Last Couple Days

So we've hit the end of our week with Brad, Jacob and Emma. Yesterday we went out to Dawson Lake for a picnic and to enjoy the nature out there. It really was pretty and serene. The kids enjoyed chasing the geese and playing on the playground. We also took them down to the docks and let them look out over the lake. Mom mentioned how going out there really makes her miss Door County, Wisconsin and I agree. After spending all our summers up there on Kangaroo Lake growing up, we miss the quiet and beauty of nature that we just don't get a whole lot of around here.

On the way home we stopped at one of the windmills that is part of the "windmill farms" outside of town. They were built about 6 months ago. I would assume most people have heard of trying to find new forms of energy, and these windmills are part of it. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you see hundreds of these windmills ruining your view of the corn and soy bean fields and the horizon, this new form of energy really isn't too exciting. They're huge, too. Dad said each blade is the length of a train boxcar. That's really big. You can kind of tell by the pictures we took. Jacob looks tiny next to that thing!

Our last stop of the day was at Carl's ice cream. For those that don't live around here, Carl's ice cream has been around in Bloomington for a really long time- just a local favorite ice cream stop. They built one a few blocks away from us that opened just a few months ago. We thought it would never make it- nothing in that building has ever survived... there have been multiple banks that have tried and failed. But it was hopping last night. They serve food and ice cream but we stopped just for the ice cream. And it sure was good! It was our first time trying it out and we were impressed. Needless to say, the kids were wired after that and we didn't get them to bed until almost 10pm. Then of course Sarah woke up at 10 and we were partying until midnight.

And that just about finishes up our week with Brad. Mom is out shopping with Emma for a new book to take on the airplane. Jacob just finished helping Dad at the garden water the plants and pick spinach. Then they'll take off for the airport just after lunch.

It's been an action-packed, exhausting week. I think everyone will need a vacation from this vacation, as is usually the case. It was just nice to let Ellie get to know her cousins a little better. She'll miss her playmates. I added the last of the pictures, so now there are over 130 pictures to look at. Hey- it was a busy week!