From Ann Arbor to Chicago to Minneapolis

We've had a crazy two weeks with lots of travel, but we are here and getting settled in Minneapolis, in the state of many lakes. 

To get here we stopped in a few places.  First, we stayed a week in Ann Arbor to check on the apartment and visit some friends and my parents.  Everything was in order and we left our apartment (empty) again, not to return until the end of August. Brody made it to AA on Thursday so we were able to spend the weekend together enjoying Michigan when it was actually decent weather.  We ate at some food trucks downtown and took lots of walks.  Brody then left for San Francisco on Monday morning and Madeleine and I packed up the car and drove the 4 hour drive to Chicago to stay with Clara and Jessie. 

In her new car seat!

The windy city welcomed us with mostly sunny weather, which we tried to enjoy as much as we could.  Highlights from the Chicago trip are: the Bean, eating yummy sandwiches downtown, running with friends, shopping and lots of quality time with Jessie and Clara.  The girls actually really enjoyed each other's company and seemed to like playing side by side.  It's so fun to have such a good friend, who now has a baby close in age to Madeleine. 


 

So cute bathing together!

 

We also attempted a trip to the beach of Lake Michigan but of course it got cloudy and windy latterly the moment we arrived. 

After a few days in Chicago, Madeleine and I ventured on to Minnesota.  I was extremely nervous to make the 6.5 hour drive, but M was so tried from all of our playing in Chicago that she slept most of the way here! It was fabulous. 

Minneapolis is pretty nice so far.  Our apartment is decent, lacking many amenities that I am accustomed to, ie, dishwasher, washer and dryer, central air, but we will survive our short summer here.  We have already visited Mall of America, a farmer's market downtown and a fun park built around the ruins of an old flour mill. We are trying to experience as much as we can while we are here so hopefully I will have much to post about in the near future!