Iowa summer... Love.

Yes, it's really August 1st and I am posting about a trip from June 18th -- where has this summer gone??? 

Anywho... last year we were unable to make our annual trip back to Iowa over the summer because I was too pregnant to travel.  Now...a year later we made a trip with a family of 4 back to the heartland for some beautiful Iowa weather and see our family that we love so dearly! 

Just before the trip (a few days I would say), Reese started taking her first steps. I bought her these little silver sandals and she started wearing them all around.  She is loving her independence!

Where is daddy in this picture???  Oh yeah... he's sleeping too :-) 

Grandma Lori picked us up!  Big hugs from both Drew and Reese!

Afternoon snack at Grandmas!  

Our first night there, we got the firepit going and Drew caught lightning bugs for the very first time.  This was probably one of the top 3 highlights of the entire trip!  He thought it was soooo cool!  We did it everynight we were home!  

In the pic below Kelby and him are putting their catches in a jar... Kelby was REALLY good at getting them -- definitely the fastest of the boys!

Catchin' lightning bugs!  

Moving from thing to thing...becoming very mobile!

On Friday, my dear from Becky Brandt (Rebecca Thomas) came over to the Holstein park to see me and the kids.  She brought 2 out of 3 of her own.  Reese and Kylie had fun (well, Reese was hugging and attacking her all at the same time) but Brody and Drew had a blast!  Drew loves playing with other boys that are just a few years older -- so Brody was right up his alley, he brought is baseball helmet, bat and ball.  

LOVE her little face here! 

Lunch at Great Grandma Butchers! 

Getting her balance with Grandpa Butcher

Grandma Betty's chocolate pie???  Uh, YES PLEASE! 

My heart is smiling. 

Drew was also introduced to a Slip'n'Slide for the first time!  Ethan and Luke of course showed him how it was done! 

Aunt Melissa getting her baby fix!  She is due with #2 in just a few weeks!  We can't wait!

Look at these boys - they are growing up so fast!

Oh boy!  Now it's time for another "Top 3" --- driving the payloader with Grandpa Butcher!  I think Grandpa had just as much fun as Drew did... especially when he pretended to dump Ronnie and I off into a pile of wet corn!

Learning from Grandpa...

If the payloader wasn't enough... then this big JOHN DEERE TRACTOR would be! This one made the top of the list. Grandpa let Drew sit in the cab and help him drive it from Uncle Ben's up to his place.  Drew's was in silent awe.  He has a miniature one at home that he drives around the neighborhood - so doing the "real thing" was pretty awesome!

MMmmm....I love my milk Grandpa!

All snuggled in with a movie, some popcorn (filled with sweet treats) and lots of cousin love!

Love this picture of a TRUE dirt road.  We used to ride this dirt road with Grandpa Butcher on his motorcycle as kids.  We would ride out and pick mulberries and visit "The Spooky Old Tree".  I have some great memories as a kid out on the farm and it just brings me so much joy to be able to share it with our kids. 

Lookin' for the baby kitty cats in the machine shed -- we know they are hiding in here somewhere!

Checkin' out the little piggies in the barn!

Back to Grandma Lori's for Sunday lunch and one more round of bounce house in the yard! 

Freese Pops -- YES PLEASE!

Now this is one proud Grandma!

Nothing makes a trip to Iowa better than a stop by in Ames!  We flew home out of Des Moines, so on Sunday night we stayed in Ames at dad and Connie's apartment so the journey on Monday morning wasn't so long traveling home.  It was great to be back in Ames -- one of my favorite places on earth!... And I think Ronnie likes it too :-) 

Reese loves Ames too!

We have committed to going to Okoboji to the lake next summer as part of our annual Iowa trip and I am already thinking about all the fun things we can do with Drew and Reese -- one more year older.  It just keeps getting better and better.