Stats Exam the Friday night Plan

So...this is what it has boiled down to...Friday night...taking a stats exam. I can't believe it. Usually by Friday I am spent...ready to chill...even though I work on Saturday, Friday night is a night I can come home, have something quick and easy to eat and then watch a DVD or something with my husband. Tonight will be different...I have an exam to take and I have decided it won't ruin the rest of my weekend...so I am going to take it tonight. The instructor says it takes 2 hours...but since I am special, it will take me AT LEAST 4 hours I am sure. And...I am scared of this test. Scared that this will be something I can't get or understand. But, on the other hand I feel like I am a pretty smart person...and that stats are interesting...but is that enough??? Anyway...wish me luck, I am going to need it!

Return to Washington

So...Tim and I get up REALLY early...about 5am (which would be 3am at home) and head for the airport...we get there in enough time to return the car and get to our gate without too much difficulty! I am REALLY tired...so once we are on the plane I get out my stats book and immediately fall asleep. We have about 2 hours in Denver...which we walk around some...but I am drowsy and all off kilter! We are on the plane to Spokane and I find myself snoozing again...and once we land I am REALLY tired! Of course we get home...Tim goes to get the dog and I shower and hope that I can wake up before class! I head to class about 4:30pm...and get gas on the way...class goes long, til nearly 10pm...when I get back I am DEAD!! But...by the next morning, even though the travel home was a long day...the vacation leaves us both rested and relaxed!

Trip to Iowa Day Six

Okay....people are starting to leave. Ted and Anne head back today...it is sad to see them go. Tim, Jake, Grandpa and Dad go fishing in the morning...and Lynn and I prepare a tea for Grandma and Mom out in the sun room...we have strawberry soup, pumpernickel and turkey and mustard sandwiches and cucumber sandwiches, and blueberry bread with a selection of teas and jams...it turns out really good. It is getting warmer for sure! Mom, Dad, Tim, Tom and I head to Walnut, IA to look at the antiques...there are always such interesting things to see there! Tom find some books...I find a couple salt cellars, and Mom and I get Grandma a scarf to use to decorate something in her house. It is pretty hot and humid out, so we only last about 2 hours before we are ready to return to the farm!

Lynn and Tyler take Jake to the airport...

Dinner ends up being a Cobb salad (chef salad) with ham, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers...with some of the leftovers in the fridge.

The men head back out with Lynn to go do some more fishing...and Mom, Grandma and I watch a movie DEFIANCE...and then I decide I should get us packed. Tim and I have to leave about 5:30am the next morning and I would rather be packed and ready to go the night before!

Trip to Iowa Day Five

Ah it is Sunday...we are pretty lazy today...and the sun has come out! We kind of piddle about in the morning then plan our Waffle Breakfast...this is tradition for us...we eat outside...there is lots of bacon...and we have waffles. Lori and Denny get to eat with us...and we start getting the food ready about noon...so when mom and dad get back from church, they can join in as well. Tim and I prepare the batter...two batches of regular and one gluten free mix. We get the bacon going...juice, all of the toppings, maple syrup, strawberry sauce, whipped cream and chocolate chips...all yummy stuff. We set up a long table outside and while Tim and I make food, everyone eats...it is great fun! The Gluten Free isn't bad at all!

Then we line up for a family portrait in the yard...set up a self timer and get a few great shots of the family!

The rest of the afternoon is just sitting around and visiting...watching a movie (NEW IN TOWN), and finally thinking about dinner...Tim and I head to Atlantic for some supplies...and we order pizza from Pizza Hut...by the time we return everyone has eaten...so we eat with Grandma and Mom and talk about the day and the vacation...

The Volleyball net gets set up in the front yard and while Grandma, Mom, Lynn and I sing and play, the game starts, the OTHERS (Anne, Tim, Jake) vs HAYS (Ted, Tom, Tyler). Grandpa acts as ref...and later Lynn and I jump in to play as well...it is great fun!

