Seth's Graduation

Got to go to Seth's graduation party on Sunday afternoon. This is Jerry and Becky's last one. He is a very handsome young man and was very polite and gracious to us. I rode with Mary and Donnie and of course we had to have an adventure. Couldn't just be simple. We thought the church was in Ollie. So started to go there but the road was closed cause a bridge was out. So we went back and stopped at a house to ask how to get to Ollie. Donnie went to the door and knocked and I could see someone inside moving around but no one came to the door. Just as Donnie got back to the car a guy came out and told us how to get there. He had a dog who didn't like strangers I guess. We finally got to Ollie and then couldn't find the church. Stopped and asked a lady on a mower and she told us we had to go back to Highway 78. The one we had just left. Seems the church was not actually in Ollie but had an Ollie address. Once we found the church we had a good time. Dave's were back and Bob's were there. Hadn't seen or talked to any of them for a while. Had a good visit and no trouble finding our way home.

The Hoover clan minus Becky. Couldn't find her. Wish Seth the best.

The Year in Review Family Campout 2010

We started our Spring camp out called "The Year in Review" with Christmas. And as good Swedes we did Duppa. Please note the tinsel and decorations on the tables. (thank you Teresa) Even the stocking were hung with care. Alex brought his Christmas tree for us to use. There were over 20 for supper. We also did a white elephant gift exchange. Some wanted to do a Chinese gift exchange but that can take a long time and we still had other things to do. It had rained right up to that afternoon so it was a little soggy but the attire of the day was gum boots and we managed quite nicely.

After we finished with Christmas we moved on to New Year's Eve. Of course we had to have music, and snacks. We were going to do games but kind of ran out of time and energy. Dan made the best funnel cakes. They were better than anything you get at the fair.

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny (yeah). We started with Easter brunch. What a spread. biscuits and gravy, waffles, egg casserole, donuts and rolls, sausage and bacon. It was a good start to the day. Mike an Geri we able to join us for breakfast.

After breakfast we had an egg hunt for the kids. This is Katlin and Conner hunting up high.

Lillie and Ellie were looking closer to the ground.

Cindy was giving Kyann a hand. Looks like they missed one on the swing.

Alex found his share too.

Lillie couldn't wait to see what was in hers. Thanks to Teresa for the cute Easter bags the kids used and most all of the other decorations.

After the egg hunt there was a short break. The little girls took that time to blow some bubbles. I think we had the corner on curly hair that day. Next came Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day all rolled into one. We cooked hot dogs and had all the trimmings chips and baked beans. The only thing we were missing was watermelon. And Jeanine made homemade ice cream for the crowd. Yumm yumm.

Next we moved on to Halloween. Everyone was to make a mask out of a paper bag. Don't know what Dick is showing Dan but he sure seams interested. It was interesting how many different ideas everyone had.
We had everything from a pig to a Chinaman.

This is most of the group. Everyone worked hard on their masks. The kids then went trailer to trailer trick-or -treating. The year was quickly coming to an end. Only one more holiday to go.

THANKSGIVING !!! Donnie fried a turkey. Doesn't it look awesome. And tasted just as good as it looks.

Here is Miss Katlin with a big ole turkey leg. Don't think there was much of anything left but a few scraps.

We had a really good time racing thru a year . Seems like we are seldom all


together. Teresa snapped a picture for us. She was really good at getting pictures. I got caught up in all the fun and would forget.

Miss Marly Rose came to visit that night. Her very first camp out. She has really grown. We enjoyed seeing her and Kirby.

All in all a fun week end. Mary's,Jeanine's and us stayed till after lunch Sunday. Boy did the weather change. It was so humid when we got up. Cindy , Shane and Kyann came out for a little while Sunday morning but decided to head home before lunch. Kyann had a cold and wasn't feeling the best. Will have to think of a theme for the fall camp out. Will be hard to beat this though.

Sisters/Daughters weekend

This was our sisters/daughters weekend. This year we stayed pretty close to home and went to Pella. Here we are at the start of our adventure.

Believe it or not we went garage selling when we got there. No one found much but had fun anyway. Then it was time for lunch. We ate at a little cafe on the square. Don't remember the name but the food was good. We all had one of the daily specials, Chicken tortilla soup and chicken salad on croissant. Then we went looking around all the shops. Of course the bakery was high on our list of things to do and places to go. ( Dutch letters Yum) Then we went to tour the windmill and the historical village (I didn't know they had a historical village). We all found it very interesting. While we were up in the windmill, they started putting on the canvas to make the blades move. It was way cool. Scary for me being height challenged. I couldn't believe how high the man went.

He was very informative and interesting.

This is the view from the top. Obviously not taken by me.

In the windmill there is a miniature

Dutch village. It was really neat. Different scenes from Dutch life through all the seasons. Everything was complete to the laundry hanging on a line . You were told to walk like good Dutch children with your hands behind you back but I was a rebel and just took pictures.

We then went to the historical village. This is Connie pouring tea for Mary into a wooden shoe.

Connie and Angie had to try the cut outs.

Mary and I were not to be out done so we did it too but were laughing so hard we almost couldn't get our faces in. Kind of the tone for the day.

