Welcome to the Family

A little update we have a new member of our family: Jim.  Jim is a friend of ours from college and when he heard we were moving back to the area asked us if we would be interested in renting out our basement.  We said, 'absolutely!' with no hesitation. He has been a great addition to our family and Noah L-O-V-E-S him.  So just thought I would fill you in on that because I am sure I will refer to Jim from time to time!

(sunset after the thunderstorm on Sunday night)

On other events, David has started his position at Morningside with a couple weeks of trainings and has enjoyed every minute of it.  We have met some great people.  Couldn't ask for a better community.

We have settled into a church and trying to find our nitch, but it has been a long time since we have felt at peace about a church and feeling 'fed'.

Noah and I have been hanging out, while David has been at work and I am loving every moment even the struggles.  I feel good.  I will start work next week at a Preschool teacher three morning a week and Noah will be going to an in home day care near by. 

Lots of new things happening.  We are really enjoying ourselves here and I am truely at peace when I say this is home - it has been a long time since I have been able to call a place home and know that this is where I am putting down roots! 

Baughman's from Texas Visit

Some of our best friends from Texas visited us last week and we had a great time just hanging out and seeing all the NW Iowa had to offer....

Bedtimes were always an adventure. The first night we started out with Noah and Sylvia in the same room, with little expectations that it would actually work. Let's just say the rest of the week Noah had his room to himself.

We went to Orange City to visit David's parents, show them Northwestern College, Windmill Park, The Old Factory for Pour Over Coffee and of course ate at Pizza Ranch.  Oh and cooled off with ice cream and the sprinkler.

It is very hard for Rachel and I to find a picture of us together since one of us is usually behind a camera but we got one!

We visited Sgt. Floyd on the Missouri River in Sioux City.

"I'm King of the World"

In the middle of the week we invited all of our Iowa/College/OC friends to grill out at our house and meet the Baughman's.  Of course it rained all afternoon but we had a great time.  Number of adults: 17 children: 15 with 2 on the way!  Can you say full house, we are almost outnumbered.

We also went to my parents house for lunch, drove through Farragut, messed around on the farm.  All the kids rode the lawn mower with me, it was a pretty big hit.

And though not an awesome picture of myself plus, Noah and Sylvia are to their limits this is the only group picture we got the whole week.

We had a great time and are already thinking about a trip next year with some meeting up in between most likely!

Mosquitos, Please Go Away

Today, David started 'officially' his job at Morningside College and I 'officially' became a stay-at-home mom!  Noah and I joined David for his walk to work - since it was rainy/wet from last nights storms it would proabably be the only time outside today.  But not only was it rainy/wet the mosquitos were out in full force!  We all got several bites but Noah's bites welt up - check out the one right under his eye!  Pour fella. 

Other than the mosquitos we had a pretty good day.  I do have to share this 'melt my heart moment'.  Noah had gotten in trouble for throwing a block at me (that is not the 'melt my heart moment') and as I sat down to talk to him about why he was in trouble, if he would like his mommy or a friend to throw a block at him, and how that would make him feel.  I also asked him what he thinks he should say to me to make me feel better, his response, 'mommy can you play blocks with me, because you are my best friend', wraps his little arms around me in a huge hug and asks me, 'Are you happy now?'

I have recently been asked if it is hard to discipline Noah (because he is so darn cute and such a stinker) - I guess there is your answer.

July Pics

Finding a cicada shell - we were pretty suprised he picked it up.

Trips to DQ after dinner.

Snuggles!

Shaving cream, great activity for kids ;-)

Trying to convince Noah that haircuts don't hurt and if he would just sit still it wouldn't take that long.

Noah - "Like Jr." (referring to Jr. Asparagus on Veggie Tales and how he wears his hat.)

Painting rocks.

Proving us liars - he does play by himself.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

The Legos Have Invaded

David pulled out his cherished childhood tub-o-legos this week. And it has been fun for all, yes I will admit to building a few trucks, spaceships and accessorizing the entire lego army with heads, legs and helmets. But I will have to say that what I heard Noah ask David today after nap will probably rank up there with the absolute best things a daddy could hear his little boy say, "Can we play with Legos now, Daddy? Please."

4th of July Weekend

We didn't see any fireworks this year, a little bummed but in the long run know that it wasn't worth keeping Noah up and dragging him across town to see them this year.  We will have many more years to celebrate.  We did splash around in the kiddie pool we got Noah.  And can anyone tell me when my baby became a little boy?  Look at the face, and those eyes!

We finally went to the Milwaukee Wiener House here in Sioux City after the Farmers Market on Saturday.  It was fun, very old timey made me think of what a simplier time might have been like.  You know instead of just about anything you can think of on the menu, they had the basics: hot dog, chili dog, hamburger, cheeseburger, soda, pie, chips and all at a good price (cash only).  The guys working there all wore those paper hats that you might see at an old diner.  Hope you enjoy our 'stuffing face' shots!

Noah and I drove down to mom and dads (aka Grandma and Papa's) on Monday and enjoyed lunch and hanging out.  Emily (my older sister) and her husband Rami came up from Kansas City.  And my grandpa was there too!  It was great to see everyone and a change of scenery.  Noah of course when he woke up on Monday morning and I told him we were going to Grandma and Papas the first thing he asked was, 'to ride the tractor?'  Papa didn't get his tractor out but a spin on the lawn mower was just as good for Noah.  You can't tell in the picture but it is raining when Papa took Noah on the lawn mower, he really can't tell his only grandchild no, can he?

Noah seemed to think that Great Grandpa's walker was a pretty good jungle gym as long as Great Grandpa didn't let go!

And we did some cooking in the kitchen this weekend, Noah loves to help us in the kitchen.  Check out my Sweet Elder blog for more pics of Noah helping in the kitchen, that is if you want to.

He does a lot of this when we are cooking.  Noah helped make a meatloaf, shuck corn, snap green beans, bake bread and make a cheesecake this weekend!  Let me just say that we ate well this weekend!

Farmers Market and CSAs

Well I have been inspired by friends (Kerry at Taste A Little of  the Summer) and family to get more into gardening, outdoors, good food, vegetables.  I have been playing around with the idea of joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) basically you buy into a 'share' or a local farmers produce and each week we would receive a box of fresh, local, in season produce from the farmer.  Being a lover of outdoors, farming and growing up from a family of farmers and gardeners but not having the space (until recently) for a garden or the time I figured a CSA is the best option.  (I hope to start a square foot garden next year, when we are more settled)

We found a local CSA here in Sioux City, which is The Cornucopia out of Sioux Center, they have a stand at the Farmers Market and we went down on Wednesday morning to talk with the farmer, get a little more information and an idea about what to expect.  We had a great talk and sense we are in the middle of the season we decided it wouldn't be worth the money to join now (we were okay with that, we will join next season) BUT the farmer has what they call a Carrot Card basically we paid and have a line of credit with them and she also told us about the livestock that they raise (poultry and pork) and they have a butcher date coming up for their Berkshire Pork....are are going to buy half a hog worth of meat!

I am excited about supporting local farmers, getting fresh, local produce and meat and the challenge of  (because it will be) eating more with the season that veggies are at their prime.  If anyone has some great recipes please share and any that I come up with I will share on my Sweet Elder blog and check out Taste a Little of the Summer .