Iowa 2010 LoooOOOng Post.

On June 30th... We flew to Chicago. Scarlett did SO great on the flight. Luckily we didn't have a layover. I was excited to see if she'd react to the plane taking off or landing, b/c it was loud, etc... nope - didn't phase her.
Seth's parents picked us up from the airport. They were on their way from Michigan to Iowa, worked out great! We drove 4? hours to his grandparent's house in Waterloo Iowa. It wasn't very ideal - to fly all morning and drive all afternoon - but it worked out just fine, and cheaper too.

Scarlett & Grandpa Burke

So we got in Wed night, the big party was Saturday. Seth's grandpa Rudy Oesterle turned 80 in June and July 3rd was the BIG 'surprise'(someone spilled the beans) birthday party. It was so nice to have Thurs/Friday to do whatever... Seth and I actually went to the movies both nights! Scarlett was taken care of by her grandma and pa Burke. One night we saw A-Team (awesome) and then Grown Ups (eh... adam sandler, what do you expect?).

Saturday! SO MANY PEOPLE CAME!!! It was very cool to see how many people came, and from far away places, to celebrate Rudy. He is an absolutely amazing man. It was fun to see lots of cousins and aunts/uncles. Scarlett was a hit - since pretty much everyone was meeting her for the first time. The day was Hot, hot, hot though...I Love Iowa! But I do not miss how it is SO HOT & HUMID!!!!!

playing with dad's hair while falling asleep...

Saturday night, after the party, we got to enjoy a mini firework show. And we had a bonfire... and roasted HUGE marshmallows. Seth made me the absolute best s'more I've tasted in an extremely long time. And the stars were out... and some of the fireworks got out of hand and came STRAIGHT toward the table we were all sitting at and gathered around. Aaahhhh, lots of laughs and fantastic memories were made that evening. I really enjoy those extended family reunions on Seth's side of the family. Fantastic, Great people.

Gma Burke bought Scarlett these new PJ's - Scarlett LOVES, loves looking at the dots.

So - Happy July 4th!! I dressed Scarlett up in a ridiculous outfit for the holiday. She got a white hat before she was born that had 'Babies first 4th of July" on it. And I got a onesie from Old Navy that was red and said "Mommies firecracker" or something like that. A white skirt, and red shoes (that were given at a baby shower). W/o the hat it was pretty darn cute... but I think the little bonnet was a bit much. ah well, she's super cute no matter how ridiculous you dress her up.

slide show of ALL the Iowa photos...

Monday July 5th we drove down to Nauvoo, IL with Seth's parents. My younger brother, Garrett, went through the temple, and we all got to join him for that special occasion. He has been called on a LDS mission to Ventura, California. He'll enter the Missionary Training Center, here in Provo, on September 1st and learn Spanish before heading out to California to share the Gospel!!

After that wonderful temple experience, we got to eat at the glorious Hotel Nauvoo buffet - Mm Mmm. And enjoyed a 'relaxing' evening. We all stayed at my family's house. Seth and his parents left for Utah Tues early morning. :( He had to go back to work and school... luckily his parents were going to visit Seth's siblings out here.

I hadn't been away from Seth for more than maybe 5 days since the day I met him (over 5 yrs ago) and that maybe 5 days was just a few weeks after we started dating. I didn't know it was possible for me - but I spent the next two weeks on my own with Scarlett visiting my family. I was dreading those 2 weeks, but I am so glad everything happened how it did. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder.

