Day 18--Ankeny/Des Moines fun day

We awoke to more rain and so decided to try the Des Moines Farmer's Market later in the day hoping the weather would clear up.  Instead, we went to stuff our faces at "The Machine Shed," a truly Iowa-style breakfast buffet.  What else can I say?  It was an Iowa breakfast buffet.

The big girls sat in high chairs...

 ...and rode the tractors.

Since it is the Midwest, it quickly became sunny and 80 degrees, providing great weather to walk around the Farmer's Market.  It was a really good market, covering about 7 blocks, and crowded with people and puppies.  Who doesn't love some Iowa-grown beef?

Aurelia was having a lot of fun...can't you tell? 

 Here's Jon, Kristen, and Anastasia in line for a Bubble[less] Tea drink.  $4 and 25 minutes later, we realized that the vendor had run out of the tapioca balls when they handed us our not-bubble strawberry smoothie!  Oh well, it was still refreshing.

Next on the agenda--back to Ankeny for Facetime with Grandpa and Nana Nishimoto.  Then Jon got in a good nap while Kristen, Phil, BTong, the kiddos, and I went outside for some slacklining and play time.

Here's Bethany T.

 ...and Phil

 ...Bethany G.

 ...and Kristen, who picked it up so fast as a first-time slackliner.

Aurelia flew.

Then we played volleyball while Anastasia and Aurelia worked on their tans and gossiped.

After the hard work of play, we cooled down with some slushies from Sonic and sat around the house.  We had some Papa John's pizza for dinner before BTong had to head back to Minneapolis.  Then the babies got a bath before bedtime, and we all went to sleep tired and happy.