So here you have it -- a photo journal of the rest of our trip:
This was like opening ceremonies for the Wade/Greer extravaganza. The kids were dressed like this within 30 minutes of our arrival. I think Si's off somewhere working on getting his skirt on!
We had an awesome outing to Reiman Gardens, a little oasis right in the middle of town. Loved the garden gnome exhibit!
Si was no fan of the world's largest concrete gnome. Tears, screaming, clawing for escape. The drama.
Sweet girls.
Holy Americana. We packed it up and headed to the big city for a Des Moines Menace game. Semi-pro soccer, complete with mascot, t-shirt shooters, bounce houses, and a sweet deal on tickets if you wore a red shirt. This was just the best night. We watched a beautiful sunset as the kids rolled down a giant grassy hill and ran until they collapsed. Sweet, sweet memories.
Before we left town we were able to drop in on Christopher's cousin Luke and his family. Luke is one of the football coaches at Iowa State and he and Coby and the kids have been in town for just about a year. I love the way they are embracing the adventure of their own crazy lives (coaches move about as often as military folks). The kids loved being together and Coby made us a huge, awesome lunch.
In honor of my sister, we stopped for lunch at the 'Liner in Iowa City. Julie spent lots and lots of time here in college (she worked here for a few years). Maybe it was wrong to feed kids lunch at a bar...who knows?
We got to see the Bakers in Chicago! This was another big 'plus' when weighing the drive vs. fly decision. We were able to spend a night with Mike and Destiny and their girls. It was like staying at a luxury resort with the best company in the world...the kids played while adults talked, ate, laughed, and generally wished we lived closer to each other.
We got to spend the next night with my Aunt Pat & Uncle Darrel who live in Geneva, just outside of Chicago. It was a fun, loud, relaxing evening. My cousin Courtney and her husband John turned their lives upside down to make time to come over to see us, so the house was wonderfully full. Here's big sis Ella with Mils and Si. Ella's little sister Maeve turned two right around the same time as Si, so Aunt Pat had a little party with cake and gifts for the kids. I'm always going to remember the feeling I had when I knocked on the door and saw my Aunt Pat...it felt like a little piece of home was right there. Pure comfort. In the midst of our chaos and semi-homelessness, here was someone familiar and so loving. It felt so good to be with family.
Grove City College...Christopher's Alma Mater.
Christopher's college roommate, Pizza (ok...his real name is Tom, but I only know him as Pizza). The kids LOVED him, and like me, were captivated by his 'dude's only' coffee table. Have you seen one of these things? The top lifts up and comes towards you so you can eat a full meal while sitting on the couch watching football. Genius.
A quick stop by the Hardy's (Christopher's sister Jennie and family) in Connecticut. Uncle Tim was even up for a visit so we had a great big family dinner, opened some gifts, negotiated a cousin's slumber party, cooked s'mores in the fire pit. Quite a fun night.
A drive-by hug for Si and Sydney.
Next stop: the Sanzi's. This has become our summer tradition, and I'm so happy about it. We spent a long weekend with them...by the pool, in the yard, down at the beach...the usual haunts.
Erika, mother of three boys, is always sweet to turn the camera on me with the kids. She knows how rarely these everyday moments get caught on film.
We're in the backyard of their parents' beach house playing duck-duck-goose. We had just spent the day at the beach and finished a great cook out. It was a neat moment.
And these may be the best photos of the entire trip.
Everybody's doing their best super-hero. Classic.
