NW Iowa Review

Here's a run down of our trip to NW Iowa with pictures:

Saturday
Emily often wielded dual flyswatters at G&G Boote's house. She didn't understand the real purpose of them. She decided they should be used to wash windows and rubbed them on the glass like a scrub brush. :o)








Sunday
Emily had fun in the nursery at church and going on a horse-drawn wagon ride during the Sunday school hour. ARC had their education kick-off Sunday this week with a horse theme.

I don't think Emily is going to catch the cat anytime soon in this position!








Monday
In the morning Grandma B chased after Emily while we all went shopping at the kids consignment shops in Rock Valley. They had some great stuff and I got a bunch--including a cow Halloween costume. :o) In the afternoon we visited GGma Boote. Emily loved the plastic horses in the toy box and playing with the "Kissing Dutch Boy & Girl" figurines. We had pizza at Uncle "Wave" (Wade) and Auntie Abbie's house and watched the football game. Aunt Courtney was teaching Emily how to do a somersault (see video). It will take a little more practice. ;o)


Tuesday
It was a big day of visiting friends and family. We spent the morning with Brandi & Asher. Then we all went for lunch at GGpa & GGma Lorenzen's house and were joined by GGma Freking.
Emily decided her snack would taste better eaten out of GGma Lorenzen's candy dish!









After visiting my high school friend, Amanda Haverhals, Emily & I joined Grandma B and Uncle Wade in Boyden to watch Auntie Abbie coach her 8th grade volleyball team. Emily loved clapping along with the crowd!






Wednesday
On Wednesday morning we visited Grandpa Boote at the farm. Emily sat on Great-Aunt Janet's horse long enough to say, "Look at me!" and then wanted to get off and look at the cows. Maybe by next spring she'll actually want to ride. ;o)







We all helped feed the calves.








Grandpa even took Emily inside a hog pen! She thought it was funny watching the pigs run around. I didn't think it was funny b/c it was dusty and windy and I ended up losing a contact. I had to drive back with one eye. Thankfully, I had another contact in my bag!





Back at G&G Boote's house Emily had fun with dandelions.








She also had fun "jumpin" on G&G's bed.
Of course, there was lots of quality reading time. Even Milo joined in!







GGma Vander Kooi won 1st place in the "Hat Day" contest at Pleasant Acres nursing home. This is Emily modeling the winning hat GGma wore to Great-Uncle Bruce & Great-Aunt Helen Vander Kooi's wedding. Emily was a hit with all the residents when we visited there.
Auntie Abbie remembers when we used to get pulled around in laundry baskets, so she & Uncle Wade gave Emily a ride.









Thursday
Emily & I headed back home on Thursday morning. One of our pit stops on the way was at a pumpkin farm to pick out our fall display. We got a lot of great stuff! What the picture doesn't show is that Emily stood by the door of the van and bawled until I let her take her entourage with her (to drag around in the wet, muddy grass). She picked up one little pumpkin and then ran back to the van b/c she just wanted to watch "T.B." (the cartoon DVD she had been watching when we stopped). At least I enjoyed the fresh air!

All in all it was a wonderful trip! There are quite a few video clips in the new September video player at the bottom of the blog. Also, just as a follow up note: Emily still crawled out of the PNP 4 times after I posted on Sunday afternoon, but hardly did after that. She was so tired she practically asked to go to bed!