There is nothing more exciting than being near family after a long stretch on the road. We had plans to spend May and June in Iowa visiting my sister. The kids were anxious to see their cousins and spend time together. As we passed the Iowa state sign I snapped a picture to text my sister, announcing our arrival. The usual euphoria ensued and we found ourselves all gathered together in the RV drinking wine and catching up.
We were excited to meet my sister's new boyfriend, Daren, who she had been seeing since last year. He fit into the group like a dream and the next couple months found all of us inseparable. If we weren't hanging out at my sister Melanny's place, then we were gathered at the RV park in Story City having a camp-out. There was a Renaissance Festival, geo-caching up and down the Iowa countryside, an epic water balloon war, floating tubes down the Skunk River, catching enormous minnows, movie nights, and Bridges of Madison County. The fun didn't stop.
Whenever you're having too much fun there is always someone there to dampen your good time and rain on your parade. In this case the rain was entirely to literal. Because it rained and rained. Mother's Day found us holed up in a stairwell at my sister's place as the tornado sirens went off. Luckily it was short lived and we returned to our festivities after the warning sirens ceased. Something Iowans may be used to, but I am not.
I quickly came to realize that as a native to Utah I had no idea what a rainstorm really was. I used to scoff at movies that made it look like a shower faucet had been turned on in the sky. I found out that those scenes were way more accurate than I ever believed possible. The foreboding clouds would sneak up on our pleasant afternoon and we would be drenched with a downpour that made us feel like a quarterback who just won the Superbowl.
I have never been one to carry an umbrella. I love standing in the rain. The energy in the air is invigorating and I think so few people take the time to really enjoy the magnificence and power of a really good thunderstorm. A small piece of advice. When in Iowa do as the Iowa'ans do and get yourself a good umbrella.
We were excited to meet my sister's new boyfriend, Daren, who she had been seeing since last year. He fit into the group like a dream and the next couple months found all of us inseparable. If we weren't hanging out at my sister Melanny's place, then we were gathered at the RV park in Story City having a camp-out. There was a Renaissance Festival, geo-caching up and down the Iowa countryside, an epic water balloon war, floating tubes down the Skunk River, catching enormous minnows, movie nights, and Bridges of Madison County. The fun didn't stop.
Whenever you're having too much fun there is always someone there to dampen your good time and rain on your parade. In this case the rain was entirely to literal. Because it rained and rained. Mother's Day found us holed up in a stairwell at my sister's place as the tornado sirens went off. Luckily it was short lived and we returned to our festivities after the warning sirens ceased. Something Iowans may be used to, but I am not.
I quickly came to realize that as a native to Utah I had no idea what a rainstorm really was. I used to scoff at movies that made it look like a shower faucet had been turned on in the sky. I found out that those scenes were way more accurate than I ever believed possible. The foreboding clouds would sneak up on our pleasant afternoon and we would be drenched with a downpour that made us feel like a quarterback who just won the Superbowl.
I have never been one to carry an umbrella. I love standing in the rain. The energy in the air is invigorating and I think so few people take the time to really enjoy the magnificence and power of a really good thunderstorm. A small piece of advice. When in Iowa do as the Iowa'ans do and get yourself a good umbrella.
The best part of staying in the same area for a few months at a time is having the opportunity to really feel like a local. Finding the little niche things that you like about an area, especially when it comes to food. Some of our favorites were surprisingly from the local Casey's convenience stores which offers fabulous taco pizza and scotcharoos (think rice crispy treats but peanut butter with chocolate topping).
Having a sister who lives there was definitely advantageous as we gorged ourselves on fabulous Thai food and other local cuisine like Hickory Park BBQ. Daren gets the best midnight snack award with gyros outside the local bar made fresh street-side, yum. The strangest by far was Oddfellows, owned by a friend of Daren, which served your burger up on a pair of doughnuts or slathered with peanut butter.
Having a sister who lives there was definitely advantageous as we gorged ourselves on fabulous Thai food and other local cuisine like Hickory Park BBQ. Daren gets the best midnight snack award with gyros outside the local bar made fresh street-side, yum. The strangest by far was Oddfellows, owned by a friend of Daren, which served your burger up on a pair of doughnuts or slathered with peanut butter.