Art

"really good bird feeders" by Austin Spjut

 

He was so proud of these bird feeders, he made a whole bunch of them and then sold them in their pretend store.  He gave me the original after they were done playing.

Blank Park Zoo

 

The kids got free passes to the zoo from the library's summer reading program.  Today was really nice weather (70 degrees) and we don't have any more Saturday's free until the end of October so today was the day.  It worked out that our friends the Dunlavy's could come with us which always makes things more fun.

So we had a fun morning outside at the zoo.

 

 

We even learned something new today.  The only way a Bald Eagle can be in captivity is if it is injured.

Austin's 1st Day of Preschool!

 

 

Today was Austin's 1st day of preschool. HE WAS SO EXCITED!  The only problem is that he has afternoon so it makes for long morning for him.  He had a great day and really enjoyed it.

His favorite part was playing outside.

It was so fun for me to watch him so excited, I was even excited for him.  I do have to admit I did cry after I got back in car.  I had so many mixed emotions dropping my little baby boy off at his 1st day of school and having no children for 2 1/2 hours.

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

Iowa State Fair NOTHING COMPARES

 

 

 

We took the kids to the Iowa State Fair today.  We figured since it might be our last year here, Olivia and Austin have never been and Madi was 1 1/2 last time we went, it was time to go again.  We had a great time!  We went at night, the weather wasn't bad, we ate our way through, and saw lots of animals.  The kids loved seeing the animals in fact Austin didn't want to leave he just wanted to keep looking at them.

 

We saw beautiful horses, lambs, sheep, goats cows, pigs.  They feed a baby calf, saw a goat being milked and saw the big bull.  And my favorite part of the fair since our 1st year in Iowa back in 2006, parking in peoples backyards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Day of School!

 

Today the girls started school.  Savannah is in 4th grade and has Mrs. Halstead.  Madilynn is in 2nd grade and has Mrs. Hron. Olivia is in 1st grade and has Miss Walters (it is her 1st year teaching so it should be a good year for Olivia.)

They all had a good day and had so much to tell me, I can't keep it all straight but it was enjoyed and that's all that matters right now.

 

The sun was very bright while we were taking pictures, this is the best of the squinty eyes. :)

 

We missed "Meet the Teacher" night on Tuesday because we were still in Utah so it was a little bit confusing today when they had all their school supplies and had never seen/meet their teacher until this morning but it all worked out.  Their teachers were very friendly and helped them get everything organized and ready to go.  (Didn't get a picture of Savannah because I had to help the other kids with their school supplies and ran out of time.)

Austin's 1st time waterskiing!

 

 This was Austin's year that he has been waiting for, we finally let him waterski!  He was a little bit scared but more excited.  He wanted to watch someone go first so he would know what to do, then it was his turn.  He put on the skies, grandpa held him up and off we went and down he fell.  I wasn't sure what he would do but with no tears he put the skies right back on and he got right up.

He couldn't stop smiling, he loved every minute of it.  He kept looking back at his skies, probably wondering how in the world am I doing this...this is awesome!!

 

Grandpa paid him $10 that night just like he promises to all the grandkids the 1st time they ski.  He was so excited to have all that money. (I took him shopping the next week and he brought a stuffed dog that was in a hard plastic caring case.  He was so excited when he found it and wouldn't put it down so we had to buy it.)

 

 

 

 

He liked it so much he skied again two days later.