Saying Goodbye to Grandma

We found out that my Grandma's funeral wasn't going to be held until Thursday and since we were already down there and Adam had already taken some days off work for the week, we packed up the camping gear and headed to my Geer Grandparents house for the rest of the week. Tyler enjoyed a creek walk with Adam and my Mom, he went to the library with Aunt Emily, swam at the hotel pool with Uncle John, played at the park with cousin Brodie, and got a tractor ride with Grandpa. He also got to ride in Grandpa Geers big farm pick-up truck in his new booster seat. He said "This is SO EXCITING!" Having him busy freed me up to spend time with my Stephens side of the family and get ready for the visitation and funeral.

 

After the visitation we fit the entire Stephens family into the back room of J's Pizza for dinner. I can't remember when we all fit inside the same room to eat a meal!! If I counted right there were about 47 of us.

Family photos after the funeral and following the lunch at the Christian Church. This is my family - Tyler didn't want his photo taken

My Grandpa Carl and his kids

All 17 Grandkids who will miss their Grandma Lois very much!

It was an exhausting and emotional week. Thank you to everyone who sent cards and prayers my way!
This is a picture I am so thankful to have from the last time I saw my Grandma.

Memorial Weekend Camping

On Thursday, May 24th I was busy getting our family all packed up for a 3-night camping trip to Viking Lake in Southwest Iowa with my brother's family. Our parents had taken us camping there many times and we wanted to take our families back there foe the holiday weekend. We had booked the campsites at Easter and had made lists of what to pack. David and I were on the phone making last minute plans when we got the news our Grandmother Lois Stephens had been taken to the hospital unresponsive. We were later told she had passed away that night. We were both caught off guard by the sad news and not sure what to do next, but it is hard to explain to 3 little kids who are looking forward to camping and swimming and fishing. So, the next day we decided to honor our Grandmother's memory by doing something she also enjoyed - we went camping!

Thankfully David and Betsy let us borrow their mini van while they drove the truck & boat to the lake. We had the mini van stuffed! Tyler loved having a car DVD player to watch Curious George! You can also see that Hannah is now in a big girl forward-facing car seat and Tyler got a new booster seat!

Once the tents were up I sent Adam to the beach with Tyler & Kelsey while Hannah and I unpacked the cooking supplies and made the beds.

 New sand toys - so much fun!!

 Swimming!!

 My parents and 4 sets of aunts & uncles plus cousins came to join us at different parts of our evening to enjoy a s'more at the campfire. Tyler had fun roasting his own hotdog!

 

 Hannah's s'more was missing the chocolate and marshmallow,  but somehow she still ended up with chocolate on her face!

 Hannah slept really well in the tent when it was cooler at night but she woke up 2 hours earlier than normal, so at 6am she and I played while Tyler slept and Adam went on a 10K run around the lake.

Hannah thinks she needs her own tricycle!

 Playing with our new net in the water - trying to catch some fish

 Going on the same 2+ mile trail hike that went took when we were kids. David found gooseberries to pick.

 Tyler and Kelsey enjoying the view from the lookout tower on the hike.

 We hiked from nature marker 22 to 9 (we hiked backwards) before the kids stopped for a snack on the bench under the granddaddy oak tree.

 Our family after the nature hike

 Me and my dad (sister Emily was in the backpack) after our Viking Lake nature hike in the 80's!

 Second afternoon of swimming at the lake

 Hannah came this time to splash around and play in the sand

 

 Between the sun, water, wind, and heat - then riding in the air conditioned van back to the campsite...these kids were TOTALLY worn out! Adam looked back and said "I don't think he is faking sleep this time."

 

 Last day - the kids and I played at the park while David, Betsy & Adam packed up the gear.

 

 Fun weekend, lots of memories, and I was the only one with a sunburn!

Spring Soccer

Tyler started playing in the Boone Soccer Club this spring. He played 5 games during April & May and improved a lot from beginning to end. It was interesting to watch them learn how to share one ball, work as a team, remember to not use their hands, and be excited to kick the ball in the goal net - weather it was theirs or not. They also struggled with the competitive part of soccer - trying to steal the ball away from the other team by "force" when they just want to yell - "No you're supposed to share!" Sharing is what has been drilled into them by their parents, but then you throw them onto a field with 10 kids and one ball and they are no longer supposed to just take turns....hard lessons to learn. He had a lot of fun, but definitely did better on days when he had taken a nap before the game or the practice. Adam even enjoyed helping coach a bit and might try to sign up as a coach next season. Here are some photos. Tyler was on the 3-4 year-old green team.

 He has a pretty powerful kick!
He actually fell down backwards after this one!

 Tyler's cheerleader

 

Team Photo

 Our little soccer player

 Snack time after the game - Hannah's favorite part.

 Another soccer game day Hannah made a break for it and tried to run onto the field and join the game.

 

Zoo Visit in May

We had a Groupon to visit the Blank Park Zoo in May so we asked Kyle, Cindy, Sarah & Jacob to go with us.Tyler and cousin Sarah studied the map to tell us where to go next.

It was a beautiful day and the animals were more active then they have been on our previous visits. Hannah and Jacob had fun watching the otters swim under the water in their tank.

 First time feeding the birds in the new Australia exhibit

Hannah's first zoo train ride - and of course Tyler's favorite part of the zoo!

Thankfully the train just started giving summer rides that week.

 Watching a wallaby hop away while she waits for the train ride to start

 

 The Ice Age exhibit

(This photo is for Uncle David)

 

Little Bit of Everything from May 2012

 Clifford the Big Red Dog visited the Ericson Public Library in Boone in May and we got to see him. Hannah was very excited. Tyler took a bit more to warm up then I just missed getting a photo of him hugging Clifford.

Hannah turned 11 months old in May and learned to walk about that same time. Since then she has discovered the delights of the backyard sandbox and water table.

She is also quicker to chase the cats around and quicker to follow big brother too. Tyler will walk away and then turn to see Hannah right beside him again and say, "Hey, where did you come from?"

 Boyhood Spring Delights

#1: Giant hotdog after playing T-ball in the backyard and helping Mom plant flowers

 #2: Finding a toad in your back yard and inviting it to play with you all afternoon

 My birthday was on May 10th and after leaving the kids at Grandma's so Adam and I could go out for dinner & a movie - this is the reaction I got when we came home. They both tried to give me huge kisses at the same time. It's good to be so loved!

My Mom celebrated her birthday on May 13th and Tyler sang to her before she blew the candles out on her Medifast brownie.

 I have been on Take Shape For Life - a weight loss program using the Medifast meals since February. I have already lost 50 pounds and fit back into the dress I wore 8 years ago to my bridal shower! If you want to see the transformation I will post my before photo below from February.