Busy, fun weekend

Last week we had Ragbrai come through town and the kids and I went to do check things out.  Many of the riders were already gone by the time we went after lunch but there were still a lot of people and bikes enjoying downtown Pella.

A door Pella Corp made for Ragbrai

flag up on the fire truck ladder

 

Saturday we headed to Osky for the car show and had some fun walking around, chatting with friends, and eating lunch at Smokey Row.

 

Listening to the talking dog at the car show

Aubrey "taking a nap" in the trunk of the 38

my handsome hubby

Aubrey stealing Grandpa's Gatorade

my parents and the kiddos



That night we took the boys to the Knoxville races with Jeremy's dad.  It was a little cold for July but we had a good time.

Hayden

Nile

3 generations enjoying the races

Nile - bike riding

Last night we finally had time and it wasn't super hot out so we took the whole family up the street to the Christian grade school and worked on bike riding in the grass with Nile.  Hayden and Aubrey enjoyed the play sets and Nile took off on his bike no problem.  After we had been there for a little while my parents came and my dad was able to talk Nile into trying it on the pavement.  This was much easier for him to pedal and he got the hang of starting, stopping, turning, very quickly!  My parents had just gotten back from a week in Wisconsin so my mom and I were chatting while dad and Jeremy worked with Nile and Hayden biked around while Aubrey ran around!  It was a nice way to spend a beautiful evening.

starting in the grass

he's off!

she saw me with the camera and covered her face as she was running to me

Hayden

Nile cruising!

Pintrest recipes

Last night I made the second new recipe from pintrest for the week.  The first was sloppy joe tator tot casserole that we had Sunday for lunch after church.  This was yummy although next time I think I will use more than a pound of hamburger and leave out the cream soup.  The second was chicken alfredo pizza.  I used my no fail pizza crust recipe and then followed the directions from this blog.  To save time I used canned chicken which I would not do next time.  Would have been much better with chopped up chicken breast pieces but live and learn I guess.  It was still very good and Hayden loved it so I am sure the leftovers we have wont last long.  I am coming up on a year of monthly meal planning for our family.  While I don't like the actual time of sitting down and picking meals for the month I do love having it done and using it the rest of the month.  Most of our recipes at this point are either ones I made before or ones I have found on pintrest.  It seems like we are eating less red meat and more chicken and I try to throw in meatless meals occasionally although Jeremy is not a big fan of those!  We do eat a lot of pasta so I have been getting whole wheat to add a little more healthiness to it and we have salads as sides a lot in the summer.  All in all it has been great and I will certainly be continuing with this process for our meals.

My little artist!

Aubrey has been wanting a water color paint book since she first saw a princess one in Wal-Mart earlier this summer.  All of the kids have been getting a monthly allowance so I was trying really hard to make this something she could buy herself.  She gets half the amount her brothers get and it just wasn't adding up fast enough.  This past Saturday we all went to DSM to get some school supplies and Costco/Sam's supplies.  At Costco we found a My Little Pony paint book so she was able to get that.  She wants to paint all the time!  And she actually does a really great job staying in the lines!  Probably better than she would coloring!  At this point I have her masterpieces all over my fridge and we are going to be in need of more paint soon.

Sweet corn!

It isn't summer in Iowa without some sweet corn!  With the crazy weather we had this spring it was a little delayed but the stand on Washington street in Pella is now open!  I loaded up the kiddos after lunch yesterday and headed over to buy 2 dozen.  We ate one last night and it was great!  I had found a new way to make in on Pintrest and it worked well.  You put a stick of butter and a cup of milk in the pot with the water and cook it all together.  Much easier than trying to butter hot corn and making a mess.  My butter isn't salted so we still put a little salt and pepper on the corn before eating it.  We also had grilled Pella bologna.  Aubrey ate 3 ears of corn, several pickles and a bun!  She can certainly keep up with her brothers when it is something she really likes! 

Summer fun

I have really become a night owl again these past few weeks.  It is just much easier for me to get homework done and deal with Aubrey getting out of bed multiple times after she has been tucked in.  Also with watching more kiddos this summer I am not able to do homework as easily since there is not naptime for the bigger boys!  I have always been a night owl and wish I was more of a morning person but and I not and I have come to terms with it.  Caffeine is my friend some days!  This post is going to have a lot of pictures.  Some are from last Thursday night in Pella when the kids played Kermis games and decorated a hot air balloon cookie.  Some are from the car show last Saturday in the big wooden shoes and their bologna nats shirts.  Some are from last Sunday at the Marion county fair.  And a few are from tonight when we found some sparklers in the garage and let the kids use them.  Enjoy!

Thursdays in Pella - volunteer night

Who doesn't love free bouncy houses, games, and the city band!?  

 



Fourth of July

This year we headed to Bussey to see the parade in the morning and then back home again for lunch.  After lunch the kids and I went to the Pella parade while Jeremy went to Knoxville to watch some friends play in a golf tournament.  It was a little warm in the afternoon bur all in all a beautiful day to celebrate the freedoms we have in this country and remember those who have and are fighting to protect us.  We ended the day with our small group from church for dinner, dessert, bible study, and fireworks!  God bless the USA!!!

Aubrey and the beloved Pella Corp ice cream truck

My boys watching tractors and waiting for some candy

Aubrey and both her grandpas!

flowers!

Festive popsicles on a warm afternoon