Family Trip to Northwest Iowa

Last week Sunday night, after finishing the evening worship service, we packed up for a much needed trip to Northwest Iowa.  This was the first trip we've taken there since moving back to Iowa 18 months ago.  We were thankful to have an Aunt and Uncle's camper to borrow, which made the trip extra exciting for the three boys, who helped make their beds in the camper before leaving.  The only downside was that the trip took 5 hours, instead of 4, because pulling a trailer required driving a little slower.

A picture of our outfit at the Five and Dime gas station (Iowa's Best Burgers Cafe) before getting on I-80.

Brian had some errands to run for my in-laws, so I took the opportunity to enjoy taking some photos on their yard.

We helped Brian's mom and dad with some landscaping projects, which turned out really nice.  I forgot to take an after picture of the sidewalk.  They finished it right after dark.  The boys loved playing in the dirt and sand, and riding in the skid loader.  I enjoyed a good work out from hauling bricks to lay the sidewalks.

We hung some Christmas lights on the camper for fun.  The weather couldn't have been more beautiful for camping - 80s in the day and 60s at night.  The full moon was beautiful over the cornfields of Northwest Iowa, along with the Union Pacific train that runs a mile east of their home.  I would have loved to have gotten pictures of the full moon and train, but we stayed busy with projects and playing with grandpa and grandma.  Swimming with the cousins at the Sioux Center Pool, and taking home Pizza Ranch pizza was probably the highlight of our trip for the boys. 

My favorite part was leaving the boys with grandpa and grandma and getting coffee with Brian and watching the Dordt football team practice near Dordt College's campus.

I wish I could have had time to take the boys to Brian's dad's shop, to see his current stained glass projects and take pictures, and also missed picking up a few Almond Patties from the local bakery, but there is always next time!

Southern Missour Vacation, Final Post

The last full day of our vacation I wanted to capture portraits of each of my kids and nieces and nephews for the farm shop.  I didn't have them pose, I just shot while they were playing and asked them to shoot me a smile.

My youngest, a little honey bee.

Can't believe Elijah posed on his three wheeler like this when I asked him to look at me and smile.

These butterflies could be seen every day.  We took pictures of this one right before leaving.

And a family photo before leaving.  I set the camera on a tripod and set the timer on 10 seconds.  Can you believe this was the first and only shot, and it turned out?!

And now, back to the rhythms of life in Iowa.  Can't wait till next time!  Maybe back to Colorado...where it gets 50 degrees on summer nights. :)

Southern Missouri Vacation, Part 3

It is a hot, hot day across the midwest.  I'm finishing up some preparation for an open house tomorrow here at the parsonage, and looking at vacation photos of swimming makes me want to go back.  And so does this food...

Cooking in cast iron works so well.  I use cast iron at home for most of my cooking, except frying eggs.  Then I use a non-stick skillet.

Uncle Mike holding Zachary, helping me out so I can take some photos.

Dumping out the water so that the bike can restart.  This happened a few times, but amazingly they restarted every time.

My nephew Elijah played so nicely by the water.  It isn't really sand like Michigan sand (the best there is), it is more like Rock Sand, but it still scooped well for little boys.

My nephew Anton grinning at me.  Likely about his daddy restarting the motorcycle.

The water looks so nice today, doesn't it?  The bigger kids took off their life jackets some, since they have had swimming lessons. 

Ezra mimics his daddy by throwing a rock in the water.  These brain-looking rocks could be found along the bottom of the river.  They also look a lot like morel mushrooms.

And a few more water and ATV pictures.  I was really thankful to have purchase a pelican case which is waterproof, for my camera.  It is hard to fully protect gear in this much water activity, but it did the trick. 

My nephew Cody and Brother Mike poppin' a wheely across the bridge.  After vacation, Ezra and Elliot are now always poppin' wheeleys on their ride on toys.

Now, I think it is about time to go swimming again!

Southern Missouri Vacation, Part 2

Our second day of vacation was even hotter - 109 on the bank sign in Lesterville, MO. At one point the heat index was 114! We stayed close to the water as much as possible.  Here the kids are having the crawdads they found fight.

Elijah finds rocks to throw in the river.  There are a lot of rocks in MO, and the river bottoms are completely rock-bottom - no muddy feet swimming like in Iowa, just sore feet if you don't have water shoes.

This picture is for Kurt.  A lot of people drive right on to the rivers, and we found some groups of people parked and swimming with families.

My brother Mike tested the water next.

Cody exits the scene to jump in his dad's truck and yells, "See you at Camp!"  Gideon's glass is full of their new friends - crawdads, who they also brought back to camp.

Elliot complained that his feet hurt.  This isn't because of the rocks, but but because of the heat of the cement.  I had to be careful to have shoes on the kids at all times, otherwise the cement burned their little feet.  Here he decided to borrow my sandals.

Ezra biked by the cabins (airconditioned, thankfully) a lot.  He is getting to an age that I can let him play away from me for longer periods of time and know that he is safe.  This is a nice stage to get to.

Somebody found a box turtle, who was super fun to check out.  I think the best part of being outdoors is discovering God's creation, and seeing children enjoy all it's creativity.  Zach has no fear, just all excitement.

John shows off his new buddy.

At the end of the second day Dad and I drove to this little shack, which looks to me to be a very old church - by the white cross on top.  There are two outhouses on the left of the photo (one behind the stove pipe coming out of the side of the building) and a horse stable on the right, where they would have parked their horses. 

I think the double opening front doors are unique.  It is also interesting that there is electricity running to it with the lighting below the cross on the top, and the light by the outhouses.  I am thankful for a church with airconditioning and running water, though I would love to have had the expierience of worship in this building.

Southern Missouri Vacation, Part I

We have returned from an extended family vacation with Becky's side of the family from Southern Missouri, where we stayed in Saint Louis, MO at a hotel one night, and then traveled on to Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.

Our first full day, we visited the St. Louis Zoo, a free exhibit for our families, but a hot, hot day.  We had to walk a ways to the entrance.  I loved the zoo, and would love to go back with Brian and I's family again someday.  St. Louis is a beautiful city with lots of history, architecture, and family activities.  Brian would have liked to attended a Cardinals game, but hopefully someday we can go back again.

Brian was a trooper, carrying hot little boys through the exhibits.  The penguin exhibit, at 45 degrees, was the best.

Ezra has an obsession with navigation, needing to know where we are at at all times.  He held onto the map a good part of the time.  I'm not really sure it made any sense to him, so I'm puzzled as to why he needed it.

It didn't take long for the kids to lose the shirts.  It was HOT.

Here he is trying to convince John about our location.  John would rather look at the elephants.

Ezra tries to be more convincing.  Cousin John is thinking about how itchy his poison ivy is in this heat.

Ezra doesn't get the hint.  John itches his nose.

John leaves to see the animals.  Ezra contemplates his location in the zoo.

An orange IOWA water hydrant, usually seen on farm yards, but here disguised with green paint and a twisted rope, used to water animals at the zoo. 

I didn't know bamboo would grow in the midwest!  It was nearly 25-30 foot tall, and planted all the way around the zoo as a wall.  Cool!

After St. Louis we made our way, 2.5 more hours south and found our campground.  Pulling in, we probably looked like trouble from the get go.

The first evening we visited the Shut-ins park, rock bottom rivers, to cool off.  We walked to this spot, kind of thinking it was rather normal looking to be so advertised....

Then we traveled further down the river and found the unique rock formations that Shut-Ins is known for.

It felt really dangerous at first, with the slippery rocks, and little kids everywhere, but after the first night we got used to it.  I'll have more pictures of the rocks later, when we went back!

To be continued...