Minneapolis and my Studly Little Brother

A few days after our (awesome, upgraded-to-business-class) flight home, Rob and I were on the road again, driving to visit my family at their new home: Minneapolis, MN! 

We managed (thanks to Rob's amazing all-night driving skills) to get to MN in time to spend 2 full days with the entire family before my sisters had to go back to school and my dad had to go back to work.

This is not our dog...

When Katie, Jacqueline, and my dad had to go back to real life, Mom took us out on a boat they've rented for the summer. 

And Erik, happy to have Rob and me as an audience, went to town on the wakeboard! 

When did he get so grown-up??

I guess he should get in all of this fun-in-the-sun while he can, because pretty soon all of his fun will involve studying and teaching about the LDS Church as a missionary, in Germany!

The Final Hoorah: Wales

Before saying goodbye to Jolly Old England, Rob and I figured we could still fit in one more quick trip.  We rented a car, convinced our friend Verlan that he needed to come with us, and drove out for the weekend.

We left rainy, cloudy Cambridge on Friday morning and arrived a few hours later at sunny, quaint Snowdonia National Park in Wales.  After some friendly advice from Wales' best tourist office employee (and possible relative?) Anne Ellis, we decided to do a little warm up hike, watch some World Cup football, and then go find our hostel.

The view from our hostel at the top of the steepest driveway I've ever seen.  Our little 2-hamster engine almost didn't make it!

Saturday morning we woke up early and got started hiking up Mount Snowdon, the tallest mountain in England and Wales (a staggering 3,560 ft above sea level).  

The weather was absolutely perfect, and the hike to the summit was challenging but fun.  I fell in love with my trusty Crocs all over again...they totally make up for what they lack in looks with sheer usefulness!

We also saw a lot of sheep that looked like they had been somebody's paintball targets.  But it turns out that all of those paint splotches are actually a legitimate way to keep track of which ewe is the most popular; more paint splotches=more baby-daddies.  You learn something new everyday!

The view from the top was spectacular.   

And we had just enough time to stop and see Conwy Castle on the way home.  We've definitely become more and more efficient trip takers this year!