Monday, August 26, 2013

Sweet Summertime - Part 3: Austin, MN

Post-wedding picture!
Sometimes it is hard to believe that we are grown ups, but we are, and that means big life changes.  Shortly after our return to the States, Ben and I picked up and went to Austin, MN for a wedding. Ben's college friend, Ari, was marrying a beautiful and wonderful young woman, Breanna.  We felt incredibly honored to be invited to their wedding and were glad to be able to attend.  It was a truly enchanting and beautiful wedding.  The ceremony and reception were held in a lovely garden with simple, yet stunning decorations. You had to take a wooded path to reach the location and it was like being in a fairy tale! The love present at the wedding was almost palpable and made both Ben and I equally sentimental and lovey.  :)  Boy, do I love weddings!!

Now that we are closer to everyone I look forward to getting to know and spend more time with friends of Ben's and my own. And of us both. <3

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Our Lives in Photographs: Coming Home


Iowa <3


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Sweet Summertime - Part 2: Keokuk Dam


Chilling on the troley
Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to cross the dam in Keokuk via boat.  Well, my wish has not yet come true but I got a lot closer to it!  This summer the Keokuk Dam celebrated it 100th anniversary and had fun festivities down by the river.  We were able to cross the dam via trolley and tour the plant.  There were different junk food vendors in the river park that offered everything from fried frog legs to gourmet pasta.  We Iowan's like to keep it classy.  I indulged in a pulled pork sandwich (I have missed quality pork for the past year!) and a funnel cake!!  I also got to see Shane and Clif for the first time since my arrival.  My darling husband stayed up in Iowa City to continue a bit of packing and mingling with friends.










(I don't know why I can't get these pictures to be larger and more focused.  Sorry!!  Will try to fix later!)

After touring the plant we DID get to see a boat go into the lock!  I took a video of the bridge we had crossed rising and lowering because I thought it was pretty fantastic.  :)

Lowering

Rising
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Sweet Summertime - Part 1: Homecoming

A serene morning prior to packing.
Since I have been unable to keep up with blogging the past couple of months, it seems the best way to share what we have been up to is to break things down into separate posts.  That also eliminates the potential for a novel sized post.

The little poop has missed this! I think he prefers Iowa to Dubai!
Ben and I arrived back in Iowa safely on the night of June 26th.  Our flights went fairly well, but customs and baggage claim in Dallas were horrible.  The line for passport control snaked around a million times and went fairly far out into the airport. Baggage claim was worse!  There were about 1,000 people all trying to find their baggage and forming about 4 lines that had to zipper into one.  Ben and I chose the wrong line and decided to squeeze in where we could.  Some guy said the line started way back where and our response was that we had been waiting an hour already and had notice people coming in after us getting in line and going through before us.  He was welcome to go ahead of us, but we weren't moving.  Sorry, dude.  We were in our 20th+ our of travel and we were over it.  When we finally made it to the airport in Cedar Rapids we were greeted by Ben's parents and my lovely mom!  We collected our baggage (sans Ben's golf clubs - boo) and headed to the condo in Iowa City.

Grover is happy to be home!
We were back, but not rest for us yet!  We had until July 1st to pack up the condo and move out.  Our gracious mothers had packed up a lot for us already so that made our job a bit easier.  Somehow we manage to get everything together and out in time and stored in our friends' garage.

Tuckered out from packing.
Now the search is on for a new home!
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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

New Beginnings!

It is that time of year again!  School is starting and Hawkeye football is about to begin!  This is my favorite time of year!  I love the colors of fall, the warm smells, the cozy clothes and the fun filled activities. 

Something else exciting is happening now as well.  Monday was my mom's first day of college!!  After 35 years of working at Methode she is starting down a new path. It has been a big and scary transition for her, but now that everything is set and classes have started her confidence has grown and it is wonderful to see her excited about school! I am incredibly proud of her for her bravery in starting a new chapter in her life.

Ben and I have started a new chapter in our lives as well.  We have purchased our first home together and are settling into life in Cedar Rapids.  Ben started work last week and today has his first day with students! I'm looking forward to going to future performances and supporting him in his career.  I am currently still on the job hunt and actually have an interview this week! I have been enjoying the life of a Holly Housewife, but am SO ready to have a job and contribute to our income. Fingers crossed the interview goes well!!

(Pictures to follow when my computer stops being an idiot.)

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Return

I am hoping that this post is my return to consistent blogging!  For the past month and a half we have been go, go, go and I am only just getting some time to sit out and put my thoughts together.  So much has happened in the month that I will divide it into different posts so that you don't have to read a novel to know what is going on in our lives.  

Our time in the States thus far has consisted of moving twice, trips to Minneapolis and Colorado, and trying to get our feet under us.  Since we have found a house (woot woot!), we are a bit more grounded than we were a week ago.  Thank goodness!  Ben has started working at the College Community School District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  He will be teaching K-4 music and is very optimistic about the year to come.  I am currently on the job hunt and have a few possibilities that I am hoping pan out.  Fingers crossed!  Grover is adjusting to his new home beautifully and has laid claim to the yard.  His life is 'ruff'.  

In the next week or so, I hope to pump out a few posts about our trips and house hunting adventures.  I have fun Instagram photos to spice everything up since I now have an iPhone. I should basically be a famous photographer.  But isn't that the charm of Instagram?  This also depends on my computer to stop being an idiot.  Still working on that one.  


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Thursday, August 1, 2013

Coming Soon: POSTS!



Due to the crazy series events that happens to be our life, I have taken a brief break from blogging. Most of it has to due with the fact that we haven't had our computer and posting from the phone is tedious. 

That being said, I shall return with incredibly witty and mind blowing posts within the next week!!

Stay tuned!!

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