Our Trip to Iowa

Well we still haven't heard anything about our camera so I am gonna post about our trip anyway and post the pics that Matt's mom took.

Wednesday July 23, 2008

We departed Phoenix at 7:30am which meant we woke up at about 4am to make our trek to the airport. Avery was very excited to be going on the airplane. The first flight Avery did pretty good on. I brought little presents for her to open and we brought lots of Baby Einstein videos and she was pretty entertained. We had a little layover in Dallas and then departed on a much smaller plane to Cedar Rapids. We boarded the plane and sat there for a little bit and Avery was not happy about it. She was kicking and screaming and a not so pleasant lady kept giving us dirty looks. We put the emergency lollipop into effect and all was better with Avery. She fell asleep for about a half hour at the end of the flight and awoke immediately when the plane stopped at the gate and said "Grandma...Granddad" She was very excited. Rich and Joanne were waiting for us and had quite the afternoon planned. We left the airport and looked at the river that had caused a lot of the flooding in the area. You could really see the damage that had been done and a lot businesses were destroyed and people were working on them to re-open. Some looked as if they would never open again because of all the damage. After going to the river we went to pick blueberries. You could pick whatever you wanted and it was all on the honor system...pick berries, weigh them, and deposit the money in a little jar. We saw a rabbit while picking berries and Avery had fun chasing it. We picked 41/2 pounds between the four of us. Lots of fun. After berry picking we went to Iowa City to eat and play on a little playground they had. Avery was surprisingly still going strong even though she had only a half hour nap. We went to the ped mall by the University of Iowa and went to a little farmers market, ate dinner and Avery played on the playground and of course saw the water and went running through that.
We headed down to Mt. Pleasant to Grandma and Granddad's house. I thought for sure Ave would fall asleep but nope she was so excited. We stopped by Great Grandmas to say hi and then headed to Matt's parents. Avery went a hundred miles an hour exploring her new surroundings. Joanne had made a fresh blueberry pie so we enjoyed that before settling in for some sleep.

Thursday July 24th

Avery was very excited to wake up at Grandma's house. She did pretty good sleeping in her "special bed" at Grandma's. Matt's dad made blueberry pancakes for breakfast with the blueberries that we had picket the day before....Yummy!!! We hung around the house most of the day and then Matt's friends that were coming into town for the wedding started calling. Matt's brother John wasn't going to drive down from Minneapolis but when Matt called him he was already on his way. We were very excited we would get to see him since Avery hadn't seen Uncle John since Christmas and she talks about him all the time.

We barbequed hamburgers and brats for dinner and played some croquet. Then around 9pm that night all the guys started showing up for garage talk. Every time we go back to Iowa Matt's buddies usually come over and we all hang out front or in the garage and they reminisce. This time it was about nine guys and me. So every story was preface by saying "Jen probably shouldn't hear this but..." It was quite funny.

Friday July 25th

Matt woke up early and went golfing with all the boys. I had way too much wine hanging with the boys and had the worst headache ever. Thank goodness for grandma Joanne because she entertained Avery while I kept dosing on the recliner.

Matt's dad Rich cooked a delicious meal that night as well. Beet soup, mother in law pasta, mediteranean salad, steak, carrots and Matt's grandma made creamed corn and yummy applesauce with Iowa grown corn and apples. Yum!

Matt's parents friends Marlin and Eva came for dinner and got Avery a xylophone and she thought it was pretty neat to bang on it!!!

After everyone left and we put Avery to bed we went out in town to meet everybody after the rehearsal dinner. It was fun to see all the female counterparts from the boys we saw on Thursday night. We didn't stay long because Matt was tired from golfing all day.

Saturday July 26th

We played all morning and then tried to figure out who was going to the wedding ceremony and who was gonna stay home with Avery. Joanne, Matt and I went to the wedding and left Avery with Matt's Dad and brother. John was a little concernced but did a great job and every toy was out when we got home :-) We went home after the ceremony and picked up Avery and all headed to the reception which was in the next town over. Avery was so excited to dance on the dance floor with all the other little girls. Grandma and GrandDad took Avery home after dinner and Matt and I got to stay to party with his friends.

The DJ tried to end the night at 11pm and all of Matt's friends collected money and the show went on for another hour. These guys love to dance and we had lots of fun.

Sunday July 27th

We all slept in a little because Matt, John and I didn't get home and in bed until after 3am. Poor Joanne didn't get a whole lot of sleep while watching Avery.

We went to Grandma's for dinner and of course everything was delicious again! Can you tell all we do is eat in Iowa.

After Grandma's we took Avery home and then went and saw the new batman movie Dark Night.... I am not a true batman fan but thought this was a very entertaining movie. Heath Ledger was amazing.

Monday July 28th

John was headed back up to Minneapolis so we went and ate lunch at a Thai restaurant and then bid him farewell. Joanne and I went shopping in the little square and I got Avery some new Crocs and these really good Animal Crackers for the plane ride home.

Matt headed out to the creekview house (new house Matt's dad is building) to help do some work. Joanne and I headed back home and I put Avery down for a nap and started reading my book.

I am happy to say that I finally finished "A Memory Keeper's Daughter" and "Twilight." I have been reading these books forever and was determined to finish them in Iowa. I would read in the recliner and then fall asleep and then read. It is a good thing I don't have a recliner in AZ because I would never get anything done!!!

Tuesday July 27th

We woke up early and packed our bags. Joanne made an amazing ham, egg, cheese, and phyllo breakfast pastry that was of course delicious. We then headed back up to Cedar Rapids to catch our flight. Avery was great on both flights and fell asleep when we landed in Phoenix. I carried her all the way through the airport and to the car. She woke up on our way home and couldn't figure out what happened to all the fields and barns and was looking at all the buidlings and cement that passed us by on our way home. A little bit of culture shock!!!

The day after we got back Avery was extremely jet lagged and the 2 hour time difference started to affect her. She was a mess. Then on Thursday of last week she woke up at midnight and had a fever and vomitted for two days!!!

She has been talking about everybody in Iowa everyday and even called Grandma and GrandDad and said "I love you, miss you" So cute!

She learned two things from Matt's mom "oh my goodness" and "oh my gosh" I will have to record them and post them because it is hilarious!!!

We love our trips to Iowa and can't wait to go again!!!

Well thats it for now.....I guess we should go look for a new camera!!!!!!!!