Typically we don't take our spring break week like many schools, we just take off when the weather is really nice in the spring. Since Jake was going to be gone all week on his Pine Ridge trip, and Jayden was home from college for the week, we took a Spring break. Our week went fast and was full. Monday, Jayden, Mawgee, and I went shopping in Des Moines. Our first stop was Stacey's bridal to look for a mother of the bride dress. The first one I saw on the rack was the one I liked and the one I bought. It was a size 4 and fit like a glove. I loved everything about it, the color, the material, the length even has a little train.
We had lunch and went to the mall. I didn't make another purchase all day. I find it hard to shop in the mall, Jayden feels the same. I made it back in time to drop Jayden off at home and head back to Boone for my last bible study of the semester. We went through the book of Acts and discussed Paul's journeys. Tuesday Luke worked at the Jones's cleaning out and bedding barns from 9 until 5. In the evening Jayden and I went to the shooting range. We shot a 9mm. It had more of a kick and recoil to it making it harder to shoot. You get to anticipating it and close your eyes or flinch. After a few rounds, we were getting more comfortable with it.
Wednesday Mark and I joined Ali and Blake in Fort Dodge for dance lessons. They had been taking dance lessons to get ready for their wedding and instructor was also doing lessons followed by public dancing at the Country Club. We thought it might be fun to go and try it out. We had a blast! The instructor was awesome and very talented. I felt like we were taking a lesson with a dancing with the stars instructor. He has been dancing and competing for years. We learned the hustle and the jitterbug. The instructor had to dance with Mark many times. We all died laughing when the instructor had to move Marks hand from the small of his back up to his shoulder. After an hour of lessons, we ordered food from the restaurant and the instructor and his wife joined us. The restaurant was owned by a Korean family and the owner came and brought us all a round of drinks. A Chinese man from our class came and sat by Mark and they talked trade. He worked at FDAH and Mark got such a kick out of him. I used to work with many Chinese when I worked for the Animal Health lab and have been around many different diversities in college. Mark on the other hand has not. This was his first time visiting with a Chinese person. I visited a lot with the instructors wife, she said they moved from Chicago and just love Fort Dodge. It must be your perspective, because I have always thought of Fort Dodge as low class, scary, dirty, and the last place I would want to live. They like something about it. Later the instructor danced with his wife and they are so graceful and smooth with all their moves. We enjoyed showing them some pointers about two-stepping. His way I am sure is the ballroom formal correct two step, our way is more country. He watched and observed us many times trying to change his style to fit in with the local style. We were really glad we joined Ali and Blake for dancing and hope to find the time to go again. It will be fun to see them dance at their wedding with all their practice. Us, on the other hand will need a lot more practices to be able to dance our new moves!
Thursday the ladies in my connection group planned an outing. I helped come up with the idea and everyone was in. We carpooled and brought lots of snacks to Ames where we did a wine and canvas painting. It was a fun outing we all enjoyed.
On Friday we invited Alivia to go ice skating with Luke and spend the afternoon with us. They had fun skating. Alivia was pretty slow and hesitant at first, but after a few laps she got the hang of it and they were skating all over together, being silly and lots of laughing. We went for lunch then she stayed at our place. In the evening Mark lined up a roping practice in our arena. Tucker and CJ brought the steers. It was full action in the arena. Luke told me, he and Alivia walked into the door to a steer charging toward them and Tucker and CJ blasting toward them too. Mark said ALivia was wide eyed and in shock. They hollered at them to shut the door and the ran out in a hurry. Once inside it was all action and Alivia wanted to stay and watch so badly. Wade wanted me to bring her to AMes by 7. Once I met Wade, I had to stick around in Ames until 11PM to get Jake at the church after his spring break trip.
Saturday we met our friends Dan and Angelia in Montour for steak. There is an amazing steak place called Rube's in that town which is a half way meeting place between our homes. Rube's has been there since 1973, guest get to grill their won steaks over the open grill. It is a very large restaurant in a very tiny town. It has several rooms, it's dark yet comfortable and nice. The food is amazing. You get to hand pick your cut of steak along with many sides to grill. It was so fun to meet our friends. It was extra special as Angelia is 3 weeks out of her mastectomy surgery. She was so relieved to be healing, and done with surgery. She had a really hard time recovering and with pain meds. She doesn't have to have any chemo or radiation and is so glad to be done with surgeries.
