Orchard fun!

Welcome to Iowa, Aunt Theresa!  Theresa came to visit last week, and she stayed FIVE nights (which roman counted out for me multiple times!)  It was fun for us to have her here - the boys loved playing with her and having her read to them. And I enjoyed our talks and laughing late at night! Makes me wish that we all lived closer - think that goes both ways!  :)

Theresa and Gma Rosie

While Theresa was here, we decided to take a trip to the Center Grove Orchard, which we had been to a couple of years ago (when Roman was one), and then again a few weeks ago with Roman's preschool class.   This place has lots to do, besides pick apples (which ironically, we've never done!)

I took this pic when Roman's class visited the orchard a few weeks ago, and then got home and discovered that we took a similar pic when we took Roman a few years ago...  Same boy, just a little bigger!  :)

When we went three years ago, they had a good amount of things to do, but it seems like they've added a lot since then - someone told me they add "attractions" every year!  Here are some pics from our trip...

Roman, with his box of "treasures" in the van...

Josiah, he really was happy to go to the orchard... 

Benjamin, smiley as ever... :)  

Josiah, Gma Rosie and Roman - back row and excited about it!  :)  

Welcome to the orchard!

One of our favorite things to do here is play in the Corn Pool!  EVERYBODY IN!

we will have a picture of all three boys *someday*
when they're all smiling at the camera!  :) 

Josiah showing us how he "swims"

Roman & Gma Rosie... more swimming!

Josiah & Aunt Theresa... "cheeeeese!"

Another fun thing to do is jump on the Jumping Pillow!

This pic makes me giggle because it looks like Theresa
just pushed Josiah down ... but she was really
the most kind, caring person who had a toddler on the pillow!!  :)

an action shot... running down the pillow!

Josiah/Jake and Roman/Colette on the pedal tractors... we won't say who got "lapped"... we ALL had fun!!
 

These burlap-slides were fun!  I think the boys went down 4 times... couldn't get enough!  The first time they went down, Jake/Theresa were in line with them, reassuring them that it wouldn't be too scary or fast.  The kid in front of them turned around and said "I just went down the slide and it's really scary."  Nice. 

Riding the "pillow horses".  (What this snapshot doesn't show
is that these horses tip over *very* easily!)

Roman, Jake, Josiah... trying not to get lost in the (3-foot-tall) hay maze!

... and this is where our camera quit working...bah!  but rest assured, we had a fun time even if we don't have more pics to show you!  :)