Pizza, Pastries, and Paintings

Saturday we went to Pella to visit Tyler, Melissa, Mason, Finnley, and Elliot.  They are now 1-1/2 hours away rather then 3 to 3-1/2.  


We love where they live as it is a short walk to work to the campus for Tyler and they are a short distance from the downtown!  Pella has an interesting, historic downtown, with unique shops.

So we put the girls in the double stroller and headed downtown.  Mason is 2 (he will be 3 in two months), and Finnley and Elliot are 11 months old.  Having the kids outnumbered is a good thing.  Adults - 4.  Kids - 3.  

Our first stop... Pizza Ranch!  On the way there Mason asked me, "Grandma Barb do you like pizza?"  When I told him I LOVED pizza he asked Grandpa.  "Grandpa Mike, do you like pizza?"  When Grandpa Mike said he liked pizza too Mason said, "I like pizza too.  It is my favorite!"  



We all love Pizza Ranch.  What's not to love with all the varieties of pizza they offer?

Okay,  Finnley and Elliot love the salad bar.  I know, you are wondering if we were REALLY at a pizza place. 




Yep.

This is Elliot.   She was enjoying chewing on that piece of pizza!  She warmed up to us quicker than Finnley, so Elliot was the one I took pictures of on Saturday.   She has the biggest smiles!   Finnley does too, she just didn't share them quite as freely on this day.  It is hard to believe they are going to turn 1 year old this month!!

After pizza we toured downtown.  We went to a Christian bookstore, a meat locker, and a store called Funky Junque.  This was a very eclectic store with everything from antiques to vintage to modern items.



And who can visit Pella without going to at least one of the bakeries?  Not us!  I know I don't have to tell you, but Michael got some blueberry pastries.   Mason got a pastry called a Bee Hive.  It is chocolate in the shape of a bee hive with a whipped cream center.  Then the whole thing is dipped in chocolate, with the added touch of an edible bee on top.  

Mason chose this.  Here he is eating the bee off the top.... and then was done.     See my smile in this picture?   I was really thinking, "I SO want that bee hive!"  But it just isn't being a good grandma to steal your grandson's food no matter how awesomely chocolaty and whip creamy it is.  

Being a good Grandma is really hard work sometimes. This was one of those times.  

While we only saw some of the shops downtown I think my favorite was the  Christian book store/coffee shop.  Talk about a slice of heaven.  The owner and staff were so friendly and to be able to read and drink a coffee or  frappucino would be so relaxing. It was like Barnes & Noble, only this one had small town charm.  If I lived in Pella I think I would live in this store.  

We picked up some things when downtown, but our favorite souvenir of the day was a new, one-of-a-kind masterpiece painted by Mason.  This painting is now hanging on our bulletin board in the kitchen.

We love having them live closer to us.  



It makes days like Saturday possible. 


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