@PrestoPhoto #book

I finally spent a day, ok maybe two days making a book of our vacation last year to Minnesota. Whenever I've made photo books it takes way longer to make than I think it's going to take. 

Mistakes Made:

Don't upload all your photos, if you have tons of photos. It took forever to upload them. I didn't want to stop the upload process in the middle, in fear I'd only get some of them to upload. Then it took a long time go through them all on Presto Photo's site.

I also had Presto Photo put my images in the book. Each single image went on a page, but they have a lot of different compositions to choose from. I had to delete a lot of pages.

Typically one wouldn't have these problems. I just happened to have tons of pictures!

Don't do what I did... Select your photos outside of Presto Photo, then upload your selected shots.

Presto Photo Has Quality!

I've had two books made by Presto Photo. They do not disappoint. Other companies have gone down hill in my opinion, with the printing process. Not Presto Photo.

They make, and ship their books really fast too!

Where to Get Presto Photo Books:

You can get them here:  https://www.prestophoto.com/help/11x8.5+Hinged+Layflat+Photo+Book

Oh so Flat

This book lays nice and flat. It makes it easy to keep it on a bookshelf because it doesn't take up a lot of room.

Cost

The cost varies. The books start at $29.99, but it depends on how may pages you opt to make.

Where would you go on a trip this year, if COVID wasn't a thing? 

We talked about going to Western Nebraska. It was so pretty when we went. It's very remote. I still doing know that it's safe to travel anywhere right about now. Maybe it won't be safe, for quite some time.

Disclaimer: I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not told what to say, all opinions were my own.

WW: Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light {Linky}

This post is very much out of order, from everything else I posted. The first light house we saw on our trip to Minneapolis was at Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light. The light house was built to help guide ships into the canal from Lake Superior.

Why was this post out of order from the others?

I took photos with my phone and my camera throughout our trip. The night before this particular day I had my camera battery charging. Mica came up, unplugged it, to charge his Kindle without telling me. We went out and about. I saw great photo ops. I got out my camera, and there was no battery in it. I did happen to see a black box in my purse before we went out, thinking Travis popped my battery charger in my purse. It was my business card box. 

If you want to see rage from this Momma, that was the time I was the most pissed off. I was worried my camera battery was gone for good. I had no idea where it was. Did it fall onto the floor at our last camp site, is it in a bag somewhere? A rechargeable battery isn't easy to find just anywhere. 

I snapped a few photos with my phone, that I wasn't all that happy with. Isaak had his break down because he found a butterfly that he couldn't take home. We left to walk along the Duluth main strip for shopping. Along the strip there was major construction going on. I know it has to be done, but it didn't help our already sour moods. We had detours everywhere we walked, it was loud, and we needed a break from walking. Not our best day.

I know many people say that iphones can produce wonderful shots. Many times they do. 

If you are trying to shoot with some distance behind you, or darker lighting a real camera does way better than an iphone! Hands down!

Foam always makes me thing of Root Beer Floats.

The first light house I ever saw was captured with an iphone. 

I didn't even get too close to this light house. My phone was running low on battery. Usually I'm more of a...let's see how close we can get to that kind of a person.

Isaak thought we were at the beach. He's never been to a beach. Seeing the waves, and pebbles that was close to sand was closest to the beach he's been. Mica kept saying, "Isaak this isn't a beach!"

Good News!

We went back to our cabin that evening, and my charger with my battery still in it was in a bag that was sitting near the bed in both cabins we stayed at. Thank Gawd! I went on the rest of the trip with a working camera and phone.

Have you ever had a break down moment when you were on a trip? We have, but usually it's because family members are hungry.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid review. I got no compensation, for writing this post. All opinions are my own. 

Disclaimer: This is not a paid review. I got no compensation, for writing this post. All opinions are my own. 

Light Rail Transit

My boys have only been on a subway when we went to Chicago when they were 4 and almost 7, and this summer when we went to Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

We used to have to hold them back. They did understand that they couldn't be anywhere near the blue pad.

New All Over Again

When we went on the Light Rail Transit in Minneapolis and Saint Paul it was like it was new all over again to them.

They didn't try and out run the train. They were excited though. 

Isaak longed to stand. Most of the time Travis said, "Sit your butt down! People only stand if they have to!"

So he sat in the back, as far from us and he could get. 

Mica didn't care where he sat, as long as it was away from Isaak. 

If there were people that were a little mentally unstable we made them each sit with us. As my sister describes it: Mentally unstable people are very similar to stable people (whatever that is). They just say what they are thinking out loud. Stable people keep their thoughts mostly to themselves. 

Mica usually picks to sit next to Travis, and Isaak usually picks to sit next to me. 

Funny Story:

One day we had cheese burgers for breakfast. You kind of do what you have to when you're camping. Food won't keep forever. 

We were all sitting around the fire. Travis asks Mica, "Do you want bacon on your cheeseburger?" Mica said, "Yes please." He grabbed the bacon, and put it on top of his cheeseburger bun. Mica's totally an airhead, but super smart in school. We all looked at his cheeseburger with bacon balancing on his bun, and could not stop laughing. 

This is them laughing once again about the cheeseburger with balancing bacon.

Do you have a subway where you live? We don't have one in Omaha, Nebraska, or in Kansas City, Missouri. I miss being able to hop on them. When I lived in Atlanta, Georgia I only rode busses and Marta - their subway. 

WW: @mallofamerica in Minnesota {Linky}

I'm a bigger shopper than my boys, but not as big as my sisters or other girls I know.

We knew if we went to Minnesota that we'd have to go to Mall of America. It's an iconic place. We didn't want to make it an all day thing though. 

Parking:

They have FREE parking. The fast train links up to it.

