Just Trying it Out

We bought a new camera just in time for our overseas excursion, just testing it out...

I need to take a class to figure out how to work this thing, maybe I can get it figured out by the time we leave.

Annie and Larry

Another reason for us going to Iowa was to see Annie and Larry Johnson. Dan taught Annie on his mission and they became very good friends. They even drove out from Iowa to be at our wedding almost 13 years ago! They are great, great people and we enjoyed spending time with them last month, I can't believe we didn't get one picture of us all together, so I dug up what I had of them...

Annie and Larry. They have a beautiful home right on the Mississippi, Annie is an amazing cook and we were lucky enough to sample her cooking after our long drive from Omaha. So glad to be able to see them again.

The picture quality is horrible but here we are the night before our wedding August 14th, 2000, at The Garden restaurant in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

A Trip Back

Over Memorial Day weekend Dan wanted to go back to where he served his mission in Iowa.

We stayed in Clinton, Iowa, right next to the Mississippi.


Clinton is an interesting place, there are two factories there, a corn rendering plant and the Purina Dog Food factory, so, there were some interesting smells!

The kids just wanted to swim




One of the many old mansions.

Dan's old apartment

A lot of these midwest towns were settled by the Dutch so you'll see windmills. This one was across the Mississippi in Illinois.




On our way home we stopped by Le Claire, IA. at the Antique Archaeology store. This is the antique store featured on the show American Pickers, which Dan and Danielle love!

It's a little smaller than it looks on TV.
Most of the stuff wasn't for sale but Rayce found some tin action figures

Iowa is beautiful, and very green.

The Color Run

Back in February I signed myself, Dan and Danielle up for The Color Run. We also had some friends from church that were going to do it with us as well. May 25th came and it was overcast and a little chilly, but the rain held off until after we were done. I thought Danielle would be fine with three miles, even if she had to walk a little.


We're ready, sweat bands and all.



Danielle was such a trooper, the race started at 11, but we didn't even get to start running until noon, because there were so many runners. She was tired and hungry so everyone was excited to finally start.

Danielle ran out of gas around mile 2, so Dan stayed with her and I kept running with Meredith and Kari, it was fun, but I think I like regular races where you don't have stuff thrown at you, still, I'm glad we did it!


Blue got me the most!

All That End of School Year Stuff

I think my biggest concern in moving to a new place (since I've had kids), has been the quality of the schools they would attend. The concern was no different moving to Omaha. I didn't know what to think about their school at first, but this year has turned out to be wonderful! Both Rayce and Danielle's teachers were fantastic and they had a great year. Danielle was involved in everything from dancing classrooms to safety patrol. So it's bittersweet to move on. Danielle is going on to 6th grade and has attended 5 different schools! I'm hoping she'll see this as something cool one day, not sure she thinks its too cool now. So for the end of year festivities the kids had field trips and room parties and of course field day. The weather here has been strange, lots and lots of rain and cooler temperatures so field day was a little chilly.


Field day for Mrs. Anderson's kindergarten. We showed up, took a few photo's, then Avie couldn't take the cold anymore so we left. Poor kindergarten's kids hands were freezing!




Danielle didn't really want me to come to her field day, I think she's afraid I'll do something to irreparably damage her reputation. I tried to tell her I could be a lot more embarrassing than I am although I don't think she's convinced.


End of year class party. It was even nice enough to have it outside.


In hindsight I probably could have dressed him up a little.


Thanks Mrs. Anderson!

Rayce and Ellie, he may or may not have had a little crush on her. I heard a lot of "Ellie is the smartest in the class", although he said she asked him to be her boyfriend and he told her not until he's fifteen!