minnesota, remembered.

Our trip to the good ol' midwest was so long ago, but I still haven't recorded all the events that I want to remember:

Food, of course.

This dim sum was so much fun. The pushy lady got us to take so much stuff off her cart. The hour wait was worth it.

The Mall of America.

Something for everyone... Rides, shopping, food (just because a mall is big doesn't mean that the food is going to be better than a small mall).

People that really know how to throw a pre-wedding party. They rented out a little bowling alley and everyone had a great time.

There was a ton of food. Samuel parked himself by the bag of chips. I would have done the same if I cared (or rather, didn't care) what people thought as much as he does.

I think people look so funny when they bowl.

And after bowling, my dad says, "Let's go get something to eat." So, my brother tells us where we can get roasted duck noodle soup with dumplings. At 1 a.m.

The traditional Hmong ceremony:

We participated in the feast.

(and my mom wears fancy shoes)

And inside, the men ran the ceremony. I loved all of the tradition. I didn't understand a lot of it. But it was fun to watch. In part of it, they brought in a blanket on which my brother was supposed to kneel. But the tradition is also to refuse the blanket, to be manly I guess. My brother had a to bow to different people and things. It was interesting. I guess they gave him a break because he isn't Hmong and didn't make him bow as many times. Good thing.

She dressed up in the traditional wedding clothes.

The ceremony ends with the bride and groom walking away. Representing the times when they would have walked to their new home and would have had to stop and eat along the journey, they take a meal and are supposed to eat it along the way.

Two tired kids from all of the activities.