Quick trip to Illinois

Andy had to fly to Australia once again for business so Megan had the three kids by herself.  I thought I would drive to Peoria and help her out.  Andy left last Friday but I couldn't leave until the following Tuesday!  We had a wedding to attend Saturday night and I had to sit around here until Tuesday because I am on jury duty (grrrr) and had to call in Monday evening to see if there was a trial this week.  There was not, so I left early Tuesday morning.  I know it is my civic duty to have jury duty, but this is my third time and it really puts a damper on my short time in Iowa!

We left for the farm on Friday morning.  Megan and the kids stayed about an hour and then took off for Andy's family reunion.  Andy was to arrive that evening in Omaha.  Sydney to Dallas was a 16 hour flight, I think.  I cannot imagine being on a plane for that length of time!  I am certain he suffered jet lag during the entire reunion!  :-(

They are going to stop here today on their way home and drop off Drew and Kayley for a week's stay at the farm.  I am really looking forward to that!  We put up Pirate's Bay and it is ready for the two of them.  The golf cart is all charged and the lawn mower filled with gas.  It is going to be a non-stop week for grandma and grandpa!

I took a few pictures while in Peoria:

Drew and Kayley shuck the corn while Ryan photobombs them.

Ryan's first ear of Iowa corn!

Cheese...

Kayley and Ryan riding in style to the park.

Lunch at the park is always a hit!

Ryan checks out dad's AZ cactus.

A stop at the gazebo while walking Sox

Made it to the farm.  Time for lunch.

Lake Okoboji

A week ago today Mark and I went to Okoboji to visit Jim and Nancy at their beautiful home by the lake.  The weather was perfect and we had a really great time.  Nancy and I took a drive around the entire lake and made a pit stop to see Rog and Pam Ferris.  They have a beautiful home on the opposite side of Okoboji.  It was so good to see them.  We taught with Pam at Ogden High School so it was great catching up on their lives. 

Friday evening we had a delicious meal thanks to Jim and Nancy, with some Grettinger (sp?) sweet corn thrown into the mix!

Saturday we just goofed around the lake, park, etc.  My favorite things to do!  Jim and Nancy's son, Mike, came that afternoon along with his granddaughter, Summer.  Summer is about Ryan's age so she was fun to watch.  That evening we took Nancy and Mike to Maxwell's for dinner.  We sat out on the patio and had a first class view of the lake!

We had planned to head home on Sunday, but with RAGBRAI riding into town for an overnight stay, we felt compelled to stay and watch the festivities and the Houchins graciously hosted us one more night!  That evening we walked down to a concert (heavy metal!).  Hairball was the band and they were fantastic, even if we couldn't understand what they were saying.  :-)

Monday we forced ourselves into the car and headed home.  Such a fun, fun few days with some very good people.

The boats at the "compound"

With Nancy in front of the boat house

They are rebuilding the Legend coaster.  It was operational.

Night view at Arnolds Park

Nadine and Rick's granddaughter and Nancy's great granddaughter

There is always a lot of boat action on Okoboji

Cute little girls.  It made me wish mine were here!

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Dogs loving the water

Love this beautiful lake!

Mike took us all on a boat ride on Sunday

This bus full of riders was parked next door.

The park starting to fill up

Huge crowd...this pic doesn't do it justice!

Mark patiently waiting for the band

Back home.  It is still pretty green here!

Our 4th of July

We drove to Peoria on July 3rd to babysit Drew, Kayley and Ryan while their folks went on vacation to Lake of the Ozarks.  We had a grand time celebrating the 4th with these three!  The weather was gorgeous and we did many outdoor activities.  Megan and Andy returned on Sunday so we drove back to the farm yesterday.  Why is it always so hard to leave them?

This sums up our 3 days together! 

Ryan loves getting rides from Kayley on the Gator.

All the rain popped up a lot of weeds and grass on the kids' "mountain" and Drew was determined to get rid of them!

We made a 4th of July cake and it was delicious!

Kayley was hesitant to do sparklers but Grandpa eased her into the process and then she loved it.

The age of technology.....

Ryan seems to have no fear.

Come on Kayley, give me a ride!

Evening of the 4th

Kayley lost her very first tooth while mom and dad were away but the tooth fairy came through for her!

Ryan likes Kayley's tooth fairy teddy bear.

The fashion queen

Looking for fish at the park

Still pulling weeds.....

Family wedding

June 21st our only niece on Mark's side of the family was married.  Missy Swanson married Zach DeYoung at Happy Apple Orchard in Norwalk.  It was an outdoor setting and it was a beautiful ceremony.  The weather was a bit hot and humid but that was better than rain! 

Mark and I went down the night before and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines.  Megan and family joined us later that evening after work and arrived from Peoria around 9 pm.  The next morning Andy took the kids swimming, joined by Megan's friend Brooke and her husband and children.  They went to UNI together so it was nice they were able to meet up for a few hours.  Matt arrived that morning from Omaha so we had a nice time together as a family. 

Mark's brother Milt, the father of the bride, came to the farm after everyone left on Sunday and is spending some time with us.  We are enjoying having him and Pumpkin (a cute little dog who does not care for me!) staying with us.  In Pumpkin's defense, about the only dog that does like me is Sox, Megan and Andy's dog.  :-)

Last night the three of us drove to Paton's new bar and restaurant called 209 Main.  I could not believe this place, considering it is in such a very small town.  It is beautiful and the food was very good!  I hope to return again soon!

Video and pics from Des Moines:

Dad teaching Ryan to walk the side wall.

Everyone having fun with dad.

Kayley is not particularly happy about something!

Father and daughter dance

On special occasions Ryan gets his pacifier, when needed!  

Birthdays galore!

June is a busy birthday month for us!  We left for Peoria on June 5th, Mark's birthday.  June 6th Ryan turned 2 and June 9th Kayley turned 6.  We were there to celebrate them all!

We also were excited to see two of Drew's baseball games and to see Kayley play in her very first t-ball game.  Such fun to see how Drew and his team have improved with another year and it is always a chuckle watching the t-ball group learn this game.  No one quite knew what they were doing but they were having fun doing it. 

Friday the kids stayed home with us.  Matt had also driven over for the festivities of the week-end so he took Drew and Kayley fishing that afternoon.  No catches but they both learned how to cast their lines!  Grandpa stayed with Ryan.

We stayed through Monday since that was Kayley's actual birthday and I took her and Drew to Monkey Joe's jumping house while Grandpa stayed with napping Ryan once again. 

Everyone went back to summer daycare on Tuesday and Mark and I drove back to the farm.  It was a fun week-end filled with laughter, lots of cake and great weather!


Kayley's very first t-ball game:

Drew's game:

Misc. fun over the week-end:

Getting all the bugs off of Grandma's car

Kayle loves wearing pretty dresses!

Drew modeling his new ball uniform

First time at catching!

Nothing tastes better than garden strawberries

Kayley loves her "Frozen" cake

Ryan ready to have some Mickey Mouse cake.

Ryan opening his presents

Fun at the local park

Drew and Kayley are always reading to Ryan.

Had to add this field of garden peas planted west of our home.  The company will harvest them this week and the farmer will then go in and plant his soybeans.  Interesting....