The Andreasens: July 2015

San Diego Camping Trip

After my hospitalization and soul searching, I decided that this summer I was dedicating myself to my family and fun! First on the docket, a camping trip to San Diego with our friends. Memorial Day weekend, we packed up and set off for the best KOA in San Diego. When I think of KOAs I usually think of small sites, no privacy, and boredom. But, as usual, San Diego makes everything better. This KOA had a pool, play ground, arcade, bouncing pillows, bike paths, and activities. I basically saw my kids at meals and that's it. Thankfully our friends have some older kids so they watched over their younger siblings and my kids. Tyler loved the freedom and I loved that he could take off on his bike and spend the whole day doing things outside. Clara could pretty much follow most the time too.

One day, we went into Old Town San Diego and visited the Mormon Battalion site. It was pretty cool! Definitely something you should do at least once.

At the end of the presentation, which was not boring at all (I'm being 100% serious here) they had some activities for the kids. Pumping water and washing clothes,

brick baking,

and panning for gold.

On our way back home Tyler told us he wanted to live in San Diego. Don't we all!

Legoland

At the beginning of May, Papa Wettlaufer came to visit. We love when our family comes to visit us! This year, papa decided he wanted to take the kids somewhere exciting, so he chose Legoland! Unfortunately, poor papa was having ankle problems from a previous injury so he mostly just watched. You can see him in this first picture though in the background. We still had lots of fun with papa in the hotel room and at the park! Legoland is the perfect place for little kids. They can go on every ride and, hello, every thing is legos! Good pick! Thanks, papa!!

May Flowers

May! I love May! Perfect weather here (aside from the spring wind...UGH!) But I love getting out and doing things and all the summer stuff starting and school's almost over and...AHHH... I just love it!

Every morning my friend and I would go on a walk, with kids tagging along. One day, her husband was off from work. He used to be a welder and was working on some welding that day and let Tyler help. He was thrilled, of course! He got to wear the mask and all. Afterward he told me, "When I grow up I want to do the stuff where you get to wear that cool helmet!"

One day we were feeling bored and the kids started messing with some yarn and would make a little trail and have me follow it. Of course I had to one up them, so I made a ridiculous obstacle course. The played with it all day! Mom for the win!

I found out Clara can do some wild stunts. Put this girl in gymnastics!

Tyler too.

We also ordered our own butterfly net and caterpillars. So cool! They come as little teeny caterpillars, eat that brown stuff on the bottom, and harden into cocoons.

Once they harden, you move them into the butterfly net habitat and wait for them to emerge. This was our first butterfly coming out.

After a few days you let them go and sometimes they land on you! This guy struggled getting his wings going and stayed with us for a long time. It was so amazing! I'm going to do this every year!

This year, instead of a preschool graduation, they had a end of the year pool party! Much better in my opinion. In Tyler's class this year, there were 4 LDS kids (including Tyler). Here are three of them. One of them couldn't come, because his mom had just had a baby! They will all be going to the same elementary school in August. We'll see if any of them end up in the same class.

April Showers and Basketball

It rained a few times in April and around here we LOVE the rain! We pray for rain! There were about three weeks where there would be rain at least one day each week off and on. Tyler looked forward to the rain more than anyone, and each day would get my phone, open the weather app, and tell me what the chance of rain was. When it finally did rain he would run outside and do a rain dance on the tramp.

Tyler also tried his hand at basketball for the first time in April. We had the choice of the 3-5 year old team or the 5-7 year old team. We chose the 5-7 thinking it would be better for him to be challenged. Oh boy! He was definitely challenged. Almost every boy or girl was older, taller, and more skilled/coordinated. It made for some frustrating moments, but fortunately, Tyler has a lot of self confidence and he didn't give up. He even made a basket and he listened to the coach and gave his all!

This video is mostly funny. He kicked the ball while dribbling, passed to the other team, and sorta looks like Steve Urkel in his short shorts that he insisted on pulling up high. Don't worry, Mark went out that day and bought some bigger shorts! As you can see, he is at least a head shorter than most the kids, but he guarded like a champ!

Easter

Easter was a bit different for us this year. Easter fell on General Conference Sunday so we did things on different days. I tried really hard this year to focus on the spiritual aspect of Easter, along with the fun stuff. For a week preceding Easter, each day we talked about what the Savior was doing on those days. We started with the Triumphal Entrance and made leaves and donkeys, we watched movies about the miracles and teachings of the Savior, we made our own passover feast, watched videos and read scriptures about the Atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection, and made empty tomb rolls. My kids had fun and I think they really learned a lot! Definitely a tradition I'd like to continue.

We wore our Easter clothes the Sunday before Easter, because of Gen. Conf. Dang my kids are cute!

This picture features Tyler's model pose. haha

My little princess! See Tyler sulking in the background? It was pretty hot and he was not happy about staying outside to take pictures, which is why I don't have any of just him.