Babysitting in Peoria

Megan and Andy took a belated 10th Anniversary trip to New Orleans over Labor Day Week-end so I drove to Peoria to babysit on Thursday and returned home on Tuesday.  Mark was still busy at the Boxholm farm, getting ready for demolition of the acreage, so I had to go it alone with my three grandchildren!  We got along just fine and had lots of fun.

I picked the kids up from school on Thursday and they thought it was great fun riding home in my new purchase, a Hyundai Sante Fe Sport:

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I love it!

Friday morning Megan and Andy left very early for a 6:15 flight to Atlanta, then on to New Orleans.

I managed to get Drew and Kayley off to the school bus on time and I had Ryan at home the rest of the day.  Saturday, Sunday and Monday were very hot and humid so we spent many hours playing in water and also worked in a walk to the park, which proved to be too warm to have much fun there!  We had to eat at my least favorite food joint, MacDonalds, but the three kids thought it was just great.  Ha!  They all were so good these four days, I couldn't have asked anything more of them since I was going it alone.  I have one more trip to Peoria to see Drew play a football game before I pack up the new wheels and head to my winter home.  I will miss them but already have a ticket purchased for a Thanksgiving return!!!  Some pics and a video of our time together:

Ryan hasn't been in the high chair for a long time but insisted for this meal!  Ha!

Cheese

Grandma bought Kayley a salon chair....just because

Fine dining

Ryan with his new Deere gator

Another beauty salon session

Wheels on the bus video was Ryan's favorite

Ryan playing with a Barbie and pool.  Sorry Andy! 

Another era gone

Matt came home this week-end and it was so good to see him AND have his muscle power.  Mark is in the process of burying his birth place and there is lots of work to be done before that happens.  We spent the week-end over there going through all the old buildings, clearing any glass, saving anything that might be of value, etc.  Matt and I took some items that tugged at our heart strings.  It is amazing how hard it is to see your home place going into the history bin.  I better get used to it because it is going to happen to my home place, too.  :-(  Time marches on....with or without us!

Farm Fun!

We had Drew and Kayley for a week at the farm.  We had so much fun!  The weather did give us some rainy days but overall it was a constant outdoor adventure.  They swam in Pirate's Bay, clipped every bush and weed they could find, had a hot dog roast, played in the dirt, went shopping, and topped it all off with a fun-filled day at Adventureland and the water park.

I took them back to Peoria last Sunday and spent the next week with them, as their day care was going to be closed so I helped out on that.  Friday they got on the bus for their year in first grade and second grade.  I cannot believe it!  They are growing too quickly!

The two videos below are identical, so ignore one of them.  It is not letting me delete one and I don't have time to deal with that right now! :-)

First day of school and everyone was happy!

Boat ride at Adventureland

Drew's selfie on the sky ride

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They loved trimming!

Slumber party in grandma's living room

Priate's Bay

More clipping

And, yes....more clipping!

S'mores

Lunch on the lawn mower cart

Kayley loves her bubble bath

Hot dog roast

Getting the bonfire hot

Cute bike rider!

Oh good.  Puddles!

Preparing for the bonfire

Disney World all over again!

Looking good in gray!

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!