Creston kids grow up

Iris at the Farmer's Market Saturday - Mom grew them at our home in Atlantic

The Mostek Family - Natalie (signing) Jeff, Kit, and Maria (Photo courtesy Kendall on Twitter)

We made the trek southwest to Creston Saturday night to a party to honor our neighbor kids who graduate from high school Sunday. They were young girls in 1998 when we moved to our home on Park road - across the street from their house.

We mostly watched them grow up from afar as Kit and Jeff set them up with sidewalk chalk, little sports toys, and loaded them up in the car for dance lessons and sporting events. Amy babysat for the twins, sweet girls with very different personalities, she said. Amy liked to bump the volleyball with them.

I started commuting to work in DSM about the time Natalie and Maria hit junior high and didn't get the chance to follow their sports careers except in the paper. They've been spectacular! Both will continue their athletic careers in college. Natalie is seen in the photo above signing with Des Moines Area Community College to play softball. She's a fab catcher and hitter. Maria will run track at Northwestern Missouri State in Maryville. She's a long distance specialist.

The graduation party was such fun - reminiscent of one held 11 years just across the street. The girls appreciated fact that we'd made the trip down for the party and to deliver our gifts. (On the way there we'd also stopped at the Nielsen house around the corner - to drop off Alex's gift - his party is Sunday.) The garage was filled with tables of people, most of whom we knew - all asked about the Goldsmith cherubs. Dave Buck smoked turkey, pork and ribs prior to the event. Yum. Young people gathered there too of course - including Taylor Pettit, who earned the type of fame nobody wants at the State Wrestling tourney when his heart stopped. He's doing fine now.

During the trip to Creston, Paul and I talked about the fact that we're nearing the end of our invitations to such events in our former hometown. We're running out of kids we know. No worries though - wedding invites and baby showers will take their places.

Just prior to the party we stopped to see our friend Ryan's newly purchased home in town. He and his dad Don are working with a contractor to demolish some of the interior of the house to install the cabinets and doors Paul helped them load last weekend in Urbandale. Donnie found that stuff on Craig's List. Reuse!

Ryan ripped out this Lazy Susan cupboard - just like one we had in our first house. Our dog Moki loved to serve himself crackers from it...

Our first home! It's looking pretty good with new front steps.

Bobbie, Deb and me - I didn't get a photo of the guys

After the graduation party Saturday, we met up with friends at the watering hole to catch up. It's always such fun to see them. This is what I miss most about living in Creston - seeing friends and chatting with people we've known for many years.

Before the latest round of storms hit, we were off to the big city. A friendly face was there to greet us when we got home - it had a snout.