Scarlett and I spent the rest of the week in Nauvoo. It was absolutely amazing. My mom and youngest sibling, Kara - were in the Nauvoo Pageant for the rest of that week. Some of you know, but my family participated in The City of Joseph pageant for years and years and years... it was THE event of the year all growing up. I was in it for 11 consecutive years, and a few times when I was too young to really remember. Many of my extended family would participate too. It was 2 weeks of long, hard hours in the Hot Hot sun in muggy Illinois. And it was full of every kind of experience and opportunity that shapes/molds any person to be a better, stronger individual.Mom, Kara, me, Scarlett... after a show

Scarlett and 'Joseph Smith, Jr' played by Jeff... back stage. Skip this if you'd like - it's long and more of a journal for me than for you to really be interested... The City of Joseph's last year was 2004. I was on my mission. It still stings a little that I missed that last year. I remember so clearly, a summer night in Japan - on my mission. My companion and I had biked an hour+ to visit a member, but they ended up not being home. So we sat along the curb and wrote her a note from each of us. I had looked up in the sky, and saw the Big Dipper in the NW sky... Every spring/summer growing up I'd watch the big dipper slowly make it's way to the northwestern part of the sky, where it exactly lines up during the last week of July, first week of August - pageant time. Instantly my heart sunk as I imagined what my family was all doing on the other side of the world... It was dress rehearsal night of the last year the pageant would happen. And my entire extended family was participating that year. (except my bestie cousin Abs, who was also on her mission). I tried to explain to my companion, who was Japanese and didn't know any english, how I was feeling. I just kept saying in Japanese "HUGE PARTY, all of my family. only one time each year, but this year is the last one. in Nauvoo, my Whole Family HUGE PARTY... HUGE show, church show, my WHOLE family... etc. etc" Aaahhhh, it's so clear in my mind! I cried the entire bike ride home. It was the first time, and only time I felt that I was truly sacrificing a part of me to be serving the Lord on a LDS mission for 18 months.

Whew. The week Scarlett and I were able to be there - was so incredibly nice. It was the first time since the pageant in '03 that I had spent 'me' time in Nauvoo for that long. And it was SO nice to just be there with Scarlett. We sat in the audience and watched the pageant every night we were there. I loved looking for my mom and Kara on the stage every scene. I cried, I laughed, pondered, felt the spirit SO strong, and smiled a ton. The pageant they have running now is extremely different than the City of Joseph I participated in, but it brought back so many memories. Actually, you really can't compare the shows. City of Joseph was a theatrical musical. the Nauvoo Pageant today is more a musical, but has a very different story, actually has a story line and teaches the Gospel in a very moving, thorough way. I really like the new pageant. Not that I like it more or less than City of Joseph - it's just not comparable - they're two completely different shows.

muggy illionois evening... I didn't want any mosquitos to get her... I promise, she could breathe.

I Love My Mom!
I made lots of memories with my mom and kara. Alicia was there for the first few days with her kids. We went to the Fudge factory. Got gelato numerous times. saw the Young performing missionaries show in the visitors center (which was actually extremely lame than what the show was before 8 years ago). Got to see my dear friend Kasi French!!! We were EFY counselors together in '03! She sat with me and saved me by pacing with Scarlett a few times when she was pretty cranky/needy so I could enjoy the pageant. She's one of my favorite people in the whole world and it was just AWESOME she was there for thurs-sun.

(heading to the Fudge Factory)
Scarlett posing a super happy face in front of the Nauvoo, IL Temple
Slide show of all the Nauvoo photos...

So! That was Nauvoo... I could talk about it forever. Sunday after my mom/kara were all packed up and finished with their pageant responsibilities we headed home to Iowa City.

Scarlett got a fever in Nauvoo during the week... which went away after 12 hours - no biggie. Seth had said he had gotten a little sick sore throat/fever a day or so before Scarlett had hers (while he was in UT). Sunday night I had a sudden sore throat... and a somewhat high fever, same as Scarlett's - 102. I went to a urgent care monday morning pretty sure I had strep throat. . . but it came back negative and the nurse and I were both surprised by that. I hadn't asked her about these super strange 'bug bites' all over my hands though - forgot.

