Easter in Bismarck

Unfortunately Erik's grandmother is suffering from Dementia and we decided that we should all go out there for a visit sooner rather than later, so a few months ago, a plan was set in motion.

We all (us, Erik's parents, his sister and her husband) bought plane tickets from our respective homes in different states and would all meet in Bismarck for Easter weekend. It ended up that we all rendezvoused in Minneapolis before descending on Bismarck and it was kind of fun to find each other in the airport. Grant thought it was amazing to get to ride the moving sidewalks, escalators and trams. And the tunnels in Detroit and Minneapolis (you know, the underground ones that have the weird light shows that show us regular folk what an acid trip probably looks like?) pretty much changed his life.

So we arrived in the thriving metropolis of Bismarck - I joke but it dwarfs Bradford like woah - and the weekend begins. Erik's dad made the hotel arrangements and he got us a suit with an adjoining room for the kids, this way we could put the kids to bed and still have a common room to use as home base for everyone who wanted to come visit with us. It worked out SUPER well and the kids did great sharing a room.

The weekend was really nice (we - Erik and I - hadn't been to Bismarck since we 2008) and it was great to catch up with everyone, but boy was it hectic! Any time we went out to supper (which was pretty much every night) there were no less than 12 of us, and usually about 17. We were incredibly lucky to have been so easily accommodated each night!

So listen, I don't know if you know this, but the Ramkota Lodge in Bismarck has the largest indoor water park in all of North Dakota. It's pretty awesome.

 

 

Piper and Uncle Mike are BFFs.

Auntie helping calm G after he went under. He loves Auntie!

Water slide!

Playing with Auntie.

The ladies!

My favorite guys!

 

 

On Easter, we attended a fantastic service at Erik's cousins home church and then all of us (19, I think this time) met back at our hotel for an Easter brunch. And then met after nap time at Erik's grandparents house for the traditional (or what was the tradition when Erik was a kid) egg hunt in the back yard. We also celebrated his grandmother's birthday since we were all together.

 

Candy coated mouth.

Piper's first Easter basket!

 

 

Cousins!

The men of the family. Love this one!

 

 

Did someone say cake?

The next day our little family had breakfast with Erik's grandparents and headed out for the airport. It was a great trip.