This is Dad doing some more guest blogging.
A few years ago, our friends Lee and Julie decided that they’d had enough of spicy ethnic food, progressive politics, a thriving arts community, and all the high points of metropolitan living. They decided to put their thoughts into action so they packed all their worldly possessions into not one, but two Ryder moving vans. I was privileged to drive one of them back to the bustling burg of Spencer, Iowa. The trip itself was a great opportunity to see what the northern tier states looked like (during Summer, anyways). I spent the majority of my road time with their younger son Wren throwing grapes back and forth. Lee and Julie and their two sons are great people who we really enjoy, so we decided to spend Halloween with them this year.
A few years ago, our friends Lee and Julie decided that they’d had enough of spicy ethnic food, progressive politics, a thriving arts community, and all the high points of metropolitan living. They decided to put their thoughts into action so they packed all their worldly possessions into not one, but two Ryder moving vans. I was privileged to drive one of them back to the bustling burg of Spencer, Iowa. The trip itself was a great opportunity to see what the northern tier states looked like (during Summer, anyways). I spent the majority of my road time with their younger son Wren throwing grapes back and forth. Lee and Julie and their two sons are great people who we really enjoy, so we decided to spend Halloween with them this year.
The trip out was good except for the part where Heather and I stayed up past 1 A.M. to get packed and clean up the house, then woke up at 3:30 to catch the 5:40 flight out of Bellingham. Both kids napped during at least half of the outbound leg from Seattle to Minneapolis, making for a more peaceful journey for our fellow air travelers.
On the first night there Cole (Darth Vader) and Wren (Luke Skywalker) got into a winner-take-all lightsaber duel.
It was witnessed by the ghosts in our hosts’ beautiful restored 1916 home…
Cole got to do his second favorite thing after playing Star Wars, which is hanging out with older boys…
The big house...
The Little Sioux River just behind their house. Picture taken by Cedar.
Professor Cole
Audrey got to learn about static electricity thanks to the warm dry weather…
Along with Fall weather comes large piles of leaves…
Although not always with a kid’s head inside.
Wren demonstrated his juggling skills for us;
Audrey got to critique Lee’s pumpkin-carving skills…
Wren and his Mom went at it as a team, but Mom doesn’t look too comfortable with the knife work here…
Cedar flew solo…
Heather and Cole worked on a great Darth Maul jack-o-lantern…
Cole never missed an opportunity to go shirtless and shoeless...
Cole contemplated a midwestern state of mind....
Cole also performed the "Pumpkin Dance" for us and gave us a shot of his pects...
Brothers, not that you couldn't tell by looking....
The trick-or-treaters;
Darth Vader, an Ewok, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo...
Some handiwork by the two families....
As much as we enjoyed our visit, it was soon time to leave. Cole and Audrey looked out the window and hoped the plane would take us all the way to the Big Island to see Grandpa and Tutu.
Maybe next time. Until then, here's a big howdy to Richard and Sara...
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