At dinner that night I was playing w/ scarlett and noticed she had two huge blisters on her toes... That night I'm talking to Alicia on the phone and she mentioned some of the little cousins got "Hand, Foot, Mouth" over the July 4th weekend. It all pieced together... mom read the symptoms off a website... starts with a somewhat high fever, then sudden sore throat. then sores on hands and feet. also could have sores in mouth. she described my symptoms exactly. I checked Scarlett's hands/feet... she had a few sores on her hands - but more so on her feet... Didn't know adults could get it! the incubation period is like 3-6 days... which explains scarlett's fever 4 days after being around the little cousins. And 4 days later my symptoms showed up... I'm sure Scarlett's slobbery wonderful kisses exposed me. And 10-20% of adults can get the sickness if they weren't exposed when they were kids. Huh... who'd a thunk? So... I was pretty miserable mon-tues... I got some crazy bad sores on my hands/feet... my sore throat sucked. My hands just hurt so bad to use... They looked like blisters or bug bites - like spider bites. The sores on my feet lasted longer - and it felt like I was walking on nails every step. Yea... it sucked. No clue why kids have to suffer such a thing!!!


Tuesday night mom, dad, kara, a friend of Kara's, scarlett, and I actually went BACK to Nauvoo to see the pageant... I know, right? well... Kara's friend wanted to go. Kara wanted to super go to see all her boy friends from the 'core cast' and dad was going to drive them... so mom was going to go with dad... and what was I going to do? sit at home alone in Iowa City? Nope... so we drove the 3 hour round trip to see the pageant again. My parents holding a sleeping Scarlett :Wed morning Kara, Scarlett & I road tripped up to my sister Alicia's family in Prarie Du Chien Wisconsin. We were there a short 24 hours... But go to have some good times... pizza night, choco chip cookies, chick flick, painting nails, watching heat lightning out the big living room window... Beck and ELLIA are always a hoot... It was a great time, but still too short.

Thursday we drove home and stopped on the way to see my brother Aaron who has been a camp counselor at EWALU at Strawberry Point, IA this summer. It was a fun visit, as always. Aaron is such a good person. And he was absolutely BEAMING... he was doing everything he loves to do... he's doing fantastic. Plus, he adores Scarlett, and I love that.

The drive back to Iowa City took FOREVER... Kara was driving. Ha ha, not her fault... We just got 'lost' a few times... and took wrong roads (they were all back roads - random highways, etc) and SOMEHOW... somehow, we got home back to Iowa City. What is to be a 2 hour drive took us 4 though...

Waiting for us back in Iowa City was lots of the Hartley extended family... My dad's parents - grandma and grandpa Hartley came! And got to meet Scarlett for the first time!! It was pretty neat and fun... she was a hoot. And My cousins were there, aunt joette... it was a good time. I got lots of photos. My great aunt Myrna and uncle Jim came Friday morning to visit with Scarlett and I. That was really neat that they did that... and unfortunately Scarlett spit up on aunt Myrna 3 times... Yea, she for sure needed a change of clothes before she left the house, poor Aunt Myrna.
slide show of visiting family/friends in Iowa... and Scarlett meeting Great grandma and pa Hartley

Friday - I did some last minute things around town that I wish I was feeling up to at the beginning of the week. Scarlett went with my mom and Kara out to lunch with some of their friends so I could be more efficient. I got to visit Adam and Amanda Nielsen! They just had twin boys the week before I visited... so it was neat to see them. They were living out here in Utah andmoved there last fall for Adam to go to school. Small world.

And Friday afternoon... Scarlett and I got in the car with mom and dad to drive to Michigan! We were headed to a wedding reception in Livonia on Saturday night. We drove until we reached Battle Creek, MI (7 hours ish?) and stayed at a hotel Fri night. We made reservations too late to get a room w/ two beds - and so mom and dad got their own, Scarlett and I partied in another! At first I was a bit nervous/scared... I had never stayed in a hotel room by myself. But I had Scarlett there to protect me, and it was actually kinda fun. We slept in and left as late as possible - so nice.

