Vacation in Okoboji

We took a week-long vacation in Okoboji at the beginning of August and had a great time doing all the "funs" Jack wanted. We hit Arnolds Park for golf (Bryan blamed his loss on his handicap-- Griffin), go-cart rides (Papa caused a four-car pile up) and rides (Jack loved the roller coaster and went on the log ride twice). We had plenty of time swimming with friends and Jack even learned to jump off the diving board. We've been home for several weeks, but each morning Jack wakes up and says, "I'm ready to go back to Sally's. Should I pack my green bag?"

Bug Safari

Okoboji has been invaded by giant bugs this summer! Seven bugs made of reclaimed wood are on display throughout the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory campus. Jack was our tour guide as we used our map skills (thanks, Dora the Explorer. "I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map...) to find all seven bugs. The best part is now when we give directions to the lake house instead of saying, "Turn right at the road in the middle of the fourth cornfield, in the middle of nowhere," we can say "turn right at the giant ants!"

A Sad Farewell

In July, we said goodbye to Grandma Ginny (Virginia Phelps). At 97, she taught us all how to live life to the fullest, and most importantly, to eat dessert first!

Griffin and his second cousin Renna enjoyed some pool time between family functions. Renna lives in Texas.

Jack and aunt Jude spent time reading books together and learning Spanish words (that Jack still likes to pretend he knows).

We scattered roses in Big Spirit Lake -- Grandma's favorite place.

Jack looked dapper for the funeral and was very proud of his "new suit." We're sure Ginny would have approved.

Griffin and Uncle Tom hang out at Grandma Ginny's on the lawn.

Up, Up and Away!

One of our family traditions has been to check out the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, Iowa. Besides giving us an excuse to eat fried food on a stick, it's fun to see all the balloons try to hit their target. The night we went, our neighbors Sam Buggy and his dad, Rick, met us for "NightGlow."

Good Friends and Fun

A few of us hosted a shower for our good friend Teresa in July. It's been an exciting year meeting all the new babies and celebrating the new families.

An Appetite for Life

According to Grandpa Tom, flowers are in his blood. Well now, thanks to his insatiable appetite for flowers (both real and fake), there really ARE flowers in his blood. We've since introduced our "Hungry, Hungry Hippo" to solids and while we think he'll always love flowers, he also enjoys bananas, mangos and green beans.

Fun at the Pool

We had a good time swimming with friends at the pool on a hot Saturday in July. Jack's buddy Alex is quite a swimmer and got Jack excited about learning how to swim. Also, our friend Bump conquered his fear of alligators by pointing out that if you cover their eyes, they can't attack. Not pictured here somewhere: Amanda Grask floating in the pool during the final days of her pregnancy. We met baby Natalie a few weeks later!