Iowa here we Come !

Michelle has just not been feeling very well,so...... Jen and I decided to visit far off Iowa. It's not the best place to drive to considering pretty flat open areas. Not much eye candy I guess :) When it gets dark, there are not many overhead lights on 218. Like...none. Jen got behind a truck driver with his brights on. Since Jen and I both have night-blindness it was an exciting trip!As we approached Iowa City I said " OH,Look Jen !! More cars, it seems lighter out now. " Jen's response,"Yeah Mom, We have overhead lamps again !!" Sometimes I'm not the brightest bulb!!! Going back during the day.. A much better idea!!


Jen and Michelle got some shopping in,not much, but Jen found some pretty dresses at Motherhood.I was able to re-hem Michelle and Dave's thermal weave curtains so they would fit the sliding glass door.I made chicken soup, a big pot of it! SOOO.. if you live in Coralville, stop by, there should be plenty left !


We went to an Amish town about a half-hour away called Kalona.The town had a wonderful store called, Stringtown Grocery. What fun!! I marvelled at all the neat things on the shelves. Jen kept hurrying me through the aisles. She wanted to get to the bakery store further on in town.I bought dried cranberry beans, only to read later on the computer that they'll lose their beautiful colors when cooked.They had the most amazing things !!I bought steel cut oats,eggplant,quinoa,old fashioned egg noodles,tiny,tiny,bowtie noodles,butternut squash,better butter (that's the name) and some dried mushrooms with a name I've never seen before.I am an explorer when it come to finding new healthy fares. Jen left the store with 2 large bags of marshmellow bits, the kind in Alpha-bit cereal....just without the cereal.Jen says," The kids will love me for it !!!" Oh well, back to my dried cranberry beans!

Next stop, the bakery. Oh what wonders!! The best apple pie ever !! Something called Steeper bread,. It has cinnamon ribbons through it,Wow !There were donuts,way too big.They had a gift shop upstairs. I've been meaning to get Preston a train whistle. They had a great one there!! One of the Amish women was dusting the "Corinthian Chimes" I've never heard anything so beautiful!! I think angels were helping. My friend Caroline who passed away on the 22nd of October would have loved them. I think I heard her hand in them!!! I miss you Caroline!!

I was so grateful to have Jen drive us up there! She was a super general manager helping Michelle go through her summer clothes and pack them up! Jen's a great organizer, and great comic relief also.I love spending time with my girls. Poppy stayed home so he could babysit Jen's fantastic four while Adam worked on Saturday. We had Stake Conference sat. night so Poppy had to do a lot of setting up.Poppy has figured out Preston !! When he couldn't see or hear him, Larry would go looking to see what mischief he had gotten into. Sometimes he was just playing in the sun room. Most times he was pulling lids off wet things, and pouring. We've got to teach Preston a new trick !!


It was great to see Michelle and Dave. They have a pretty small condo, so they let us use their bed. No small sacrifice. It was great to share some time with them.They are devoted to each other. It's hard to live away from family when you don't feel well so much of the time. Michelle's vestibular migranes come and go. Lately, they've been more prevalent.All in all, it was a memorable trip. Life is Good !!!

About time...

Lots of stuff has happened since Ronnie wrote about the brats! The roof is finished, the gutter and soffit has been installed and the kitchen is 97.5% complete.

Adam graduated from UMKC Dental School and got his license. Adam, Jen and kids have moved back to St. Louis to a home they have been remodelling for the last three months. They now live 1.3 miles from us. Adam begins work today! The kids are signed up for gymnastics and world peace is at hand (not). There are still many things left to finish on their house but it's coming together nicely.

Ronnie and Larry are both on facebook. Facebook statistics indicate that the fastest growing demographic are 35 years old and older. (We fit into the lower part, right?)

Totally toasted apple brats

Well, I really almost did it today !!Larry went home teaching with Ed Parks after church today. He was kind enough to start the grill for me. I thought I would try to get everything together while Larry was gone.Big mistake !! I went done to put the par-boiled brats on the grill,came back about 7 min. later and POW !!! Flambe,that's o.k. for some very special desserts,not o.k.for brats. I cooked about 18 of them,only 7 were edible.I couldn't get the high flames to go out,even after turning the grill completely off !! There was so much smoke and flames I could hardly see !!Just then the fire sirens went off down the block.I thought for sure the engines were coming to MY house . Oh happy day,they passed me. On the bright side, I probably won't get to use the grill again for a couple of years . I bet I'm grounded.

