Summer Fun 2018

The new semester begins this week, welcoming new rhythms all around.  Brian is enjoying a no-new-prep teaching load this fall, Isaac will start two mornings of pre-school just a couple blocks from our house, I'm excited for Drake volleyball games, and we're all looking forward to cooler temps and fall colors!

If you've got a spare eight minutes, here's a summer highlight reel for your viewing pleasure (complete with two of my favorite Jason Mraz songs).

We had a great summer as you'll see, including but not limited to:

• Hanging at Des Moines parks (including Gray's Lake)
• Drake Relays (complete with Griff, the bulldog)
• Isaac's First Professional Haircut
• Cruising the Grocery Store Aisles
• Driveway Construction (because we were getting water in our basement)
• 3rd Birthday Party (complete with slip and slide)
• Forest School
• Spray Ground, Splash Pads & Playgrounds
• Hanging with Friends (hugs, ice cream, popsicles galore)
• Swim Lessons at the Y
• 4th of July on the capital lawn
• John Deere tractor strolls
• Hotel swimming pool
• Family weekend on the lake (Michigan)
• Vacation Bible School 
• Dinner with a visiting Juneau friend
• First real dental cleaning
• GRANDMA & GRANDPA MOVED TO DES MOINES
• Welcoming Brian home after a 24-day work trip
• Iowa Cubs game (minor league baseball)
• Zoo Camp
• playing "massage" with Grandma
• Yummy sweet corn
• Iowa State Fair (complete with butter cow and acrobats)
• Train Land USA
• Family Bike Rides

...and lots and lots of cuteness, tantrums, meltdowns (mostly from Isaac) and snuggles.

Lots of Love to all of you who keep tabs on Isaac/us through this blog.  Our door in Des Moines is always open to you!

Chichaqua Park

We spent last Saturday morning meandering through Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt and having a picnic.  No mountains to be seen, but fun family time nonetheless.  We re-learning how to be midwesterners!  

Visiting Dad's Office

Sometimes Brian has to leave in the morning before Isaac wakes up.  If so, we'll just pay Dad a visit during his office hour or between classes.  It's so nice to be so close and let this be an easy occurrence.  And, his colleagues are always happy to see Isaac too.  For the record, I have no idea what the writing on Brian's white board means.  But I'm sure glad he does!

Some Flavors of Downtown Des Moines

 Lately I've tried to explore a little more of downtown Des Moines with Isaac during our days together.  It's been fun!

First, we went to Peace Tree Brewery and sampled some kombucha on tap:

Another day, we went to Molly's Cupcakes and sampled some sweet treats and sat on their swing seats at the cupcake bar (you can see them behind him in these pics):

Blank Park Zoo

We are zoo members at the Blank Park Zoo here in Des Moines.  It is a small, very kid-friendly zoo and Isaac always enjoys himself.  The new indoor giraffe barn was a highlight this last visit!  He was telling strangers all about it whenever he got the chance for days afterward.  

Ross the sea lion really wanted to play!

"Billy Goats Gruff" 

Backyard Play & Iowa Weather

Iowa weather patterns have been keeping us on our toes the past month.  Cold/Rainy/Sunny/Clear/Chilly/Warm/Hot/Snowy Again/Warm Again...and it goes on.  Here are just a few pics I've taken of Isaac in our backyard the past couple months to show.

Isaac's First Birthday Party Invitation

Isaac recently received his first birthday party invitation to celebrate his buddy Parker's 4th birthday.  Parker's dad, Sean, and Brian work together at Drake, and they also overlapped a year in grad school in Oregon.  

Isaac.  Loves.  Parker.  

The morning of the party, he announced he wanted to bake banana bread for Parker.  So we did!  

Parker's parents went all out with a really fun party, including face painting.  Isaac stood in line behind two boys who both had "Spiderman" faces painted, and I assumed Isaac would probably choose the same just because.  When it was his turn, though, he announced (of his own volition) that he wanted to look like a tiger!

After cake, he remained "in character" during the piñata line.  The other boy was spiderman, casting out webs of course.

When we left, Isaac went up to Parker and gave him a big hug, saying "I love you, Parker!"  It was adorable, and lots of fun to see him enjoy his first big birthday party.