Well, after a week on the farm I am needing a vacation! :-) Spent four straight days working in the flower beds and landscaping. The winter was very hard on everything. Then I spent two days cleaning this entire house. I had forgotten just how BIG this place is but you notice it when trying to clean it! Tomorrow I will spend the day mowing and then later in the evening Megan, Drew and Kayley arrive. I am so excited to get those kids on this farm. Pictures and videos will be everywhere during their visit. They are staying until Monday. Can't wait!
Thursday sister Jan arrives and Matt is coming that evening. On Friday Jan's children and grandchildren will all be arriving at the farm for a reunion. Hopefully Larry and family will be coming over the week-end so the only ones missing will be the Swensen's. Mark and I are going to have a full house over the 4th but we are certainly looking forward to seeing them. Two of the children we have never met yet!
As I said, pics and videos will be coming as soon as the families start arriving. Have a great 4th everyone!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
We made it!
Andy, Drew and Kayley arrived safely in Peoria Saturday night and I made it back to the Iowa farm around the same time. We left on the 16th and spent the first night in Santa Fe. Thursday we drove to Brush, CO to spend the night. Brush is not a town that I will likely ever visit again in my life time. :-) It had a very nice hotel, though. Friday morning we made our way to Omaha. They stayed at Uncle Mitch's home and I stayed at Matt's. Matt and I took Drew and Kayley to Dave and Buster's for dinner and some game playing. They had a good time and then we took them back to Mitch's place. They played in his big yard until dusk, which I had forgotten is so much later than AZ night time! They left Sat. morning for Peoria and I stayed at Matt's to help him do some landscaping. I left at 4:30 to head to the farm. It was so good to see Matt and so good to be back with grandpa. I am missing the kids something fierce, though. Today was their first day of daycare...I hope it isn't traumatic for them. They will love it, though. They need to be with other kids now, no matter how much granny misses them!
My good friend Sue should become a grandma today. Karen is in labor and I cannot wait to hear if it is a boy or a girl! I pray all goes well.
Here are two videos. The first is Drew and Kayley's last time in their AZ pool. The second is our night in Omaha.
My good friend Sue should become a grandma today. Karen is in labor and I cannot wait to hear if it is a boy or a girl! I pray all goes well.
Here are two videos. The first is Drew and Kayley's last time in their AZ pool. The second is our night in Omaha.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Birthday week-end with Mom
Megan flew to town Friday afternoon and the kids were quite excited about that. Drew was certain that every plane that flew above us that morning was mommy's plane! The kids and I picked her up at the airport. That evening we went to Fatso's to celebrate Kayley's belated birthday and then back home for gift opening and birthday cake.
Yesterday we met Lisa, Nick, Dan and Taylor at Peter Piper Pizza. It was so great to see them one last time before we leave. I will see them again next fall and winter but Megan and the kids won't be seeing them very often now so it was good we all made the effort to get together!
During her short week-end stay Megan is trying to help Andy pack things that they will need in Peoria. Their stuff on the trucks will be unavailable for a couple of months so it is important that they gather the items they need for the short term.
Megan flies back to Peoria this afternoon but it won't be such a hard separation this time. Andy and the kids and Sox and I begin our driving trip this Wednesday and they will be in Peoria with her by next Saturday. I am staying in Omaha an extra day before heading to the farm to help Matt do some landscaping on his new home.
A video of Kayley's birthday party and pics from Peter Piper.
Yesterday we met Lisa, Nick, Dan and Taylor at Peter Piper Pizza. It was so great to see them one last time before we leave. I will see them again next fall and winter but Megan and the kids won't be seeing them very often now so it was good we all made the effort to get together!
During her short week-end stay Megan is trying to help Andy pack things that they will need in Peoria. Their stuff on the trucks will be unavailable for a couple of months so it is important that they gather the items they need for the short term.
Megan flies back to Peoria this afternoon but it won't be such a hard separation this time. Andy and the kids and Sox and I begin our driving trip this Wednesday and they will be in Peoria with her by next Saturday. I am staying in Omaha an extra day before heading to the farm to help Matt do some landscaping on his new home.
A video of Kayley's birthday party and pics from Peter Piper.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
My birthday wish for Kayley
Kayley turns two years old on Wednesday! She has come a long way since her birth as a preemie and spending her first three months of life in the NICU. (For a video of her NICU adventure on her first birthday, click here). We love you very much, Kayley. Here is my birthday wish for you as you make your way through this life:
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Happy Birthday Mark!!!
Wishing you a grand day and I am so happy that Megan is there to help you enjoy your day! I would have hated the thought of you spending your birthday alone.
I have a busy Saturday planned. I take my car in at 11:00 to get the tinting removed from the front side windows. They are not legal in Iowa and Matt told me the fine was $80+ for that, so figured I better spend $20 to get it removed! I am also going to start packing for the return to Iowa. I cannot take a lot as my Camry has a very small trunk thanks to the hybrid batteries installed. But, I must fit my golf clubs in at the very least. :-)
I also have one landscaping water line I need to dig up and fix. I need to get that done this morning before it hits 100 degrees.
