She's 10!!!

Abigail is officially a "tween." I think that she has been waiting a long time for this birthday (10 years, perhaps). She had a very nice day. We went to breakfast at a lovely patisserie, spent most of the day riding rides and shopping at the Mall of America, and then went for sushi for dinner.

Some of these rides, like the one in the first picture, she has been riding for years, whereas others, like the one in the second picture are only an option now that she is older. She and Emily both had fun, but Chad and I were definitely showing our age in terms of our ability to withstand all of the stomach churning entertainment!

As for our trip to Minnesota, it has been good so far but it certainly started off a bit rocky for Abbie. The night before we left home she started running a 104+ fever after days of suffering with a terrible cough. A last minute chest x-ray revealed pneumonia and she was doped up with some heavy antibiotics in preparation for the trip. Not fun. She still has a cough, but she is much better now.

We have been enjoying the cooler temperatures and the incredible food. Abbie charmed the cooks at one of the places we ate at. She went to watch them work in the kitchen (which was open to the dining area) and got involved in a great conversation with them. When they found out that she likes to cook and has her own knife set, they jokingly offered her a job in the kitchen. :)

As a result of her charms, we found ourselves with a complementary dessert - surprisingly yummy mini butterscotch pots de creme. Way to go, Abbie!