Iowa State Fair

8/18/10

We went to the Iowa State Fair. The kids loved all of the animals. The baby animals were some of the kids favorite things. There were baby goats, lambs, calves, chicken eggs hatching, ostrich chicks and piglets.

Emily, Hannah, Ellie and Zach went down the big slide. Hannah wanted to go again, but Zach and Ellie were content with just one turn.

We went on through a farm exhibit where each of the children got to pretend to be farmers. They got to buy and plant seeds. Then they harvested their crops and picked fruit out of their orchard. They sold the produce at a market and then they used the money to buy feed for their chickens. They then collected eggs and sold them at the market. They then used the money to buy feed for their diary cow and then they milked their "cow" and sold the milk. They then used the money to buy a popsicle. I'm not too sure where the tractor fit in, but they also got to drive a tractor. Of course only the popsicle at the end was real.

First Try at Undies for Zach

Zach thought that he was pretty big stuff in his new undies. He danced around the house all day.

Butterflies

8/2010

For the past few years we have found monarch caterpillars near our house, have them form chrysalises, and then hatch into butterflies. This year was no exception as we found quite a few. The kids were all fascinated by them and actually were able to be gentle with the butterflies.

Just like Dad

8/7/10

Zach loves to play dress-up...especially if he's dressing up like Daddy! Greg had just gotten back from a fishing trip, so Zach thought it was pretty special to dress like a fisherman.

Back Yard Bible Club

8/5/10

This year our church did something different for bible school. Each neighborhood held its own bible school locally. We conducted ours in the park just across the street. About 75 children from around the neighborhood attended. Each day had games, songs and a brief lesson.

Zach enjoying singing.
Ellie and Paige singing.
Zach and Alaina jumping in a jump house that we got for the final day.

Best Friends

8/3/10

I just love watching the kids play together. They really are becoming great friends. They spent a long time snuggling and wrestling on this bean bag this morning, so I just had to get a picture.

Fun at Grandpa and Grandma's House

7/30/10

We always have so much fun going to Grandpa Bob and Grandma Jan's house. The kids love playing outside with the bikes, but they especially love getting to drive Grandpa's lawnmower! Grandpa has a zero-turn-radius lawnmower, so the kids have a blast driving it around and around in circles! They are all very crazy drivers!

Zach was especially giddy when he drove the lawnmower.

Later, we got to go for a hike. I just love this picture of the kids walking with Grandma.

Summer

7/18/10

We have spent many summer afternoons playing hard in our backyard this year. This has been a pretty common scene this summer...relaxing around the table and sipping lemonade as we take a much needed break.

First Race

7/17/10

Hannah got to run her first road race this summer. She was so excited to run in the Solon Beef Days One Mile Run. She did a great job! She thought it was especially neat to get a t-shirt after the race.

7/6/10

We went to the St Louis Zoo this summer. The weather was great and the kids loved it.

At the end of the day Hannah, Ellie and Zach each picked out a stuffed animal. Hannah picked a giraffe, Ellie picked an elephant and Zach picked a zebra.

I think that Zach's favorite thing about the zoo was the train ride. He and the girls yelled hi to everyone we rode by.
The kids took a break from the heat by playing in a waterfall. Zach and Hannah jumped right in, Ellie took a bit of convincing.