Fall Fun

Well, you can't have this kind of fun in Hawaii!! We love our backyard and the kids have been having a great time playing in the leaves. Jesse seems to have resigned to the fact that he has to wear shoes and all are still getting use to jackets. I caught my 1st cold of the season...maybe I am allergic to cold weather??? Anna and I made pumpkin bread yesterday. Pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. And This weekend we are heading to Virginia Tech (kid free!) for the weekend. Joel's cousin is getting married there and we are looking forward to seeing the old stomping grounds, going to a football game, seeing some old friends, and enjoying the beautiful fall leaves along the way. The kids aren't the only ones enjoying it! Seriously, this is my favorite time of year and am grateful that we get to experience it again!

Life as We Know It

Well I guess our life just isn't near as exciting in Ohio as it was in Hawaii. As the days pass and I find I haven't blogged in awhile, I say to myself "What do I blog about!". I want to say that it isn't Ohio but just the fact that we moved. It is more than the change of house, new schools, church hunting, finding friends. It is almost like life comes screeching to a halt. We get so involved in things: friends, commitments, activities. Then you move and BAM!, there is nothing occupying your evenings or weekends and I sit and wonder what to do with myself! It is just a season of quietness and I am sure our lives will be booming with activities here again soon. In the meantime you will just have to be satisfied with stories and pictures of my cuties.

I have been enjoying my mornings with just Jesse and feel like I have read the whole library in all this quietness. The kids LOVE school and are adjusting well. Our neighborhood isn't swamped with kids so surprisingly Asher and Anna have become better friends than I thought possible - such a blessing to see. Anna has started ballet and gymnastics and keeps telling Asher to look for her on TV. Asher is thriving in piano lessons and just started a swim team where he is learning the techniques of swimming while being part of team (no competition until he is ready). Both activities are perfect for Asher and his personality. Joel completes his review classes this week, believes he has settled on a research topic, and starts "real" classes next week: linear algebra, probability and statistics, and digital signal processing. Sounds fun, right?! He gets sent off with a packed lunch everyday just like the kiddos. As for me, my heart aches for sailing! I am freezing and still can't keep shoes on Jesse (even in 50 degree weather). But the fall is taking my breath away and the Lord is truly blessing me with a few quick friends, a babysitting swap, and a MOPS group.

Weekly trips to the library have been one of our newest adventures. Jesse ALWAYS picks out a train book and hangs on to them for dear life. Seriously, he even sleeps with them. I have to sneak them away when he isn't looking when it is time to return them.

This was the sight in our house this past Saturday morning. Meet Anna, the fairy princess, and Asher, aka. "Clone Superman". Yes, that is what he called himself. Check out the socks! Completely cracked me up.

A Day Out

Grammie and Poppy treated the kids to a "Day Out with Thomas" which included photos with Thomas, a train ride, and some other fun activities.

The kids loved the train ride but Jesse was by far the most excited to see Thomas. Jesse is super obsessed with trains - he was in heaven.

The boys on the train ride.

Then we spent the afternoon at the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival. I LOVE popcorn and enjoyed trying all the different treats. Even though popcorn was the feature there seems to be this new obsession with deep fried food. This is the first time I have tried deep fried anything...pickles seemed to be the #1 thing on the menu but I couldn't do it. Joel tried a deep fried snickers. I tried a deep fried banana (GROSS!). However I have to say that the deep fried apples tasted like warm apple pie - very good! Nothing was better than the chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick
(NOT deep fried!).

The kids favorite treat = cotton candy!

Blessing #4

For some of you, this is a surprise...so SURPRISE! Yes, we are expecting Thorson baby #4. I am currently 19 weeks with a due date of Jan. 26. I was VERY sick early on (much different than my other pregnancies) but am doing much better now. When we first told the kids, we got quite different responses than what we thought we would receive. Asher said "I have to take care of 3 kids!" and Anna stated that if it wasn't a girl than she didn't want it. Today we had the joy of seeing the little bugger moving around in an ultrasound and then the joy as Anna danced and screamed with excitement when we told her that it was a indeed a GIRL! "I knew it!" She squealed over and over and over again. She has so many plans for the 2 of them already. Asher already loves the baby and showers my growing belly with hugs and kisses. Joel is glowing (even though he was POSITIVE it was a boy). Needless to say we are all very excited to welcome a baby girl into our family.

Home Sweet Home

Home sweet home is now Beavercreek, OH! Yes, we made it! The trip cross country went way better than I expected. We made such wonderful memories and had a great time seeing family and friends. However, I don't plan on getting in that car for another long drive for awhile!

The kids camping out on our 1st night in our new house. We actually had to sleep like this for 2 weeks (minus the few days we ran away to my parents) before our household goods arrived. Wow, did our bed feel good after 2 months in hotels and visiting others. It is like Christmas for the kids unpacking toy boxes. I realized that in 9 years of marriage, we have moved 6 times! You think I would be good at this by now but unpacking is still super exhausting and frustrating...a much slower process than I would like it to be.

This past Monday, Anna had her 1st day of pre-kindergarten. And you will get a mouth full if you accidentally call it preschool. She goes 5 days a week, half-day. She was very nervous and shy at first-the kids are really missing their Hawaii friends and the freedom of our Hawaii backyard. They pray for new friends every night. Despite her nervousness, she had a great 1st day and gabs about it nonstop.

Today (Tuesday), Asher had his 1st day of 1st grade (sniff sniff). Here he is with his teacher Mrs. Latta who he says is the best because she says "Cool, Dude". His school is literally about 5 houses down the street. He has been insisting on walking to and from school by himself but I told him he had to walk with me the 1st week at least. He had to walk about a foot in front of me the whole time and then balked in embarrassment when I insisted on walking him to his classroom once at the school. This starts already in the 1st grade?!?! He told me he wasn't shy at all, but it only took 1 day for him to already forget his lunchbox at school.