The wedding reception was so nice. It was for Chase Tennant, the youngest in a family that lived in Iowa City when I was super young. His parents are fantastic friends of my parents. They were very surprised to see some Hartley's! And didn't know we were coming... even though it was a fancy RSVP wedding reception. It was from 3 to 9pm and we stayed until 7. Ring ceremony, dinner, cake, dancing... and of course some pictures. It was neat to see the Tennants again, they're a very cool and kind family.
hahaha, this photo makes me laugh... typical Scarlett.
Slideshow of our Michigan adventure....

We headed to the hotel in Novi to change and then went and saw the movie Inception. A-Mazing. Scarlett slept through the entire thing, what a good girl during her first movie theater experience. I definitely recommend Inception, quite a thinker movie!!

I really enjoyed, and needed, this time with my parents... It was so nice to just be me with them. How often does someone get to do that after they're married and w/ kids (or a kid)? I super love my parents and loved those days to be me with just them.

Up early the next morning... Sunday, headed to Howell, MI <-- Seth's home! We went to church at his home ward and sat with his parents. Scarlett and I said good bye to my parents after Sacrament meeting and they took a few days to 'vacation' on the way back to Iowa.

Scarlett and I stayed at church and got to be with Seth's parents for a few hours before heading to the airport. It was neat that it all worked out for us to end our midwest adventure in Michigan at Seth's home - but weird that we were there without him. Just different. Sandi made a very yummy dinner and I toured the house with many improvements since we were there for Christmas last year. Sandi has been B-U-S-Y!! And it looks Awesome! Steve enjoyed pacing with Scarlett as much as he could in the short time we were there.

Eating quick before heading to the airport.... with Gma BurkeThen they graciously drove us to the Detroit Airport for our flight that was to leave at 4pm. We got there at 3:00ish, said our "see ya later"'s and Scarlett and I were then on our last adventure - a evening full of airport and airplane time. The flight to Denver wasn't too bad... we had a 3 hour layover there. With the time change it was 5-8:30 pm we were just walking around. Scarlett loved the stroller time...
With all the excitement found in an airport, Scarlett had a very difficult time taking a nap, and staying asleep. We lucked out with a good 45 minute Zzz Zzzz time... but that wasn't enough... When we finally boarded the plane at 9... she wasn't having anymore of this traveling business. And she SCREAMED, for a very long time. to me it was a half hour, realistically I hope it was 10 minutes tops. No idea though, all I remember is I really didn't like my life at that moment. We were sitting at the window, two people to crawl over to get out - which I'm sure they would have very willingly, but I knew it wasn't an answer b/c she was just so exhausted and mad at the world. She was fine as everyone was boarding... and then they announced one of the computers was broken so it would be 30 minutes to fix. She didn't like that? She was so upset... and I just wanted to scream "Turn down the lights so kids can sleeeeeeep!!!". She finally, finally gave in. And life was all better. During those moments I wasn't too afraid of what people around me were thinking... maybe I should have been? But I think they all understood. There were two other young babies on the plane that were having quite an episode of their own after I had gotten Scarlett to sleep. I felt so bad for the mothers. One of which was sitting right in front of me, and was alone - no dad to help relax her or the baby. But! after an HOUR of sitting there, the computer was fixed... after another 30 min we were up in the air... b/c of the delay they provided us with FREE TV! woot. and we landed in Salt lake at midnight - two hours later than originally scheduled.

(taken when we boarded the plane in Detroit.)Yep - midnight in utah is 2pm Michigan time... we were at it for a good 11 hours folks! Whew, we sure were excited, happy, almost in tears to see DAD waiting for us first thing at the baggage claim!!! We got home at 1:30 am in our own beds... and Seth stayed home from work the next day to be with us! It was very nice.

That's our "Iowa" trip! Chicago,IL to Waterloo,IA to Nauvoo,IL to Iowa City.IA to Prarie Du Chien, WI to Strawberry Point, IA to Iowa City, IA to Battle Creek, MI (through indiana) to Novi-Livonia-Howell, MI to Detroit airport - Denver Airport - SALT LAKE! 6 states... Fun Adventures. What a book of a post, right? That was pretty much our month of July!

I'll post our June highlight in a different post.