Summer in Iowa

We have squeezed a lot of fun into our few weeks of summer since we've been back.  I've intentionally given us lots of boring days at home where we do a whole lot of nothing.  

We need to have a chance to get bored enough to get excited about school starting up again in just a few weeks.  So, while we try to get out and have adventures often, we're all just as happy to sit at home and enjoy the lazy days of summer.  

Just a few days after we got back from Utah we headed to a beach on a river.  It was a pretty fun park and as close to a beach as we can get here in Iowa!  And it was great to meet up with friends again after a month away.

One day we headed to the u-pick farm to see if there were any strawberries left.  We had about 20 minutes of good picking before the storm clouds drove us back into the car and the rains came tumbling down.  I honestly think that the weather here in Iowa ruins everything fun that I ever try to do. 

Despite the occasionally rotten weather, we try to be outside as much as we can.  We finally got a bike trailer.  We have loved taking trips as a family- to the park, to the library, to the ice cream shop.  It is so much fun, and great workout, too!

One day we visited the "Golden Building"- the state capitol in Des Moines.  It is a very beautiful building.  

 On a lazy day at home we did a milk and food color science experiment.  

We had an informal water party one hot day- it was a total hit!  The kids got soaked while the parents visited in the shade.  It always makes me happy to have a house (or yard) full of friends.

And we hosted our (hopefully) annual block party.  We get a great view of the Ankeny Summerfest fireworks in our front yard and thought it would be a perfect chance to get to know all of our new neighbors.  We've lived in our house for nearly a year and we are officially one of the oldest residents on the street.

And quite possibly the most exciting summer moment of all- the kids finally caught the ice cream truck!  That was just as magical as catching a unicorn to them- they've been dreaming about it for years, which is saying a lot when you only have a few years of life under your belt.

We haven't crossed all of our summer to-do's off the list yet, so we're all glad for a few more weeks of summer fun ahead!