Big Bike Riders

Such a blogger slacker, but I think I am getting the hang of it. This huge event happened weeks ago, but I forgot to show off. Ike and Ava are now training wheel free. Wooo-hooo! Bike rides are so much easier now without the stupid, creaking trainers. Isaak has not wanted to ride his bike all summer, but one Sunday after church he said he wanted the trainers off. We humored him, preparing for failure. No kidding, he picked up the bike and took off. This of course encouraged Ava-never-to-be-outdone Hamby to then get her trainers off. Very exciting that all four are now more mobile. In this little town, you could seriously ride your bike everywhere you need to go -- post office, library, pool, school, church. Everything is within a three mile radius of our house. Even the coffee shop is about a five minute bike ride. Gotta' save that gas somehow.

River and Rocks

We took some time to enjoy some of the local sights last week while Brant's parents where here visiting. We live less than a mile from the Des Moines River, but it had been far too full to actually take the kids down to the banks until recently. It's very muddy right now from all of the overflow, which made it all the yuckier in my mind and all the funner in the kids' minds.

The other pictures are from the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa. It's only a half hour from our house and it is spectacular. I'm not into all the Catholic saint stuff, being of the Baptist variety, however this is stunning. It took two priests around 80 years to build this structure. It is a city block full of structures created from all natural objects: shells, rocks, gems, etc. It is so awesome, even the kids were quiet and observative for the hour tour. Definitely recommend it if you ever hit the upper edge of Iowa. Oh, plus it's a free tour.

Another plus, while Brant's parents were here, we got so much done. New sliding door installed, new floor layed in kitchen/dining area, deck fixed/leveled, my bike repaired -- Brant's dad is so much more of a slave driver than I ever dream of being. He and Brant always get so much done when they are together. Very productive week.