was all said and done we got to move in July 1st. (after we got home from TX that weekend anyway)

It was SO much fun..I had unpacked everything, re-upholstered a headboard, re-painted a wallpaper wall light blue, we were getting the house cute and to our liking...but some exciting news just hit us..Mack is going to take a job in Tyler, TX! It is a great opportunity for him and us, because he really wants to do more than he is doing now at Len Busch, his job in MN. So here we are, taking this big leap, once again, a move back down to TX, in the AUGUST heat..we know we got married in it lol. But our adventure isn't going to stop...so even though we are not ready to leave our beloved Minnesota yet..with great outdoor activities and parks..we will see where TX takes us.

So that's it folks..back to the Lone Star State it is..close to family and friends again..which will be nice! Wish us luck.

-Lauren