Fishing!

The girls and I went to Minnesota last weekend (well long weekend) to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday.  We drove out Wed night to Chicago and Thursday (all day) to Minnesota, spent Friday relaxing and visiting with my friends and their families (13 kids total), spent Saturday with Uncle Leo and Auntie Tracy, and Sunday was the birthday party.  Monday we drove back to Chicago, with Auntie Donna this time, and Tuesday we drove the rest of the way home.  It was a long trip, but fun and worth it.

On Saturday we relaxed in the morning, Ava took a nap while Fiona and I got ready.  Once everyone was up and dressed we went out to breakfast at Linda's Cafe (great food, so-so service) and then over to Leo and Tracy's.  Leo has a boat so Fiona was super excited to ride in the boat and go fishing.  The lake closest to my brother doesn't have the best fish (sunnies, bullheads), but we just threw everything back so it didn't matter.  We caught a couple of bullheads first and just before we were leaving Fiona (with help from Leo) caught a sunny.  Once it was off the hook she didn't want anything to do with it.  Her favorite part of being on the lake (by far) was getting to drive the boat all by herself (in circles) since the lake was relatively empty and she was on Leo's lap.

Ava had to meet the doggies (and get tasted)! 

There must be a doggie to the side since only Tracy is looking at the camera. 

Away we go! 

Fiona was super excited to drive.  She kept taking us in circles!  No lanes on a lake and very few other boats. 

Tracy and Fiona fishing. 

Ava fell asleep.  She wasn't a big fan of the bulky life vest. 

Fiona looking at the fish before we threw it back. 

Once we got back to Leo's, Tracy's sister (Mindy) and niece (Izzy) came over to have pizza with us for dinner.  Izzy is 8 months younger than Fiona, but the two girls were like two peas in a pod.  They were jumping up and down together, rocking on the chairs together, dancing and hugging.  It was too cute.