Iowa

Recently our Brother and Sister in law moved to Iowa to finish school. We were their best friends and they were devastated. We had not as of yet managed to make it out to see them in their new home since they left, so when the Anderson's announced their plans to visit them over Spring Break, Lance quickly chimed in "Oh yeah, well we are going to visit them next week". There. That ought to do it. Favorite in-law position solidified once again.

So with our energy drinks and 4 grocery bags full of treats in tow, we began the 15 hour journey across the country. We decided to make the trip in one shot by driving all night. It actually worked very well, even though the idea terrifies me. Alex was a trooper and slept fairly well in her car seat, and by 10 a.m. the next morning we were there. A little worse for wear and in a questionable mental state from lack of sleep, but there safely nonetheless.

There was basement ball

(no picture)

walks to the flooding river (awesome)

a trip to the "Meat House" (also awesome)

a belated birthday celebration for Maren (awesome)

this roofing company (which I thought deserved some free advertising)

And last but not least a trip to the zoo. This was by far the most amazing zoo I have been to. It's Iowa and cold for part of the year, so all of the exhibits had to be indoors, which allowed them to create multiple exotic habitats. There was a rainforest, a desert, butterfly enclosure, aquarium with a undersea tunnel, and they had penguins!

(This barrel was for shooting fish. Turns out it really is easy.)

There weren't many cages, letting the animals roam around their respective habitats sometimes close enough to touch. But they frowned on actually touching.

The lions were fat and sleepy and the tigers were angry and awake. These were in cages.

Our trip ended with a stop at McDonalds, and you all know how much I love McDonalds. Awesome!

(thanks Maren and Rob)