Chicago chaos, the meat market, and I just want to go home!

Thought this funny, this is in Iowa, who knew we had a Wyoming here!

Yummy! Haagen Daas Ice Cream on the Pier...

Chicago Skyline...

Navy Pier! The girls...

Andrea, Mara, Me and Silara-Chicago skyline!

We stopped at the Chicago Temple, the girls needed some new G's!

This weekend I joined a handful of girls from the state of Iowa and we attended The Mid-Singles Conference in Chicago. We left Friday and arrived for the BBQ and dance at a really cool old golf club on Lake Michigan. It was actually the place where Pres. Obama got married. I would like to point out however that anyone who knows me and thinks I am a bad driver needs to drive in Chicago. They are insane! Now-the meat market! This is how I felt, it was like a heard of cattle being shuffled in and out. Over 200 people showed up and you could see everyone sizing each other up! It may have been that I was sick and I wasn't really in the mood to play the game, but for the most part I did not enjoy myself. Saturday was a little better mostly cause the girls and I left the rest of the group and did our own thing. No boys allowed! We walked Lake Michigan's beaches and went to a Latin Festival and then The Navy Pier which was my favorite! We went to Bubba Gumps for lunch. That was yummy. And just took in the sites. Sunday we went to church and then we headed home. But we almost didn't make it home. Since my car decided to start acting up. First it was electrical messages that started to show up and then one by one, my car started shutting down. First the air cond. and then the radio went. I'll I could think was, I want to go to sleep, in my own bed. Please, please keep running. We didn't even make it to Cedar Rapids. The car just stopped! By then I was in tears. We had to call a tow truck to come and get us out in the middle of nowhere. And then we had choices, do we stay in a hotel and hope they can fix my car or rent a car. Well, the tow truck took us to a dinky little town but we didn't have any way to get to the Cedar Rapids airport to rent a car, so a friend gave us a church members number who lived int he area and he came and took us to the enterprise rental place. Finally at 1:00am we rolled in. I was so grateful to be home. The only thing is my car is still stuck in Anamosa. And my Alternator needs to be replaced, oh joy! I'm not thinking all this running around to find "the one" is really worth it. If someone doesn't see your worth and isn't willing to take a chance than I am throwing in my hat!

Back to School!

Riley standing in front of his school!

See we are excited!

A new school year has started and Riley had his first day yesterday. Riley is going to Ballard West in Slater for Early Kindergarten. He goes everyday from 8am to 3pm. He has a locker for his coat and backpack and and his own desk. There are about 12 students in his class. His teacher's name is Mrs. Johnson. He also rides the bus. Riley really likes going to school!

Thai Flavors!

Pad See-Ew

Shrimp Wonton Soup

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

So on my own this weekend, I decided to broaden my horizons with Thai food. So I checked out the Thai Flavors Restaurant in Ankeny. Yum!!! It was a quiet little place with a nice atmosphere and great food.

Climb, monkey, climb!

Just Because... They are just so darn cute!

Mckenzie in her favorite boots. They are too big for her but she loves putting them on!

Getting ready for bed, having a snack.

Don't feed the animals, especially the monkeys!

I love my kids and they are just so cute! They really love each other and I'm glad they have each other for siblings and friends. I don't know what I would do with out them.

To Potty train or not to Potty train that is the question?

This morning Mckenzie had her usual diaper change from waking up. We were putzing in the kitchen or just getting breakfast ready. So we weren't really paying much attention to her. Mckenzie decided she wanted a little freedom, so she took off her diaper and then proceeded to pee on the kitchen floor. She then started to wipe up her mess with the diaper. It cracked us up. Is this a sign that she's ready to potty train? I'm glad it was only pee, anything else could have been really messy:)

"Hello, hello-um hello 911!"

Well, I have to say the day you get a phone call from a 911 operator is a day you won't forget! That day has happened for me. Mckenzie is my talker, she loves to talk on the phone. As soon as any of the phones rings she goes right for it and wants to answer it. It's the first thing she pulls from my purse and seems to have a sick sense anytime I lay it down cause she goes right for it and then "Hello, hello", we are calling china or 911! This evening I received a return call from a very nice 911 operator. She just heard a little person chatting away and then returned the call to make sure everything was OK. How embarrassing ! At least she was nice and we didn't end up with a whole crew of police officers knocking on our door.