A Day Without Kids

I think the title says it all. My parents took the girls overnight on Friday night so that Andy and I could have a belated Anniversary celebration and a day without the girls! We were both so excited, though I think I was a little more so than Andy.

Friday night we went to the yummiest steakhouse in the area and had a fabulous dinner. I'm telling you, this place is heaven. Every meal comes with a salad the size of my entire head, the best main course including warm bread, potato or rice, and the meat of your choice, and then they top it all off with complimentary chocolate chip cookies! Can it get any better (well, without becoming an Olive Garden)?


Saturday morning we got to sleep in until 7:45 and then we started our day. We headed up to the Duluth area and started out at Gooseberry Falls, which is just north of Duluth. I was disappointed that the leaves weren't changing up there yet, because they are here, but I guess they've been getting less rain than we have and the drought is affecting the leaves. Oh well. It was still gorgeous. We hiked around the falls for awhile and got some great pics...





Then we went back down to Duluth and did the grounds tour of Glensheen Mansion. It is such a beautiful estate, but if you ask me, it's all made even better by the history of it all, especially the murders committed by Marjorie Congdon. I've read a few books about her and she's...um...interesting, let's say. You'll all have to check some out. Anyway, here are some more pics...




Once we left Glensheen, we went down to Canal Park and ate lunch. We got some fabulous chocolate treats at the Rocky Mtn. Chocolate Factory and started to head back to the car. On the way, we saw a ship out on the lake that looked like it was lining up to come into port. Being the inexperienced ship-watchers that we are, we figured it was still over an hour out. So we decided it was too late and we couldn't wait for it. We got into our car, drove to the end of Park Point and back only to get stuck as car #16 or so in a huge line waiting for the lift bridge to go back down. Sure enough, that big ship that was over an hour our? Nope, it was apparently only 15 mins and we had to wait for it to go under the bridge. I was so disappointed. In all the times I've been to Duluth, I've never seen a ship actually come into port while standing at the pier. Oh well. I got a pic of the ship once we were past.




Thanks again to Mom and Dad for keeping the girls! Andy and I had a great time. And for those of you from far, far away (Opals...) you should certainly come over to Wisconsin and we'll take you to see these things in person!