Too much rain

We got about 5 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. Ben thinks he will have to replant at least 80 acres of crops. Please....no more rain!! Our ground is already very saturated.

Our backyard

Our ditch which rarely gets water in it and our field across the road

Our field behind the shed

We had a stroller walk scheduled for playgroup today. We were suppose to meet by the playground at Brookside Park....

A pavilion at Brookside This is the entrance to Brookside. 6th street was closed so I had to park up the road and walk down to the flooded area. I had no idea that the park would be completely flooded when we got there. This is Aiden putting his hands in the water. I went to the stroller walk without Ryan because he was with Ben picking up the calves from the sale barn in Denison. After the park, I thought I would go to Sam's Club. NOPE, Duff Ave is covered in water along with most of the southeast side of Ames. Of course, I had to pull over and take pictures.Not going to Target either...

Why not have fun in the flooded yard. Kind of fun having a swimming pool in the backyard. He swam for about 5 minutes before figuring out there were worms everywhere! Ok, well let's pick up worms for fishing. Ben went and got a bucket. We could have gotten several dozen fishing worms but they just picked up two dozen or so. Jake wanted in on the fun. Classic situation of boys will be boys.

A weekend full of parties

As I posted in the last blog, Ryan was pretty sick last Thursday. On Friday his temp was normal and he seemed to be feeling better. Still not the typical Ryan but good enough to go to Washington on Saturday.

So Saturday morning we got all pack up and left for the weekend. Our first stop was Warren's birthday party in Ames. As part of the party we went to Lowe's so Ryan could attend their Build and Grow workshop. He built a planter box and planted a sunflower. Then we went to the party and had a yummy lunch with cake as dessert. It was a little chilly but we survived.

Building his planter box with help from dad

Warren blowing out his candles

Next stop was a graduation party in Washington. My cousin graduated and will be attending Wartburg College in the fall. I should add that my other cousin, Jereyl, who graduated from Grinnell will be attending Iowa State (YAY!!). I forgot to mention that in my other post. Ryan had a blast playing with all the little boys at the graduation party. They were all sweating up a storm at the end of the night. I didn't take my camera so no photos at this party.

On Sunday, we went to my grandma's house for my cousin, Peri's, 11th birthday party. My aunt/uncle and 3 cousins live in southern MO so it was really great to see them. We only see them a couple times a year.

Peri and her cake that she made all by herself
Ryan and my cousin, Katie The three youngest kids on my mom's side of the family

Payton, Clay, Peri, Jax and Ryan

Last party of the weekend was my niece's 2nd birthday at Dad/Mardi's pond. Izzy is one the most adorable little girls that I know, such a sweet personality. We had Elmo cake, did a little fishing, the boys had a squirt gun fight, examined a snake and then Ryan got sick again. We spent the rest of the night inside relaxing.

The boys having a water fight

squirting the dead snake

Oh Izzy, she had to touch the snake

Ryan is getting sick. In this picture he is literally minutes from throwing up. NO FUN!

On Monday morning, Ben and Dad went to Illnois to pick up a set of tractor fenders. Mardi stayed home with Ryan while I went to breakfast with my grandparents then stopped at the cementary to visit my mom's gravesite. It always makes me sad to go there because all the memories flood my mind but it is important for me to pay my respect to my precious mom and when I leave I am always glad I went.

Ryan is helping Papa put up a fence around the sweet potatoes Saying good-bye to grandma Mardi. Grandma is not looking very cool with a big ole red hat on but she is safe from the sun!

We got home at 9pm on Monday. What a weekend! We had a nice weekend but we were happy to be home. Now, hopefully we can get Ryan feeling better again.

Lots of stuff to blog about

First of all....my baby boy!! Ryan finished his first year of preschool. On Monday night, we went to Ryan's preschool program. All of the preschool classes joined together for 30 minutes of singing and then presentation of preschool diplomas. I am a very proud mama because Ryan did an excellent, prefect, magnificent, super job at his program. He stood up with 75 other 3/4/5 year olds in front of a packed church and sang, behaved wonderfully, did the motions for each song, paid attention to his teacher and waited patiently for his diploma. Of course, I didn't expect anything less of him but I think every parent has a secret fear that their child will be the one who is disruptive, doesn't pay attention, and misbehaves through the whole program. There were a couple of kids who were being naughty but not Ryan. Ben and I were 20 minutes early for the program, the church sanctuary was already packed so we had to sit up in the balcony. Ryan found us though. But our seating arrangements explain why my pictures aren't very well. I am just lucky I had my zoom lens otherwise I wouldn't have gotten any decent pictures of him.

