Des and Max patiently waiting for Mom to get this walk show on the road.
Des ready to help dad install the child locks (wait, we’re doing what?!)
All I need this this drill box…
Shopping for grandma Anne’s new bicycle, decided to model the baby trailers
Just need some phonebooks
And still not certain about these cart things
Looks can be deceiving, not a successful sip from mom’s water bottle
Goofing around with mom and Max
A quick Saturday trip to the zoo. Pictured below is Des wondering, “why are we stopping to stare at a cow? We’re at the zoo, they have penguins, sea turtles, and monkeys here.”
Des petting a snake, cause why not?
Each time is more fun than the last
Morning nap with dad while mom is at yoga
Meeting Tim and Tita Jones at the farmers market
I’m too sweaty for this shirt (even at Bed, Bath & Beyond)
Hanging out with great-grandma Jan
Sunday with family
Des and grandma Mike
Three generations: David Irving, Desmond Irving, Irving Anthony
Pit stop in Ankeny, Hawkeye Park
Driving by 1311 W. 1st St, Dad’s second house until age five and moving to Council Bluffs
…shared a room with great Aunt Molly, helped put her belt on, dug a hole through the basement room wall with the door stop (Mom patched for the umpteenth time before moving), walking to the library with pond, my dear blanket, drank koolaid and ate popcorn w/ ketchup while mom was pregnant (and mint chocolate ice cream), met my sister, learned how to ride a bike, Mr. Good, watched Dan Rathers while eating Mac & Cheese, corn and fish sticks, picnicked out back with Kellie and wicker paper plate trays, eating frozen grapes, big wheel parade, annual broadcast of the Wizard of Oz on TV, Kellie stuck under the TV cart, first Halloween costumes, vacuum cleaner, bouncy rocking horse, picking grapes from the bushes, played with Jason England’s Star Wars figures (“lost” during the move to CB), rode several blocks west to Jason’s house on a big wheel, asking mom if we were taking a nap to determine the feasibility of sneaking upstairs to watch TV while she was sleeping
A boy reunited with his dog
Words cannot express what visiting our grandparents at the farm–a few acres nestled between limestone cliffs with the incredible house, cave, creek, pond, meadows and pastures–meant to us during childhood. Before dinner on this visit, we journeyed over for a few photos with our own children too.
Des has this hotel thing figured out
Iowa City art fair
Snow cone bliss
Des’ pride and joy: spoon
Stopping in at the Airliner for lunch and a pint
Des and grandma playing paradiddles on the cheerio container
Des, Cal and mom tickling the ivories
What are these “cows” you speak of? Are they these gray things here?
The sun has gone to bed, and so must I
Dad and Cal playing with the stomp rocket
awesome mid-air rocket shot by grandma Anne
Traveling over to Iowa City for Calvin’s fourth birthday, Desi taking a break at his first I-80 rest stop.
Aunt Kellie and cousin Calvin picking us up at the hotel before heading to North Liberty
Dad entertaining the troops
Meeting great aunt Molly
Visiting uncle/chef Mike
Dad and Cal assembling some pirate legos
Des supervising the lettuce harvest for dinner
Four varieties of tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, tomatillos, poblanos, spaghetti squash, kohlrabi, onions, cabbage, habaneros, ghost peppers, thai red chile peppers, Chinese five-color peppers, mint, celantro, two lettuces, spinach, and kale.