Trip to Iowa Day Four

Yep, today is the fourth of July...in Exira, IA that means the day starts with a shot at like 6am...and then the festivities downtown begin...as a child that meant getting up early and getting downtown to compete in the footraces in front of the school before the parade...as an adult it means getting up and making sure the food you should have ready for the potluck is made. So, I got up and made an AWESOME fruit salad for our meal later in the day...and kept eating bits of Grandma's yummy potato salad that she was finishing up. Eating a light breakfast and then walking across the field to the care center to watch the parade. This is the first year both sides of the family will be watching the parade from roughly the same place. For YEARS the Hays family watched it from near the school at the beginning of the parade...and the Littlefields watched it near the care center...more towards the end of the parade. Anyway, now that Grandma Hays is in the care center...we watched it there. Tim and I decide even though it is raining we will walk across the field...and it has been raining since yesterday...it is a light mist...but the ground is MUDDY...and we manage to get a thick clay like mud all over our shoes. Once we are in the grass we are able to get most of it off...but it is thick and takes a long time. Everyone who drives to the parade site actually arrives about the same time we arrive due to the traffic between here and there. We find our family sitting along one side of the parade route...we probably take up a half block! And...in spite of the rain, everyone is in good spirits. We meet some new editions to the family...John's wife and kids...and get to see our cousins from FL...Grandma Hays is sitting with the other folks from the care center in shelter from the rain and we swap out who can sit with her...we watch the kids dive for candy...and marvel at the fact that this is the only parade we know that hands out STEAK bits in a parade!

After the parade Tim and I walk back to get our fruit salad and then drive back to the care center to enjoy the meal with the Hays clan! We have a lot of the family in attendance...I think there are at least 29 of us...which is quite large. We eat...there is a great spread of food...fruits, veggies, desserts, salads (this year was the year of the grape/broccoli salad), seven layer dip, brisket, ribs, enchiladas....it was all really good. Then we take pictures...trying to line up as we once did...first by height, then by age...and then adding in the 2nd cousins...it is fun! Then we make the other adults do it too! Everyone is ready for a rest after that...and decide to meet up at the street fair later.

We head back to the Littlefields to play cards...multi person solitaire, watch TV and relax. A surprise arrives...Grandpa's Dodge Charger...pretty much refurbished to its former glory stops by...and we all admire it...it is looking incredible! I remember driving it when I was younger and it was lacking a floor...brakes were bad and it had many a trip through the corn field.

We head to the fair...it is still drizzling..but is better than the hot summer sun that normally beats down on us on the 4th. We meet up with our cousins and watch the kids ride rides...I am so sad...no Tilt-a-Whirl this year...but last time I rode rides I got sick...I had never gotten sick on rides before...this year I decide I am not going to risk it. So I just watch. Lynn rides...and everyone tried to get Zachary (Troy's boy) to ride some of the more scary rides! I discuss acquiring a Tilt-A-Whirl with my cousins Jason and Eric...we decide it would be a great investment...where to put it and how to get one are top on our minds.

We leave the fair to get back to the farm and get ready for fireworks...the temperature is dropping. In preparation for the heat I really haven't packed for cooler temperatures....so I borrow a pair of Grandpa's jeans to wear...and then our cousins start to arrive to to sparklers and prepare to watch the fireworks. It is so fun....we sit in a slightly different place because of the rain and mud...and the fireworks prove to be just as awesome as ever!

Everyone leaves...and we build a fire and sit outside under the stars...the rain has stopped and the moon is out in full...it is gorgeous. We sing and talk about the past...it is a great evening. Another memorable July 4th!

7th Wedding Anniversary

I am going to deviate from Iowa for just a minute to mention that yesterday was my husband and I's 7th wedding anniversary...it has been 7 years...sometimes that is hard for me to believe...and other time I do believe it. Yesterday we spent the day together...Tim booked a breakfast brunch on the Post Falls Brunch Cruise...we left from the Red Lion Inn in Post Falls and went down the Spokane River/Coeur D'Alene Lake for a two hour leisure cruise. The food spread was yummy...salad, ranch dressing (something was different about it and really really good), fruit which included honeydew, muskmelon, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, red raspberries, blueberries, some pastries, I only tried the petite fours and a small lemon square, coffee, tea, smoked salmon, crab, shrimp, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes...it was all really good. We split an orange juice and small bottle of champagne and then drank a lot of water...it was a pretty warm day! The houses along the ride were amazing...HUGE, and some were smaller...we ate below and then came up to the top deck and sat in the shade watching the activity on the water. Our captain pointed out some places of interest along the way including the houses Pierce Brosnan stayed in while filming Dante's Peak...

