Have you had enough fun yet?

This morning we headed over to the Treynor fire station for a pancake breakfast.  Sam loved his sausage and eggs.  Henry ate his pancakes and really had fun looking at all the gear and trucks at the fire station.

After breakfast, we drove to town to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2.  Henry and I loved the first movie, and the second one was just as good!

After some naps, we finished the day with a backyard picnic!  A nice end to a fun-filled weekend!

I got my garden squared away for the winter and even cut down a few trees.  Yes, I managed to maintain all my limbs and didn't require any band-aids.

It's amazing how much can be accomplished on weekends when there aren't transcripts to work on!

Fall Fun!

In case you didn't know, I LOVE FALL!   I love sweaters and boots and hot cocoa and burning leaves.  I love cool weather and apple orchards and apple cider slushies.  I love butternut squash soup.   I'm currently obsessed with a new fall love, making pumpkin cinnamon rolls ...

But my favorite thing about fall is Vala's.  I've been waiting since August for it to open and we made our first trip of the year.  It's my favorite fall tradition.   It's our third year of going, and every year we do different things and new things that we hadn't discovered the year before.   

If you live within 500 miles of Omaha, seriously, save all your money and plan a trip there.  You can kill an entire day (or two or ten!).  I bet we've only seen half of the place in the six times we've been there over the last three years.  

 We headed straight to the bouncy pillows this year.  We had to stop for a few pics along the way.

Bouncy pillows! 

Apparently the sand is just as much fun as bouncing.

After bouncing, we went over to the corn pool.

Henry really wanted to try the apple slingshots, so we headed that way.

A few more stops for pictures.

After three years, we finally made it to the big slides.  They were a hit!   I'm sure we went at least 10 times before Mammey and I were too tired and decided it was time to move along.

 

We always get a pumpkin or two before we leave.  The boys found some good ones this year!   Each boy picked out a pumpkin that weighs more than he does!  Nice work on their part.  Thankfully Mammey has some muscles, so we were able to get them to the car and home to the porch.

A special thanks to Mammey for coming to spend an awesome 24 hours with us!  And an extra special thanks to Pa for the pumpkins.  Thanks so much!   We love spending time with you and can't wait to do it again!

Did I mention I love fall???

If at first you don't succeed ...

My mother-in-law and I had a fabulous afternoon planned.  We were going to go shopping at TCS for some cowboy boots, hit the park for an hour, grab some dinner, and then head to the rodeo and grab Orange Leaf after.

Easier said than done!   We managed to get about 3 miles from home when my engine coolant light came on and steam started pouring from the van.  Oops!  After several minutes of reading the users manual, we called Dave and decided to try to drive back home.  Three phone calls and two pit stops on the side of the road later, we made it home.  We switched the car seats around and decided to head to Bomgaars for boots instead of TCS.  After picking the boys up from daycare about an hour later than planned, we decided we didn't have time to play.  After a brief debate, we decided on spaghetti for dinner.

 Off we went to the rodeo. We took some time to visit with the animals before the rodeo started.  Henry liked that the best. Sam has some amazing chicken whispering skills, which may come in handy should my new life plan (chicken farm in Pella) ever come to fruition.

We got to see some piglets that had just been born a few hours earlier.

We found some fun cowboy hats and headed up to our seats for the rodeo.  Everyone had a great time.  The boys brought manly appetites and enjoyed popcorn (twice), cotton candy, Gatorade, and nachos.

After the rodeo, Henry wanted ice cream, so we headed to Orange Leaf.  It was 9:30, so we checked to be sure they were open before we headed over.  Got there and unloaded the kids, only to find the door was locked.  Winter hours have started and they closed this evening at 9.  Not to be discouraged, we went to Freddy's and enjoined some custard sundaes instead.  

A fabulous time was had by all.  Henry was already talking about going again next year.  Can't wait!

Pandora Strikes Again!

I had to laugh last night as I was rocking Sam to sleep.  I turned on Pandora.  It's normally set to lullaby music.  Blasting over the phone came Maniac from the movie Flashdance.  I have the greatest memories of dancing around the ottoman in my grandparents' living room to that song as a child.   Made me smile.

Shake It Off

It's funny how different songs apply to different parts of your life at different times in different ways.  This one seems to apply to so many things that have happened in my life in the last few years.   

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around
All of his questions such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah!
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, ooh woah!

And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, ooh woah!
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It's a fine romance but its left me so undone
It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh woah, oh woah!

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my rope
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat

Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, ohh

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, ooh woah!

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah!

Songwriters
WELCH, FLORENCE LEONTINE MARY / HULL, THOMAS EDWARD PERCY / EPWORTH, PAUL

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Little Blessings Carnival

Every fall our day care has a carnival fundraiser.  The boys had a great time.  Henry even was brave enough to get his face and hair painted this year.  Guess having a fearless little brother helps!

Fishing.  They got a gummy worm when they turned the fish in.  Henry had promised me he would share his treat.  He promptly ate it and then apologized and informed me he would share next year. 

 Sam really liked throwing the Tootise Roll in the funnel.  He did it about 15 times.

Musical hoops.  It's fun even when you're the only one playing.

 

Pin the nose on the clown.  

 

Sammy patiently waiting to get his hair painted.  He chose red and green, which resulted in a lovely camo effect.

 

 Henry's turn!

 Enjoying a snack.  Sammy ate Henry's hotdog while he wasn't paying attention.  Oops!

Twister

Sam enjoying his prize in the car.

 

What Friday night would be complete without dinner and ice cream at Freddy's?!?