the Foremans: 2014

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Ragbrai

Ragbrai started out in Rock Valley. The setup started at the end of our block, with the next block totally closed off for a concert later that night. We could hear the concert going until at least 12am that night. I’m not positive, but I thought I heard the singer yell out something about “10,000!” So maybe that was how many people came through Rock Valley. That’s totally conjecture on my part, but if true, much more than our town population!

We got prepped with our own biking supplies. We got a lot of use out of this thing this summer. I’m ready for it to warm back up, so we can go out with it again. If Olivia is fighting sleep, this is one sure way to accomplish that. Every time she was in it, she succumbed.

We went out mid-afternoon about 2:00 before the crowd hit Rock Valley. Some preparation was still ongoing.

You know ragbrai has come to town when all the way around one whole block are outhouses.

Later we went about 6:00pm, I think, and the road had been besieged by people walking and biking from one end of town to the other. They had the campground and baseball park set up for tenters and campers, and the school area set up for vendors. This was on the opposite side of town from the concert. So, many people were trekking back and forth. Pictures and video don’t do justice to the claustrophobia from all the people.

http://youtu.be/buO3BxGhcFI

They even had helicopter rides going. Hmm what’s there to see above Rock Valley? Oh, I know! Foreman’s Automotive and Foreman’s Residence! Just what everyone wants to pay money to see!

This special occasion also warranted getting out Olivia’s July 4^th outfit again!

We also had visitors come and walk down-town with us. Anyone else need close parking?

Monday, October 6, 2014

Road Trip Headed Home

Last post to the week trip.

We left with an added toy to the collection. Olivia eyes him.

Who said noisy toys are terrible? This particular kept her enthralled for quite a while, and cue..the foot.

We played the music on the mirror on the return trip home. Her foot is going like crazy!

http://youtu.be/rqlzB3unbcE

Monday, September 29, 2014

Road Trip Sleeping

Who doesn't love to sleep?

She still does this in the car and at night putting herself to sleep, and I love it. Here we are headed out to Uncle Mike and Aunt Loria.

http://youtu.be/PW8iRBCp5SU

http://youtu.be/ipz0tOpKNSI

We all slept part of the 4th of July away because Olivia was up every hour at night with her ear infections.......(yawn)!

On the way home. Snug as a bug in a rug.

Obviously getting her to sleep was not the problem. Keeping her asleep at night when her ears hurt was the challenge, so I've appreciated this little strip since then.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Road Trip Aunties

One of the things you learn once you have children is that you can take hundreds of shots of the same pose and only a very small handful turn out OK, credentials being not blurry (this is the hardest one to accomplish!) and looking somewhere near the camera with hopefully a smile.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Road Trip Lynae

The second part to the road trip was onward to Illinois; trees, trees, and more trees. Where's the breeze?

We made one stop at the Peoria Zoo. We all liked it. They had exhibits where multiple animals shared the same pen. Wes would say lions and zebras, but it was animals that would coexist without killing the other for food....ha. Here they are below strolling along one of the zoo paths, and the foot again.

We stopped at the farm exhibit; I forget what it was actually called. I think the pop bottle was more entertaining for her than the actual zoo(no expressions beyond this from her), but we enjoyed it! Oh and the foot again!

Perfectly timed video and commentary shows how we, Dykstras, are distantly related to the said animal.

http://youtu.be/JiHq_9axKYo

Our last day in Illinois we sat at a park to relax, visit, and play with toys before being strapped in the car seat for 8 hours!

My video capturing was not at its peak this vacation. I just happened to capture one little laughing video of Olivia.

http://youtu.be/LXhOEUlI6WA

Monday, September 22, 2014

Road Trip Mike & Loria

First stop over the fourth, was at Mike and Loria's. We walked up the hill to see the fireworks, after Wes, Olivia, and I slept part of the day away. Those ear infections take a toll on Mom and Dad too!

Wes and Mike went golfing on Saturday but got rained out. The rest of the stay we just relaxed!

She liked Jack when we were out there. In August she saw a puppy Labrador and freaked out when I put her on the ground to check him out even though he was calm and 10 feet away.

Oh the foot....her adorable July 4th outfit from Auntie Sheena.

http://youtu.be/Lj7rs4vvC-Q

Thank you to Justin for getting this picture!

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Road Trip On Our Way

Over July 4th, 2014, we went on our second long road trip. The first was in December 2013 out to my sister and her family (Uncle Mike, Auntie Loria, and Cousin Justin). We went back out to my sister’s this trip and then even farther on to my sister in Illinois (Auntie Lynae).

We brought along some new toys. I think she only played with half of them on the way out because she is very enthralled with certain toys for long periods (like a gummy fruit snack wrapper – who knew? Thanks to Sheena for that idea we used this past weekend!). The toys lasted the whole trip back too!

And there will be a theme, besides the vacation theme, throughout the videos and pictures on the different vacation posts. See if you can guess what it might be!

Her foot, hilarious.