5-30-2014 OMG...BUGGINS

This morning DH & I purchased this

bug repellent at our local HyVee grocery store

to try on our morning walk

through the woods

in 90*F temps and 70% humidity

through SWARMS of gnats and mosquitos and flies.

OMGoodness!!!

It worked better than ANY other

bug repellent we have EVER tried!!!

We passed through SWARMS of flying insects

and not even ONE bug landed on us!

Active ingredients:

peppermint oil

clove oil

lemongrass oil.

It allowed us to explore 3 more waterfalls:

(you can click on the pictures to enlarge them)

the Illinois...about a 2' drop...

The Indian Council Overhang...

looking into...

and looking out of Council Overhang...

Kaskaskia Falls...about 30' drop...

and finally, Ottowa Falls... about 40' drop...

5-29-2014 Buddy Blanket

5-28-2014 Artist at Work

5-27-2014 Gymnastics and Swimming

Having fun splashing in Oma's swimming pool

after gymnastics class...

...while baby sister 

is napping indoors.

5-26-2014 Memorial Day - QC Criterium

Each Memorial Day

we remember and thank 

the service men and women

who give their all

to protect our country,

our freedoms,

our way of life.

___________________________

This year

the QC Criterium

has moved to a different location

(The hilly Village of East Davenport

instead of flat downtown Rock Island)

that includes some steep hills 

and treacherous corners!

Bicycle racers

from all over the country

participate in this race.

DH & I

participate by observing!

The Start/Finish Line

This gorilla is at the top of the steep hill.

The Peloton

See the metal fences lining the street/race course?

We saw several young kids crash into them

as they turned the corner going 10-20 mph

and get tangled up in the metal bars.

(The older guys/gals go even faster 

around those corners.)

Made me so sad.

So easy to get a broken arm, leg, neck, back...

have your life changed forever

for the sake of 'competition,'

'fun' and 'thrills.'

Seeing those mangled bodies of children

made me sick to my stomach

so we left.

Now they get to spend Memorial Day weekend

in the hospital

and maybe the rest of their lives

in a wheelchair.

Not my idea of 'fun.'

5-25-2014 Current Reads

and

5-24-2014 Antique Archeology

It's a beautiful Spring day today

so DH & I drove to LeClair Iowa

to check out the 'new' store of the American Pickers.

(Bet dad and my brother are jealous!)

My favorite piece to see

was this motorcycle

that some guy's grandfather had buried in the back yard

and Mike dug up the back yarn and found it!

Remember that episode?!?!?

5-23-2014 Purple and Orange

Bought some new flowers

for my gardens.

DH & I were in several furniture stores

looking at chairs

and when I say these

I knew the designer and I are kindred spirits!

5-22-2014 Neon Brights

Well,

our trip to the shoe store

did not go quite as planned.

The tennis shoes that mommy can afford

are the boring gray generic shoes.

Do you think those are the ones Noah wanted?

Noooooo....

he wanted the new, hip, popular

neon brights 

that everyone is wearing these days

(and cost over $100!).

The clerk at the shoe store finally agreed

to sell us ONE of the neon brights,

and if Noah is a good boy all summer

and does his chores

and saves his allowance money

he can buy the other one 

before school starts in the Fall.

We'll see how things go!

5-21-2014 Fun At The Zoo

 A day at the zoo with Papa and Oma...

 riding the chop-choo train...

riding the Eagle on the Merry-go-Round...

feeding the fish in the coy pond...

5-20-2014 Children's Museum

 Having fun

at the children's museum...

...which will give me a 

cold/runny nose 

next week!

5-19-2014 Moccasin

Finished a Moccasin Slipper

that I am making

as a Knit-A-Long

with a friend!

Made with double strands 

of bulky yarn

it is super warm!

5-18-2014 Peace

5-17-2014 Time Out in the Naughty Corner

Mommy said

I cannot go outside to play

without any clothes on

so while she wasn't looking

I slipped on my new sweater

and snuck outside

to ride my tricycle...

smell the lilacs...

swing in the swing...

rest in the lawn chair...

and when I heard mommy calling for me

I hid in the rhubarb...

but she found me

and sent me back inside

for a 'time out' in the 'naughty corner.'

Guess I won't try this again

until I get some pants!

5-16-2014 My Girls

5-15-2014 Pelicans Preening

...seen on this morning's walk

along the Mississippi River...

5-14-2014 Tai Chi Wheels

While on my morning walk

I came across a park

with a small 'playground'

full of exercise equipment/stations,

one of which was these

Tai Chi Wheels.

I've never seen anything like this before

but found it intriguing 

since I have studies and practiced Tai Chi 

for more than a year.

5-13-2014 Waterfalls

DH under LASALLE falls...

Me under LASALLE falls...

Tonti Falls...

St. Louis Falls...