September 2021

 Here are some of the fun happenings from September!  Sarah is playing flute in the marching band!

Richard and I took the kids mini golfing for the first time on a course out at Jester Park.  I tried to take Lucky on a walk which isn't easy because he pulls on the leash.  This time he jumped into a thicket of burrs which took almost an hour and a lot of elbow grease and scissors to remove.

Ben and Sam played with Adam and Noah Morales and climbed this brick wall.  

Sam is playing soccer on team Grizzlies.

Jeremy switched to the bakery department in HyVee.  Ben made sushi- a California roll- for the first time.  John went out to breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa Stay in Provo.

We took a night walk on the High Trestle Trail Bridge with Sarah, Ben, and Sam.

Sam has started watching YouTube videos on how to make paper origami crafts.  So far he's made a shield, sword, throwing ninja stars, a battle axe, and an infinity ring.  Sam also dressed himself up and combed his hair for his school picture day.

I was a narrator for a stake Relief Society Production called Women at the Well which my friend Melissa Hintz put on.  I also met up with Jeanette Lee and Jill Prince at the tri stake dance to take an "after our presidency" photo.  I loved being in the Stake Young Women's Presidency with them!

John was assigned an awesome roommate named Koa in Helaman Halls Dorms.  Koa is on the far right.  The middle picture was taken years ago and features Richard with his dad, brother Jeremy, and brother Daniel.  They went scooter riding in Arkansas a few years ago as a guys trip and really had a great time.  The bottom picture features Richard's Grandpa Rulon Hurst celebrating his 95th birthday!

Jeremy's Senior Pictures

 On Saturday, September 25, 2021 Jeremy had his senior pictures taken by Emily Shill and boy did they turn out great!  Sarah said he looks like a man in the pictures instead of a boy :)  We are absolutely thrilled with how they captured the young man we know and love.  Jeremy, you are amazing!

Iowa Skies

 I love the skies here in Iowa.  I wish I had pictures of all the beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and weather that has rolled through since we moved here.  These are some of my recent favorites!

Sarah's migraine

 The second week of school was a rough one.  On Sunday August 29th Jeremy stayed home from church with an upset stomach, probably from food we ate after he took the SAT the day before in Fort Dodge.  On Monday Ben felt lethargic and sick and stayed home from school.  On Tuesday Sarah came home from school with a migraine which continued on to Wednesday.  Wednesday morning we took her to see her pediatrician who suggested a few medications to make her sleep in the morning.  When her migraine was still present in the late afternoon after I got home from working at Ankeny High School, I took the doctor's advice and drove her Blank Children's Hospital so she could get an IV.  Sarah's pain was only at a 2/10 but the fact that her vision spot was still there was scary.  The IV was not a pleasant experience but Sarah made it through!  She even practiced her acting which made both of us laugh.

Unfortunately her vision spot didn't go away until Friday afternoon after Sarah had powered through the school day and done early morning marching band.  She had her first marching band football game that night.  With how busy she is, migraines are not a welcome malady.  Her hair style Friday morning was particularly beautiful.

Sarah's drawings

 Sarah loves to draw and spent hours every single day over the summer drawing.  She has improved incredibly and has favorite marker brands now.  She especially liked getting skin toned markers this summer and practicing shading. Here are some of her pictures.

Most of them are characters from Anime shows she watched this summer with Jeremy and with the Dixons.  Isn't she amazing?!

Alina's 42nd birthday celebration with Richard

 Since Richard was gone on my birthday, he took me to Omaha, NE on the weekend.  We went to the temple on Friday morning and were able to do an endowment session.  Then we took Richard's car to the Acura Dealership to be fixed.  While they worked on the car Richard and I went to some outlet stores where we bought some new shirts for Richard.  That evening we checked into our hotel called the Farnum which is new and super luxurious.  Richard had a certificate for a free night's stay!

We raced to dinner, walking to a seafood restaurant called Shucks Fish House and Oyster Bar where we just made if for the last ten minutes of happy hour and Richard got a dozen $1 oysters.  Boy was he happy!

After dinner we went to a crazy candy store called Hollywood Candy where we got each of our kids a treat.  It was enormous with old Pin Ball games, an ice cream counter, fudge bar, and lots of memorabilia.  After Hollywood Candy a disappointing antique store, we went to get ice cream at the famous, if not so tasty, Ted and Wally's. 

The next day we had a free complimentary breakfast after which we walked to the Durham Museum.  We watched some videos about the famous underwater sea explorer and inventor who directed the movie The Abyss and worked on the Titanic.

After the museum we went to the farmers market, checked out of the hotel, and drove to Squirrel House Jail.  It was three stories tall and rotated so the prisoners were kept isolated from the jailor.  After the crazy jail we went to a few antique stores, saw another small town car show, ate lunch, and drove home.