I-O-W-A

This past winter Benjamin's grandmother felt it was time to have another family reunion. After all the last one was just a mere over 34 years ago. Before Ben was even born. So we loaded up the family van and headed off to the mid-west. A land the kiddos or myself have ever experienced. It was a quick little 28 hour hop away.

This is the kiddos with two of Ben's second cousins playing with bubbles in the church parking lot.

Jakey spent about thirty minutes or so trying to get up in the tree in Grandma Guhl's front yard.

 Down the street from the church where the family reunion was being held was a huge playground. The kiddos all went over for an awesome game of hide and seek.

 The girlies all found a swing under one of the structures.

 Here was all are with the matriarch of the Guhl family. She is the mother of seven, five surviving. I loved listening to her stories and getting to know all of the kids. They love and respect their mother. That speaks volumes for the type of woman she is.

 This was the last picture we took just as we were getting ready to load up and head out of town. Next to Ben are his grandmother and Uncle Ralph.

This is the amazing play set the kids played on. Ben's Uncle Jeff helped build it. Can you imagine getting to go outside of recess and playing on this? Jakey swore he would never go back in when the bell rang.

We all had a lot of fun and it was really great getting to know Ben's side of the family as well as experiencing another part of our country. My kids behaved themselves.....somewhat. Nothing was blown up and no bones were broken. I consider this trip a huge success!