Last week we got up at 5:00 AM so we could get to we Living History Farms by Des Moines good by 9:00. They have 3 farm places. The first farm was how the Indians lived. There was a buffalo hide that they were tanning. Pots and gourds and utensils they made and a small garden. You walked along a path to the next 1850's farm. They had a milk cow, chickens, ducks, and sheep. The guys were out in the field with a scithe(?spelling) to cut the weeds/grass...They let us try it out. The women were in the house making meals over a fireplace fire. The bed in the house was 1/2 the size in length. Instead of lying down, they reclined against a cabin wall. They were making apple crisp for dessert. As we walked along the path to the 1900's house, we found mullberry trees...which was Michael's favorite thing. The 1900's farm had work horses in the barn, sheep, an old corn crib with a crank machine to shell the corn, a horse drawn manure spreader, carriage, wagons, and planters. They had a grape arbor and apple trees and pear trees. It was fun seeing the old fashioned things and how they were used. By the end of seeing the farms we were hungry and tired. We ate at a restaurant near Living History Farm called the Machine Shed. Portions were huge and it all tasted good. We went back to Living History Farms and visited the 1900's town with board sidewalks. The blacksmith was making knives and swords...James and Michael got to help make the forge hotter by turning a crank that blew air through the forge. The store/pharmacy had live leeches and the pharmacist made pills. There was a one room school house, church, bank, coffin maker, times period house and a mansion. Someone made brooms from straw. We had beautiful weather. It was fun seeing all the stuff. By that time everyone was tired. We took a quick trip to the gift shop. Back at the Holiday Inn the kids went swimming and then crashed. It was a fun day.

Family Picture

Last week we spent a day at Adventureland, by Des Moines. Here's our picture.

Rie M

Sarah was painting with watercolor last night. I thought her picture of Rie was pretty good, so here it is.

Rie flies to San Francisco on Saturday, so her time here is getting short.

She's been a joy to have. We will miss her when she leaves.

- The Hooyers

Trip to the Omaha Zoo

Here's the first animal we saw at the zoo. An Austrian pygmy heifer, only 4 inches tall.

OK, so this isn't a picture from the zoo.

Rebecca and Rie were out taking pictures and took this one at Paul's place.

Charity and Rie in the haymow at Grandpa and Grandma Sandbulte.

I think they were looking to find some brome to take to the zoo to feed the pygmy heifers.

More preparation for the zoo trip.
Our big game hunters, James and Rie, sighting in their guns.
You never know when some wild animal will escape and charge you.
(See picture below)

It's true. Goats will eat anything, rocks included.

"The Jungle"

Jim S. and the kids met us at the zoo.

That's Gracie between Rie and Charity.

Levi is next to James.

My cap made the picture, too.

The butterfly house was new.
The fact that it was air conditioned was a big plus, too.

Another "jungle" picture -- the lower level this time.

Charity, me, Jim, and the twins.

We had just seen some huge fish, and Gracie is entranced with tiny guppies.

Michah is checking me out instead of the animals, .
Go figure.

Kings of the hill - Michael and Levi.

Cool hat Michael.

Here's the kids and me resting after a hard day at the zoo.

For more zoo pictures, go to Sarah's blog.