A photo of our house...we LOVE it (and our new minivan)! It is 2400 sq foot, 4 bedroom, with a HUGE fenced in backyard to keep roaming Jesse locked in. I have no photos of the inside yet since we are lost in boxes. The neighborhood is extremely beautiful and quiet ( a ghost town compared to our community on base). I know there are kids around but why don't I hear them? We did meet 1 neighbor, a home with 7 kids with matches for Jesse and Asher, and babysitters! The weekend after our stuff arrived, my parents came to help watch kids and unpack-such a blessing to be close to family again! Watch out Leslie, I will have plenty of work for you ;).

Joel has orientation this week and starts school after labor day...like the kids, he is also nervous. Please continue to pray for adjustment for us all. The church hunt starts this weekend, and we hope to find a small group to be a part of for encouragement and companionship. My heart aches to go for a sail and have some unwinding time! Enjoy that blue water for the Thorson Family Hawaii friends! We miss you!

The Wild Wild West

Tales of our journey across this beautiful country of ours...

Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. We had to drive on some windy roads to reach this spot. After 15 minutes, Asher threw up in the back of our brand new minivan...so much for that new car smell! Thankfully, this is the only day he has gotten sick.

We spent two days at Yellowstone National Park-we had such an amazing time! What a beautiful place...mountains, rivers, waterfalls, canyons, animals, etc.

Old Faithful was a site to behold shooting up from 100 to 115 feet into the air.

The kids had more fun playing in the dirt than they did watching Old Faithful.

A buffalo siting! Even after seeing this rare animas, Asher is still gasping each time he see cows...yes, COWS! I guess there are rare in Hawaii.

We were so close to this black bear! We also saw a grizzly bear with her 2 cubs.

Then we spent 2 days with great friends from college, Jeremy and Laura Beth Rhodes, in Great Falls, Montana. Amazing how conversations change when we now have 6 kids between us. The kids had a great time playing with "real" children and getting a break from the car. And it was wonderful to catch up with our friends.

Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Mt. Rushmore...more amazing than we had imagined. Asher says this is his favorite thing we have seen so far (besides Disneyland).

The badlands in South Dakota have been my favorite thing so far.

You go from rolling green hills and valleys to the badlands...it is like you are on Mars. It was so fantastic (but super super hot!).

The kids were able to roam on some of the badlands for a little while. It was way too hot for me! The specks in this photo are Joel and Asher exploring.

We are now resting for a few days in Watertown, South Dakota with some of Joel's family. It is so nice to get another break from the car and let the kids run. After 5 minutes of driving on day 1 out of LA, Anna says "You're right Dad...this is a long way!". It has been long but it has been amazing. These breaks with friends and family have been soooo important though. The hotel rooms have lost some of their excitement. Anna and Asher are not too keen on sharing a bed. Asher tends to pull her hair in his sleep, or kick her, lays his legs on top of her, etc. She says she can't wait to have her own room in Ohio! The whole journey has made the move a little unreal...it hasn't truly settled in that we aren't going back to Hawaii and we have no clue what our life is going to look like on the other end. I'm sorry to those we haven't called...we have not had cell reception since Yellowstone Park! AT&T is not good in the rural areas of the NorthWest. You will hear from me soon-I promise! Next phase of the journey is visiting family in Nebraska and Wisconsin. Love to all!

Magic in the Air

We survived our red eye flight from Hawaii (barely-Asher didn't sleep a wink hence neither did us parents). Joel's parents met us in LA for 3 fun-filled days at Disneyland. It truly was magical. I will never forget the looks on the kids' faces. We tried to capture some of those moments in pictures.

Anna and Asher in the "A" outside California Adventure Park.

Jesse's favorite ride was the flying rockets (and the carasoul). He would put his hands in the air and say "I flying". He marched onto every ride without looking back-that boy has no fear.

Joel and I celebrate our 9th anniversary there. Grandma and Grandpa kept the kids and we enjoyed a night in the park by ourselves! We felt guilty but it was oh so fun.

Anna was one pooped princess after 1 day. It is hard having all your dreams come true!

Anna was in princess heaven. Her face glowed every time she saw a princess and she got all their autographs. She could have sat in the "Princess Fantasy Fair" all day and forgotten about the rest of the park. This is one of those faces I will never forget.

Asher rode EVERY ride and EVERY roller coaster. He was SO brave! Here he is driving cars with Grandpa. After each ride he would yell, "That was totally AWESOME!". His favorites were the Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain. and he NEVER took those Mickey Mouse ears off.

However Splash Mountain was the one he rode 3 times. This is actually his "log" going over the hill and by this time he was even putting his hands in the air!

Jesse loved seeing all the characters but wanted nothing to do with them...until he saw Minnie Mouse. He tried climbing a fence to get to her, hugged and kissed her. I couldn't get him away from her. It was love at first sight. After that he would just randomly shout "Minnie! Minnie!"

Asher and Anna loved seeing the characters. Well Anna just wanted to see the girls: Minnie, Daisy, and Jessie from Toy Story. This is my favorite "character" picture.

and no trip is complete without the family photo in front of the castle!

We are now on our cross country journey. The kids are doing awesome. We have so enjoyed seeing the West and friends we haven't seen in 5 years. We have been to Cedar Breaks National Monument and Yellowstone Park (pics to follow in next post). We are presently in Great Falls, Montana visiting dear friends from college. Next are the bad lands and black hills of South Dakota, and Mt. Rushmore here we come!