Iowa 09 Trip - Tuesday 6/30

Palisades

For those of you who check my Mom's blog, you will notice several of these pictures (from any day we were with her and Kevin) are the same. That is because they are from her camera. In general, any picture that is a close up, or includes me in it, is from Mom.

Thanks Mom, for all the pictures. Sorry I didn't capture more with you in them ;)

We started off the Palisades trip with an early picnic lunch. For dessert, Gma brought homemade cookies (with everything in them) and peppermint sticks.

Here the kids are enjoying their sticks in their own fashion.

Krystin chomps, Kaylin licks, and Ethan swirls :)

The kids had fund climbing a rock retaining wall by the "beach" area.

... or jumping off it, if you were Kaylin :)
Ethan took the more reserved approach
On to the beach to check for skipping rocks.
Grandpa is a phenomenal rock skipper. Maybe someday it will be an Olympic sport!

Kaylin, especially got into looking for rocks

Grandpa found one and was showing Ethan. As you can see, Kaylin found one, too. Actually, she found several. I couldn't believe how many she crammed into her jeans! We still have them in a baggie.

I just love this shot

I believe Dan captured this picture ;)

Beach walk with my 2 precious girls

Mom took this one

We were looking at the way the mud dried and formed cracks and flakes

The logs on the beach caught Ethan's attention.

To this day he remembers that one was stuck in the beach from the flood, and the other one we could walk on and pick at ;)

Drink break and washing our hands before hitting the trails

(see? Dan actually had the camera for a bit) ;)

I have always liked the stone stairs and bridges on the trails at Palisades.

It was fun going back there.

The stick-player

The contemplator

The Trail-Blazer

Kaylin: "March around that next bend to see what is up ahead"

Ethan: "I'm not so sure I want to keep going. But oh well."

Kaylin got her brother and sister to march to the beat of her drum :)

Photo Ops

I like these 2 pics Mom captured.

Dan and his 2 girls.

Me and my son.
(I wish I could lighten Dan's face up a bit)

Over-looking the Cedar River

I remember Papa taking us kids down the side of a rock face somewhere at palisades so we could get to a cave. That is one of my favorite childhood memories.

Here was a spot marked off for rock climbers, so I went over to check it out to see if I could recognize it or see a cave. I didn't/couldn't. But it still brought back a fond memory.
Again, the contemplator

Again, the trail-blazer

(Trail-blazer with Gma)

(and care-free swing of Ethan's arms. This means he is relaxed and having a good time)

And, Again - the Stick Player :)

After we hiked the trail, we went to see the

SPILLWAY

The flood of '08 ripped it apart and only sections of it are left

Going down the stairs to get to the spillway

Going down the steep steps to get to the spillway

At the bottom of the steps you passed under this archway

(being modeled by me :)

Watching the water run over a broken section of the spillway

A "cave" by the spillway

This bridge is just over the archway I modeled for you earlier ;)

And I HAD to put these 2 pictures in that Mom took!

They capture Kaylin's personality.

Her expressive hands and her sweet nature