…you must drive an hour west of the city and head to Kuiper’s Pumpkin Farm. It was a fabulous afternoon of pumpkins, gourds, fields, and AMAZING doughnuts. We even had a walk through the apple orchard complete with a search for a lost and then found earring. Of course, if you go, you must have great friends with you like Katie and Dan Mattix and Stephanie and Jeyson Braun. This is my new favorite way to celebrate Halloween.
Jacob & Allison
Dan & Katie
Jeyson & Stephanie
…is that this letter was waiting for us when we got home late Friday night from Jacob’s week-long business trip (pictures were included in original letter):
Dear Mom & Dad,
We have missed you all week. We need a lap to sit upon. When we jump on the counter, it’s not nearly as much fun because no one is around to tell us to get down.
We think it’s funny when you guys get your feathers ruffled just because we are super-cats who can jump tall buildings.
Although we’ve been fed our regular food, we’ve still been hungry for paper products and you may notice that some of your mail has been tasted for flavor and quality of ink.
The main thing that kept us busy all week was the big cat party that we hosted. It was going to be a small event but we invited 20 cat friends and they invited their friends too, so it was just wild. But you can see how we cleaned up very well. Your neighbors called the police around 11:00 when the singing got too loud. (Ron should never have rented the karaoke machine.) After that we tried to be quiet and polished off the caviar and shrimp pizza. We napped quite a bit after the party and got caught up on our favorite soap operas.
It was nice of you to send in the maid & butler each day. We did our best to create a small mess each day so that they would feel needed.
Maybe we could go with you on your next trip. We would sing lots of songs for you to help the time go by faster.
We’re so glad you’re home. It’s time to get into some noticed trouble now.
Xxoo,
We had a great vacation earlier this month. We didn’t really have a true honeymoon when we got married, due to job interviews, so we both really enjoyed this getaway. Our destination: Lawton, IA. It’s a town of about 700, near Sioux City. I found a bed and breakfast there that had great rates per night and all meals were included. Click here to visit the Grace Corner website. I’m happy to say that the food was all good and we only went out to dinner once. Since we also don’t have little kiddos to entertain yet we were extremely lazy and often didn’t leave the house until after lunch for an afternoon outing.
The first afternoon we lunched, napped, and then I decided to pretend to be a photographer in the garden. (Click here to view a complete facebook album of our trip). I got some pretty pictures but oh my did those mosquitoes enjoy me. The next stop on the trip was the pharmacy aisle at Target. One of the highlights of our time was a tour of the Blue Bunny museum in Le Mars, IA. We learned about the history of ice cream then enjoyed lots of it in the ice cream parlor next door. After we got back Jacob slept while I got a massage from the gal who ran the bed and breakfast. The day was going so well until our car didn’t start that night. Unfortunately it had to get towed into town the next morning and a new fuel pump was installed (ouch!). It happened at a good time though when we were at the bed and breakfast and not out gallivanting.
Dinner at Rebos in Sioux City
There aren’t any other major stories to share because the whole trip was so low key. It was a nice change of pace.
This week we are visiting Anthony and Stacy Gerber in St. Louis. Jacob will be working and I’m in between jobs so it will sort of feel like a vacation. I’m excited to hang out in St. Louis with Stacy. Anthony has finals this week so we’ve been instructed to let him study. I’ve never seen Anthony study so it should be fascinating. 
Well, ttfn!
Allison G.
I was sedated yesterday. I was extremely nervous about the concept of intentionally losing consciousness and was wondering if I would ever really wake up. The doctor had some initial trouble finding a good vein, so I’ve got some icky bruises on my arm. (It’s never a good thing when you hear the doctor say, “Hmmm, that went in half-way and stopped. It was a faker. I need a bandaid (bandaid doesn’t come). Help, grab a bandaid!” I always make sure not to watch when needles go in and out of me.) But once that juice started pumping through my system I think it took me 2.5 seconds before I was out. For some reason I thought there was going to be a twilight phase of things swirling around me and doctors whirring past my face. I woke up about 45 minutes later in a different room without my wisdom teeth, a blanket on me, and Jacob watching me from a chair in the room. I have no idea how I got there (my theory was a portable, wheeling operation chair but the lady at SuperSaver tonight said the staff at that particular office told her she was walked to the second waiting room. We had to go by SuperSaver last night for frozen yogurt, sherbet, lite ice cream, slow churned ice cream, choc. pudding, and tomato soup). I have to say, it was such a good nap–no dreams, no waking up, complete blankness. I got home and took another hard, 3 hour nap before starting my marathon afternoon of Project Runway Season 6 episodes.
Yesterday actually felt pretty good but the doctor warns that today will be tougher because the anesthesia will fully wear off. Not to mention my hubby will be on the road all day for work, which means he leaves early and comes back late. I’ve got some trusty pain pills to get me through and as well as for work on Friday.
Friday is my last day as receptionist in my office before I become their student worker when the semester starts. Hopefully the 8-3 pm day won’t be too strenuous. The next week when I’m in between jobs I’ll be accompanying Jacob on a business trip to St. Louis. We’re staying with Anthony and Stacy Gerber, Jacob’s brother and sister-in-law, so that should be fun even though everyone is potentially working except for me. I’ll try to cook for them and bring along projects.
We did in fact go on a vacation last week but I’ll save those stories for another time when I can get the pictures together and my brain is fully functional.
’til then,
Allison G.
