Month: June 2020

coffee convos – June 2020

okaytobeshay

hey all; welcome back!

if you’re new here, i use these “coffee convos” to share some of my ramblings, thoughts, and life updates. so cozy up, grab a glass of whatever you’re drinking, and hope you enjoy what i’m sharing.

if we were having coffee, i’d tell you like previous summers, we broke out the ‘ole backyard waterpark again, as we call it…multiple kiddie pools, sprinklers, and water hoses.

we had the kid’s cousins over for a full day of fun in the sun. they played for hours on end in the pool, jumped on the trampoline with the water hose, and took a few breaks for cool treats. there is definitely no shortage of popsicles ever in our house.

the kids took turns spraying each other with water while on the trampoline; however, our maci girl had other plans. i love how much she loves water; we even broke out her own kiddie plastic pool to avoid her popping the kid’s inflatable ones.

i love how much the kids enjoy having their cousins over and look forward to many more summers for them to create more memories together.

in case you’re interested in where to get the kid’s favorite pool with the slide, you can purchase on amazon here. it’s super durable and well worth the money.

if we were having coffee, i’d want to tell you all about our recent trip down south to visit family.

we took a few days off and started off our trip to spend a few days with grandma in missouri. we spent two nights with her, and the memories we created there were well worth the long drive.

we took her out for a few meals and just loved hearing all of the stories about family and her growing up. we even got to spend some time with my aunt and uncle, enjoyed a delicious dinner and some margaritas with them, and got to go out and see their property.

i love spending time in west plains; it reminds me of many summers growing up and visiting there.

after a few days in west plains, we made our way to springfield to visit with some more of the family. i wanted john to experience some of my favorite spots that i visited growing up while we were there so we made sure to hit up the bass pro shop, hurts donut, as well as a pit stop at lamberts.

it was really nice to get away and spend some time just relaxing. one good thing about covid-19 is that a lot less people are traveling, so we took advantage of having the empty pool to ourselves.

we definitely didn’t look forward to leaving or the long drive home, but were so excited to get home to our babies and the pups. we’re already looking forward to the next trip down there.

a photo journal – our june thus far

okaytobeshay

June is here and it is FLYING by. The good weather has arrived along with more orders to stay working from home. It’s a whole new normal around here, but truthfully I’m loving be able to stay home and spend the extra time with our family.

We’ve tried spending as much time as possible outside, soaking up the sun and avoiding going stir-crazy. I’m so glad that if COVID had to happen, it’s not when it’s freezing outside and we’re forced to remain indoors.

John and I visited my parents at the campground and spent a few hours floating down the river on kayaks with dad. It was John’s first time out on a kayak and he managed not to fall out…winning. We’re already excited to go back out; we can already picture how much Mason would love to go too.

The time we’ve spent inside, we’ve made the best of it. Lots of crafts, family movies, and giggles. All the extra time together is certainly not something I’m complaining about.

Mason got his very own John Deere gator powerwheel and it was the perfect surprise. He LOVES it and is so proud to show off his “tractor”. The girls take turns with it too and they all enjoy having Mazi girl ride around in the back.

All three of our girls learned how to ride a bike without training wheels (thanks babe!) and are super proud. We got them new bikes and our driveway has been a bike track lately. People driving by probably thinking we’re running a day care over here.

John’s birthday is this month so we spent time with family celebrating over the weekend. It was nice to have everyone here together. We ordered pizzas, had some tacos, and lots of yummy dessert. The weather outside was really great too so we spent a lot of time visiting while the kids all got to play.

I just wanted to share a bit of what we’ve been up to this month; hope all of you had enjoyed June as much as we have! ‘Til next time!

a photo journal – iowa camping trip.

okaytobeshay

for months, we planned a camping trip to iowa with my family and some of our family friends. we were a little hesitant if it was going to even happen due the covid pandemic, but were thrilled once we got word from the campground that they would be opening back up, and just in time!

we spent the morning packing up and heading to iowa. it was a perfect drive a way; not too far, but close enough where you didn’t feel like you spent the whole day in the car.

we planned our visit at a KOA campground in waterloo, iowa. the town is a pretty decent size and they have a lot to do there like a casino and waterpark; however a majority of everything was still closed. the campground had a lot of great amenities too… a dog park, playground, and even a lake that you could fish on or rent some of their canoes.

my parents and our family friends all had campers, so we opted for renting a cabin at the campground we were staying at. i’ve never stayed at the KOA in waterloo, but was decently surprised with how adorable the rental cabins were. they had quite a few to choose from, but we opted for the 4-person cabin since there was only just the two of us.

my favorite thing about weekend getaways camping is how relaxing and non-stressful it is. just being able to sit outside, hang out with our friends and family, and enjoy the fresh air. and after being cooped up inside for the past few months, it was even more enjoyable.

all three nights that we were there we did some fishing around the lake. the fish were biting, and even though they were all on the small size and just catch and release, it was fun. the guys caught a fair amount, me on the other hand? one. and it doesn’t even really count because i told the guys that i wasn’t leaving without catching a fish and my father being the patient man he is when he is ready to go, he is ready to go. so he hooked one and let me real it in. so, there’s that. but thanks pops!

if you’re from the midwest, you know what “bags” is and you play it. often. and it’s an essential when camping. you gotta. so being the illinoains that we are, the bag sets were out and lots of lots of rounds were played.

the families that we went camping with were ones that we grew up with. people that we’ve known for many, many years and after growing up and having kids of my own, i don’t get to see them as often as i would love to. it was so nice to see them all again and reminisce about all the camping trips we took as kids and laugh at how old we all are now.

as always, our mini vacation went by way too fast. the weather wasn’t too bad while were there, the company was great, and just being able to get out of the house was something we all needed. i’m forever thankful that we get times like this and have the opportunity to do so. we’re already looking forward to the next one!