Julia's 'Cation 2013

We began May with a wrap up of swim lessons.. and Jules has been begging to go back ever since!

 She was not afraid of the water at all.. well, so long as she was above it :)

 

She would bravely climbed in before swim class and play to her hearts content until they began!

Our following vacation later that week though?

The pool was a whole different story.

 

Vacation Begins: 

 

Here we are after a semi short/long drive (maybe 4 hours?) to begin our 'cation, as Jules calls it.

We went with Jules' Grandma Diane to see the Tulip Festival in Pella, Iowa.

 

Jules was a road trip champ!

 

We checked into our hotel that night and had to immediately go jump in the pool, which began the theme of our whole vacation; wake up = pool, return to hotel = pool.

 

The only catch?

The pools depth didn't begin at 2' like the one at the Y and that threw Jules for a loop.

She refused to use her floaty and pretty much stayed on the steps the first night with a few forays into the water for a lap or two with either Grandma or myself to help with comfort and trust levels. By the end of the trip though, Grandma had her jumping off the sides into her arms with confidence... most of the time!

 

 

Day 2:  Tulip Festival

 

You would think that while attending a tulip festival, I would have lots and lots of photos of such festival. Not so. I had such grand visions of what such a festival would look like after visiting their website.. only to be bummed when we arrived. There were tulips but nothing like what they had in years past if the photos were anything to go by. I'm guessing due to the weather we had this Spring (with the extended winter) that the tulips hadn't all bloomed and the ones that did, although pretty, were smaller than the ones I had blooming at home. Bum-mer. So, more cute kid picts instead!

They had a monster of a wooden playground there.

Jules was in heaven even though it sprinkled on us many times.

She just plopped Daddy's work hat on and away she went!

I think she would have been content to stay there all day, she was having so much fun!

 

She had a blast climbing in and out of this 'boat'.

She had to walk the 'plank' made of old tires to get in and out of it.

Once she was in though, Pirate Jules came out to play and play she did!

Argh!

 

Love this shot of her in Daddy's hat!

Come and get me!

 

Splish...

 

Splash...

 

There may of been some dancing in rain puddles....

 

Later in the day, we stopped our meanderings and watched the parade.

 

Everyone dressed in period costume, pushing period strollers...

Lots of floats to celebrate the history.

This one, filled with former Queens, spun in a slow circle as they drove by.

I think I would of gotten sick.

Driving and spinning?

Ugh.

 

 While this colorful rainbow of hope,

is filled with future Queens!

 

 Ice Cream anyone?

 

Chocolate?

Yes please! Not for real? Oh you tease...

 

Thomas the Tank made an appearance!

'Thomas, Thomas, over here Thomas!'

So pretty!

 

Brooms!

Future Burgemeester's!

Look closely, there's even kiddos inside!

It's amazing to me the work that goes into the floats.

 So much time and thought put into them,

only to be shown off for such a short amount of time.

 

The best part of the parade?

I got this shot of me and my jitterbug.

 

...and this one :)

 

 

Day 3: The Amana Colonies

 



Upon our arrival at the Amana Colonies, we had sheep.

Grandma even got in on the sheep loving action!

We learned that these sheep are fancy sheep. See their 'coats'?

At birth, they are wrapped in these coats to protect their fur.

The lady even pulled back one edge and the underside is pure white.

She explained this keeps the wool from being ruined by water, dirt, straw etc. and allows them to give their wool a higher rating which = $$$.

At least.. that's my simplification of her explanation. :)

 

Isn't she cute?

The kid I mean...

My kid that is..

Not the sheep's kid.. well, it's cute too but.. I'm stopping.

Are sheep's kids even called kids or is that just goats?

 

We ventured into the textile building and were able to see different styles of weaving in progress.

See Jules hands?

The lady working the loom was showing her how to do it and even allowed her to help roll the racks back and forth to make a few 'stitches'.

Jules talked and talked and talked to this nice lady.

Bless her for her patience!

While waiting for our lunches, Jules and I headed outside for some face painting...

She picked a butterfly.

Love the attitude!

Finally! Grams got the full on face shot!

Jitterbug and Grandma.

There's something about pictures of kiddos holding hands of loved ones that just get me.

Neither is aware you're snapping away so you're getting them in the moment.

Just a simple picture.

 

Last but not least... we took a carriage ride.

Our horses names were... Romeo and Juliet.

Jules waved to everyone on the street like a little Princess.

They even waved back!

 

The days activities make for one tuckered little girl.

Days 4/5:

We decided to stop in Des Moines and stay over at the Wild Wood Lodge.

The smell of our last hotel was leaving a sour taste on us and we had such a fantastic time at the Lodge during the family reunion a few years ago it seemed the perfect thing to do!

Jules was in heaven sleeping in the bunkbeds. She got the top and Grandma got the bottom!

Don't be alarmed, I did not force my Mother in Law to sleep on the bunkbed.. we actually had a tug of war over it!

She won.

:)

 

Jules got to push the button to go swimming..

Yes I have swimming shots... but.. I am not about to put myself out to the world in a swimsuit.

It's just not as cute as Jules standing on tippy toes trying to reach the buttons!

:)

 

This is just a random shot of one of our moves from hotel to hotel where we had the sweetest

piece of luggage hitching a ride.

On our way home the next day, we stopped to get a bite to eat.

Funny story that.

It started great, the hostess gave Jules a coin for the Merry Go Round.

We sat and had some sodas/milk.

Then.. our food arrived..

Along with the swarm of gnats.

Yep.

We'd been sitting there for 20 minutes and no gnats.

Food comes? ATTACK!

These were mutant gnats, huge monsters that had surpassed the normal life expectancy of a gnat and splatted when you smooshed them.

G.R.O.S.S.

We mentioned it to our server.

Her response?

Yeah, we've got an infestation.

Then she quickly walked away.

No offers to move us, as no one else in the restaurant seemed to be doing the flailing, wild arm swinging routine as they attempted to eat their lunches..

Not the best customer service of the trip but we had a good laugh about the ridiculousness of it!

So.. We went and rode the Merry Go Round!

Much better experience there!

She loves the Merry Go Round.

 



We only rode it 3 times...

Love, love, love this photo of her!

 

Hi Mommy!

 

 

We had a fantastic trip! Thank you so much Grandma D! Here we are two months later and Jules still asks at least once a week if we are going on 'cation again!

 

Take care, Love,

Ang