Unplugging from it All

This past weekend, my parents, Peyton and I took a road trip to Minneapolis. Our targets: the Mega Mall, the Radisson Water Park of America, and Ikea. Warning-this post is long! Back in January, Peyton and I planned to have a weekend trip to the Mega Mall so she could spend her birthday money at the American Girl store. We thought we could make it a little birthday trip for the two of us since both of our birthdays were in January.  My mom then suggested the indoor Water Park of America at the Radisson Hotel. I was hooked, but we were bummed to find that the hotel was booked up to March. So we reserved a room for March and have been waiting patiently ever since.

Our first stop was the American Girl store because Peyton was a little less patient once we arrived at the mall.  So in we went and she bought the new doll of the year, Saige and her little dog. Then we browsed the mall and did a little shopping to kill time until we could go check in at the hotel. We were all anxious to go to the indoor Water Park!

Once we reached check-in at the hotel it was a madhouse. Everyone checks in at 4pm, so there was a very long check-in line... and apparently a stampede to the Water Park because there was another long line once we got to the room and got our suits on. But wait, let me back up a little here. We checked in and hauled our bags to the elevator to go up to our room on the third floor. There were a lot of half-nekkid people in the elevators and waiting area.  Cue discomfort. I say half-nekkid because they were wearing their swim-suits. No cover-ups. It was a real struggle for me not to put my hands over my eyes and screech that we were in a public place, people, put some clothes on!  Fast-forward an hour and I myself was doing the half nekkid dance in an elevator. Cue more discomfort.  Then we got to the line. The very long line.

Here is the thing--the Water Park is open to the public in the evenings, and on a Saturday night it was packed. So packed, in fact, that there weren't any water tubes left to use. Which meant we couldn't do the water slides and we couldn't do the lazy river. It was very frustrating. We were able to swim in the pool and, swim in the Wave pool (though it was jammed full of people who did have the tubes!) and bask in the hot tub. So I basked in the hot tub. Ah, bliss.

It was the next morning that the Water Park redeemed itself to us. The hotel opens the Water Park to guests only from 9-11 a.m.. And yes, there was still a long line to get into the Water Park, but we got TWO water tubes (ah, bliss).  We did the lazy river (repeatedly), basked in the hot tub (ah, more bliss), swam in the Wave Pool, and we did this:

Radisson Hotel Image found here

After a couple of hours at the Water Park, we packed up, checked out and went back to the Mega Mall. I really wanted to purchase a skirt and shirt I had seen in Athleta the prior day at the mall, and Peyton wanted to see the crabs. There was a little kiosk in the mall with Hawaii Crabs and they sell little hermit crabs. When we walked by we stopped to look and Peyton got to hold one. The girl is such an animal lover that she thoroughly got a kick out of it.  

Let me say a little bit here about Athleta. This is a store I had never heard of before. My mom wanted to hunt it down on the first day because she was looking for a pair of board shorts she had seen in their magazine.  I walked in the store and my head started shrieking out warning bells-- "danger, danger-exercise clothes--this store is too healthy!!" I really wanted to do a 360-degree exit right out the store but I stuck with my mom. Apparently, they sell women's yoga clothing, and it wasn't long before I was doing my little touch test on a few clothing items that caught my eye. MAN! Some of their clothes are so soft!!! I saw three things I wanted, but there was a long line to the fitting room and the prices were a little high. Particularly as I wasn't sure if the items were things I would wear anywhere but home. On day two, I decided I really did want to try them on, so back to the store we went and I tried them on. Two of the items I didn't like, but I did end up purchasing the skirt and a soft gray cardigan. 

Skinny Shadow Skirt

Haven Wrap

Then, we went to Ikea. A few  years ago we went to the grand opening of Ikea in Minneapolis, and with long lines we were only able to do a walk-through of the upper showroom level. This time, we were able to go through the Marketplace. You can buy all sorts of really cheap stuff there--and it was pretty easy for me to be a relatively good girl because all of the things I really wanted were furniture pieces that definitely wouldn't make the trip home this time around. (Me thinks there is definitely an opportunity for another trip with a trailer and some muscle in the near future...) 

I wasn't totally a good girl. I did buy a few things at Ikea... 

It's hard to see in the image, so here is the drill-down: 

• Evior Throw (black and white stripe blanket. Black and White. Stripes. Nuff said.)
• Spontan Magnetic board (two white rectangles)
• Bastis hooks (green, blue and pink doggy tail hooks--SO funny.. I may use them in Peyton's room!)
• Knipsa Baskets (I bought 4--some day I'd like to get the Expedit shelf as well)
• Trones shoe storage cabinet (tall vertical white cabinet on the far right)

In any case, after our little shopping expedition at Ikea we headed home. It was definitely a fun time, and maybe a little splurgy (yes, I did, I just made up that word), but I would totally do it again!!!