4 Wheels 4 Girls

August 25th, we were planning to go out on Mike and Lisa’s new boat. Suddenly, like two hours before we left, Ellie got sick. So she decided to not come. But that didn’t keep us from going.

We wanted to get some exercise so we rode our bikes down to the marina where the boat was. It was a nice ride. We finally made it and I hopped off my bike. I spotted Lisa and I ran over. Then everyone finally came and Mike showed us the boat. Wow! It was really nice! There were four pink deck chairs that were sitting on the flat boat. Then there was a roof kind of thing and that’s where the driver sat. There was also two booths in the back under the cover/roof thing. There was a cooler in the back, too. I plopped down on on of the pink deck chairs and we started moving.

Heading up the Mississippi on the pontoon boat

It was pretty slow going, but that was good, because it meant we’d have a long way back. Then I noticed Dad and Mike getting out a big container. I peeked inside and there were crackers, slices of summer sausage, and cheese curds. Then Mike brought out two bags of sliced cheese: one cheddar, ( which I LOVE) and the other bacon somethin’ somethin’ somethin’ somethin’, as Mike called it. Hahaha! Well, he also brought out two different kinds of crackers and then a different kind of sliced sausage! I made a cracker with cheddar cheese and sausage and it was delicious! We rode around on the boat and stopped at the sandbar to feel the water and play in the sand.

Sinking into the sandbar

Then we left and rode around more. We got a call from Cassie, Mike and Lisa’s daughter that’s 23, and she said she’d like to come out and join us. So we picked her up and went a little longer. We went to see some lily pads and they were really pretty, especially against the sunset. That was where Mike had gotten stuck a few days before.

We spotted a bald eagle hanging out on one of the islands in the river

Finally, we had to head back. We said bye and hopped on our bikes. On our way home, we saw lots of bats. One flew right into Dad’s face. Then one flew into mine. I was disappointed when we had to go inside and leave the bats, but we had made it home.

The Chelrcren musame.

Oue day Grandma took us to the cheldrns musam. There were lots of chelates stuff. It was very bese and it was fun. There was a lite of children . You could tack a pese cloth and it would suck up a pipe and then it would go up the other end. Aunt Rose came to hang out with us and it was so fun. We had yummy pizza for dinner!

[Editor’s translation:]
One day [August 24] Grandma took us to the children’s museum [in LaCrosse, WI]. There was lots of children’s stuff. It was very busy and it was fun. There was a lot of children. You could take a piece of cloth and it would suck up a pipe and then it would go up the other end. Aunt Rose came to hang out with us and it was so fun. We had yummy pizza for dinner!

Yesterday I Went out to Luch with my onocole Mike we went out to the redbarne I got a hot dog mike got a . Then we went to a nother store we looked for a berthsay present for me.We anded up in up to in hourse falls I got a house traler a hourse blacket a set.

Me and Uncle Mike

[Editor’s translation:]
August 22 I went out to lunch with my Uncle Mike. We went out to the Red Barn. I got a hot dog, and mike got a [?]. Then we went to another store and we looked for a birthday present for me. We ended up in Horsfalls. I got a horse trailer and a horse blanket set.

On Sunday August 21st, we drove to DeWitt, Iowa to go to our cousin Laura’s bridal shower.

It was a looooooong 3-hour drive, but we finally made it. The shower was at a cute little community center, and when we stepped in we made name tags and put our gifts on the table. Then we were served tea and lemonade and we sat down at one of the tables with our Aunt Mary, Laura’s mom, and a few other people. We chatted for a few minutes before we were served lunch. After we were finished eating, Laura opened her presents and we made a game out of it. We were each handed a bingo sheet, and we had to think of gifts that a bride would get at a shower. We wrote them down on our bingo sheets, and then we crossed items off when Laura opened them. If we got Bingo, we got a prize. If we didn’t… well, we didn’t. It was fun even though I didn’t win.

Then, unfortunately, the shower was over. We helped Laura load up her gifts in the car, and then we dropped them off at her house and we drove to Mary’s house. I enjoyed my cousin’s bridal shower!!! 😉

August 20. After driving for a hour and a half we came to Barbs house my aunt. We were going to go see horses. I was so hungry but we went straight to the parade. We meet Rose ( my aunt ) and Janice ( my aunt) and we were also with Amy and her daughter Emily and Jahmuna our cousin.

Ready for the parade with our good friend, Emily

It [the parade] started way after it was supposed to. So we waited and we waited until we saw a flag coming up the hill carried on a horse. Soon the parade started moving. We saw black ones and white and paint ones and draft ones and clydesdales and a lot of other horses. We saw a horse jump up and that was cool. They threw out candy and we only got one piece in all and I think mommy ate it. So after that we saw a carriage with Vikings in it. That was cool. The parade was really short. After that we went to go and eat at Barbs house.