You Know You've Landed In MN With The Grandparents When:

*There's a woman ironing Daddy's shirt.
*6:00AM comes and goes without so much as a flicker of a feeling to get out of bed - Gamma's got the tot's early wake-up covered.
*6:00PM comes and goes without so much as a flicker of a feeling to sort out dinner - Gamma's got it covered and you're off to a "fancy dance" dinner with Daddy.

*It's so cold outside you overdress to the point that you're constantly sweating indoors and instantly freeze when you step outside, only to melt again once seated in the pre-heated car.
*Every single TV show is on one hour WAY TOO EARLY. The "Late" Show just isn't the late show when it airs at 10:30.
*It's October and it's snowing.
*It's October and it's snowing and nobody seems to think this is odd.

*The Russians seem to have taken over the local wine lists. We had a scrumptious dinner at Heidi's (highly recommend but beg you to bring your own wine), where the food was savory and the service impeccable and the wine list...well, each glass tasted like it had been chosen by a Russian who was keeping his fingers crossed that each glass would turn up a tasty vodka instead of another blasted goblet of red. Too tart, too acidic, too uneventful, and when you're talking about pairing it with the motherload (lamb stewed in Madeira for 6 hours) well, you need one hellova glass of red to go with that there dish. Well, that and another parenthesis and unjustified generalization of the Russians...
*Did I mention that it's October and it's snowing?

And last but most certainly not least, you know you've landed in MN with the Grandparents when all of a sudden there are endless pots of coffee and warm blankets and fresh fruit and soft towels and, dare I say it again - a woman ironing Daddy's shirt.