We left Provo to move to Des Moines, Iowa where Derrick has a summer internship with Bridgestone Tires. There is a factory directly South about 15 minutes that he will be working at.
Day 1 in Ankeny, Iowa
(Ank pronounced like ain't and it gets the accent)
You couldn't tear the smile from my face this afternoon. A new city is exciting! I babbled to the grocery checker and sure have me a grocery store perks card. I'm official Mid-Western! (Not to be confused with Iowan, which is not correct, so I'm told.)
I have never crashed so hard at 8pm after going up our three flights of stairs several times and trying to set up our apartment. (Not "crash" to sleep because of course the kids were wired and climbing all over me... Just in a heap.)
I also had to take a bath because we don't have a shower curtain. Weird, right? Baths? But it is a nice way to relax after 6+ hours of traveling and unloading everything.
Day 1 in Ankeny, Iowa
(Ank pronounced like ain't and it gets the accent)
You couldn't tear the smile from my face this afternoon. A new city is exciting! I babbled to the grocery checker and sure have me a grocery store perks card. I'm official Mid-Western! (Not to be confused with Iowan, which is not correct, so I'm told.)
I have never crashed so hard at 8pm after going up our three flights of stairs several times and trying to set up our apartment. (Not "crash" to sleep because of course the kids were wired and climbing all over me... Just in a heap.)
I also had to take a bath because we don't have a shower curtain. Weird, right? Baths? But it is a nice way to relax after 6+ hours of traveling and unloading everything.
What an adventure!
So when we arrived, no one was in the office and the lady we had been talking to was out of town! Derrick nearly had a meltdown I think. Luckily someone came in a few minutes later and was able to figure out where our keys were.
Then an hour after we unloaded, the rain started. And then it poured and then there were these sirens going off. Welcome to Iowa! Here's a tornado for you. It was eventful to say the least.
We were unsure if we were going to be able to leave to get groceries or even take-out or our beds for the night! But the rain let up and around 7 pm Derrick met two other guys who loaded up the California King bed we are borrowing and a toddler bed and hauled it over and up.
And everyone slept great for the first night. Even Claire slept without a crib and stayed in her bed!
So when we arrived, no one was in the office and the lady we had been talking to was out of town! Derrick nearly had a meltdown I think. Luckily someone came in a few minutes later and was able to figure out where our keys were.
Then an hour after we unloaded, the rain started. And then it poured and then there were these sirens going off. Welcome to Iowa! Here's a tornado for you. It was eventful to say the least.
We were unsure if we were going to be able to leave to get groceries or even take-out or our beds for the night! But the rain let up and around 7 pm Derrick met two other guys who loaded up the California King bed we are borrowing and a toddler bed and hauled it over and up.
And everyone slept great for the first night. Even Claire slept without a crib and stayed in her bed!
Day 2: Six stores and still we don't have everything. It takes a lot for me to hit ground zero of comfort. Ugh. And I brought my toddler who screams bloody murder if I leave her but only wants to run and explore, so my shopping trips were too long and boring for her. It is hard to find things in a new store. I'm not used to so many choices either. I mean when do you have to buy soaps and cleansers and stuff all at once?! I'm so used to Costco where there is just one or two brand choices. And there aren't size choices. Who would think that I don't like choices?
I should have just gone to Walmart, even though I don't particularly identify with its culture because I think I could have halved the time because I know my way around. I miss my Smith's store. 
:( (Kroger) Hy-Vee was too confusing and at Target we hit nap time. Just bad decisions and I still can't get it all done. :(
Day 3: Time to think about the Provo house again. Did I leave the bedroom doors open? Should I have held the mail? My kind neighbor across the street came over and finished my laundry for me so we could go. Ted peed the bed and we did a load of towels that morning also. And our upstairs tenants are watching the house and Roger and the bunnies. And it snowed. So hopefully it is all in tact...???
Der had to buy work clothes. He leaves Sunday night for a week in Nashville. We get here and set up just in time for him to abandon us!
But we have lots to explore, so hopefully we'll be alright. There is a Panera here! Oh how I have missed you, sweet Panera. And there's a Chick-Fil-A and Panda Express 10 minutes away, so we'll be fine. Luckily PBS Kids can stream.
We went to the local library. It has a train table and a lego table and tons of puzzles! It is within walking distance on a nice trail too! So excited for this!
Day 4: We went to Merle Hay Mall. The mall has a large indoors and it was very quiet. We had to buy jackets and long pants because it's so cold! I really should have brought one outfit for each of us...but who expects it to be cold by the 20-something of May?! I was trying to pack the least amount of clothing and thinking of how hot it would be.
We had some super yummy pigs in a blanket there after wondering aloud if the food belonging to that delicious smell could be as good as it smells. It was. The mall had fun things for the kids to play on, so we could possibly go back.
Day 5: Sunday. I thought we would have a hard time being ready for church by 8:45 instead of 8:55 because we actually have to drive to church now. But today, we were out the door by 8 am to take Derrick to the airport. We will stay here and keep getting settled and explore this week while Derrick gets welcomed into Bridgestone.
I guess my kids have had their bowels off because I had 5 trips to the bathroom to change poopy diapers all by myself during church. But still, the kids were their usual selves at church and wanted to explore but were pretty well-behaved even so. They are pretty wiggly kids. I think we put on a nice show, but everyone was nice about it. Ted did awesome in nursery; the leaders are a husband and wife who have a 2.5 year old, so Ted is in good hands. Another sister who is the leader was holding both of my kids for a minute, so again, good hands. People were very nice and many offered their "welcome"'s. We have an invite for dinner tonight and the EQ President and RS President came right up to us when we came in. We were holding out for nursery callings, but maybe we'll just enjoy the ride this summer.
