Life in Missoura

Well, we don't do much. It seems like there were a million things for me and my kids to do in Iowa City. MO doesn't have as much as I'm used to, but we try.  I've been really trying to become the family that goes out and has adventures. When the boys were little it just didn't seem worth it to go out, and Joe and I have kinda gotten stuck in that mentality. Whenever opportunities came about, we would ultimately come to the decision that it would be too hard to get the whole family out to dinner/movies/ward functions/swimming/zoo/anything that involved being away from home.  We just accepted the fact that whatever fun we had would have to take place inside our home.  I felt pretty justified that with twin boys I had every excuse. however, as the years have passed and my friends have been having kids, and more kids, and more kids, I realized that it didn't stop them from getting out and experiencing life. they would go to nauvoo or to a museum or whatever it was, and they'd just do it despite the hot, sticky, tantrum filled, hungry, tired misery. Despite it all they weren't miserable. It was fun. So I'm out of excuses. I'm trying to do it too. Here are some pictures of us getting out more...well...trying to get out more.

Smithville Lake

 It was so hot, but the water was really dirty so I didn't want to get in. Eventually I couldn't take the heat any longer and sat in the shallow end with Joelle.

 This is a really cool playground near our house. The boys love it.

 And here is Joelle thoroughly enjoying some frozen blueberries.

In other news, the boys started Pre-school on Monday.  They absolutely love it! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! It's Mon-Thurs from noon to 3. I have a carpool with a girl in my ward so I pick up her daughter at noon and take her with us, and then she'll bring my boys home with her. It's so nice to have those 3 hours when I can finally grocery shop during the day again, or catch up on laundry.

The boys get pretty tuckered out which means that when I put them to bed THEY ACTUALLY GO TO SLEEP! This is the first time in years that I've had my boys asleep by 8:30.  This is a picture of the boys being totally worn out after their first day of school. In the picture they're pretending to be asleep, but they really did just melt onto Joe when they got home.
Well, that's it for now. In my goal to get out more, I've neglected my camera for months (with the exception of the day we found the fire hydrant-what a miracle). We're getting more and more settled in here, although i still wish i lived back in Iowa City. 
We are flying to Utah on Wed for a quick whitehead family reunion in St. George.  I wish we'd be able to spend some time in SLC and visit, but we'll really only be there on the days we fly in and out. I'll post pictures when we get back next Monday!