We spent the morning at Fort Snelling, the afternoon at Mall of America, and the evening at Minneapolis Institute of Art. A worker at MIA said we're crazy, and hardcore. Let's just say that Isaak and Mica were DONE. I had a blister on my foot that indicated I was DONE. BUT I loved all the places. I don't think I would have changed things. Possibly do Fort Snelling a different morning. My husband likes to pack all our time as full as possible. It was handy having the fast train hook up.

Eating:

We had reservations to Rainforest Cafe. We rushed to go eat. Then, for some reason we looked at the brochure only to see the map thinking it was outside of the Mall of America. I was annoyed because the boys were set on eating there. In another way happy because online people said the service wasn't great, and it was expensive. The place we ended up going to had crappy service too. It took way too much time to get our food! I wanted to eat at a place we don't have in Omaha, Nebraska. Looking back I would have gone to their food court. Lots of choices there!

Cupons:

Online they do have a coupon book. If you're a shopper, that may be something to invest in. It's $10, and full of savings. We didn't get it.

Shopping:

I didn't want to freak the boys out by going into all the stores. I said, "Ok we're only going to go into stores that we don't have in Omaha." Even after saying that we skipped a lot of stores.

L.L. Bean - I know the catalog, but have never been in the store.

 

Paper Source - Kansas City has one, but it's not in Omaha. They have fun things in there.

Chapel Hats - I know they shouldn't have tired them on (lice), but dang they had fun. They look like Elton John, only younger. 

Crayola Store - The boys had fun with their computer that did a drawing of a photograph. 

Lego Store - We've been in them in other cities. Mica drooled over $300 and up sets that I'd never buy. I do have to say that The Stranger Things set looked pretty cool. Just not $200 cool. 

 

 

 

There were some other fun stores we went in. I have to say that I'm proud that I didn't buy a whole lot. There was a bee shop that had all things to do with bees, a shop that had fun socks, a shop that had cool shirts. I do wish we found some artsy local shops in Minnesota. I found that, that's what I was longing for. There is an art district, but we ran out of time to go there.

Favorite Store Front:

Rides:

Isaak's so like me. He said, "Mica we don't have to go on rides. Mom and Dad spent enough money on us." I always thought that way. Are we cheap, or practical?

Mica's like Travis. He said, "Don't be so cheap. We should get to do some rides, and pick out whatever Lego set we want. We are on vacation." My reply, "Ummm no!"

Log Ride:

Close Up - OMG Mica's face!

They weren't too excited about the swings, but after they went on different rides, this one was just the right amount of tickets.

Are you a shop till you drop kind of person?

Disclaimer: This is not a paid review. I got no compensation, for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

Science Museum of Minnesota @sciencemuseummn

I wasn't sure if the adults would like Science Museum of Minnesota. It's hard to top Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, which we've also been to. While it wasn't as cool as Museum of Science and Industry, the boys still liked it.

Cost:

Varies on a lot of things. Do you want tickets to go to their Omni Theater as well? There's differences on age as well. Check out prices on their website before going.

We started out going to their Omni Theater to see Apollo 11, ate, and then went into the museum.

Hours:

9:30-5 Sun, Mon, Tues, and Wed
9:30-9 Thurs, Fri, Sat

Had I known that the museum would be swarmed with kids, I would have gone somewhere else in the morning. Then headed to the museum after lunch to whenever we felt like leaving. There were so many camp and daycare kids. It was hard to just enjoy.

The upside, the food (brick oven pizza) for lunch was actually pretty good. I didn't think it was more expensive than other places.

Meeting of the Minds:

I met my friend Debbie there. We've been friends, since preschool. Her son Joey and Isaak are the same age. They get along so well. I wish they could hang out more. You'll see another kid in some pictures, that's Joey.

I also got to hang out with my friend Rae and her daughter's Maddie and Ava. I didn't take any photos that night because we hung out at her house. Rae was trying to convince us to move to Minneapolis. While we loved the visit and how progressive the city is compared to Omaha; I don't think I'd like the even colder winters, not being around family, and despite Isaak's crappy year in school Nebraska has wonderful schools.

Lobby:

Without paying yet, the boys had fun in the lobby of the museum. We also spent a lot of time in the gift shop. Mica wanted all kinds of things. I just snapped pictures of those things, for future gift ideas. That's something that's always satisfied the boys, "It will go on your gift list."

They had a lot of simulators in the lobby:

Astronaut:

The boys and I had fun shooting our photo to put into this Astronaut's helmet.

Vibrating Chair:

All the boys loved this vibrating chair.

This was about the time my friend Debbie got there, so I slacked on taking a lot of photos. Isaak and Joey hung out from here on out. Debbie and I stayed to be with them. They ran here, there, and everywhere.

Travis and Mica stayed together. They spent time really reading the exhibit things.

Dance Baby Dance:

There was this simulator where you dance fast, then retrace your moves slow. The screen shows how in sync you were.

Big Chair:

These chairs always remind me of The Three Little Bears. Goldilocks sat in a chair that was huge, then a tiny one.

There was an exhibit I wish I could have spent longer at: Race: Are We Different? My friend and I were talking so much, that we just didn't read much of anything. I'm not saying I would change talking with her. Mica and Travis enjoyed the Race: Are We Different? display, for a long time.

Leonardo da Vinci Inventions:

I did make sure we spent time in this exhibit.

  

Omaha, Nebraska doesn't have a Science Museum. Probably the closest is in Kansas City, Missouri. It's not the best. My favorite was the one in Chicago. The one featured in this post is great for kids ages 12 and under. It has a lot for smaller kids. Travis at first described it as a Children's Museum/Science Museum. He did enjoy the special exhibits. 

Where's the best science museum that you've been to?

Disclaimer: This is not a paid review. I got no compensation, for writing this post. All opinions are my own.