I am a sucker for this guy

El Rincon Catracho

Enjoying Honduran food with my lovely YVC co-facilitator, Jazmin.

Tajadas con Pollo

Youth Volunteer Corps camps

I facilitated three summer camps for our Youth Volunteer Corps of Des Moines group. The first was themed "Build a Better Future," and we did all sorts of hands-on activities, from turning an old Des Moines Register newspaper stand into a Free Little Library, to painting new stair treads for our basement stairway at Community Youth Concepts, to assembling and staining/painting six bat houses to be donated to Polk County Conservation. During the second week of camp ("Food, Hunger & Nutrition") we packaged 691 meals at Meals from the Heartland (which will feed over 4,000 people!), served lunch at a homeless shelter and toured their gardens, visited the Iowa Food Cooperative and learned about local food systems, watched and discussed documentaries on food production in the U.S., volunteered to spread wood chips around newly planted fruit trees at a community orchard, and assisted FoodCorps members with weeding and teaching elementary students some cooking lessons using fresh produce. Our last week was "The Great Outdoors," and in partnership with Polk County Conservation, we visited a different county park each day and learned about native landscapes, water quality and water quality testing, invasive species in our woodlands, and other great lessons. We then followed up with volunteer activities related to each educational component.

There were great moments and there were trying moments (such is live with teenagers I suppose). Here are some highlights:

20th h.s. Reunion

Thank goodness I have these great ladies still in my life to share it with.

20th H.S. Reunion

It was odd. But I spent it with four of my besties, so it was manageable. Not sure I would care to go to another in the future. But it was nice to be together for this, with those I love and care about, who have been for over 20 years and counting.

Good times

I took this week off of work since I am in between camps and needed a little down time. It's nice to get to hang out with the boys doing some of those summer fun things we usually do each year.

So far we have gone to see "Finding Dory," gone bowling, went swimming at the aquatic center, gone camping in the backyard, finger painting in the backyard, are planning to host some play dates tomorrow, and we managed to fit in ice cream twice.

Onward to new adventures

Spending time at ISU today to sign a contract for the half-time post doc I'll start in August with Iowa Learning Farms. It's a relief to have an intended direction and concrete plan for my life after AmeriCorps. 

I have not spent much time on this campus in the past, but it is far lovelier than I was prepared to give it credit for. I may have to give up some of my UIowa loyalty.

 

Most fun bird I've seen on our fence to date

Belted Kingfisher

4th of July 2016

The night before the 4th, we let the kids camp in the back yard. They enjoyed hanging out with their friends Sadie, Molly & Sam. They enjoyed sparklers and charcoal snakes. The next day we spent the first half of the day in Osceola, watching the parade, enjoying the rides, and hanging with the Haubs.

Summer Sporting

Benji played soccer this summer, and Jack played flag football. They both enjoyed themselves and have decided to do flag football in the fall with the same group.