Trip Details

This will probably only be of interest to about two people (Hi Mom. Hi Jess.) but I thought I'd share pictures from our trip to Iowa last week. The girls and I flew with my mom to celebrate my grandma's 90th birthday. We visited with lots of family and the girls had some great bonding time with their great-grandma.

And of course we paraded them all over the place, showing them off to whoever would stop and look. Grandma lives in a very small town in Iowa. Whenever I send her pictures of the girls, she shows them to the church secretary, ladies at her various meetings/clubs, neighbors, etc. So everyone wanted to actually see these children, live and in person when we were there!

Of course the girls were fabulous.

I'm not sure why I doubted that when we initially scheduled the trip. In my head I was thinking of the crazy flight times, driving two hours to her house from the airport, no naps, new sleeping arrangements, and letting the 110% attention at all times go to their heads.

I wasn't quite sure what would happen, but they impressed me beyond belief. They napped in the car when they could, slept all night long, laughed and played together, and performed on cue for my grandma and various relatives.

Amazing children.

Of course as you will remember, the flight wasn't quite as pleasant, but we'll let that small detail slide.

I got some great pictures of the girls with their great-grandmother. She went non-stop the entire time we were there. We drove all over Iowa, went shopping at the mall, walked around outside, went out to eat about 13 times, and stayed up late talking around the kitchen table every night! She is amazing. It is hard to believe she is 90 years old.

If I can walk from the front door to the mailbox when I'm 90, I'll consider it a good day!

Here are some pictures from the trip. I didn't include any of anyone else besides the girls. I didn't think to ask "permission" to post pictures of anyone else.

My grandma can't imagine how all those pictures get on the tiny little memory card in the digital camera. I was afraid to even begin explaining what a blog was. I didn't want to send her into technical overload, bless her heart.

Allie riding on the bus. (Or "Buthhhh!!!!" as she said about 89 times between the parking lot and the terminal)


Lauryn looooved the bus. And so did her bear Emily. (For those of you who are longtime readers, you'll remember this bear used to be "Allison". We are broadening our horizons.)


On the plane watching Dora (long before the gum incident).


Allison loved looking out the window!


I don't believe I have ever seen a tree this big. This is in my grandmother's backyard.


My mom and her dad (my grandpa) planted this tree when she was about Lauryn's age.


The girls warmed up right away and performed some of their songs from preschool, complete with hand motions!


Lauryn also enjoyed singing solo. She sang just about every song she's ever heard. And then she just started making them up.


Grandma's party was at my uncle's house. They had great food and great cake. I got up to get Allison a drink and came back to find that I needed to get a new piece of cake.


Lauryn took this picture of Allison just before we left to go back home.


I am so thrilled that my girls were able to experience such a fun time with my grandma. I have the best memories of playing in that house, and it is so surreal to watch my girls do the same things I used to. They loved the stairs and climbed them all day. Lauryn and I slept in the room with the twin beds, just like my sister and I did as kids when we visited. They ran around the backyard and looked into the bird bath. The same bird bath that tipped over one summer years ago and hit my sister in the face, giving her a black eye!

And seeing my grandma watching the girls perform, showing them off around town, and just genuinely enjoying being around them...it's a new memory that I will hold just as dear.