Once off the boat we got some ice cream and sat by the marina for a little while then headed home...we cooled off...it was pretty warm and a little muggy....well pretty muggy by WA standards...by OH standards it felt great! Anyway, we decided to pack a picnic lunch and head out a little early for the second half of our day (Tim planned the whole day by the way, he is such an awesome husband)...we packed crackers, cheese (aged Gouda and garlic jack) a cheese dip I made, carrots, grapes, cherries, salmon and cream cheese...water...headed to Barnes and Noble to get a couple books then headed to Arbor Crest Winery for a picnic and concert...for more info check out their website at http://www.arborcrest.com/ they have evening concerts on the weekends...it costs $5 at the door and you can bring picnic lunches, etc...there is also catering available there and they ask that if you want wine to purchase it there...Tim and I got a bottle of Riesling and set up....it was so nice...the sun disappeared for awhile...then came back out, we were in the shade...then a cool breeze kicked up and it was so nice...tons of people...great swing music....very romantic!

Happy Anniversary my sweet...here's to another 7 years (at least)!

Trip to Iowa Day Three

Now that it has been SEVERAL days since this has happened...I can't remember everything. But, I do know that my sister and I woke up and thought we would call our mom and see where they were...we called...my mom sounded groggy and sleepy, my sister asked why they weren't on the road yet...my mom said where are you? My sister replied in the kitchen at Grandma's, and then asked where are you? My mom said in Exira, in Grandma's House, in the Blue room...we laughed hysterically. Turns out with three drivers, Mom, Dad and Tom drove all night and got in really early that morning. We went through the usual morning ritual...breakfast, sitting around the kitchen table...and then got ready for the day. I sat with Grandma and rested after lunch and then did some laundry and some other odds and ends to get ready for the big family dinner that night. It started to rain right about the time we headed to the Nursing Home to visit Grandma Hays for coffee time at 3pm...then we returned to head to Audubon to get the ice cream cake and stuff for the 4th of July (I was going to make a fruit salad). Lynn, Jake and I went to Audubon and showed Jake Albert the Bull...when we pulled into the park, Jake was a little disappointed that Albert was a huge fiberglass structure...not an actual bull. Dinner prep continued when we returned. Tim had seen a guy grill a prime rib on PBS using cheese, rosemary and garlic...and wanted to reproduce this. So, he cooked the prime rib while Lynn and I did the salad, rosemary roast potatoes and the rest of the food. It turned out sooooo good! Everyone loved it! It was done rare...to our liking...and we finished off the meal with a DQ ice cream blizzard cake, half turtle blizzard and half vanilla with pink icing. We sang to mom and grandma...and they blew out their candles! It was great! Grandpa went out after dinner and started a fire in the rain...so a bunch of people went out to enjoy it...I went to bed with Tim...after all the 4th was the next day and it is usually quite the long and exciting day!

Trip to Iowa Day Two

So...we rise early...of course...it is really hard to sleep when you are in Iowa and there is TONS to do...hee hee...well there really isn't much to do. We decide to just hang out in the kitchen around the table and look at pictures and talk to Grandma and Grandpa. Lynn will be arriving later in the day...we have decided to go and get her (Tyler and I) so we wait to see when we can leave. Their flight is delayed a little in Denver...so we want to wait until they are actually in the air. Before we head to the airport my Grandma and I head to Audubon to get some groceries for the day, maybe some for tomorrow...and to order a Dairy Queen cake. Turns out Mom turned 60 this year, and Grandma turns 80 this year in November. We are going to have a huge family dinner tomorrow night and would like to celebrate both birthdays. Grandma wanted to know what kind of cake to have...I asked her what she wanted...she asked me what Mom would want. I suggest Emma's White Cake...or Red Velvet...but then Grandma says she has always wanted a Ice Cream Cake...so we decide to call Dairy Queen and order one...the number for the DQ in Audubon is unlisted...so we have to drop in anyway. We head off...stop at DQ and order the cake, which was interesting...no one seemed to know what I was asking at first...but finally we get the cake ordered and head to the grocery. On our way back into Exira we stop to get milk at the local market which has just reopened. I decide to make something in the crock pot for dinner so we won't have to worry about fixing much...so I get that started and then we make sandwiches for lunch. And then we wait for Lynn to give us the call to come to Des Moines to get her...

