Special guests at the farm

We had two very special visitors to our farm this past week!  I went to Peoria on Thursday and stayed until Mother's Day.  I brought Drew and Kayley back to the farm with me for a week.  We had an incredible time with them on the farm!  Mark's brother Milt from Arkansas and Matt also showed up on the farm.  So nice to have them both here to see the kids!  Drew and Kayley picked up sticks, picked up rocks (they really thought this was fun at their young age!), they planted soybeans with Grandpa, played on a wonderful water park thanks to their Uncle Milt and drove the golf cart with Uncle Matt.  It was so much fun!  It was hard to give them back to their dad when we met him in Iowa City a week later!  :-)  I look forward to more fun on the farm with these two in the future.

Mark has all the crops in the field and now we wait for rain.  We do need that.  Our lawn is very dry so that must mean the crops are the same.  He plans to spray the corn this week if the WIND ever stops blowing.  It has been incredibly windy...too windy. I am sick of it!

I have too many videos and too many pictures below so view at your own risk and boredom!  That is what grandmas do when they are retired!

 

The kids help around the farm

Fun on Pirate's Bay

Matt took Kayley for a Nascar drive!

Uncle Matt and Kayley

Kayley had to go far for a big rock

Filling the "rock bucket"

We picked a big load of rock!

Getting ready to go pick up rocks.  Gloves are on!

Don't fall off the side, Kayley!

Drew and Kayley making Grandma's tomato plant grow!

No farm visit is complete without the lawnmower ride!

Climbing to the top of Pirate's Bay

Matt and Kayley ready for a spin on the golf cart

Drew and Kayley when first arriving at the farm

Grandma playing tag with Drew

Kayley and Pumpkin

Kayley with Uncle Milt's dog, Pumpkin

Fun on the old JD tractor

Kayley getting a tractor ride

Time to help Grandpa plant the soybeans

Time for Drew's race!

 

Life in Iowa

I have been back on the farm for six days now.  It is so great to be home.  I miss the mountains for hiking but I have been busy in my flower beds when possible and have planted all my flower pots to try to brighten up the landscape.  They have forecast rain practically every day but we have lucked out the past three days.  It should be dry enough today to till the garden and get that planted but it is looking rather threatening outside as I type this so that may not happen!  My plan is to put in a much larger garden this year.  We eat a lot of vegetables and I will spend a lot of money on gas driving to grocery stores from the farm!  It just makes sense to have them close at hand....and fresh!

Thursday I am departing for Peoria.  I cannot wait to see Drew and Kayley.  I am going to help Megan with some things in her house and then on Sunday afternoon I am packing up the kids and bringing them to our farm for a week.  They are excited about that and so are Grandpa and Grandma! Mark has not seen the kids since January.  I pray the weather is good that week because they love the outdoors and like to ride the golf cart, lawn mower, etc.  I am going to try to fit their bikes in my car but that is questionable.  My trunk is small because of the hybrid battery compartment so they probably won't fit.  I am hoping Andy will find a way to get them in the car.  :-)

The kids will also be having a blast on a wonderful gift from Uncle Milt!  It is a combo water/jumping inflatable yard toy.  It arrived here yesterday. It looks huge with plenty of room for jumping and splashing.  It says it is equally fun with or without water so even if the temps are not good for swimming they can have fun jumping this visit.  Thank you, Milt!

Blast Zone Pirate's Bay Inflatable Water Combo

 

Looks like fun, right?  :-)