We LOVE Iowa!

I have been a little busy the last few days and mainly because I've been trying to get ready to take the boys back home. We have planned a trip back to introduce the boys all of the wonderful family and friends we have back home and to show them all that Iowa offers.

The boys have been very excited about the idea of going to Iowa. I think they picture our home state to be like a massive Disneyland with all sorts of wonder and awe to be explored. Over the next few days, I'll be blogging from the heartland. We can't wait to show the boys where Jarrett and I grew up! It will be a wonderful thing to share. Here's a recap of our first two days..

This morning I am sitting here in warm and humid Iowa blogging with my two little boys. When I asked them what story we should write about this morning they said, "Mom, tell them WE LOVE IOWA!" So I guess that is what we are writing about today.

We arrive here or what I will always call home on Saturday and since then, we've been staying very busy showing them all that Iowa has to offer. The first thing Gabriel noticed was all of the grass. As the plane was landing Gabriel looked out his window and said "Mom, look at all of the grass places where we can play. We can play ball everywhere." See, back home we don't have grass and we only have one secret place in between two streets that has grass and that is where we go to play ball. It kind of makes me sad to think we can't offer the boys the huge, wide-open back yard to run and play in. As a child, running and playing all sorts of made up games in our back-yard were some of my favorite things. Now, the boys are experiencing the same thing I did and boy do they enjoy the wide open spaces.

We've been able to introduce them to many family and friends and we've been keeping a very busy schedule. When we left on Saturday, we had to wake the boys up at 4:30 a.m. and they haven't been able to get nearly the same amount of sleep they normally do. And the whole idea of keeping them on a schedule was thrown out the window as soon as the plane landed. I kind of feel like I'm holding a ticking bomb waiting for them to have a melt-down from being over tired, but just like they do everyday, they continue to amaze me with how wonderful they are. Both of them have been in such great moods as we introduce them to this new relative, this friend of Mommy's, this new thing and that new sight.

We've done so much in two short days. We've gone to Chuckie Cheese or as Uncle Adam calls it the Big Rat's playhouse. We've gone to a cousin's wedding reception, we've gone to Church, a family reunion, a BBQ at Grandma Dorie's house, and we went to see Toy Story 3. Let's just say when it is finally time for bed at night, it only takes the boys about 2 minutes to be sound-asleep.

This morning we are off to the farm. The boys have never seen a farm or the animals one would find on a farm, so this will be a new experience for them. I'm trying to tell them that the farm is kind of dirty and they should watch where they step so they don't step in poo. I think Gabriel gets it but I am very confident that Michael will inevitably either fall into or somehow get some animal droppings on his shoes or God forbid elsewhere. I've come to the conclusion that these milestones, or accomplishments for Michael, are all a part of being a little boy.

We'll keep you posted, but for now, were off to have some more fun!

Angie