Last week held many first times for us. After many years of driving though Sioux City on my way to South Dakota, I finally went to the top of the hill right off the highway to discover what that damn obelisk was! If you are heading north through Sioux City this tower looks down upon you from the east. It is beautiful and I have always wanted to see it up close. Finally, I have. It is a memorial site for Sgt. Floyd. He traveled with Lewis and Clark until appendicitis ended his life in the now Sioux City area.  The picture below is now my new all time favorite. I know it is hard to see, but this is Piper “reading” to Levi at the memorial site. Levi looked so interested with his head tilted to the side, really soaking up the information his sister was reciting for him. Man, I love those kids!

Piper and Levi

The obelisk was just as wonderful up close as it had been all those years from the highway.

The next big new first for me was the YMCA. We joined the gym after finding out that most of the locations in the nation have an “Away Program”. That means we paid for our membership in Bastrop, TX but can visit any location a select number of times during each month or year depending on the gym’s rules. So, 3 times last week, I got on actual work out equipment and worked out!! I know! CRAZY! I won’t say I liked it. But, I do feel better about at least trying to be healthier. What I really like is the 2 hours a day daycare the Y has. All three days, Richard and I dropped the kids off at the “playroom” and the kids loved it! Even better, Richard and I worked out together and then went into steam rooms, saunas and hot tubes together, alone…like completely by ourselves, free of children! How wonderful! I love that the kids are enjoying the time there. It makes me able to relax and be without them. It is also good for my first daycare experience to be in the same building as I am. I will not admit to you how many times I walked over to the big window to spy on them! Guess what? They NEVER missed me!

The YMCA also had an indoor kid pool that we took the kids to everyday after our workout. Levi is doing so well in the water. He puts his head all the way under and looks up at us, from under the water and smiles! He is such a fish. Piper, still not so much. We will keep working on it. Levi is a very good example of water bravery. She will catch on eventually.

Today, Sarah is coming in to join us from Texas! I am very excited to see her. She will be staying with us in the RV for several weeks! I get to cook for someone other then Richard again!! I have some yummy recipes to post but for now, I must get ready for my house guest. Stay tuned, the recipe I’m going to share is a tomato soup that Piper has requested several times!