Just a small town girl...

Aiden sings Don't Stop Believin...by Journey a lot.  I listen to her in the bath tub...in her room...in the car...and as she meanders around the house.  She quietly sings to herself in perfect melody.  Sometimes she struggles with some of the words.  Sometimes she is not exactly sure which phrase goes next.  Sometimes she just loops back around like this...

"Just a small town girl...livin in a lonely world.  she took the midnight train goin anywhere.  Just a city boy...livin in a lonely world..."

The other day, I helped the girl out.  I said,

"The next line is...Just a city boy...born and raised in south Detroit.  He took the midnight train goin anywhere."

She listened quietly as I sang her the right words and I just knew she was impressed by my knowledge for the song AND my singing as she was deep in thought...pondering for a minute and then asking...

"Mom?  So the boy took the midnight train too?"

Yes.  Yes he did.

Iowa-South Carolina: 1000 miles worth it

You're going to have to pardon my lack of bloggery...as we have been traveling around the country as if we were The Jonas Brothers on our Summer 2011 Tour. 

We finished off our Iowa Adventure with a bang.  And I do mean bang...as we saw, yet another fireworks display.  If there is one thing I can say about Iowa, it is...they LOVE their fireworks.  I think we saw them, like 6 times during the 2 weeks we were there.  We made an impromptu decision to go ahead and head up to Lake Okoboji with Chad's mom's side of the family.  This is a tradition that stems back to, like, 1974 or something.  They go every year.  We focused a lot on eating.  And then there was the swimming.  Their were a few highlights of the weekend...

a.j. at lake okoboji

aiden at lake okoboji

colt at the nutty bar in arnold's park having a frosty mug root beer float (a family tradition)

we found the boy's sport.  this kid LOVES jet skiing.

he grinned from ear to ear and laughed hysterically the entire time.  that is...until i let him drive and he threw us both off.  that's o.k.  we both got right back on the horse.

aiden was a little worried.  but she did it!!  twice!!

colt rode with me first and then with his uncle davey.  he needed to find out who the better driver was.  he never did say.  he was cautious...but had fun.

aiden trying a nutty bar at the nutty bar.  she took one bite and then she wanted a hot fudge sunday instead.  i don't blame her.  peanuts and chocolate and ice cream just don't go together in my opinion.  and in aiden's...

annslee enjoying a hot fudge sunday herself

chase being thrown.  i am so proud of this kid's brave streak he's got going these days.  lots of laughter.

colt flipping

and we came upon this neat thing.  actually...it came upon us.  the wedding party arrived on a boat and walked up the sidewalk right by our rooms.  aiden was pretty cute as she watched the pretty bride.

****

So, we headed home early from the Lake so that I could watch the Women's World Cup Final game.  US was playing Japan and I just knew that I was going to see the US women soccer team win the whole thing.  I have developed somewhat of an obsession with Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, and Abby Wamback...all players for the team.  They didn't win and I was heartbroken.  But...I have decided that I am going to whip myself back into soccer shape and play in an indoor Fall league.  I miss it so.  Did I just hear you laughing at me?  It's o.k.  Maybe you didn't know that Goal Keepers don't even peak until they are around 38.  That gives me 2 years to prepare myself for competitive play.  I think it's a realistic goal for me.  Don't you?

We loaded up the car and left for South Carolina the next night at 5:30.  After we had been on the road for about 10 minutes, 3 out of the 4 kids were crying and saying that they wanted to go home.  Knowing that we had 17 hours to go...I had Chad pull over to talk about our options.  At that point, I really thought that we should just turn around and head home.  I was positive that we couldn't make it another week and another 2000 miles away from home.  So we talked and Chad thought.  Then he said, " I think we should do it."  So...we did.  Around 9:30...the kids started drifting off one by one.  And wouldn't you know it???  Those 4 kids slept solidly until around 8:00 the next morning.  When they woke up, I was driving us through the mountains in North Carolina.  We stopped  at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast just on the other side of Ashville and trucked it on in to South Carolina around 10.  We are staying at a good friend's apartment because she and her husband and their son are in Italy for the Summer.  Yay for them...Boo that I don't even get to see them.  But...having our own little place to stay has been somewhat of a luxury. 

The highlights of S.C. thus far...

She found her brother's hat.  I just love a girl that can wear a guy's cap.

My group of College Friends from Clemson.  From left to right...

Amanda came in from Columbia with her 3 (Abe, Samira, and Samantha); Heather came in from Atlanta with her 3 (Elli, Ava, and Charlie); Me with my 4 (Colton, Chase, Aiden, and Annslee); Ashey is here in Greenville with her 3 (Grayson, Selah, and Isabella); and Gail from Greenville with her 2 (Daniel and Anna)

Some of my bestest friends in the whole wide world.  Boy...do I love these people.

and this is us with our youngest babes.  can you believe they are all girls?  they had to be in the picture...due to the fact that many of them would not let us put them down without screaming this blood-curdling, high pitched scream thing that would just about bust your ear drums.  look at annslee who refused to let go of her drink.  good grief.

when i tell a.j. to smile...she does.  and then i do too.

We are still making our mark here in Iowa

There have been many good times here in Iowa...as there always are. 

