Anna-thology

another great day
One of these pictures is Rob opening an important letter. Or should I say - Reverend Rob!!! Yep, the district has approved him, now it just is a matter of the national office approving it. But the letter was addressed "Reverend Rob Thoreson" so that's pretty exciting!
We went to Eckert's Orchard up in Grafton today. Very cool. It was extremely commercialized, but the hayrack ride was fun and they had this awesome play place for the kids. I think it will have to become our new family tradition. As much as I love going to Iowa with the kids, it's just getting really hard to break away from everything here. Anyhoo, we took some great pictures, but I nearly cried because our new camera got a little dusty. (like a mother hen, I know) Sarah adored the goats. She was so funny, she wanted to let them eat out of her hand, but lacked the guts to do it, so she'd put a pellet right up next the goat's mouth and he'd start to go for it and she'd scream and pitch it on the ground just behind the goat. It was hilarious!
Eli got to mini-golf, so he was pretty much beside himself. There was a corn maze too, but the kids were pretty tired and the apples were getting heavy so we skipped it. Plus, we are taking the youth group to a corn maze here a in a few weeks.
The drive up River Road was beautiful. The whole time we were out I kept thinking how much Kim would enjoy the experience, it was very much a 'state-fair' feel to it. I guess that's good leverage to get her to come visit. (wink, wink)
So we stopped at JITB for a late lunch and Sarah told me she had to use the potty. We'd been out since ten and it was now after two. I hadn't taken her once because (since france) I just can't bring myself to use a port-a-potty. I take her in to the "ladies room" (that's her adorable thing right now - 'I'm a lady, I use the ladies room') and she has a dry diaper. I was dumbfounded to say the least. I guess potty training is going better than I realized. :)
So we stuff ourselves with curly fries and come home. Sarah and I crashed while the boys played video games. I slept like a dead body, seriously awoke in the exact same position I crashed in. Could have slept longer, but there was too much to do. Got the bulletin board up at church, finished 3 loads of laundry, bathed both kids and Rob got out the door in time for the missions service. I just couldn't keep the kids up tonight, it's too hard on Saturdays for them to get going on (with good attitudes) on Sunday morning. So now the little people are asleep and I'm a few pages from being done with my lesson for the am and my studio is screaming at me. I think I'm actually rested enough to attempt to appease it!! Can't wait.
Oh, and I just wanted to say how much I love this time of year. It's so fresh and crsip and lovely outside. We spent 75% of daylight hours just enjoying it today. hmmm. felt good.