A Day With the Nieces 11/12/11

On November 27th, my niece, Kylie, turns 12 years old and on November 28th, my niece, Emily, turns 11 years old. The two cousins requested an activity together for their birthday, so we spent today at the Mall of America. They went on rides in Nickelodeon Universe, spent some time at the arcade, went through the mirror maze. We ate lunch, stopped at a couple chocolate shops, and went on the ropes course.

The above picture is Kylie on the ropes course. It was a course of ropes, rope bridges, and planks reaching a final height of 56 feet above the ground. There were harnesses involved, it was frightening. Kylie has no fear of heights and was experienced at the ropes course. She loved it. Emily, who was talked into the idea, went up the stairs, said "This is really high" and went back down the stairs never to return to the course. I, who have a mediocre relationship with heights at best, spent the entire time trying not cross anything that provided me with only a rope to walk on (such as what you see Kylie walking across in the above picture). I preferred planks if I could find them (which weren't any wider than a an average tissue box, by the way).

It was a fun day together and allowed me more opportunity to establish relationships with both of the girls, for which I am grateful.