Our Trip to Minneapolis

Daniel and I made a trip home to Minneapolis last week. We knew that we wouldn't be able to go home for the holidays since Daniel is the new guy at work and can't get much time off. We decided to make a trip in October so we could see all of his family before they head overseas again. His mom and dad are leaving for Sudan at the end of the month and his sister, Kristen and her husband, Ryan are home from Sudan for a short time as well. This trip was the last time that we'd all be together for several years. It was great to spend some quality time with them. We also got to see my family. My parents and sister, Tara drove down to the Cities for the weekend and we were able to spend time with them and some extended family as well.

We went for dinner at Daniel's favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Fasika

We had lunch at Perkins with my family. We don't have any Perkins restaurants in our area.

Everyone gathered at Grandma's for dinner on Saturday

My Birthday

I hit the BIG 3-0! It's crazy to think that I am 30 years old now. Where does the time go? Daniel and I celebrated my birthday on Sunday. He made breakfast for me and after church we went on a drive to Marblehead with our friends, Jesse and Kelly. They showed us a great spot by the ocean on Marblehead Neck, an island off Marblehead. We didn't stay at the water's edge for long since it was cold and rainy, but the drive was very enjoyable. Daniel also took me out for dinner at Not Your Average Joe's. Of course, The Amazing Race began Sunday night so we made sure we were home to watch when it came on. During the show, Daniel gave me a foot massage! I wasn't thrilled to be turning 30, but it turned out to be a very nice day. And the celebration will continue in a week and a half when we travel to Minneapolis to see family.

Apple Picking

Last Saturday we went apple picking with our friends from small group. We went to Brooksby Farms in Peabody. Daniel and I hadn't been to this farm yet so we were looking forward to seeing what it was like. We were pleasantly surprised to find a huge orchard! We had a lot of fun picking apples from the trees (and sampling them, too!). I think Daniel had more fun than me since he spent most of his time up in the tree! Before leaving the orchard our group walked down to the farm's store to get some apple donuts. They were delicious! After picking, everyone came over to our place and had more fun making apple crisp. We made four batches! Daniel and I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with our wonderful friends!

The Prudential Skywalk

Daniel and I took Kristen and Ryan to the Prudential Tower on our last day together in Boston. The Pru is a 52 floor skyscraper that provides an amazing 360 degree view of Boston and beyond on the 50th floor Skywalk. Daniel and I had heard that the skywalk was a great place to visit. We hadn't gone before so we thought it would be fun to experience it with Kristen and Ryan. It was a clear sunny day and the views were spectacular.

Kristen and Ryan's Visit

Daniel and I had such a great time this past week with his sister, Kristen and brother-in-law, Ryan. They are home from Sudan for a few months and flew in to Boston last Wednesday afternoon. It was an adventure in itself for me to pick them up at the airport. I walked down to the train station from home (about 15 minutes) and took the train into Boston. From the North Station, I walked to the Government Center Subway Station (about 10 minutes). I rode the blue line up to the airport stop, where I caught the shuttle bus to the airport. It was great to see Kristen and Ryan when they arrived! We have had a very busy week, with trips into Boston, New Hampshire for berry picking, and Plum Island for Fish and Chips. Here are a few pictures from our time together.

Kristen and Ryan's first train ride into Boston

The Wharf

Looking out at the airport from the wharf

The courtyard behind the Old North Church

George Washington in the Public Garden

Blueberry picking

Raspberries and blueberries

Picking Honeycrisp Apples

A picnic at Lynch Park in Beverly

The beach on Plum Island

Plum Island Wildlife Refuge

Fish and Chips at Bob Lobster

An Afternoon in Boston

Our friends, Jesse and Kelly, invited us to join them for a day in Boston on Sunday. After attending the early service at church (8am!) we boarded the train and headed into "Beantown". We walked from North Station to Quincy Market, where we met up with friends of Kelly's who were visiting the area. We enjoyed a walk through the North End, Boston's oldest section. It just so happened that we were in town during St. Anthony Feast, a large celebration in the North End over the weekend. There were a lot of people along the streets watching some local marching bands. We enjoyed a visit through Paul Revere's house and even made our way across the Charles River to tour the USS Constitution, America's oldest Navy Ship. Daniel and I had a great time in Boston. We were grateful for a beautiful day, full of sunshine and a gentle breeze. We're also very thankful for the friendship we've developed with Jesse and Kelly!

Congratulations, Daniel!

For the past two years Daniel has been working toward the completion of his Master's Degree in Public Administration. On Saturday, he submitted his final capstone paper! He is officially done! It's hard to believe! Daniel says that its surreal. He is so used to turning in a final paper for a class and in a few weeks getting the syllabus for the next class. It may take a while for the reality to sink in. To celebrate Daniel's huge accomplishment, I took him to Richardson's for ice cream cones. I'm very proud of him!