8 years in Iowa!

We have lived in Iowa 8 years now!  We really like it and it could possible be our last year.  Jason is finishing his last year of residency and we will be looking for a job some time soon.  It makes me sad to think that we will be moving in less than a year but I have know for years that this was not permanent.

Here are some the things that will always remind us of Iowa...

*the people are some of the nicest people I have ever met.
*Farmers Markets
*there are parks everywhere which is great when you have no money and young children
*yummy corn (peaches in cream corn)
*the friends we have made
*Hy-Vee crab ragoons
*the best salsa
*Jordan Creek Mall's play area (this was our kids 2nd home during the winter)
*farms
*no traffic
*corn and soybean fields for miles and miles
*Pella Tulip Festival and Pastries
*Bridges of Madison County
*Feeding the fish at Jordan Creek Mall pond
*4 year Medical Degree at DMU
*Gray's Lake bridge
*Living History Farms
*Howell's Pumpkin Patch (until it became over crowded)
*Blank Park Zoo Night Eyes at Halloween
*Indianola's Hot Air Balloon Festival (one of my favorites, I have wonderful memories there)
*Smokey D's restaurant
*living close to church sites- Winter Quarters Temple, Nauvoo, Liberty Jail, Independence, MO, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Carthage Jail, Kansas City Temple.
*Kansas City, MO barbeque
*Haweye's Football team
*Methodist Hospital -Madilynn and Olivia born there
*Mercy Hospital - Austin born there
*16 hour drive to Utah
*Ashland Ridge Elementary School
*Maple Grove town house 8602 Westown Parkway #1602, West Des Moines, IA 50266
*our 1st home 2014 NW Pleasant St, Ankeny, IA 50023
*YMCA
*YMCA Preschool for Savannah and Madilynn
*Madi and Olivia's preschool teacher Miss Jenny
*Waukee Library Christmas Crafts
*Ankeny Library iPad, train set and legos
*visitors
*train at Christmas and Easter at the Valley West Mall
*the Church members
*5 year Surgical Residency at Mercy Medical Center
*Ledges State Park-hiking
*Jordan Creek's Christmas Tree lighting and fireworks
*Beggar's Night October 30th instead of Halloween
*Center Grove Apple Orchard
*cold winters -20
*tornado sirens
*ice storms
*car doors stuck shut in the winter
*sleeping in the basement because of bad weather
*visitors sleeping on our blow-up mattresses or getting a hotel
*1st things for all our children...riding bikes, losing teeth, walking, crawling, talking, etc etc etc
*Pence Family home- picking pumpkins, Jason/Elder's quorum mowing their lawn, paddle boats, trailer rides behind Bishop Pence's lawn mower
*humidity
*Savannah and Madilynn being baptized here
*Waukee Ward, Raccoon River Ward, Maple Grove Branch, Ankeny 1st Ward, Ankeny 2nd Ward
*Encore Dance
*"Noodle Place" -Z'mariks
*free splash parks
*Green's Lake House
*Iowa State Fair
*water towers