While we were eating our steaks, Jayden was just down the road in Cedar Rapids at Kirkwood for a barrel race. She hauled alone with her two horses. I hate to see her hauling so far and with two horses, but she is very independent and I know she has to be able to do this eventually. She took Joker and Astro. She didnt have a perfect run with Astro, but managed to fall in the bottom of the 1D time, which is pretty good!
We had lunch and went to the mall. I didn't make another purchase all day. I find it hard to shop in the mall, Jayden feels the same. I made it back in time to drop Jayden off at home and head back to Boone for my last bible study of the semester. We went through the book of Acts and discussed Paul's journeys. Tuesday Luke worked at the Jones's cleaning out and bedding barns from 9 until 5. In the evening Jayden and I went to the shooting range. We shot a 9mm. It had more of a kick and recoil to it making it harder to shoot. You get to anticipating it and close your eyes or flinch. After a few rounds, we were getting more comfortable with it.
Wednesday Mark and I joined Ali and Blake in Fort Dodge for dance lessons. They had been taking dance lessons to get ready for their wedding and instructor was also doing lessons followed by public dancing at the Country Club. We thought it might be fun to go and try it out. We had a blast! The instructor was awesome and very talented. I felt like we were taking a lesson with a dancing with the stars instructor. He has been dancing and competing for years. We learned the hustle and the jitterbug. The instructor had to dance with Mark many times. We all died laughing when the instructor had to move Marks hand from the small of his back up to his shoulder. After an hour of lessons, we ordered food from the restaurant and the instructor and his wife joined us. The restaurant was owned by a Korean family and the owner came and brought us all a round of drinks. A Chinese man from our class came and sat by Mark and they talked trade. He worked at FDAH and Mark got such a kick out of him. I used to work with many Chinese when I worked for the Animal Health lab and have been around many different diversities in college. Mark on the other hand has not. This was his first time visiting with a Chinese person. I visited a lot with the instructors wife, she said they moved from Chicago and just love Fort Dodge. It must be your perspective, because I have always thought of Fort Dodge as low class, scary, dirty, and the last place I would want to live. They like something about it. Later the instructor danced with his wife and they are so graceful and smooth with all their moves. We enjoyed showing them some pointers about two-stepping. His way I am sure is the ballroom formal correct two step, our way is more country. He watched and observed us many times trying to change his style to fit in with the local style. We were really glad we joined Ali and Blake for dancing and hope to find the time to go again. It will be fun to see them dance at their wedding with all their practice. Us, on the other hand will need a lot more practices to be able to dance our new moves!
Thursday the ladies in my connection group planned an outing. I helped come up with the idea and everyone was in. We carpooled and brought lots of snacks to Ames where we did a wine and canvas painting. It was a fun outing we all enjoyed.
On Friday we invited Alivia to go ice skating with Luke and spend the afternoon with us. They had fun skating. Alivia was pretty slow and hesitant at first, but after a few laps she got the hang of it and they were skating all over together, being silly and lots of laughing. We went for lunch then she stayed at our place. In the evening Mark lined up a roping practice in our arena. Tucker and CJ brought the steers. It was full action in the arena. Luke told me, he and Alivia walked into the door to a steer charging toward them and Tucker and CJ blasting toward them too. Mark said ALivia was wide eyed and in shock. They hollered at them to shut the door and the ran out in a hurry. Once inside it was all action and Alivia wanted to stay and watch so badly. Wade wanted me to bring her to AMes by 7. Once I met Wade, I had to stick around in Ames until 11PM to get Jake at the church after his spring break trip.
Saturday we met our friends Dan and Angelia in Montour for steak. There is an amazing steak place called Rube's in that town which is a half way meeting place between our homes. Rube's has been there since 1973, guest get to grill their won steaks over the open grill. It is a very large restaurant in a very tiny town. It has several rooms, it's dark yet comfortable and nice. The food is amazing. You get to hand pick your cut of steak along with many sides to grill. It was so fun to meet our friends. It was extra special as Angelia is 3 weeks out of her mastectomy surgery. She was so relieved to be healing, and done with surgery. She had a really hard time recovering and with pain meds. She doesn't have to have any chemo or radiation and is so glad to be done with surgeries.
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