My observations of Iowa: it's green and spacious. Like the Community College has sooooo much green land in front of it. There aren't a ton of businesses off the freeway. I'm used to Houston and its feeder road and it is just covered in businesses. Also, there is really only one grocery store that I've seen, Hy-Vee, and there is one every 5 minutes from another. Same thing with Casey's gas station. And there is a Panera Bread every 10 minutes from another. I have no problem with that. Welcome home, it says. Welcome home.
As you can see, the kitchen is spacious and nice. We brought our little card table and chairs. They aren't really kid friendly though, so here's my first attempt at a table cloth. I don't totally understand the set-up of this apartment. Where is the kitchen table supposed to go?
Here is the living room right with the kitchen. You'll see the door to our little porch. Yes, the rocking chair was a must to bring. Claire was taking most of her naps in it lately and since we weren't bringing or getting a crib, it seemed essential. Now it seems silly, but it is nice to have a good chair to rock in. There are a few good will stores here and we found a similar rocking chair there, but oh well.
I moved Claire's make-shift bed next to Ted's for our nap this afternoon when Claire fell asleep on our King bed. We don't have much furniture, but we're comfortable enough.
Going up the three flights of stairs is an event each time and the hallways are large and Claire just wants to run down them. The door handles are ones kids can open, so heaven forbid we leave the door unlocked because they could just escape without me knowing.
And just one more note about our trip out. Every time we stopped, the kids just owned the place and ran around and found toys to steal. We couldn't keep Ted dry somehow with the diapers we were using, poor guy, so that was kind of annoying. And it rained a lot of the drive, but not bad enough to be too much of a hindrance.
:( (Kroger) Hy-Vee was too confusing and at Target we hit nap time. Just bad decisions and I still can't get it all done. :(Day 3: Time to think about the Provo house again. Did I leave the bedroom doors open? Should I have held the mail? My kind neighbor across the street came over and finished my laundry for me so we could go. Ted peed the bed and we did a load of towels that morning also. And our upstairs tenants are watching the house and Roger and the bunnies. And it snowed. So hopefully it is all in tact...???
Der had to buy work clothes. He leaves Sunday night for a week in Nashville. We get here and set up just in time for him to abandon us!
But we have lots to explore, so hopefully we'll be alright. There is a Panera here! Oh how I have missed you, sweet Panera. And there's a Chick-Fil-A and Panda Express 10 minutes away, so we'll be fine. Luckily PBS Kids can stream.
We went to the local library. It has a train table and a lego table and tons of puzzles! It is within walking distance on a nice trail too! So excited for this!
Day 4: We went to Merle Hay Mall. The mall has a large indoors and it was very quiet. We had to buy jackets and long pants because it's so cold! I really should have brought one outfit for each of us...but who expects it to be cold by the 20-something of May?! I was trying to pack the least amount of clothing and thinking of how hot it would be.
We had some super yummy pigs in a blanket there after wondering aloud if the food belonging to that delicious smell could be as good as it smells. It was. The mall had fun things for the kids to play on, so we could possibly go back.
Day 5: Sunday. I thought we would have a hard time being ready for church by 8:45 instead of 8:55 because we actually have to drive to church now. But today, we were out the door by 8 am to take Derrick to the airport. We will stay here and keep getting settled and explore this week while Derrick gets welcomed into Bridgestone.
I guess my kids have had their bowels off because I had 5 trips to the bathroom to change poopy diapers all by myself during church. But still, the kids were their usual selves at church and wanted to explore but were pretty well-behaved even so. They are pretty wiggly kids. I think we put on a nice show, but everyone was nice about it. Ted did awesome in nursery; the leaders are a husband and wife who have a 2.5 year old, so Ted is in good hands. Another sister who is the leader was holding both of my kids for a minute, so again, good hands. People were very nice and many offered their "welcome"'s. We have an invite for dinner tonight and the EQ President and RS President came right up to us when we came in. We were holding out for nursery callings, but maybe we'll just enjoy the ride this summer.
And bless my sweet kids: we all got naps this afternoon. I can do this solo-parent thing this week!
My observations of Iowa: it's green and spacious. Like the Community College has sooooo much green land in front of it. There aren't a ton of businesses off the freeway. I'm used to Houston and its feeder road and it is just covered in businesses. Also, there is really only one grocery store that I've seen, Hy-Vee, and there is one every 5 minutes from another. Same thing with Casey's gas station. And there is a Panera Bread every 10 minutes from another. I have no problem with that. Welcome home, it says. Welcome home.
Here's a few pictures of our apartment:
I moved Claire's make-shift bed next to Ted's for our nap this afternoon when Claire fell asleep on our King bed. We don't have much furniture, but we're comfortable enough.
Going up the three flights of stairs is an event each time and the hallways are large and Claire just wants to run down them. The door handles are ones kids can open, so heaven forbid we leave the door unlocked because they could just escape without me knowing.
And just one more note about our trip out. Every time we stopped, the kids just owned the place and ran around and found toys to steal. We couldn't keep Ted dry somehow with the diapers we were using, poor guy, so that was kind of annoying. And it rained a lot of the drive, but not bad enough to be too much of a hindrance.
What an adventure!
ReplyDelete