Wild, wacky, Waukee

Well we have been here in Waukee almost two months now. I have thought a lot about posting, but haven't really wanted to. I thought if someone else did the thinking for me it would be a lot easier, so I am enlisting the kids help. Here are some of their thoughts on the move and living in Waukee, IA.

Anna: I like living by a park because then we can go there anytime (mother's note: we lived across from a park where we used to live, but the road between us and the park served as some mental barrier between us. it's nice the house backs right up to one here, one foot in the yard, one foot in the park). I miss the wildlife we used to see in our old backyard. We used to see wild turkeys and deer on the way to school everyday, and black squirrels everywhere( Mother's note: yes, black. I had never seen them before living in Iowa either). I miss the Mississippi river. It was a good view. I have made a lot of friends here, and one good friend, Jessica. The school is way different than our old school and the teachers are usually strict, except for the boy teachers. Our house is really big and I like that Lizzy and I have our own bathroom.

Lizzy: I like how me and Anna have such a great view out our window. I like that we get to walk to school because we live so close. I also like how there is a trail behind our house and a park. I like how our house has a little space under the basement stairs with carpet because me and Ben like to have clubs there. We had a dance club today. I miss the Mississippi River because I miss seeing that alot because it was so beautiful. I miss the wildlife and our friends. I don't like how noisy it can be because we have baseball fields behind our house. It seems like the school is like one year behind because they teach you about penguins in second grade instead of first. I like how most of the teachers are nice at school, except for Anna's. She has the meanest teacher in the school. I really like church because there are bigger classes and there are more kids with birthdays close to mine. I really like gymnastics here too because they have something called Parent's Week where we get to do a routine for our parents.

Ben: I don't really like soccer that much here because they don't do that many games (Mother's note: For young kids here they mostly run skills clinics. It isn't until about 4th grade that they have tryouts for all of these different soccer academies. Different than what we are used to). I like that the baseball games are so close behind our house. I hope we get to go watch some with Papa. I miss the Garners and the Jensens and all our other friends. I miss the McGraths too. I miss my old preschool too. This preschool is good though. I miss the old basement at our other house. I miss our old church because I miss my class.

Adam: I like it here in Waukee. Although I miss our old neighborhood, (the McGraths mostly), here is really good too. There are multiple kids that go to my school that live right across the park behind our house. I really like the school here, even better than pleasant view. In church, there are boys in my class that are actually turning 11 this year, and I have made friends with kids in 11yr. old scouts. We went on our first campout last Friday, and it was really fun. I miss Bettendorf, but Waukee is even better!!!

Sincerely, adam the beast (Mother's note: Adam the beast typed this all by himself. He is also the one who was most opposed to us moving.)