OtterPops: 4th of July and Trip to Idaho

Trampoline Sleepover

Dinner with Hulses

To wrap up our time in CA before we left on our month long trek out of state we met up with my aunt and uncle and Cousin and his family in Los Altos for dinner which is always fun (even though we don't make it happen often enough). And, we had a sleepover on the trampoline (actually just the older 3 kids and I...Jared and Emma opted for their own beds :)

Having fun with cousin Rin in town

For the 4th of July we were so thrilled to be able to have my parents and brother (and his family) in town for our usual festivities. We went to the A's game and fireworks spectacular-thanks to my parents who loaded us all into the van and helped us make it! We went to the parade around the corner from our house, then traveled to my parents house for street fireworks that night.

A's Game

Patriotic babies in the wagon on the way to the parade

Emma soaking up her Nana time at the parade

4th of July morning

Patriotic Andersons

The next morning we left for our big adventure to Idaho. My mom saved my bacon by coming with us so she could help kids set up videos, calm down tantrums, keep me awake, etc. etc. Within the first few hours of the trip we had quite the adventure. The car top carrier flew open on the freeway since I apparently didn't follow Jared's instructions completely on how to secure it properly, but disaster was averted since we realized very quickly what had happened.

Then Emma through up ALL OVER herself on Donner Pass and, due to the stench, the older 3 were threatening to throw up. As soon as we pulled into Sparks I drove to a Gas station to wash her up in the sink (where we probably picked up more diseases than we were washing off), changed her clothes, etc. and then straight to Target where I purchased a new car seat and installed it (throwing out the old one) while my mom kept my kids occupied in the dollar section up front. It worked out beautifully. Emma needed a new car seat anyway and it was the perfect solution for me to keep it all together since we still had hours and hours to finish out the trip. We overlapped with my brother in Winemucca at the McDonald's playland and they helped by taking one of my kids in their car for the afternoon leg of the trip, which was heaven sent :)

McDonald's Playland

We finally made it to Idaho and had such a fun time over the next couple days staying with Nate & Tausha. We walked to the twin Falls temple which is only about a mile from their house, we helped them collect the bounty from their garden, fed the cows at my grandma's house and had a lovely roast beef dinner at her house, and basically got spoiled by the everyone (Uncle Nate took the kids to the park and the library so I could catch up on sleep, Tausha cooked us dinners and breakfast and Grandma Nell always has ice cream for the kids). We took off the next day for the Utah leg of the trip! News on that coming soon!