The Helmkamps: 12/2/18

Monday, December 3, 2018

Summer 2018

A visit to St. Louis
The City Museum...
IS AMAZING!
We spent most of our time outside on the multi-story, industrial-like "playground".
There is still tons to explore. I hope we can go back...and not right before a Cards/Cubs
game...(the place was PACKED!)

A story or two up

Cards game as a family
To cap the day off, kids got to run the bases after the game.
Jesse wasn't wanting to run alone, so Ryan 'had' to run with him. :)

Holsten Mill Civil War Reenactment

"Little Sprouts" drilling

We had to stay in a roped off area

bc the reenactment was on all sides,

complete with infantry, cavalry, and cannons.

Summer Trip to Iowa

Kicking it off with Brinkman Family Weekend at Honey Creek

The boys love having a little cousin!

Then we spent VBS week in Polk City with the Warrick's-

(what a blessing to get extended time with them!)

Ryan taught a class for VBS, Jack and Lane attended, and Jesse and I made

a quick trip to the farm and we all saw lots of old friends.

A visit to Grandpa Bob

The boys and Grandpa enjoyed playing games

together the last few times we visited.

We will sure miss getting to stop to see him.

We got some time at Jana & Billy's

and picked up Jeremiah to bring home with us.

Picking mulberries

Headed back to Springfield for cousin week!

Bass Pro with Jeremiah and our friend/neighbor Brittany

"Petting" sting rays with Brittany

4th of July at the Adams' (our neighbors)

They had enough food, small fireworks, smoke bombs, sparklers, etc. to keep everyone entertained before the hour-long firework show. Their firework show is no small display!

Each of the boys got their own sword sparkler!

One of probably hundreds of smoke bombs
set off that night!

Swimming at Valley Water Mill

After a short week at home, we headed back to Iowa to "return" Jeremiah

and for Chad & Anne's wedding. Ryan flew out from DSM to Louisville

for a week long class, so the boys and I stayed a few extra days to see some friends.

Grandma Bette

We swam at the Slater pool (the boys' favorite pool :))

and then took a couple uncles out to dinner.

Sweet time with the Rosheims

Picking out treasures from Uncle Al's collection

Cousin weekend with STL cousins!!

Andy's Custard before swimming at Valley Water Mill

Marcie let us in on a little secret...

kids bowl free in the summer!

The boys had listened to "Henry and the Clubhouse"
on one of our road trips, which lead to wanting a tree
house...so Ryan spent a weekend building them one!

A visit from Alisa!