Tyler and I leave about 3pm to get Lynn...we figure if we time it right we will pull up just as they are on the curb to avoid parking and so forth. It has been a REALLY long time since I have been to the Des Moines airport...so when I see it, I had forgotten how incredibly TINY it was! Anyway, it was perfect timing, we get Lynn and Jake and head back to Exira. I take the scenic route near Littlefield Park and we see the buffalo...

After dinner we all head out to walk around the farm and walk out to what Grandpa is calling the A-hole...named after the type A John Deere that has been dumped into it, among all other things, he assures us this is legal, my sister and I are horrified of course. But the sun is coming down...we are walking through the oats and corn...it is rather pretty. We also stop by his other hole with a little water in it and TONS of frogs and toads which are immediately silent when we walk up. Grandpa mentions some coyotes out there as well and as we walk around the holes in the ground where they live I startle a fawn...and I scream thinking I may have startled a coyote. Anyway, no one got a picture it happened so fast! Tim and I also walk by the old site of where Mom grew up. They have finally knocked it down and hauled it out. It had so much damage from a fire so long ago...they have finally cleared it out. It is a large hole in the ground now...Tim says it looks great for a pool.

And..it seems like a good night for a fire. Grandpa says it will be raining soon...so this may be the perfect night for it. So...we build a fire. Well, Lynn does...and after a few false starts a blaze is going and we make s'mores and sing and stare at the stars. It is a great day!

Trip to Iowa Day One

So...my husband and I attempt to sleep the night before we leave...in the morning we get up WAY earlier than necessary, doing all of the things we do to get ready for a trip. I am usually trying to get the apartment picked up (nothing worse than getting home from a vacation and having to CLEAN), dishes done, recycling out, pets taken care of, garbage out. Double checking that everything is packed. We managed to pack ONE SUITCASE for the both of us...after all the airlines are charging $15 per bag now...and then we each had a carry on...pretty good considering we would be gone for a whole week.

We arrived at the Spokane Airport about an hour and a half before the plane was scheduled to leave...gave us time to park in the North Lot and get to our gate...get water in our bottles and be ready to fly out at 11:24am. I was soooo excited. When I go to Iowa I feel like a kid again...lots of fond memories and the excitement of seeing family...it makes me feel so giddy! Tim just rolls his eyes at me.

We fly to Denver...then on to Omaha, NE...Tim and I are ready to eat dinner when we land. We get our rental car and head to Old Towne Omaha...my favorite place to eat and shop in Omaha. There is a restaurant there called M's Pub that has the best Lamb Burger I have ever had...and a great selection of wine! We make it a point of eating there anytime we get the chance. The sad thing is there are TONS of things on the menu, and plenty of other restaurants in Old Towne...but we find ourselves going back here time and time again! So...we order our burgers and wine...sit back and enjoy eavesdropping on three slightly intoxicated women at the bar, one who looks TOO old to be doing that...and then I wonder if this is what I look like when I am out with my sister (much younger than I). Anyway...we eat...it is just as good as we remember it. We also order one for my brother Tyler. We will be headed back to the airport to get him before we head to Exira! He has never had a lamb burger...and I feel he definitely needs one!

We pick up Tyler...head out of Omaha with a quick stop at the HiVee in Council Bluffs to get Tim some gluten free mix for our Waffle breakfast...and then on to Exira. We arrive a little after 10pm and it is great to see Grandma and Grandpa! They are happy to see us and we visit awhile before heading to bed!

Back and Relaxed...

So my husband and I left July 1st for Iowa...our yearly trek to Exira, Ia to visit my family. We are amazed that this is the one vacation that when we return, we feel rested and ready to get back into our lives. Yesterday wasn't as relaxing...we woke up at 5am (3am PST) and went to the airport...flew home...with a 3 hour lay over in Denver...looking at the mountains made me want to stay...and then home at 3pm PST...showered and then off to class...home by 10pm and in bed immediately. Today was just getting up to go to Physical Therapy then counting the minutes until work at 3pm. So, I was pretty relaxed. I will account our trip as soon as I get my pictures. I tried to look at them today...seems my brother decided he wanted them and took them off my camera...and didn't tell me. Naturally I was hysterical during the time I didn't know what happened to HUNDREDS of pictures. But...all is well, I know I will get them sooner or later!