A Picture Diary. :)

The drive to Des Moines to meet the rest of the family was fun. Dannan got a couple chances to drive from the passenger seat while Josh ate/stretched/looked for something/took a nap. I went through all the car games I knew cause we would play one and Dannan would ask for another. We played the "word association game". You know...someone says 'blue grass' then the next person could say 'blue tooth' then the next 'tooth decay' then the next 'urban decay' then 'sub-urban' ha ha ha. You get it. Then we played the name-a-hurricane game, male names first then female. They have to be awful names. There were some great ones. Very fun.

After we met up with everyone else at a shady Ramada we re-arranged, re-packed and hopped back in the two vehicles. Yeah- isn't it awesome that my immediate family has to take two cars (well one was a minivan)! Actually we really would need three if it was all of us cause Marth and Ryan and the twins and Dallas were missing. Wow. :) Love it! So we stopped at a rest stop to eat. Beth made all the food and it was yummo. Then back on the road for a great adventure off the interstate in IL.



Adventure 1: The Interstate Closed at the Iowa border and we had to find our own way to IL. WOW.
Adventure 2: Our map was the size of a grocery list, and the area we were trying to get to was conveniently located directly under a staple.
Adventure 3: As the night fell, nobody's cell phone would work. Except for Ashley's! So she saved the day. Eventually someone in the van had her phone so we had no clue what was happening. But we got there!


My Aunt and Uncle had just got a new house nearer to the city, and Dad and Beth, Josh and I, and Ashley stayed in that house. My Aunt said there was no way I was sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor after heart surgery. Turns out that was probably a good assessment on her part. Oh man. The next morning, Marth and Ry and the twins arrived at the 'town' house :) (it's not a townhouse) and we played for awhile. Dad and Ry taught the boys how to climb up stairs. I'm sure that was helpful. Then we headed out to the farm. Awaiting us there was my cousin Karl and his wife Katy, Levi, Dannan, Cale and Megan, and Evan and Kristy. Throughout the day my cousin Anna came with her man Lucas and then another Uncle and his fiance and another cousin Graham came. We were missing 3 cousins, 2 significant others, and Dallas.


The food was great. Marth brought 2 buckets and a huge tub of blueberries and I'm pretty sure we ate almost all of them. We had BBQ sandwiches and yummo potato something and the best chip dip EVER! And a fresh broccoli salad that Josh actually ate! He hates broccoli and he liked it! So I have to learn to make that. We ate, and chatted, and then started our Inaugural Cornhole Tournament. Josh and Ryan created a bracket. We went by couples and it worked out perfectly. I was not allowed to play so Dannan played as me! She was much better than I would have been. Champions: Josh and Dannan! Runners Up: Martha and Ry!

We had a campfire and smores that night. Though for some reason in the picture exchange before we left, I do not have any of those pictures any more. And we took a group pic and that too, I do not have anymore. Sad! Here are some other activities though!

Then the night was over. The next morning we attempted brunch with 1/2 a million people but ended up splitting up to get in a few places. Ashley and I were headed to Wisconsin so we ate with the WI relatives and hitched a ride up north with them to hang out with our wonderful project friends Miranda and Holly. We stayed there till Wednesday evening and then flew home. Do not worry. I will fill you in on that trip as well- but this is long and it needs it's own space! :)