A week with the grandchildren at the farm

I left Friday morning for the drive to Peoria.  I was originally going to meet Megan and Andy in Iowa City and we would "exchange" the kids there because they had tickets to the Hawkeye game on Saturday.  But, their dog Sox had ACL surgery so I volunteered to drive to Peoria and spend the week-end there watching the kids and the dog so they could have an extended week-end in Iowa City with no worries about Sox.  We had great weather in Peoria and spent a lot of time at the park and playing outdoors and the Hawks won so all was good.

I loaded up the kids Sunday morning to head back to the farm and Grandpa.  We were going to meet Megan and Andy along the way but we crossed paths about the time we were calling to meet!  So, everyone just went their merry way as there was no place to stop when we met.

The kids are having a good time here.  Drew cannot get enough of driving the golf cart and Kayley wants to ride the lawn mower and cart non-stop but Drew thinks that is too noisy.  :-)  I agree!  I also pulled all my flowers from the front garden and they are having a blast getting down and dirty in the soil.  Baths and hard scrubbings will be a nightly ordeal, I can see!

I am going to meet Megan on Saturday or Sunday for the exchange back.  Looks to be a fun and busy week for us here on the farm.

Some pics and a video from our time in Peoria.  Andy had built Sox a ramp because she is not to do stairs for several weeks.  As you will see in the video, it didn't take Drew and Kayley long to make use of her ramp!  I told Andy to keep the ramp there so when I move in with them in my golden years I will have a way to get outside for some fresh air.  I am guessing the ramp will be HISTORY the minute Sox is better.  :-)  

Drew with his "fishing pole" at a Peoria park

Kayley in one of her Disney dresses

She's happier to be at MacDonald's than Grandma....

Varmints....

We have creatures on our farm that we really like....and we have those not so likeable!

Okoboji for one last time this summer!

We spent part of Labor Day week-end once again at Lake Okoboji, this time staying with friends Jim and Nancy.  Megan and the children drove to the farm Thursday night, arriving around 10 p.m.  We left for Okoboji on Friday morning, meeting Matt there around noon.  For a rundown on our trip getting there in Megan's Tahoe, please see her post on the right at "Kayley's Story".  Very amusing!

The weather wasn't nearly as nice as our last stay at the lake but we all still had a great time.  The wind off the lake made Grandma colder than she wanted to be but I wouldn't have traded the week-end for anything.  :-)  There is lots to see and do there during this particular holiday, which is the end of the season for all the resorts, parks, etc.  Lots of people show up for one last lake adventure.  After this week-end the boats start coming out of the water, docks get put away, etc.  :-( 

We left for the farm on Sunday afternoon and Labor Day we went to Kevin and Julie's home in Dayton for breakfast, bloody mary's and parade watching.  Drew and Kayley learned quickly that if you wave and act cute you will receive LOTS of candy.  LOL 

It was a great end of the summer.  Some pics of our time together:

Kayley with her bright pink sunglasses

Kayley loved petting Frosty and Warren the cat at Rick and Nadine's

Uncle Matt and Drew walking to Arnolds Park

One more ride on that roller coaster

Drew thought this ride was a bit too tame for him

Kayley chose a red fish this time!

Lots of old cars and hot rods lined the street by Arnolds Park

Looking out at all the boats on the lake

More Okoboji pictures

Nancy, Barbara, Nadine and Marla at "Grape fest" (Local Milford grape farm)

Live music, wine, food and flea market...FUN!

Megan, Kayley, Drew and Matt on the log ride

Daddy and Kayley in West Lake

Enjoying the beautiful blue water

Drew and Kayley at miniature golf

Drew and Kayley on the house deck.  I was going to buy them a Hawkeye cover but thought better of that idea!

Some grandpa holding his....grandchild's toy banana.  Priceless picture!  LOL

Mark and Jim on our way to Rog and Pam Ferris home

I was so excited to see the "real" Maxine at Grape Fest!

Kayley was too small to ride the go-carts and was not excited about this replacement ride....

Megan and the kids loved the log ride

Jim washing his new best pal, Buddy. 

Having a hot dog roast with the Houchins

Jim is a volunteer "sheriff" for the bike trail and gets to ride this while on duty!

Frosty...the reason we were blessed to stay at Rick and Nadine's!  She's a good dog and quite beautiful.

Andy and Drew on the go cart.  A bit blurry as they were going about 100 mph when I snapped this.  Ha!

Okoboji=good times!

We are enjoying Lake Okoboji.  Mark and I are house/dog sitting for friends who have a  gorgeous home on the lake.What a wonderful place to be in Iowa in the summer!  Nothing like it.  It all started over a week ago.  I drove to Peoria, IL on Wednesday, the 17th,  to pick up Drew and Kayley as their daycare was going to be closed that Thursday and Friday.  I spent the night in Peoria and we took off the next day for the farm.  Andy and Megan arrived very late Friday night and the next morning we took off for the lake.  Matt joined us at Okoboji and we had a wonderful time until they all left on Tuesday.

Drew and Kayley had SO much fun at Okoboji!!!  We did the lake, Arnolds Park, wave runner, big, BIG boat ride, Sugar Shack, etc.  I think they would be happy to come every summer to Lake Okoboji.  :-)  I know I would!

Mark and Matt took Jim's boat out for some fishing and had an excellent time and even caught some fish!  I went one afternoon with them and just lazed around while they were reeling in northerns and bass.  Such fun!


