~~ summer fun ~~ wrap up

I've almost caught up on our summer activities but here are a few more photo moments.  

Celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary. 

Give this boy a clothes hanger and a bunch of toy pigs and he's heaven.  

Dozens and dozens of popsicles are consumed on our street in the summer.  

Hannah loves to help in the kitchen.  The second she here's the mixer turn on she is running from any corner of the house, "What are we making, mama?"

We spent hours and hours with this guy over the summer and it never gets old!  

Ryan loves to climb and ride our rocking horse.  

Playin' ball. 

Farm play. 

Princess Anna in the skid loader.  

Hannah and Marshall. 

Ryan and Memphis. 

Happy climber. 

County fair parade with Molley. 

Lucas and Bo. 

Perfect one year old!  

Visiting the zoo with Garrett. 

Helping Great Grandma check on the garden. 

Barefoot.

Watching cousin Nick show his steer at his county fair. 

Window shopping. 

Kim holding Savanna, Teresa and Maggie. 

Dave and Hannah. 

A visit from the Maddens!   

Maci, Lucas, Ryan, Cade, Ellie, Hannah. 

Lucas and Cade. 

Birthday twins Maci and Hannah. 

Lucas, Josh, Ryan, Jacob, Garrison and Garrett. 

Hannah and Maggie. 

Savanna, Kim, Maggie, Brandy, Sara and Teresa. 

The best of childhood - playing in the dirt. 

Ryan, Brent, Dave and Brent.  

Hannah, Noah and Jack. 

Carly Salvo saying hello to Ryan.  

Zip lining at Salvo's.  Lucas waited all summer to do this.  Every time we drove by he asked if we could go to Greg and Loree's.  Finally, the schedules aligned and it was time.  

Jump! 

He loved it!! 

Hannah wasn't interested.  

It was more fun for her to jump on the trampoline with Ava. 

Mom's turn on the zip line!  

Once I actually jumped off the platform, it was fun! 

Lightning bug rings.  A great moment of childhood!  

It didn't take Ryan long to figure out how much fun the playset can be.  

Wee!

Still barefoot.

Lucas and Charlie. 

State fair time!  Yes, sweatshirts in August!

Checking out the equipment on display at the fair.  

This was the longest visit the kids have ever had at the fair… I think we are building up their tolerance.  

Jonah's birthday!

Such a special friendship!

Mrs. Winter's summer reading party.  

Park day! 

On the last day of summer Lucas and I spent the day playing around.  We took the Gator for a long ride to see where Dad was seeding grass for a customer.  

I taught him how to drive the Gator and he thought he was pretty big stuff. 

Back to school night.  He and Owen are in the same class - yay! 

Those cheeks.  That smile.  

Hannah and Sophia.  

As I type this (in November) summer feels so long ago.  

Swimsuits, short, flip flops have been exchanged for sweatshirts, pants and always wearing shoes :) 

bIrThDaY gIrL

Today is my birthday… Today is my birthday… On my 16th birthday, my brother, Brian, gave me an Iowa State key chain.  To be specific, he gave me this Iowa State key chain.

And 19 years later it still represents my ride. 

Thinking about the key chain and all of the "rides" it's been through brought back some good memories.  

When I turned sixteen I got the rights to drive the same family vehicle that my siblings drove.  All of us.  And before that, it was my grandparent's car.  I'm pretty sure they bought it brand new in 1979.  Which, P.S. is the year I was born.  Black with a red pinstripe done the side… it was a boat.  Which was perfect for a first-time driver.  The most memorable quirk was driving with both my left and right foot.  It stalled if you sat idle too long without feeding it any gas.  Thus, driving with two feet.  

After the LTD finally died in my senior year of high school, I got my mom's hand me down Taurus.  It was quite the step up.  Automatic windows and locks.  And I only needed my right foot to drive.  ;-)  This beauty accompanied me to college.  After more than one frigid cold day of leaving me stranded at my apartment or on campus, Brent was tired of rescuing me from the Taurus.  Then, after my initial introduction to Brent's family and the small town we now call home, the tan Taurus left me completely stranded on a rural country road between Brent's parent's house and my sister's house on Thanksgiving break.  

One month later, my Dad went car shopping with me and I ended up with a light blue Taurus from a mom and pop auto dealer back home.  The mention of buying another Taurus to Brent sent chills down his spine.  

More visits to the repair shop followed with the light blue Taurus.  About six months after we got engaged, Brent and I bought a Dodge Intrepid.  I say we, but it was all him.  I was still in college, preparing to do my student teaching.  He was working full time and living in southern Iowa.  I think he was worried how I would survive another winter with my bad car luck and him living three hours away.  So he bought it, I drove it.  Always a care taker :-) 

We were married for a couple years when we got a Chevy Tahoe.  This was the vehicle which I got my fancy, personalized Cyclone license plates.  They haven't been with me as long as the aforementioned key chain, but it's almost double digits.  

The first Tahoe was so good to us, we upgraded a couple of years later.  Then, one very windy day, my car was parked in the parking lot at my office.  I happened to be talking to my secretary and watched this giant gust of wind blow the dumpster around the parking lot.  As the dumpster glided easily across the concrete I realized where it was headed… right into the side of my Tahoe.  Ouch!  Some repairs had it looking brand new again.  

Lots and lots of miles, a couple of car seats and the conversion to a minivan happened.  NO ONE says I want to drive a minivan when I grow up.  I'm a truck-kind-of-girl and I would drive a pickup in a heartbeat, but it doesn't suit this stage of life.  So I drive a Chrysler Town & Country mini and I love its conveniences.  

What a fun "drive" down memory lane.  That 19 year old key chain has been good to me over all the miles!

Cyclone fan fest

A fun afternoon of Cyclone spirit!

I crashed this pic of Megan with Monte Morris.  

ISU Wrestlers 

Cade and Lucas.

Tackle!  

corn cRaZy

Early one August Sunday morning Brent, Brian and Lucas headed to the sweet corn field to pick.  

This picture is about half of the truck load we husked, washed, cut, cooked and bagged.  

Corn queens.  

Mmm-good.  

This guy worked his tush off from early in the morning until 6:30PM, when he, mom and Hannah snuck out of the house for a pool party! :-) 

The next couple of pictures were captured by Lucas.  

Even though she was exhausted the next day, Great Grandma was happy to join us, and we were equally happy she was with us.  

And while Grandpa Steve scrubbed corn off my floor...

Grandma Connie joined us via FaceTime from a hotel in Pennsylvania.  

While it is a long process and a sticky job, the outcome is so worth it to enjoy yummy sweet corn all year long!