The lighter side of our trip

The kids & I stayed in Hull until Friday morning. I briefly went back to the hospital twice on Thursday, but the rest of the time was spent relaxing and visiting people. Emily, of course, was just excited to go to Grandpa & Grandma Boote's farm! She usually latches on to one or two particular things each visit. This time it was a pair of big sunglasses and some Fisher Price binoculars. They never left her neck or head except at bed & bath time. She also continued her fascination with the old school Lite Brite my sisters & I had growing up. There aren't very many pegs left. Most of them fell victim to the vacuum at one point or another. :o( Other fun activities included picking up apples for Apple Dapple Cake and chasing butterflies. There were lots of monarchs on the flowers in the garden.

On the way home I decided to take a break and make a stop at Hawk Valley Gardens just east of Spencer to pick out our pumpkins & gourds for fall displays. Emily was much more excited than last year and was particularly drawn to the bumpy ones. Lincoln just enjoyed being outside and out of his car seat for 30 min. They technically weren't opening until tomorrow (Sept. 12), but the guy said if I came all the way from Bremer County I could sure look around. Maybe he felt sorry for me when he saw me with two little kids strapped into carseats in the van. :o) However, three other customers stopped by while we were there. too. Notice Emily is still wearing the sunglasses & binoculars. They came home with us and will have to be returned when we go back for the funeral.