Mark, here is 45 seconds of the grand kids and Sox getting wet again in your honor. :-)
I have a busy Saturday planned. I take my car in at 11:00 to get the tinting removed from the front side windows. They are not legal in Iowa and Matt told me the fine was $80+ for that, so figured I better spend $20 to get it removed! I am also going to start packing for the return to Iowa. I cannot take a lot as my Camry has a very small trunk thanks to the hybrid batteries installed. But, I must fit my golf clubs in at the very least. :-)
I also have one landscaping water line I need to dig up and fix. I need to get that done this morning before it hits 100 degrees.
Mark, here is 45 seconds of the grand kids and Sox getting wet again in your honor. :-)
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Goodbye Arizona
It is getting closer to the time to leave Phoenix. Andy has his offer, two week notice given, movers contacted and we will be on our way. It almost seems surreal. I know Megan is one happy gal that her husband and children will soon be joining her in Peoria, Illinois! It has been a long separation for them so this is all a welcome event. It is beginning to get hot here so the timing is appropriate! Now we can all head to the midwest humidity...and eventual snow! :-) The only good thing about this is knowing that I will be heading out of there and back to Phoenix before that white stuff accumulates next winter and Mark and I can golf!
Kayley looked cute today (well, grandma thinks so anyway) while she was practicing "jumping" and sweeping the patio. Drew was in watching a train show...go figure! :-)
Kayley looked cute today (well, grandma thinks so anyway) while she was practicing "jumping" and sweeping the patio. Drew was in watching a train show...go figure! :-)
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Back in the desert: hot but no humidity!
Finally arrived back in Phoenix last night around 5 P.M. It was another LONG day waiting in airports and on planes. I woke to my phone beeping Monday morning with a message from American Airlines saying that my flight had been canceled and they were putting me on another route, this one through Chicago.
Weather in Chicago delayed that plane from taking off for Des Moines so I sat in the DM airport for 2 extra hours waiting for it. We finally left after 1:00 which had me very worried since my connecting flight in Chicago heading for Phoenix was to start boarding at 12:40! I obviously was not making that flight!
Well, thanks to all the weather, that plane was still waiting to take off in Chicago so I ran to the gate and was able to catch it. I have come to the conclusion that I really, truly hate flying.
Then to make matters worse, I had originally checked through security in DM with flying colors but then realized I had left my cell phone in the restroom down below. Had to go back out of the secured area and dash down to pray my phone was still there (it was) then I headed through security again. Well, I obviously was red flag terrorist suspicion for going through security twice so my bags were looked at and I was pulled out of line for the more thorough once over in their little TSA waiting area. I should have left the damned phone in the john! Anyway, I made it back...
I had a great time in Iowa with Mark and the weather was just beautiful. Spent many hours outdoors in the flower beds and mowing. Sunday evening Dan and Katie invited us up for some of Dan's smoked beef brisket and pork sandwiches. It was all delicious. All the kids were there, Kevin and Julie, Grandpa Earl and Dan's dad Don and his wife. It was a fun time and I was so glad to see Katie, John, Lee and Sarah!
I was also very happy to see Drew and Kayley this morning! They didn't get up very early as they had a long day at the airport, too. The family had a Thiel reunion in San Antonio so they were pooped this morning! We have had a good time today and I think they were glad to be home to their "stuff". :-)
This is a clip of video that I actually shot last week but never got it online. Also some pictures of the kids and of my week-end in Iowa. I apologize for the blurry pics of John and Lee...not sure what setting I had the camera on for those!
Weather in Chicago delayed that plane from taking off for Des Moines so I sat in the DM airport for 2 extra hours waiting for it. We finally left after 1:00 which had me very worried since my connecting flight in Chicago heading for Phoenix was to start boarding at 12:40! I obviously was not making that flight!
Well, thanks to all the weather, that plane was still waiting to take off in Chicago so I ran to the gate and was able to catch it. I have come to the conclusion that I really, truly hate flying.
Then to make matters worse, I had originally checked through security in DM with flying colors but then realized I had left my cell phone in the restroom down below. Had to go back out of the secured area and dash down to pray my phone was still there (it was) then I headed through security again. Well, I obviously was red flag terrorist suspicion for going through security twice so my bags were looked at and I was pulled out of line for the more thorough once over in their little TSA waiting area. I should have left the damned phone in the john! Anyway, I made it back...
I had a great time in Iowa with Mark and the weather was just beautiful. Spent many hours outdoors in the flower beds and mowing. Sunday evening Dan and Katie invited us up for some of Dan's smoked beef brisket and pork sandwiches. It was all delicious. All the kids were there, Kevin and Julie, Grandpa Earl and Dan's dad Don and his wife. It was a fun time and I was so glad to see Katie, John, Lee and Sarah!
I was also very happy to see Drew and Kayley this morning! They didn't get up very early as they had a long day at the airport, too. The family had a Thiel reunion in San Antonio so they were pooped this morning! We have had a good time today and I think they were glad to be home to their "stuff". :-)
This is a clip of video that I actually shot last week but never got it online. Also some pictures of the kids and of my week-end in Iowa. I apologize for the blurry pics of John and Lee...not sure what setting I had the camera on for those!
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