Weekend in Iowa

Last weekend the kids and I went to see my Grandma in Iowa. It usually takes about 3 hours to get there but in this case it took almost four. There was road construction from Lakeville to Albert Lea so most of that stretch was down to one lane. It was also VERY dark out. We arrived safely and I sent the kids to bed.

 

 Saturday morning was cold and rainy so we spent much of it inside. I did force them into a bike ride but with the weather it was a short one. After their nap, I took them to a park. They love the merry go rounds and Dru loves to push them more than ride them. Each park we went to (4 in 2 days) had one. We had fun playing, swinging and climbing. I was able to see Dru conquer the monkey bars. It was fun to watch and she is proud of herself. We played GO FISH a bunch of times with Grandma Lois. I think she enjoyed it as much as they did. After the kids went to bed, I beat the pants off her in Yahtzee and Farkle. Ha!

 

Sunday morning I brought them to another park in the morning, we had lunch and then headed out of town. We made a quick stop to see my great aunt Ruth and to play at another park. I took a different route home, so the long drive home was not quite so painful. It was nice to spend a relaxing weekend with my grandma in small town Iowa. Leo said in the car on the way home, "Next time we come to Grandma Lois' can we stay longer?". So sweet.

 

 

 

Merry Go Round

 

They really do love each other

 

See!?!?

 

Climber and soon to be climber

 

Playing Go Fish

 

In the shed, formerly a cow barn 

 

Riding the tricycle

 

Our monkey

 

The kids with Grandma Lois on her front steps

Vino In The Valley

 

 

For Julie's Dad's birthday we went to a vineyard and restaurant in Wisconsin for lunch. It is an open air venue with very delicious food. It was a bit breezy but with a light jacket was nice to be in the fresh air. Julie's brother and family was there as well. Even with a lost reservation it turned out to be a wonderful day. After we ate we took a walk around the property and down to the river. When we left the vineyard we drove to Plum City where the kids fed some fish in the central park pond. Dru kept trying to pet them. It was a nice day to spend with family.

 

 

 

View from the parking lot

 

Mike, Nick, Vicki, Jake, Zach

 

Us

 

Marlys and Bob (the birthday boy)

 

The "Original" Robole Family

 

The kids by Rush River

 

Feeding the trout

Parade and Apple Orchard

This past Saturday was a beautiful day to spend outside. We started out the day by watching the Bloomington Heritage Day parade. The kids collected a TON of candy and other stuff. We enjoyed seeing some familiar faces and hanging out with my parent's neighbors.

 

 

Unicycles

 

Indian dancers

 

Annabelle (a friend's granddaughter)

 

Former Minnesota Twins player Tony Oliva supporting his son's campaign

 

Sugar crazed kids

 

 

After the parade, a hot dog at Ken's and a stop at Denise's garage sale we headed to Delano to Apple Jack's Orchard. It was extremely crowded so it quickly became our least favorite visit to an orchard. They roped off most of the orchard and the trees that weren't roped off didn't have any apples left that the kids could reach. It was a bit chaotic with people climbing the trees and breaking branches, others going under the ropes to pick apples anyway and people everywhere. They also made you pay for everything. Luckily we had a perfect fall day to spend with family that made up for it.

 

 

Cousins

 

Tractor ride

 

Reed

 

Dru

 

 

Leo  

 

Me and my littles

Kindergarten - Week 2

Every morning each student is given a breakfast so that all students start the day with a full stomach. They walk through the line and take their bag to their classroom. I was able to go along with her on Tuesday to see her morning routine. She is loving kindergarten and comes home most days with a new song to sing for us. She has met lots of new friends and says enjoys recess and the before/after school program the most.

 

 

Breakfast line

 

She has to put in code for breakfast and lunch

 

Hanging her back pack on her hook

 

And lunch bag

 

At her table spot

 

Lots of food, no wonder she doesn't eat much lunch

Michelle's Wedding

My good friend Michelle, who I've known since we were preschoolers, got married on September 8th. The ceremony and reception was on a river boat that left out of Stillwater. The kids absolutely loved it. Michelle was such a beautiful bride and looks so happy with her new husband Eric. The ceremony was on the top deck of the boat with a brunch buffet that followed on a lower deck. The boat then cruised for about two hours. We are grateful to have been invited to celebrate with them.

 

 

Michelle

 

Eric

 

The ceremony

 

The kiss

 

The new family with Michelle's son Nate

 

Our kids loving the boat

 

The happy couple

Dru's First Day of Kindergarten

Dru started kindergarten last Monday. It surprised me not so much the emotions I would feel but of the significant changes in our whole family that comes with a child starting school. The kids are now separate during the day and that is a huge change for them. We also now are commuting separately in the mornings. I am still figuring out the best way to work my afternoons.

 

She has done better than I thought she would with her energy level. I expected her to be just plain worn out when I picked her up. She seems to be handling the stress fairly well. She makes friends easily so that part has been just fine. Her favorite part so far is recess, of course.

 

Almost each day we have had a report from her or her teacher that she had a time out. I'm not sure whether she is bored or loses focus. From somersaults in the classroom to being too much of a teacher's "helper" has gotten her in trouble. This Monday her teacher made sure to tell her to work on focusing on her own work. She surprised us by requesting lunch from home instead of taking school lunch. I thought it would be nice to not have to spend time making her lunch, but now I like seeing what and how much she is eating. Every child receives a free breakfast and when she eats school lunch it is $1.95.

 

I still find it strange that we have a kindergartner. Where did the last almost 6 years go!?

 

 

Our big girl

 

With her butterfly backpack

 

 

Her dress of choice, and sparkly shoes

 

Silly face

 

Best Buds

 

Running to school!

Leo's First Day of Preschool

Leo's first day off preschool was September 4, 2013. Even though he went to the same building and the same room it officially started his last year before kindergarten. One of his teachers stayed the same and another teacher he was familiar with joined the class. So to him it was like any other day at school. This way there were no anxiety issues and it was our normal routine. His teachers Ms. Jane and Ms. Melissa are wonderful and he will be extremely prepared to start school next fall.

 

 

He did well on writing his name.

 

 

Handsome :)

 

The bonk on his head came from the class bombarding the window at school to see a squirrel. Geez.