We were a bit lonesome on Tuesday when Megan's family and Matt left but we soon recovered.  Ha! Our very dear friends, Nancy and Jim, live right next door and we just love seeing them on a daily basis.  I even got to see an old school pal from the 70's and toured her and her husband's lovely home, too.  It has been an awesome 8 days.  Last night the owners of our "good fortune" returned from their Canadian fishing trip and we are staying an extra night to take everyone out for a steak dinner in Minnesota.  It has been a fantastic way to wind down the summer here in Iowa.  Thank you, Rick and Nadine!!!

Pics and videos from our week:

Matt with a small northern

Mark and his northern.  After hearing the tales from the Canadian fishing trip, these look a bit puny!

Kayley and Andy in Peoria

I bought these buckets for the beach but they found other uses!

Greeting grandpa when they arrived at the farm

Kayley pulling leaves from branches...why do I even buy toys?  :-)

The very first ride at Arnolds Park

We LOVE Okoboji

The first of about 20+ roller coaster rides!

First time on the log ride

Looking over Matt's catch from the dock

Family reunion

Mark and I hosted a family reunion at the farm.  Its unofficial designation was the "sweetcorn" reunion.  The summer heat wave pushed our corn to the limit and it was getting very done but everyone seemed to enjoy it anyway!

It all started on Wednesday, August 3rd.  Jan and her granddaughters Hayley, Olivia and Carley arrived first.  We grilled hot dogs and had, of course, sweetcorn for dinner.  Megan, Andy, Drew and Kayley arrived next....late that night after leaving Peoria when their work day ended. 

Thursday morning Jan, Andy, Megan and I attempted to play golf at Honey Creek near Boone.  Beautiful course but we only managed 6.5 holes as it started to POUR rain.  It didn't appear that it was going to subside anytime soon so we had an expensive 7 holes of golf!  We really needed rain desperately so I wasn't all that sad but then as we drove home and arrived at the Pilot Mound stop sign it became apparent that our farm received zero rain.  That is when I became sad!!!

Thursday late afternoon Marla, Kallie and Liam arrived safely from Minneapolis. Friend Cyndy from Ankeny also arrived around that time.  We invited good friends Jan and Clayton for Mark's grilled chicken and.....sweet corn!  It was a fun evening.

Friday saw more golf.  Marla and I stayed on the farm with all the little ones and everyone else went to the Dayton Golf Course.  Britt drove down from Alexandria that day and met them at the course.  After golf Mark grilled chops (and sweet corn) for a big crowd.  Larry and Jody came from Rockwell City and Kevin and Julie, Dan and Katie, John and Amanda and Sarah also came.  Another delicious dinner and a fun evening with the family.

Saturday morning Larry drove back to the farm and Lane and Angie, Jake and Jesse came in the afternoon.  We grilled burgers for dinner....with sweet corn!  Saturday consisted of a water fight and a tractor ride from Grandpa Mark for the little ones.

A constant sight on the farm for four days were vehicles going non-stop.  The golf  cart and lawnmower never seemed to sit still.  They had a great time driving between the two farms for hours on end!  It was fun watching them go, go go!

Some videos of our time together:

Finally some time for golf

Mark and I have not golfed once since last summer but now have gone twice in four days.  That is a record for us, I believe!  Friday we went to Dayton for their special, all day golf with a cart for $20.00  Too hot and too old to "golf all day" so we did 18 holes instead.  Yesterday we decided to try Honey Creek near the Ledges in Boone.  I had golfed there a few times but Mark had never been to this course.  He loved it and his game showed it.  It was the best I have ever seen him golf!  Had he not goofed up with some 3 and 4 putt holes he easily would have broken 90.  I didn't do so well, though.  :-)  I am having my clubs re-gripped today so I KNOW my game is going to improve immensely.  Ha!  The grips are all torn and a mess so it might help my swing a little.  I can hope anyway!  After golfing at Honey Creek it is going to be hard to go back to Dayton.  The fairways and greens are just a lot nicer there and the scenery is breathtaking in the hills and valleys.  You definitely want a cart with great brakes as some of the holes are really steep.

We are having a family reunion at our farm next Thursday-Sunday.  We are praying the temps and humidity go down to a more normal level while everyone is here.  Sounds like sister Jan and most of her kids and grandchildren are coming,  Larry and Lane's family, Megan and her family.  Not sure about Matt but I am hoping he can make it, too.  They are all excited about eating sweet corn so Mark has been watering it faithfully since we are getting way too little rain.  The lawn looks quite sad right now!  I haven't mowed in over two weeks, very unusual for me!  The bluegrass is brown but of course the crab grass is green, tall and unsightly.  A little drought doesn't hurt that grass. :-(

Mark teeing off at Honey Creek

24 hours at Okoboji

I made a quick but wonderful trip to Lake Okoboji on Sunday to visit my old friends Jim and Nancy Houchins and their extended families.  Such fun!  Their daughter Laura and her family were still visiting from Texas so it was an extra special treat!  They truly live the good life in their retirement....winters in southern Texas and summers along the shore of West Okoboji.  Doesn't get any better than that! 

Two pictures from their dock

I left Monday at noon and it about killed me off to leave but Mark and I have plans to return two more times this summer.  Cannot wait.

Tuesday I drove to Des Moines to have lunch with another old friend, Jacqui and her sweet daughter Katie.  Had a marvelous time spending the afternoon with them and I think I will become Katie's adopted grandma!

Looking at our long range forecast it seems we are in for a tremendous heat wave.  Very little rain before or during this so the crops, flower beds and lawns are really going to be stressed.  We may have to water our sweet corn!  Here's hoping they are wrong about the rains...

Here's a short video of some still pics I took during our Peoria stay.  Enjoy the rest of summer everyone!