Des Moines

DMU wanted all of the 3rd year students that have left to do rotations away from Iowa to go back to Des Moines to do some testing and have a few lectures all together. Our trip to Des Moines was the beginning of our long trip back to Utah. It ended up being a 12 hour trip, we skipped the toll roads and went through Amish country in Indiana. It makes for an hour longer drive, but it seems to go fast having something to look at besides the freeway! Brynlee also got to see a few Amish people riding on a wagon being pulled by a horse!

It was fun being back in Des Moines. I loved the last part of the drive, coming in to the city and the familiarity of it all! I realized pretty quickly how much I loved living there and how much I was missing it! We have some awesome friends who, even though they weren't home, let us stay at their house! Brynlee and Gracen loved their house and their back yard! I don't think Brynlee could walk through their house without stomping, she loved the sound of her feet hitting the wood floors! We didn't have too many plans while we were there. Here are a few things we did:

• Went to church at our old ward. It was fun to see some of our old friends there and catch up with them!

• We decided it would be fun to visit somewhere we hadn't seen, but wanted to, while we lived there, so on Monday we headed up to Ledges National Park. It was beautiful! We could have spent more time, but we didn't pack lunch and the kids were starting to get hungry.

Sitting on the bridge.

The whole place was beautiful! Brynlee thought this bridge was pretty neat!

We hiked up some trails where Nate and Gracen found lots of little frogs. Gracen and Brynlee are checking it out and Gracen is trying to poke it with a stick to make it jump.

Hiking up the trail!

We walked out near some shallow water and there were tadpoles that were just about to become frogs. I've never seen them at this stage before and it was kinda cool.

Throwing rocks into the water with Daddy!

• Went to the ZOO for free with our zoo pass!
  

• We went to a kids movie for a dollar at the Jordan Creek mall and did some clearance shopping at the Children's Place. I really miss having that store close by, so I had to take advantage of it while I was there!

• Went to the school to have LUNCH with Daddy. Brynlee used to love to go eat lunch at Daddy's school when we lived there! We also got to visit with our friend and Nate's school advisor, Sharon!
  

• Had dinner and went SWIMMING with our friend Laima. Most of our friends from Des Moines had either moved away or were out of town, it was fun to see those that were there!

• Went to a park and got ice cream with Nate the night before the kids and I left for Utah.

We loved being there! If it weren't for the distance between Iowa and Utah, I think we could be pretty happy living there! It'll be fun to go back again for graduation!

One last thing! This trip to Des Moines marks the beginning of 4th Year!! I am so excited and can remember thinking it would take FOREVER to make it to 4th year, but we are here and the road hasn't been too bad! WE have some great memories! Can't wait for graduation!!