Instafriday

 

Boone. 

 

I was stuck in the traffic going to the Farm Progress Show this week and took a few nice pictures of the scenery while I was in bumper to bumper stopped traffic on my way to school. So beautiful! Later this week I took two detours to get to school and had nice drives exploring new ways to go. 

Michael and I had a little fun at the park to break up our week. It was a much needed distraction! I love how a little play time can just take my mind from a big stress ball to right where it needs to be. I'm so thankful for my fun loving little guy!

Have a great week!

Iowa State Fair

 

We hit up the Iowa State Fair this year just for a few hours. It was such a busy year for us and I started my new job right when the fair started. :o( 

However, we did get out there for a bit although it was mostly to drop Michael off with my parents who were camping for the week. They kept Michael with them for two days of fun at the fair (without me!!). They were busy moving my sister into her new apartment earlier that day so we had some time to kill while we waited for them to get set up. 

 

Michael's favorite thing, hands down, was this tunnel in the discovery garden. He ran through it at least 20 times. In a row. He just thought it was the best.  Maybe because mom and dad couldn't chase him through it? 

We also sampled the local drinks in the Iowa wine tent (found some new ones we like) and also the Iowa Craft Beer tent. Even though both these places are a little pricey, they were my favorite thing at the fair this year!

 

It seems like we always find something new and this year we found this little horse education booth in one of the barns. They had two saddles for kids to ride on and hats to wear. Michael thought it was a blast! 

 

We then ate supper (pork tent as usual) and grabbed our bag of kettle corn (as usual) and boarded the tram to head to the campground. The tram ride is pretty much always my favorite because the campground at the state fair is like a whole different world. It is a sight to be see for sure. Michael loved the tractor ride (can you tell our child is easily entertained??) and then we left him with my parents. He was enthralled with the camper and was a good boy for my parents while they had him. 

Just as we walking back to our car it started to rain. Really rain. All the state fair people were hanging out under their awnings of their campers and were totally laughing us.

 "YEU BITTER RUEN!!!" (southern iowa accent).

It was a great time!

Family Camping Weekend-Lake Rathbun

Okay, tell me...how cute is Michael? Isn't he totally posing? I love it!

We went camping with Scott's parents and his brother's family a few weekends ago in southern Iowa. The heat wave had broken and it was beautiful weather all around for a really great weekend.

In my book camping=french press coffee. Such a treat! I think I drank two pots just by myself every morning....camping must also make me sleepy. :o)

I was worried about Michael being entertained enough during the whole weekend but fear not...there was dirt everywhere and he had a whole pile of cars to drive in it. He played like this for about five hours. Of course a little boy will be entertained while camping!!

We also got in some good time on the water while we were down at Lake Rathbun. The water was awesome and Scott and I both had our best runs of the summer. It was pretty busy and kind of scary driving but I will chalk that up to learning experience. We also got our nephew to give waterskiing a try-he was very brave!! The kids like tubing and they are a good age to do it....still young to be crazy!! Their dad was really nice to them pulling them behind the boat but Uncle Scott was not so nice...it was pretty funny!

It was a super great weekend with family and a great way to end summer. Fall is upon us, folks---four days until Cyclone kickoff!!

Hooray for Friday!

Hooray for Friday! I feel like for the first time in weeks I can finally exhale and just be for a bit. It has been a long haul of a couple of weeks and I think I am seeing a little daylight at the end of this tunnel.

School has started and we are pedal to the metal. My days have been longer than usual with recruiting 5th graders for band but they should even out next week. I am finally learning kids' names at my new school and taming the beast known as 6th grade band. Things at United are awesome as ever and I'm super excited to have a big group of 5th graders lined up.

In other news...Michael's new daycare (pre-preschool) has been wonderful and he is learning so much every day. I am so happy with our decision and blessed that she had an opening right when we needed it

So in a nutshell, life is crazy but life is good. I feel like my new job is such a blessing and I know I am going to have a great year!!

Michael and I have been trying to squeeze in some fun since it is still summer outside. We took a break this week and hit up our favorite aquatic center in Ames with friends. I am sad that we probably won't be back until next summer...we'll have to make a weekly date with it next summer for sure. So much fun!

 

I have been missing Michael tons when I am away from him all day. It is a little bit lonely after having my special buddy with me all summer long. :o( 

I'll wrap it up today with a few beautiful pictures from around here...my zinnias are in full bloom and they are almost unreal they are so pretty. They are a nice reminder of the new hope each day (and season) brings. 

Have a great weekend!  

Checking in...

I'm just posting a quick check in today....

Life has been crazy, in a good way. My new job has started and now I have gone from 10 hours a week (2 days) to 30 hours a week (every day). It is really, really fun and I just feel like things are falling into place for me career-wise. It feels so good to be excited about my job again! 

We've been busy at home also and I hope to be back soon with lots of updates and pictures. God is good!

August

August is here....wow. I can't even believe it. August is always a hard month for me because it means going back to school but even though we are in school there is still a lot of summer left to be had. I feel like my fall doesn't really begin until the first football game of the season(which is just around the corner!). 

Needless to say, we've been trying to soak up every last big of summer including more boating. I feel like that is all I've shared lately but I love it. It just speaks summer to me!

 

Here's the whole gang: 

 

Even baby Sophia liked the water! I'm glad her parents are training her early. :o) I can't wait until we can start pulling our kids up on little waterskis!

 

She even took a nice long snooze on the boat! What a pro!

 

We also had the pleasure of giving the twins their first boat ride experience....it didn't go well! :o( Poor boys! It will be okay, I promise. Michael has done so much better this year on the boat than last year when I think he was pretty terrified, too. 

Thinking about how boating is my true definition of summer, I had to go back to my archives to find some of my favorite photos from our younger boating days. It always amazes me how now we are taking our kids and babies out on the boat instead of our current flings and coolers of beer. :o)

A few of my favorites from 2003. We were so young!