Iowa

Oh Iowa...that was seriously almost two months ago and I am just now blogging.  I am so behind on blogging and I am determined to get caught up before Carter's birthday, next Tuesday! 

 

The day after Christmas we flew to Iowa for a week.  We have never done Christmas with Jay's family in Iowa so this was really special for us!  Some of them had never met Madelynn which was even more special for all of us.  We had such a great time!  I would be okay if I do not have to get on an airplane with my two kids for a very long time again but the awful plane trip was worth the time we got to spend with them.  Of course, this is hog heaven for Carter since they live on a farm.  Carter had a blast and loved playing with his cousin Kayden.

 

Jay's dad bought the boys matching tractors and let them ride as often as they wanted.  He even took them down to his huge building where he stores his huge equipment and let them ride around until their hearts were content.

Grandpa and sweet Madelynn watching the boys ride around in the shop.

Madelynn's first time in the snow...had to capture it on camera. 

We had snow the entire time!  Woohoo!  That is a dream come true for me!  Sadly it was really too cold to actually spend much time in it but we still loved seeing all the snow.  Man it gets cold in Iowa!  We just aren't used to that kind of cold.

Now the boys are in the building...much bigger than the shop.  They loved this!

Look how tiny the pickup truck looks in the background...that shows a little idea of the size of this building.

We all went out to dinner with some of Leah's family and to celebrate Larry and Leah's anniversary. 

This is the view I saw everyday from the living room.  Love it!

Aunt Nicole (Jay's sister) and Carter racing cars on a race track.  Carter also loved this!

 

Jay and his dad waiting for Christmas to start.  They look super excited about it :)

Great Grandma (Jay's Grandma) and Madelynn waiting to open Christmas presents.

Carter opening his first present from Uncle Matt.  

Presents, presents, presents!  They spoiled us like crazy.  We were opening presents forever!  The kids had fun playing with all of their new toys, too many to name them.

Nicole's pile was almost as tall as her.

Kisses from Grandpa.

 

The boys each got really cool combines and tractors.

New hat from Aunt Nicole...so cute!!

Family picture

Our comical attempt at a picture with Uncle Matt and Aunt Nicole with the kids.

If one was looking another one wasn't...

Playing with new games and toys...

Madelynn loves to be right in the middle of the action...which drives Carter crazy!

Playing with daddy...

Madelynn's silly trick that she loves to do.

My kids just love their family!!!

They were all trying to pop Jay's back...

 

Snowballs off of the hay on the trailer in the building.

 

The boys were throwing the snowballs at the big combine.

More tractor riding...

Kayden told Jay he would catch him if he jumped...Ha!

And another comical attempt at getting a picture with the kids and Grandma...

And Carter was so sick and coughing constantly...even mid picture.

And then Madelynn saw that Carter had Penelope, the pig.  And she wanted it...

But Carter wasn't about to let that happen...

Playing with all of their new toys at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  We stayed at their house but did Christmas out at the farm at Jay's Grandma's house.

There is no one better to read tractor books than Grandpa who knows everything there is to know about tractors.

And now attempting a family picture out in the snow...seriously, why do I try?

We took Carter sledding...this did not go over well!  Carter HATED every second of it and literally screamed the entire way down the hill the two times Jay took him.  And it was sooooo cold!!!!!  Painfully cold.

Our last night there the deer decided to finally bless us with their presence in the back yard.  We counted around 26 deer!

Everyone watching the deer...

Jay's stepmom Leah made this blanket for Madelynn.  She made a similiar one for Carter too and we did this same picture of him with his blanket.  He was only eight weeks old though so he sat still much better. 

 

We love our Iowa family!  We are so thankful for the time we got to spend with them and to be there for Christmas and snow!!  I hope we can do it again...

 

But only if it means we do not have to get onto an airplane again...

 

The trip home was a nightmare!!  We were literally the family that I am sure everyone hated!  Carter was naughtier than he has ever been, screaming at times, disobeying, and being downright impossible!  It was awful!  There really aren't words to describe how bad it was.  But it was still worth it for us to see our family :)  I just don't feel like going through that again too soon.