A few highlights from our long weekend in Guttenberg, Iowa with Gina, Steve, Luca and my family!
Thursday (October 8)
- Gina, Steve, and Luca arriving!
- Lowlight – El Famous being closed. Ahh! El Famous was our dinner plan and we drove right there from the airport but they were closed to have the parking lot resurfaced. Sadness. We got Chipotle but blah – it doesn’t compare.
Friday (October 9)
- Driving to Iowa with Gina (the boys were in Steven’s car). It was great to have that time for just the two of us to catch up. And we loved seeing all the fall foliage.
- Playing Garbage with Luca (and then Luca and Steve).
- Seeing my Grandma (Mom’s mom). Err… I cannot even remember the last time I saw her! I was going to in January then I had a stomach bug. And I was going to drive out to see her in March but the pandemic. It’s been too long. I’m grateful I got to see her so much on this trip.
- Seeing the improvements Christina (snis) and Will made to their cabin.
- Hiding the rocks I found out here on Esmann Island. The boys took Will’s UTV and the girls were trailing slowly behind in a golf cart. My mom wanted to see where they hid the anchor rock I brought because she wanted it, and the boys kept throwing us off by pretending to stop and hide it, but not really hiding it. We were all laughing about it. At one point they pretended to put it in a “free” pile, which actually had a bunch of nice planters that Mom and Gina wanted. Ha!
Saturday (October 10)
- Taking the trail down the bluff to Kwik Star with Steven. It was Steven’s first time on the trail because he’s usually working in the mornings when we take it. The trail looked beautiful with all the leaves down on it.
- My entire family being able to be together to take our holiday picture. It was nice to see my brothers on this trip too – I was not expecting that!
- The chili we made being a hit.
- Being completely ridiculous and inappropriate with my snis and laughing so hard I started to cry.
Sunday (October 11)
- Seeing a beautiful sunrise.
- Hiking at Mines of Spain Recreation Area in Dubuque. I’ve seen so many gorgeous photos of this park and have wanted to hike there for awhile! We did a small part – Horseshoe Bluff Trail and the Julien Dubuque Monument. Gina and I want to go back and hike more!
- Someone commenting on our Charlie Berens Keep ‘er Movin’ shirts with “tell your folks I says hi.” Gina was quick to respond with “watch out for deer.”
- Trying the Beyond Burger at A&W for lunch.
- Going to a pumpkin patch. Lowlight – it was crowded AF. It was outside, but Iowa doesn’t really have any state mandated COVID-19 precautions (that I know of), so I felt a bit anxious.
- Relaxing with Gina at Starbucks while the boys went to Harbor Freight.
- Hanging out and chatting with family after dinner.
Monday (October 12)
- Going on a long walk with Gina in town.
- Lunch with my family before we left.
- Chatting with Gina on the drive back.
- Getting El Famous to make up for missing it on Thursday!
- Staying up late talking about really interesting adult stuff – enemas, the human microbiome, dentist horror stories, etc. At one point Luca came out of the bedroom and asked if we could talk about something else. Sorry!
Tuesday (October 13)
- Running with Gina! Lowlight – my knee feeling horrible during the run and it feeling stiff the rest of the day. Eek! I thought it was feeling better but that’s a big NOPE.
- Lowlight – Gina and fam leaving! I hope we can see them again soon! It was a real treat to do a fall river trip. I hadn’t been to Guttenberg in the fall in ages (10+ years) and it was really enjoyable.
I’m glad you got a second trip in this year. (Did you feel like you needed to do as much pre-trip preparation and quarantining, like you did for the summer trip?)
Is “garbage” the card game that you played with your parents awhile ago? I’m always looking for fun card games, although I think my and Harrison’s definitions of “fun” differ, so we don’t play cards that often. I wish I could play cards with you!!
I think I know what dentist horror story (or at least one) that you shared on your last night with Gina + Fam…I still think about the one Steven told us.
There was a lot of trip prep too, since I made a couple of meals and a few other things to bring, and we had to pack a ton of stuff, including tools for a project. So, yes! Our quarantining before and after is the same since we don’t meet up with people or do anything socially – I ran errands (groceries and library) and Steven went to the warehouse. That is how it will be on the backend too.
It is! I like it because there is no strategy involved, ha. Does Harrison want strategy?
Ha! Now I am curious which one he told you?! Gina and Steve had some horrible ones too!
Wow! What a great trip and visit with everyone! And it looks like you had gorgeous weather, too!
How was the burger at A&W?
Love the matching shirts!
We did! It was sunny and warm (70s) almost every day!
It was good! Nothing special but nice to have the option.
Thanks! I was glad everyone was up for being matchy – it’s so fun!
Oh my gosh, how fun that you got to have the whole family for this river trip! That must have been so good for your mental health, especially seeing your grandma. I’m so glad you got to do that!
Is there anything better than being inappropriate and laughing hysterically? I THINK NOT. 🙂
For a minute, I thought El Famous was closed FOR GOOD, and I was going to cry for you. Whew! This pandemic has taken enough away from us!!
It was and I am so grateful for that time with her!
There isn’t! Even if it was so inappropriate it caused my dad to leave and not come back. Ha! (It was close to the time when we were all about to leave anyway)
GAH! That would be horrible! We were worried when we drove up and saw all the lights off… then we saw the ropes blocking off the new blacktop and felt better. We called on Monday to make sure they were open. They closed down for two days! GASP!
What a nice weekend. I long for the days when we can travel uninhibited again. Our family is too far away for a trip and we don’t feel comfortable staying at hotels yet.
I hope those days are here soon but I doubt they will be 🙁 Have you all been keeping in touch via video call and all that? (totally not the same, sigh)