Not by the shore of Gitchie Gumee...

We were not by the shores of Gitchie Gumee this weekend, but we were by the shore of Lake Bemidji enjoying our second annual trip up north. We didn't stay in a wigwam either, but rather at the Hampton Inn on Lake Bemidji to look out on the sparkling big sea water, read books by the fireplace, play games, and, in general, take a break.

Here's what we did and right from the start, I am telling Ben that it doesn't involve Bath and Body Works or lip gloss...so keep reading.

Thursday morning. Planned to leave between 9:00 and 10:00. We left at 10:30. We were on vacation, after all, and therefore not bound to a schedule. At 10:35 we stopped by Caribou for a mocha for mamad, a cappucino for papad, and hot chocolates for the 3 Dugan children who accompanied us. We stopped, as we always do, at the McDonald's in Garrison for lunch with a view of Lake Mille Lacs, then it was onward to Bemidji for a 4:00 arrival. We checked into the Hampton and stayed put all night. Some swam, some played Ms. PacMan, ate some Green Mill pizza (restaurant located in the hotel), some of us read in the lobby by the fireplace, some sipped herbal tea and hot chocolate.

Friday we woke to a sprinkling of snow on the sand and the branches of the pines. We ate breakfast at the hotel, read books (and took naps) by the fireplace, played some more Ms. PacMan, swam, exercized on the tread mill, took naps in our room, read some more, went to Applebees and Walmart, came back and swam and played some more Ms. PacMan and read some more. Very exhausting day!

Saturday was totally different. :) After the complimentary hotel breakfast, Terry and I read, then we (Terry and I) played Tiddley Winks (Terry won), we all played Monopoly (Tim won), Beth tried to play the race car game at the arcade (the machine won because it ate her money). Terry and I went to the Bemidji Woolen Mills to look around. We bought nothing there, but on the drive home saw a Woolworth's and it looked kitchy so we stopped in and bought a tin sign that said "Be Nice or Go Home" (you will see it on the wall to the lower level when you are standing in our entryway). So, now you have to be nice to us or we will send you home! We then read some more, swam some more, got Chinese take out, went in the indoor/outdoor hot tub (outside temp was 28), and at about 11:30 decided to watch the movie Curious George.

Sunday we packed up and headed out about 11:20 (check out was at 11:00, but after check out we headed to Dunn Brothers for beverages (chai tea for Katie, cappucino for Terry, and mocha for mamad) for the drive home. (Tim and Beth wanted water!) Ray Comfort preached as we drove (via a CD I found in the back of "The Way of the Master" book I got free at the booksellers convention in Denver last July) We arrived in Baxter around 1:00 and had lunch at Culver's. I had the walleye. And, as an added treat, there were pictures of Mark Kennedy's Culver's in Baxter visit. Don't forget to vote for Mark Kennedy! (This has been a public service message from mamad). We arrived home a little before 5:00 and are looking forward to our next visit to the Hampton Inn in Bemidji!