A Week in Iowa

After a really rough car ride last July (Maeve cried for five of the eight hours), I hadn't been in a hurry to make the drive to Iowa alone with the kids. But, with Ella and Jack on spring break from school last week, I decided it was time to try again. They were rock stars! Maeve was a champ, and hardly fussed at all on both legs of the trip. We had a great week, celebrating an early Easter; visiting the great grandparents; seeing goats, horses, and cows on the farm; riding with Papa in his new big rig; and even planting the first seeds in the garden. As always, we packed in the fun and family, and the week flew by. I'll post our actual Easter photos next week, as I have more than enough for this post!

We made it! Bedtime stories on the first night. 

Baking with Grandma.

Washing the deck with Papa.

Great Grandpa P. reading stories.

Ella and Great Grandma C.

My cousin, Lori, and me.

Checking out Papa's rig.

It's hard to see, but there was a snake in this tree.

Maeve got over her fear of cats. 

We pulled this out of Grandma's closet. I had to convince the kids that it was a phone.

Visiting baby goats.

A selfie with G.G. Yes, those are stickers on Ella's face.

Great Grandma P. reading books. They kept her busy!

Great Grandpa P. got in on the action, too.

Breakfast at Perkins with Papa.

Maeve loved the stomp rocket.

Ella and Jack got to ride in the tractor with my Uncle Todd.

They found a see saw during our hike through the woods.

Getting ready to plant.

Wheelbarrow rides with Papa. 

Decorating cookies.

We went to see some cows and the kids were very excited to also find field corn. They brought some home.

Feeding corn to the cows.

This is a Hereford, which is the kind of cattle my Grandpa Hall used to raise. You don't see them very often!

Ella posing next to her stick house, which she worked very hard on.

Petting the horse at Great Grandma and Grandpa P's farm.

It wouldn't be a trip to Iowa without pony rides from Great Grandpa P!

Maeve wasn't so sure about riding the pony.