More important than the tangible times, are the lasting memories and growth that come from all of these amazingly, magical experiences that can sometimes only be visually captured by a photograph.  and that...my loves...is why I absolutely make you all crazy with all of my picture taking.

****

There have been relationships forever bonded...

aiden and aubree.  notice aiden's summer feather in her hair.  we love our feathers.

sister and brother-in-law (at what point do you just go ahead and drop the in-law?)

sawyer...our nephew that i rocked to sleep for a week when he was 10 days old when everyone else was at the hospital with his mommy.  he will never remember...but i will never forget.

our best friend's kids with ours...forming bonds doing what kids do best

best friends

my niece, ava's first slumber party.  she and chase fell asleep in my lap while watching annie. he's my frog prince and she's my little firefly.

chad with his best friends from high school at their 20th high school reunion

aiden and aubree.  what a picture of their age and friendship.  to me...this image is magical.

There have been fears overcome...

adventureland...rides were conquered by all.  even me!  on the space shot.  i screamed a little bit.

the silly cylo.

no thanks!!

climbing trees

holding her very own sparkler

the boom of fireworks

catching their very own fireflies.  no fear.

****

I decided to be brave and wear a summery, strapless frock and cowgirl boots to Chad's reunion.  I do love any excuse to rock the Miranda Lambert look.  The only problem with the whole look was that my hair turned green that day from chlorine.  I didn't know it until I took it down to get in the shower an hour before we left.  Everyone was in a tizzy, running and buying special shampoo to try to get it out.  My hair stayed green...but on the plus side, I had the cleanest hair there...after washing it 5 times.  We met a bunch of Chad's friends for drinks, went on to the party, and then followed up with a late night party at a dance club called Sticks.  As soon as we walked in, I thought...there is no way I will blend in with the tight jean, heel wearin chicks on the hip-hop dance floor.  But that thought was quickly followed by the "who really cares because I will never see these people again and I am here...rockin the kicks...and in the mood to dance" thought.  So...I did what any Texas girl would do...took a shot with my husband and my new pals and hit the floor.  Turns out...the Iowa folks really dig cowgirl boots just as much as I do (and green hair, I guess) A random guy even requested boot-scootin boogie for me.  Chad was impressed and I had fun.....and that's really all that matters, right?  :)

On Sunday afternoon, I witnessed my oldest son and oldest niece fall in love with women's soccer while watching the USA play Brazil in the world cup.  That was one, exciting, and memorable game.  Finally...my love for soccer became contagious...and the fact that we are all pretending to be Hope Solo in the backyard soccer game makes me both happy and proud.

Yesterday, we drove up to Steamboat Rock to pay Gramma Janice a visit.  She cooked us a big lunch of pot roast, potatoes, carrots, sweet corn, cucumbers, cottage cheese, coleslaw, and rolls.  Then, Chad's two aunts and his cousin Tammy came over with her 3 kids.  The boys caught small toads, which was right up Chase's ally.  I drove the trip so Chad could get some work done...which meant that I got to listen to my ipod and re-connect with my old friend, Dave Matthews.  Let's face facts.  Warehouse is one of the best songs ever. 

Tune in next time.  Who knows what you will find.  Probably...whatever I find.

Happy Summer, Y'all.

iowa...you make me smile.

my precious neice, aubree and the sweet pea...

these two are thick as thieves.

and oh so cute.

the puddin cup on the 4th of july...

all dressed up in her red, white, and blue.

and a smile.

us with the randazzos...

my best friend

chad's best friend

and our liters of kids...

here we have

3 possible future marriages that will make us a real, bonafide family

couldn't you just kiss the girl?

the little one,

obviously

cousins and best friends

colton and tayler

4 months apart

and truly...the first girl he has ever loved...

she might as well be his sister

me and chad's grampa lew

annslee and sawyer...

the youngest cousins...

i just love the way she is eyeing him.

they didn't leave each other's sides all night.

that there is a LOT of clarksons.

the family reunion that chad planned was a huge success.

i love big families.

the thieves...watching fireworks.

these two are fun to watch.

magical fireworks...

do it again, daddy

chase...

a boy and a sparkler.

doesn't get much more fun than that.

my niece, ava...

overcoming fears, left and right.

she actually let me put a firefly in her hand and she watched

it magically light her way toward

bravery.

the start of the trip...

"are we there yet?"

dilly bar break...

somewhere in small town, texas

passing the time with bracelet/anklet making...

a trade my oldest niece is learning quickly.

chad leading the kids in calisthenics after being in the car all night.  we are almost in iowa.

the des moines capitol building...

right before the yankee pops symphony 4th of july concert

me, tayler, colt, and julia at yankee pops

i love this iowan

i like to call this one...

"um, excuse me.  maybe you didn't remember that I'M your baby."

this is margo.

and she is a lover.

while all the cousins played...

i got to hold this sugar plum.

grampa lew has a whole little league park named after him.

that's pretty impressive, if you ask me.

look at my man...

killin it on the court.

followed by,

"i can't move my knee."

a reunion with sparklers.

"look at the fireworks, brother!  did you know about these things?"

lew with the girls.

chad and his grampa.  he's the oldest grandson.

annslee's first kiss.

ricky masamo plantin one on her 10 minutes after they met.

it's fate.

i call these kids "the bee's knees"

they are a few of my favorite things.

aiden and luci

zoe and colt

mia and chase

catching fireflies