Late August, first of September

Carolyn went with her friends to a flower patch for her birthday, that also had sweet goats.

Matthew came to celebrate Carolyn's birthday, and Joel was home for a dental visit!  We went to lunch, it was like Christmas (for mom).

Anna got to hold a goat too...in her first full week as a Cyclone.

I didn't get a photo when Joel and Anna came home yesterday...and they already left - but again it was lovely to see them.  

 

Visiting the Boys

Ken and I went to Peoria to visit Joel...here we are at a Peoria (upper single A) baseball game! (Dozer Park...one of many Cat references we saw in the community.)

Actual size of mining vehicle!  Joel for reference.  We went to the Caterpillar Museum.  Really cool.

Play excavator.....Joel's division was Excavation!!  We couldn't go to the Proving Grounds where he worked....the place is locked down! (this was at the museum)

We took Matthew out to dinner on the way home!

Joel was pretty sure he had the job when we visited him.  (His boss said it was in HR's hands.)  About 10 days later, the offer was official.  He will have 3 placements that take approximately a year, before he is back at the Excavation Department, where he was hired to work....interesting model so that people understand the depth of Cat.

From his boss after he accepted the offer:  

Joel,

 

Thanks for providing the update. I’m glad to hear that you have accepted the full-time offer and will be joining the team in the future. The June start date won’t be an issue, and it seems like a good compromise between the options you were considering. We should have plenty of exciting projects to work on around the June timeframe.

 

If you have any questions, concerns or need any support leading up to your start date, please feel free to contact me.

 

Thanks,

 

THEN from his boss's boss (wow!)

Hi Joel,

 

Looking forward to you having you join the team!

 

Good luck on the remainder of your schoolwork and reach out to me with any questions as well. 

---------------------------------

Cool that Joel started working for Cat in their 100th year!

 

Look what I found

 I was searching for a Mass time in downtown Des Moines (because we were going to a Cubs game and wanted to get there quicker than our church's 6:30 scheduled mass would allow).  I found this lovely photo gem on the Diocese website.

With my sweet girl and her future roommate (who knew?)!  They met by being introduced by an (unpictured) girl who Anna met when trying to find a roommate at ISU.  When Anna and Evelyn met, they realized that they spent some time working for Habitat for Humanity, Spring Break 2024:  Des Moines Diocese Faith in Action.  Her roommate is at the top, to her left is Ruth, Anna's good buddy who also is going to Iowa State.  Evelyn also plays the flute and was in Show Choir.  Evelyn, her mom, and her sister went to Medjugorje with many people from our church and they all say Evelyn is lovely.  We have met her twice and I have to agree.

Here we are at the Cub's game, courtesy of our sweet neighbor Vicki.  (She is a realtor and they were a sponsor of the game and a great dinner from Smokey Ds!)  Anna was at work and missed out on the fun.  She has 2 more days after today.

Joel in his "office"

I feel like this is a little boy's dream job....See ya later Excavator!

 

stair steps again :0)

 

New card making trick

 My friend J. gave me some embossing pens!  I already was embossing with an embossing press, but this is a little different.  Below, the white flowers were pressed using the embossing machine I found at a 2nd hand store.  The hearts were make by cutting them out with white and then colored with the special markers, sprinkled with embossing powder and heated.  It takes a bit of work, but I thought this card turned out cute.  Unfortunately, my Cricut pen was running out of green ink and so I had to make the letters multi-colored. (I should have used my printer!) I try to not let perfection be the enemy of a finished card!

See how the hearts are a bit shiny and raised?  Some marker colors worked better than others.  I also think it has worked better to marker-emboss on white cardstock.

New countertops

also master bath and laundry room counter.  I love them and wish they always looked just like this :0)

 

College orientation

Anna's dorm for next year

Ivy is the college of business

 

Chewy.....dog 17 if our counting is correct

Chewy is our friend's dog and we dog-sat while they were in Alaska.  Chewy acts like you are the best dream of his life if you ever are away and return home.  This is his response to "want to go for a walk"....this also makes him very happy.

 

Visitors from the EAST

Matthew was in the Metro last Sunday and stopped by.

Joel came to town to go to Hamilton and for Father's Day.  Rita also is visiting, but she came from the west, while Erin's family is in New Jersey

 

Joel's BAHA:SAE adventure

 Ok - I don't know what BAHA stands for, but I did learn that SAE = Society of Automotive Engineers.  But that is the name of the club he is in that builds small off-road cars.

Iowa State took all these adventurous students to Arizona in May 2025.  Right before finals!!!  CRAZY  But that is just a mom viewpoint.  Joel thought it was great fun (except the very very very long drives that were probably not the most efficient route...he mentioned that someone was trying to avoid toll roads....penny wise and pound foolish to be sure)  Joel is smack dab in the middle with the bandana around his neck (blue shirt)

Orientation day at Caterpiller

 

Joel said there are approximately 600 interns across the world for Caterpillar.  Iowa State has the most engineering interns of any college.  (University of Illinois and some other Illinois schools have more interns, but not in engineering!  Go Cyclones!)

Church award day

 So proud of this girl.  This is the biggest award the church offers a student.  It is for service to the church and community.  (Also participates in religious education throughout school.)

I love the picture of baby Anna from when she was in preschool at the church at the bottom of her photo.

Graduation open house

Anna's fun party was made even for special with Aunt Mary in attendance.

Friends from CORE leadership team at church.

Makenzie made this beautiful frame for Anna.  So special.

Neighbors Tom and Vickie

Good band buddies all through high school.

Noelle and Scott

The Hendersons....our youth ministers and their older daughters who are in CORE with Anna at church.

Band/choir friends (Edie on the right also in CORE and Vortex)

Vortex friend

Best sister!

My friend Dawn

 Joel and one of his roommates.  (I didn't get a photo of Joel with Anna)

The Schmidt family...Ken knew Brian in kindergarten and they rekindled their friendship in college.

My friend Tammy, who gave Anna her piccolo.  To quote Anna, "the best gift I have ever received".  (context....Anna borrowed Tammy's flute one time when hers went in for repair and Tammy allowed her to try her piccolo too.  She then gifted it to Anna at her party!!  I can't even imagine....how sweet.) 

The Egglands.  (Evan is one of Joel's roommates, a friend since 1st grade, his older sister was a good friend of Carolyns)

Flute friends

My second cousin Amy and her hubby Ken.  

My buddy since 12th grade, Noelle!

My cousin Joe and his wife Carol

Aunt Mary helped the day go smoothly!  Yeah

My best-buddy/walking partner Joelle

No photos with Matthew but he took many of the pictures! (above and below)  This one of chatting in the beautiful new kitchen!

He esp. took the one below...of Joel eating - silly brothers!