Ryan is waving at us

Group shot: Ryan is the 4th child in the second row from the top

Ryan and his friend Curtis

Ryan with Grandma Donna and Grandpa Brad

Ryan with Nana and Papa (my grandparents) - We appreciate them coming from southeast Iowa to support Ryan in his first school program

On Wednesday was Ryan's end of the year preschool picnic. We played at the park, rode the carousel and ate a picnic lunch. 2007-2008 school year is officially over.

These boys really had this seat thing a'spinning

Ryan's first day school - Sept 2007

Last day of school - May 2008 During my grandparents visit Papa put a floor on the tower unit of Ryan's swing set. Ryan and Papa were discussing their plan for the floor.
OH the fieldwork. What an awful spring. The rain just kept coming. Ben got in the fields one day during the first week of May, two days during the second week of May then finally last week got everything planted. Ryan helped out almost everyday. He chose to do fieldwork over going to the zoo with friends. Must be a true farm boy.

AND here is Ryan today...SICK SICK SICK!! He woke up around 5am with a fever and throwing up. It has lasted all day. We cancelled all of plans for today and tomorrow in hopes to get Ryan feeling better by this weekend.

Our weekend

and boy it was a busy weekend.

Saturday morning we had preschool round-up for next year. In case you are confused, in Story City the kids can go to preschool for two years. So Ryan went at age 3 and he will go next year at age 4. He loves preschool so that is okay with him. Anyway, at preschool round-up we met all the kids (and parents) that will be in his class next year, filled out a bunch of paperwork and officially registered.

After preschool round-up we drove to Grinnell for my cousins graduation party. My family filled Ryan up with sugar - cake, brownies, cupcakes, juice and ice cream. Good thing that doesn't happen very often. We spent all afternoon and evening in Grinnell. It was a great party. Of course, Ben had to miss it all. Because of the crazy spring rain, he now has to be in the fields pretty much around the clock so he can get all the crops in the ground before the next rain.

Ryan and Jereyl -my cousin
Ryan and my other cousin, Cody, caught a baby rabbit. He thought that was pretty cool!

On Sunday morning, I had a few minutes to get some housework done while Ryan helped grandma bake cookies. Then in the afternoon, Ryan and I met Erin/Matt and the kids at Little Wall Lake for a boat ride. It was a blast and Ryan had so much fun. I am looking forward to many camping and boating trips this summer.

Aiden, Ryan and Natalie

Don't those lifejackets straps look comfortable??!?!

Going fast! I think they were getting water sprayed in their faces

Poor Aubrey couldn't even sit upright with that lifejacket on

When we got home from Little Wall my grandparents were here. They came to visit for a few days and to go to Ryan's end of year preschool program tomorrow night. We headed to Lowe's to get some supplies to work on Ryan swingset. Came home and got right to work.

Check back soon to see how Ryan does at his program tomorrow night...should be interesting. 3-4-5 year olds perform in a singing program.

Rhubarb!!

The rhubarb is ready for picking! We love rhubarb at our house. Our favorite rhubarb recipe is called Rhubarb Custard Cake. I got the recipe from my stepmom, Mardi. I want to share the recipe with everyone. Warning: this NOT a healthy recipe. Unfortunately, we can't make this very often because we eat way to much of it.

1 Yellow Cake Mix

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup sugar (I only use 1/2 cup and it tastes fine)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

~Make cake mix according to the box directions and pour into a 9x13 greased pan

~On top of the yellow cake spread rhubarb and sugar

~Pour heavy whipping cream over the top

~Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

Before baking

Yummy, right out of the oven

Next rhubarb recipe will be rhubarb/raspberry crisp but that recipe is pretty well know so no need to post that one.

Look at our cherry tree! It is full of blossoms. We should have a tree full of cherries this year. We barely had any cherries last year due to a late spring frost. I love spring!