****FYI I have posted 2 blogs in one day...I am trying to catch up. Make sure you see both of them.
This weekend Kevin and I traveled to Iowa City, Iowa. Kevin had two days of continuing education classes while I just tagged along. Our parents were super sweet to keep Zachary while we were gone. Z spent two days with MaMaw & Papaw and then two days with Poppy & Grammy. Plus a morning field trip with Aunt Rachel & Elliott to feed the ducks at the park. Kevin and I have not been back to Iowa since we moved four years ago. Immediately upon our arrival to Iowa City Kevin and I started reminiscing about our first year as a married couple. I know this is probably going to be a boring blog for my readers but I really wanted these photos and memories in my blog book.
Since we lived in Iowa City, there was a MAJOR flood this summer that took out a lot of our favorite spots, restaurants, and stores that we frequented. It was sad seeing the damage. On Thursday night Kevin and I enjoyed a quiet dinner at Red Lobster....I know we have that here but we wanted something close to the movie theater because we were going to see a movie. Something we never do anymore. What frustrated me the most was that the night we could go see a movie there was nothing on that we wanted to see. Oh wait we wanted to see "FIREPROOF" a Christian movie but it only was showing at 6pm. We did not arrive in Iowa until 6:30. Bummer! We ended up seeing a terrible movie...Nick & Norah. Don't waste your time. On Friday I was really excited to get out an walk the "ped"estrian mall to see all the boutiques and local venues however in true Iowa fashion it was freezing cold with snow flurries and rain. I quickly realized why I disliked living in Iowa...the COLD weather! So I went to the gym in the hotel to workout, drove around our old sites, and scrapbooked in our hotel room. Friday night Kevin and I joined our old friends from Kev's resident class, Neil, Terry, and Terry's boyfriend Ben. We ate at one of our favorite spots the Atlas. We had the best time with our friends. It was like no time had come between us.
On Saturday, Kevin was back to class while I drove around and snapped shots of our "favorite Iowa spots". When Kevin and I lived in Iowa we did the same things all the time. You have to remember the closest family we had was 8 hours away so it was just Kevin & I plus the other resident families. When we visited our old 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment it was like de ja vou.
This was our apartment building. Like Kevin told the landlord when he wanted to charge us a cleaning fee when we moved...You can't polish a turd.
This is where I spent $20 a week on laundry. Oh how I miss carrying all my laundry down the hall several times each week...NOT!
Our first home. If you could only smell what it smells like. There are several foreign exchange students that live in this building that made fish for breakfast. The smell was still there when we stopped in this visit.
University of Iowa Dental School...this circle drive is where I spent a lot of my time waiting for Kevin.
Kennick Stadium...Go Hawkeyes!
Hy-Vee this was our grocery store and bank.
We were too poor for Kevin to purchase a guitar so for a study break he would walk down to West Music and play their guitars. I must add that at the beginning of his second year he took some student loan money to buy one. This is where our first son "Les Paul" was adopted from.
My first place of professional employment
This is the Subway that I picked up carryout EVERY Saturday at noon. I would get our usually sandwiches and meet Kevin in the basement lab for lunch. What a date huh? It is no longer open because of the Iowa City Flood.
This was our favorite Chinese Restaraunt. We ate there every Sunday after church. Again it is a gutted, vacant building because of the flood.
You ask what is this? This is the vacant parking lot to Kevin's favorite place in Iowa City. It was a little shack that was called the Dairy Bar. I think it got bulled over because Kevin was their only customer. His favorite was a Sugar Cookie Wizard Whip with extra Sugar cookie dough. I thought Kevin was going to cry when we pulled up to the corner and it was not there. BOO HOO!
Click on this picture and read the sign.. The Flood took out Hardees, Taco Bell, and Movie Gallery too.
Kevin made me put this ugly thing on. Being silly shopping for Hawkeye Gear!
Elliott was funny. Renee would put stuff in Elliotts pumpkin and he would take it out an give it back to her. He thought he had to share or trade it to get more.
Trick Or Treating in the t-shirt factory
Eating their goodies in the window at Prairie Mountain
Ruey in the beauty shop with the trick or treaters
Ruey & Freddy with the GREAT grandkids
Welcome to our blog. We'll try to keep you updated on exciting news and events in our family - and of course - share lots of pictures of Zachary. Thanks for visiting! Appreciate the Past. Make the most of the present. Live for the future.
