Girls' Weekend continues in Mankato 7/18/10


The crappy hotel at least had a decent pool. We played a few games of tag before getting ready for the day.


After lunch we went to Edenvale Nursery just outside of Mankato. It started as a family farm where the parents loved to garden. They decided to stop farming and just make the 5 acres around the house into a lush garden and nursery to invite people to stop, stay, and take a few plants home. Anna and Luella loved finding the benches hidden throughout the gardens.


Kirsten and Maren took time to stop and smell the roses.


One of the most beautiful roses that actually smelled wonderful!


Kyla took the girls on a wagon ride through the roses.


One section had a farming playground. Maren and Anna driving the tractors while Katja watches.


Katja happy she got her turn to drive the tractor, but her legs are just a little bit too short!


We found a rocking swing so we all sat to enjoy.


The girls loved rocking the swing!


A little pond in the middle of the nursery with its lush grasses.


Katja decided the stone pelican was thirsty, so she gave it a drink from her sippy cup!


We found a gazebo!


An overall view of the pond and swing from the gazebo.


Another section of the nursery had grass for the kids to run around.


One barn was filled with planters and fountains for sale. From the barn we overlooked a playground area where Maren, Anna and Luella played.


Another shed was filled with statues, wind chimes, planters and all kinds of garden accessories. Kirsten was checking out the wind chimes.


Luella found the bigger (louder) wind chimes.


This wooden red cardinal wind chime almost came home with us, but the 8-foot iron cage was included in the $600 price tag. It stayed at the nursery.


Another trellis in yet another section of this expansive garden nursery. Incredibly Mankato didn't get any rain from the torrential thunderstorms that hit most of southern Minnesota. They had workers frantically watering all the plants so they wouldn't die from the heat.

Our last stop was to an ice cream shop. Anna got a root beer float and Luella had a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone.


Katja was thrilled to eat the strawberry ice cream all by herself.

Maren, Kyla and Kirsten enjoying their ice cream creations.


Nothing says happiness like Luella with a mint chocolate chip ice cream smile!

Back "home" to Karen and Dan's house. Luella borrowed Anna's bonnet to ride the rocking horse with her new "Charlotte" doll which she named Mary.
We had a wonderful weekend filled with happy memories!

Comments

N said…
Everyone looks so happy!!!
10/15/10, 6:59 AM
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