This Is Iowa: 4-Wheeler Rides with Grandpa

Today, Forbes named Des Moines the best place in the U.S. for business and careers. They cited our low business costs, highly educated workforce and heavyweight status in finance and insurance. Hooray for us! But it's not that surprising, Des Moines has topped many lists in the past few years.

It's an awesome place to live, and I am so glad we returned to Iowa to raise our family here. We have the best of all worlds -- a thriving metropolitan with low housing costs, good schools, plenty of great jobs and a fun local culture, and then just a short drive away we can leave work and school behind to surround ourselves with cornfields, soybeans and wide open spaces where we unwind, relax and enjoy an entirely different lifestyle.

Today, I'd like to share what few city kids get to enjoy -- four-wheeler rides with Grandpa on the farm! Once Dad revs up the engine of the four-wheeler, all little ears perk up and it's a race to see who will get there first. On this particular day, little Miss Violet won the honors of "first ride."

Miss Violet and Grandpa

Mighty Hudson likes to help steer

Farm-boy-in-training Maddox is never shy about asking for a ride

Imersyn likes a sweet ride

Irelyn sitting pretty during her turn