Mary and Angie in the stable. Mary is trying to pick the horses nose while Angie keeps him happy.
The village was very interesting and Wyatt Earp has some connection to Pella or at least they are claiming that. They have his house filled with pictures and mementos of Mr. Earp. He lived to be in his 90's. Connie thought he died at the OK corral.

Next we went to tour the Scholte House pictured here. It was interesting too but not as much as the village. They had some really neat quilts.

This was a beautiful desk with lots of inlaid wood. The family had received it as a gift.

One of the quilts. It was made from the clothes of lady of the house Mariah (pronounced Maria)

There is a garden out back with some cool statues and beds and beds of tulips. I'm sure it would have been breath taking the week before at the tulip festival. Of course they were 99.9% gone.

By this time we were tired of walking but Connie thought we couldn't get into our B&B until 5 so we paid a visit to the dollar store and then went back and sat on some of the benches and played the junior edition of trivial pursuit (we sucked at that). This is our B &B called the Cloverleaf. It was nice but filled with antiques which are beautiful but not very comfortable when you want to sit down and rest. We had refreshment of Pella Bologna and the thinest sliced cheese you ever saw and crackers.

This was the upstairs bathroom. It was a claw foot tub in the middle of the room and there were two windows opposite. I guess because the walls were sloped they had to put it there but odd don't you think?

This was Connie and Angie's room. I guess I didn't get a picture of Mary and my room because we changed rooms at the last minute. We opted for the downstairs bedroom because the stairs were pretty steep and neither one of us like to do stairs.

We went to a place called Kardelas for supper. It is a Greek/Italian restaurant. I would highly recommend it! The food was very good. Here we are playing games after dinner. We laughed so hard we were all exhausted. Ask Mary to hum for you. Had a really good breakfast of Orange French toast, sausage, fresh fruit, juice and coffee. The lady who ran the place was not the most friendly proprietor we have had but we had a really good time and can't wait for next year.

Regina 6th Grade Choir

This is the Regina 6th Grade Choir. They had their Spring Concert last night and we got to go. The first song was a South African folksong. Katlin was chosen to sing a duet on one of the songs. She is in the red on the top riser in the middle. The song was and Irish Friendship Wish. On the last song they looked like they were really having fun . It was called Kazoos 'N' Shoes Blues. They played a kazoo and there were lots of hand clapping and foot stomping. Drove home in a downpour but made it safely. Again really glad I am retired so I can see my grand kids perform. The video is Katlin's part. Had to cut out all the frills so it would upload. But it is pretty good.

Play Ball

Went to see Alex play baseball . Of course it rained so they moved the game to the gym at the middle school. Looks like he is having a good time. I was very proud of all the kids . The high school team helped the challenge team and they were so good with them. Sportsmanship was really shown strong by both teams. Lots of applause for every one. The movie clip is Alex's hit and run to first base. Way to go Alex!!!!

Kirby's Bridal Shower

Doesn't she look cute. Alysia had found the bride to be crown and necklace. Don't know if they coordinated colors or not but looks like. Alysia had done a good job of decorating. The church looked really nice.


Here is Kirby with a 2 thumbs up with her gifts. People were given a theme like picnic or gardening. She got a lot of really nice things and seemed very happy.

The food was very good too. Kind of a build your own Nacho bar. Also had spinach dip and a yummy fruit pizza.

Here is great Grandma Connie with little Marley. She is getting so cute. Smiling and cooing. She seems like a really good baby too.

Grandparents/Grandfirends Day at Regina

Friday was
Grandparents/Grandfriends day at Katlin's school. She probably had the most people there. Roger and Nancy and Mary and Donnie and I all went.
This is the outside of her school.



This is her class room. Her teacher seemed very nice. They had a student teacher and it was her last day and both were very nice and well liked by the students . The thing I noticed most was the control they had. They just asked the kids in a normal voice to do something and they did with no fuss at all.



On our invitation it said we were going to make a quilt in 20 minutes or so. Being a quilter this intrigued me greatly. But we did it. They had fleece tie quilt kits and everyone worked on a part. Here are Mary and Donnie tying

Nancy and I worked on a piece.

Each class made one quilt and this is the stack of them at the end of the program they had. We had a really good time and brought Katlin home after school. I was really glad I was retired and able to go.

May with Kyann

This is an account of my visit with Miss Kyann in May. We had a good time playing although she occasionally would cop an attitude with me, she also forgot pretty quickly. Here Katlin and Kyann are playing on her tire swing on Cindy's birthday. She also has a sand box and likes to play in it.

Momma and Kyann watching Daddy outside. She is talking a lot more now and sticks like glue to her Momma.

Tuesday we went for a wagon ride and we stopped here to smell some flowers . I call this my "where's Waldo" picture. She had no interest in smelling flowers but likes to hide. She is quicker than a greased pig and has absolutely NO fear. Grandma couldn't entice her out so had to go in after her.

Shortly after I took this picture she took a header through the tire. It startled her but she didn't cry.

Monday I got to go to Gymnastics class with her and Daddy. She was not very happy most of the time but she did like the trampoline. The video is of her on an s shaped balance beam. She cried the whole time but she did it. That is an improvement over last week. I think she will get used to the idea and have fun with it. Maybe an Olympic medal in the future?