FEBRUARY SISTER TRIP

Janet and I enjoyed our first 2011 sister trip.  In January, Janet made a one-sided sister trip to Steamboat Rock to spend the night with me when Mike was in San Diego helping care for his mom after her stroke.  Then I made a one-sided sister trip to CR in January to go with Janet to Fab Five.  That will probably be our last show choir trip.  Yes, sad but true.  Now that Ben and Andy are no longer in show choir it just isn't the same.

So, on to February's trip.  We went to the craft show at the fairgrounds in Des Moines.  I took Friday off work because first I needed to take Mike to Iowa Falls for an MRI on his back.  Then Janet came and picked me up at 11:30.  We were a little concerned on Thursday evening that we wouldn't be able to go because of the new snow.  But fortunately it didn't happen and we were glad to get away.  We stopped in Story City and went the the factory outlet stores there.  It isn't as big as Tanger, but we found some great buys at Van Heusen and VF.

From there we headed to Des Moines.  We stopped at Jordan Creek and walked the mall.  Then we went over to Wal-Mart, Trader Joe's and Kirklands.  We decided to eat at Fuddrucker's.  Then we decided it was time to check in to our motel.  After a quick settling in, we headed over to the fairgrounds.  We did our typical first walk through to get the "lay of the land" and then left to go back to the motel for the night.  But before that we stopped off at the Village Inn for pie.  Janet had the chocolate peanut butter cup and I had triple berry.  Janet had a $5 gift card which we applied to our purchase.  Then we just cracked up because Janet couldn't grasp how I was splitting the remainder of the bill, plus tip.  It was pretty funny.  But you had to be there.  :)

Janet had a good night's sleep.  Mine was just so-so.  :(  We went back over to the craft show and bought a few fun things.  We saw our "friend" - one of the vendors.  We don't know her name, but a couple of years ago when we were on a moose hunt we got to talking with her and now we always look forward to seeing her and she always remembers us.  She's the one who told us about the Cranberry Festival and Craft Show in Warrens, WI.

We were done around noonish and headed home, but first a stop in Ankeny at the Wal-Mart so I could pick up a few grocery items.  We also had lunch at IHOP.  Got home around 2:45.  So that's it.  Not hugely exciting, but we're in the process of planning the future 2011 sister trips.  :)