Family Reunion Weekend

Fathers day weekend has brought a tradition in our family even before little miss Rhea was in our lives. The Buchanan side of the family has had their family reunion on that weekend for many years. We have been to Moab UT, Branson MO, Waterloo IA and this year it is in Flag Staff AZ.

We will not be going to Flag Staff, but we will be going to AZ. We are making a slightly different trip to Mesa where Carl's grandpa Ron lives to spend a long weekend with him and many other family members that live in the area.

Rhea is very excited to go on the airplane. I think she put her shoes on five times tonight and wanted to know if it was time to see Izzy (which is Rhea talk for Susie) and Andrew? When I explained to her that we were not going until after she slept for the night she would start crying big crocodile tears and want to go now. I think she is a little excited!!!!!

This weekend is also very special because it is fathers day. I am fortunate enough to have a great Dad, great Father-in-Law and fantastic Hubby (who is the father of my sweet dear Rhea) in my life. Happy Father's Day to all three of these Dads in my life.

Even though Rhea is not old enough to type she wanted me to also put "Happy Father's Day Daddy. You are the best daddy anyone girl could ask for" to Carl. From the sounds of it I think she likes him!

Have a great weekend and I will post some new pics soon!

I have not updated for a long time...

We have had a busy month since we got back from AZ. Rhea had strep again toward the end of May. Almost one month after the first time :(

We got to visit with Carl's cousin Tara from California. It was a great visit and she and her little guy were fun!!! Some great news is that we get to go back to AZ very soon to visit family again! I am planning to make walking tacos one night while we are there for Carl's aunt who has not had them before! Yum Yum! Look forward to some new pictures very soon of our trip.

We also booked a week trip to the beach in Florida this fall. I can hardly wait!

I got the privileged of serving on jury duty this week. The selection process took half a day and then after being chosen as one of the lucky 13 (12 + an alternate) we were dismissed for the day. Carl told me "Congratulations"! "Thanks Honey!" I had to report at 9am the next morning only to find out shortly after 930 that the person decided to settle out of court. I have to admit I was disappointed since I had been picked I was going to make the most of the experience. I am glad I did not have to decide his fate or spend a lot of time in the Court House. I do not have a lot of experience with the law in my life's past, so it was interesting to see the process.

I think that is all for now. I will try to be better at updating.

Trip to Arizona

I made my very first trip ever to Arizona last week and I cannot wait to go back. It was my first plane ride in 20 years and Rhea's first plane ride ever. Rhea did better than me :) The weather was nice at 95 degrees and no humidity. We got to do some fun stuff and visit some family. I was a great visit! Here are some pictures of the fun.

Rhea and I at the Cedar Rapids airport

Here comes our plane

Dora on the plane

Parks with canopy's is such a great idea!

Playing at the park

Rhea and Daddy picking grapefruit (this was Rhea's favorite thing)

The two loves of my life!!!

Cool toy at the Mesa airport

Leaving on a jet plane...

We are taking a long weekend trip to Phoenix, Arizona to see some family and rest a bit. This will be the first time that Rhea has been on an airplane and she seems pretty excited about it. This morning she told us that she wants to drive the plane so I told her that we'll get her on a path to send her to the Air Force Academy when the time comes. I am hoping that she has a blast flying because I love it especially on a clear day like today.

We'll return to Iowa on Tuesday afternoon, hopefully with some cool pictures of the desert.

Easter Egg fun

The family boiled eggs and had some fun last Saturday. Here are some pics...

Rhea told us after each egg "I do it careful. K?"

Another one!

Very proud of her colorful eggs!

Hair Cut

We had a very big day on Saturday March 28th. Rhea got her very first hair cut at Mane Street Hair Co in Waverly. Thank you Stacy for doing it!

Rhea did better than both Carl and I thought she would do. She sat in the chair all by herself like a big girl and sat very still. She was very excited to tell everyone she had her hair cut!

Before

Its not easy getting beautiful

Rhea checking out the new hair cut

Rhea's Park

I had an ad in the Swap Sheet last fall to try to get Rhea a swing set for the back yard. She loves to slide and swing. She can do it for hours. Well I did not get a single call so I tried again this spring and I received two phone calls. This worked out great. There was a couple moving into a house in Cedar Falls and they did not want the swing set that was in the back yard. So after taking a look at it we knew we wanted it.

Rhea now wakes up everyday and from naps and has to look out her window at "Her Park". She calls it "My Park" so much that Carl and I even refer to it as Rhea's park. Probably one of the best purchases I have made yet!!!

The Swing Set

Rhea showing us that she can climb!