We have a new roof...Almost

Have I told you today? Life is Good !! I have a husband who loves me enough to wake up at 4:00 a.m. to drive me to the mega-bus ,down at Union Station. That way I can go on a field trip with Paige to the grocery store. I leave here tues 11/18 at 5:15 a.m. ,arrive in K.C. at 10:30 a.m. just in time for our Hyvee field trip. Oh, the things I will learn !! It's a good thing though, because then on Wed. I will drive back to St.Louis with Jen and her merry band of assorted toddlers, and even a first grader.

Oh! Wasn't I going to tell you about my roof ? This wed. Joe and Travis started on our roof.It is just wonderful !! I picked out a grey brown color that you are all supposed to OH and Ah over. Don't forget !!
All was going well until the weather decided not to cooperate. They worked long into the night with lights on their heads on thurs, only to have it rain on friday. The tarp is back on the roof.Saturday was rainy and cold.Monday will be a brand new day !!A full roof day !! (hopefully) :)

I'm Thankful ...

What a wonderful day! R.J. Lindmark was kind enough to cut wood for us.Us, is Glenda,Karen and me.Glenda and I met Karen after her work today. We went to her house and the "creating" began. We picked out our paper,then painted the blocks. Just a little bit of heaven,playing with my "buddies" .

Glenda and I used the Chocolate brown vinyl and 3 3/4 inch 'base camp' letters on my cricut. It is after 10:00 P.M. We worked on our project about 6 1/2 hours. Karen used 3" chipboard letters which she painted in chocolate. We had a lot of fun using all kinds of embellishments. The best part is they were all different!! Good friends, great supplies and a cold glass of water, life is good !!!!

Mine

Karen's

I'm a Winner!!!

I WON!!! I WON!!!

Two blogs in one day, what do you think? I am sooo excited I have been going to a very fun site. It has the best ideas of things to purchase or make if you're creative enough !!!

I was lucky enough to win one of my faves. It is the Birthday placemat from Two Sisters Ink . The # 22 giveaway. Can't you just see our "You are Special" plate on there? Life IS Good!!!

Belated October Update

It's only been 3 MONTHS since I posted on here!!! One might think that I'm a tad bit busy. Well, you're right!! Life happens!! Last week was heavenly, a great visit with Jen, Adam, and our babies. Please notice I said OUR babies. It was Preston's one year birthday. He has grown into such a love. He wants to eat whatever you're eating, so sometimes we have to trick him. We make believe we're eating his food and then he will too. Jen was really industrious, she decided to have a bunch of people over for cupcakes and ice cream. Well, Jen decided to have this affair outside, with a possibility of rain.
All was right with the world, no rain. She invited a few people, like everyone she saw or spoke to. I kept asking,"How many people are you talking to?" Adam and Poppy took out lots of chairs
and set up some borrowed tables. Long story short, it was like a block party!! I will miss the townhomes when they move, I will not miss the traveling to K.C. though. There is a great sense of community, a lot of students, and you can go outside at any given time and find someone to play with!
Preston has been having fun playing with his new toys. Gram got him some great musical toys.
Tommy and Preston have been playing with Grampy's gift, a train table. It's kind of hard to keep Tommy out of the room while Preston is sleeping though. We got him one of those musical activity tables. He stands by it and sometimes pushes it! He'll be walking before we know it! Poppy had fun watching Boomerang on TV. That is one of the kids and Poppy's fave stations.
Of course, Poppy does nap a little. Not to worry though, Paige gets right in his face and screams real loud, "WAKE, UP POPPY." That doesn't make him too happy though. Paige is a delight , she will run up and give you the biggest smooches and smacks. Kelly's lovin' you have to work a little harder for but when you get it it's worth it. Tommy loves his Poppy!! On the other hand, he will make believe he's going to hug me, then he runs the other way!! Life is good!!
Paige's b-day is next week. K.C. , here we come !!
Reza (Traci 's nickname) has not been feeling too well this week. She has had a really bad ear infection. She is still working on the side with sewing her doggy boutique items.
Melanie is crazy with her Masters classes she's taking. She is trying hard to keep her crazy life all together.
Michelle and Dave are enjoying Iowa City . Dave found a piano on "Craig's List". With the help of some buddies, they rented a van and brought it home last night. It's going to be Michelle 's Christmas present. I bet she can't wait to get some of her music up there! It needs tuning badly.
Well, hopefully I've been able to catch you up a little and not bore you to pieces.

Love ya, and remember... LIFE IS GOOD!!!