Wednesday, June 13, 2012

We have a new grandson, Ryan Matthew!

June 6th was a very great day as we welcomed the newest grandchild into our family. Ryan Matthew was born around 7:50 a.m. and weighed 8 lbs. He is another bit of a miracle baby. Read our daughter Megan's blog listed on the right side called Kayley's Story. She explains it all very well and has more pictures of this blessed event!

June 5th was Mark's birthday and we had spent the morning picking up rocks. When we came in at noon Megan called and wondered if there was any chance I could drive to Peoria and help with Drew and Kayley as she thought they would be having a baby fairly soon. I said YES! I showered and jumped in the car (after wishing Mark a quick happy birthday!) and drove the 5 hours to Peoria. Megan spent that night in the hospital and was scheduled for a C section at 7:30 the following morning.

I dropped Drew and Kayley off at pre-school and headed to the hospital to meet my new grandson. I didn't have to wait long and was able to watch the nurses clean him up and check him out. He was perfect and beautiful. What more can a grandma wish for?!?!?

Matt and Mark drove to Peoria this past week-end to help Kayley celebrate her 4th birthday on the 9th and to meet Ryan. It was a fun and exciting time! I am still in Peoria and will stay until next Thursday when Megan is cleared to drive again. It will probably be hard to tear myself away from the three grandchildren but we are all coming back for the 4th of July holiday so that won't be long. Ha, about only a week for me! :-)

Some pics and video from the past week:

Meeting Ryan:

Drew at one of his first T-Ball practices

Drew loosens up his throwing arm

No balls come to me so I will put sand in my glove

Ryan Matthew Thiel. Isn't he cute?

Happy 4th Birthday, Kayley!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

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!

Saturday, May 05, 2012

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? :-)

Friday, April 20, 2012

Fantastic week with my sisters!

Jan and Sharon flew to Phoenix for a visit and our trip with 13 other women to Havasupai in the Grand Canyon. Jan arrived on April 5th and Sharon arrived the following Sunday.

We had so much fun together. One night we met Sharon's daughter Lisa and her two sons Nick and Taylor for dinner at Fogo's. I have NEVER had a meal like this in my life and I am old! Huge salad bar and then the staff walk through the diners non-stop serving every wonderful cut of meat you can think of on skewers and slice it right there on your plate. Very pricey but hey, it was Sharon's treat in honor of her upcoming 70th birthday in June. (Shouldn't Jan and I have treated her???) Thanks Sharon for a wonderful experience and about 6 pounds of weight gain... :-)

Tuesday we began our adventure to the Grand Canyon. We spent the night in Seligman, AZ on the famous Route 66. On our way to Seligman we stopped in Jerome where Sharon's son Aaron now resides. I just love Jerome. Very laid back, artsy type of mountain community and just about perfect for Aaron. We toured his home in Gold King Mine Ghost town. Yes, that is what it is called. What a place. Pics next time of the area. The TV show "American Pickers" might be coming, that is how much unique and old stuff is there! Last time they tried to record the show a snowstorm stopped them. The entire time I was walking around I wished our good friend Clayton was with us. Clayton, you would love this place!

After Jerome we headed to Prescott which required a drive with 158 curves in 12 miles. Our dear friend Marilyn took motion sickness meds before we left. Good idea! I was driving so it was quite the experience. I was glad to finally be out of that drive but it was an adventure. We finally made it to Seligman around 4:00. Checked in to our motel and we were off to the Road Kill Cafe for happy hour and food. We didn't party too late as we had a rather LONG hike the following morning.

Wednesday began our journey. Once we turned off of Route 66 (about 30 miles from Seligman) we entered the Indian reservation and drove for 60 miles to the trail head. It was very cool and very windy at the top. After checking our bags with the "horses, we headed down for about a 9 mile hike through the most breath taking scenery you can imagine. We finally arrived at Supai Village and checked into our lodge. It was still early enough so we walked another mile to the first falls. Breath taking, again. I went with another gal another mile to Havasu Falls and then we returned to the lodge. Needless to say, we slept like logs that night!

The following day was our day to frolic in the water, hike to all the falls, etc. We probably walked another 6 miles "playing". Another night of sleeping like a log.

Friday morning was our dreaded day. As challenging as getting there can be, getting out of the canyon is a true challenge! What goes down must go back UP. :-) Everyone made it just fine but we all were sore, many had blisters and sore calves. One gal had suffered from aching calves (severe) so she opted to go the helicopter route back to the top. Thank goodness they offer that option, albeit for a price. :-)

I will never forget this trip with my sisters and a wonderful group of ladies. It was one of those "chances of a lifetime" type of experience. I was very sad to see them fly back to MN and FL.

Now I am just trying to decide when to head back to Iowa. I miss Mark terribly but the weather there doesn't sound inviting but tomorrow in AZ we are to hit triple digits. Last year they didn't hit those until June 15th so it could be a long hot summer for my AZ friends. I am thinking the end of April would be a good time to return to the farm...

Some pics and video of our trip: