Summer Fun

Kids with library books

As part of our Summer Bucket List we have been participating in our library summer reading program.  This is a series of books the kids have been particularly interested in lately about Dogs.  The older 3 kids participated in Music Art and Drama camp at the Presbyterian church with several of their friends and had fun doing science experiments and learning some new songs. 

Kids at MAD Camp

Girls castle during playdate

We hosted a couple playdates here helping to watch the Seamons kids as their parents were packing and preparing to move to Utah.  We will miss them as they have been part of our preschool, our date night swap, temple swap, art lesson carpool, my early morning walking partner, etc. etc.  We had a going away BBQ for them at our house.  Here are the families all split into "groups".  We will miss having this crew to run around with on a regular basis.

The younger girls

The older Girls (with a couple younger)

The moms

The Dads

The Boys

To kick off the summer we met some friends up near Half Moon Bay to see the tide pools which were going to be at the lowest tide for almost the whole summer.  The kids had fun touching sea anemones, crabs, playing with sand and kelp and spending time with friends.

Cait and kids at tide pools

Since our kitchen is still in the process of being remodeled and we have no sink, counters or dishwasher we decided to bombard my parent's house!! It was perfect timing for 4th of July and a visit from Nate & Tausha.  We were so excited to meet my new niece Cosette!!

We tried to keep everyone busy so Tausha and baby could primarily rest and join us when they were feeling up to it.  This is our Inside-Out, In-N-Out day.  We stopped for some cheeseburgers on the way to see the new Pixar movie.  Thanks Grandpa for treating us to the movies.  Poor Cosette was not very happy at In-N-Out but we take that as a sign that she was just crying because she wasn't big enough to get a cheeseburger yet ;)  We all had some time to snuggle with Cosette, play lava monster and sneak attack snuggle with Uncle Nate and since Wimbledon was happening, we had to have our own Wimbledon-West!!  We were required to wear at least white shirts to participate.  The kids pooped out pretty quick and went to the park with Nana but I had fun hitting tennis balls fed into the machine by Nate and getting some instruction from my Dad.  Unfortunately Jonas and Emma were a bit feverish and sick. Jonas threw up one night and passed it to Rin several days later.  I guess that is the status quo whenever we get together with family.  Someone is always puking!!  Brian and I both did that when we were younger and now my kids are just keeping the tradition strong.  We also went swimming at the Stone's house a couple times but apparently failed to get any photos.  Maybe something to do with the fact that I am outnumbered 4:1 trying to keep everyone alive when we are swimming!

Everyone partying in the van

At the movie theater to see Inside Out

In-N-Out with cousins!!

Jonas Snuggling with Cosette

Playing in the water out back with Uncle Nate

Wimbledon West

For 4th of July we went to the A's game Friday night followed by a fireworks show.  Jocelyn filled up on so much cotton candy and other junk that she, of course, threw up that night.  Rin was pretty funny during the fireworks. He kept repeating "they aren't scary.  I'm not scared" but then he demanded that Nate cover Rin's ears and hold him tight.  Very fun all in all.  The Vieiras came and it was fun to catch up with them.  They also hosted my girls for a playdate one day and we watched their girls for them another day.  Jared arrived late on July 3rd to join us for the weekend.  On 4th of July morning we went to the Flag Raising Ceremony at the church followed by breakfast at IHOP, swimming and BBQ at the Stones then fireworks at our house that night with several families over.  My mom and Tausha put together a Wits and Wagers 4th of July edition that was pretty cute to help us get in a patriotic mood before eating some cute patriotic treats made by the girls and Nana and watching the teenage boys light all the fireworks out front.

Watching the game

Cait and Kids at A's Game

Tailgating before the A's game

Nate and Rin watching the fireworks

At the flag raising ceremony

Patriotic Cousins!

Out to breakfast at IHOP

The next week the kids wanted to take a trip to the Jelly Belly Factory because they assured me that Emma didn't remember it since it was a year ago!  As predicted, we had plenty of sugar to last us all week.  Mostly it was fun to catch up with everyone and have some time at Nana's and Grandpa's house!

Kid Update

I think I have not been good at taking notes on all the kids, but here is what I remember from the past couple months...

Last day of 2nd grade

 Jocelyn was excited to dress up with a couple of her girlfriends on the last day of school.  One of the moms bought them these matching t-shirts and the girls told us that we needed to do double french braids so they could match.  They had a fun 2nd grade end of year picnic.  Jocelyn also went for several days to my parent's house for some special one-on-one attention.  We met grandpa at San Jose City Hall one afternoon when we was leaving to go back to Dixon and Jocelyn was able to have some quality time with them and pick up the Mangums from the airport.  Jocelyn also participated in a youth triathlon here in town.  I was so proud of her for trying something new.  She was pretty nervous about it and I was so thrilled she went for it in the end.  I didn't get a picture of her during the biking part in the middle but she finished about mid-range for her age group.  She had an awesome cheering team.  Greg and Maren came to cheer her on along with my friend Katrina and her daughter.  Such a fun morning!!

After finishing the triathlon

The family cheering Jocelyn on during the biking portion of the triathlon

Jocelyn's Cheering section during the swimming

Before the triathlon

In Dixon after picking up Mangums from the airport

Lillian and Jocelyn are participating in a Sports Camp at the local high school this week to learn about 10 different sports from the coaches and student athletes.  After having to pry Jocelyn off of me screaming and crying (for the whole first hour) and telling me she was going to hide in the bushes for the entire day I had to call Jared for some emotional support. I left her there and haven't received a call from the school yet so I am assuming no news is good news and she didn't cry the entire day.  Lillian, on the other hand, woke up early and was super excited to try something new.  Lillian also started piano lessons this summer which she is (mostly) a good sport about. As her special treat while Jocelyn got to go to Nana's house, Lillian was allowed to dye a section of her hair pink.  Her good friend Lenora has a mom who is a hair dresser and she called me and told me she had some extra dye after doing Lenora's and her cousin's hair.  I figured it is summer time so we might as well!  Lillian was thrilled with it during the 2 weeks it lasted!

Lenora and Lillian getting their hair colored

Lillian showing off her "pink" hair

The older girls and I also had the opportunity to go to a couple shows this summer to support their friends. The first was an aristocats play that Jocelyn's friend Kendall was in at the local theater.  The second was a synchronized swimming performance for my friend's daughter.  We got to support Frejya and had a blast listening to "Chicks who Rock" music and watching a sport that I knew little to nothing about.  She did awesome and it was so fun to learn more about synchronized swimming.

At the synchronized swimming performance

At the Aristocats play

Jonas, Emma and I spend time at the neighborhood park while the girls are at their piano lessons.  Sometimes the Bedell boys join us and it is especially great when they do because they are the best at catching frogs near the pond.  Jonas loves those Bedell boys and they are so kind to include him in their "boy" games and wrestling.  Jonas also loves doing playdates with his boys.  He will be starting Transitional Kinder (TK) next month and as we were talking about it one day he asked me "If my friends won't be at TK with me, how will I make a new friend?"  I responded by asking him what he thought.  He answered "Well, I guess you can play with them, fill their bucket then ask them their name?"  I told him he had exactly the right formula!!  I am nervous to let him go, but at the same time think he is probably prepared and would feel like I was holding him back to keep him home.  Wish us both luck!!  Jonas has enjoyed helping Jared with the kitchen remodel and was so thrilled he was old enough for MAD camp this summer.

Collecting frogs with the bedell boys during piano

Jonas and his pals at a playdate here one afternoon

Emma has been a champ with potty training.  I am not trying to brag.  This one was all her.  I was probably the least emotionally involved out of all of my kids so far in the potty training aspect and she has been great.  She is getting so big now.  Claiming her independence and doing "big girl" things.  She still loves a good nap and being held by me but she has enjoyed hanging out with the "big" kids since they are all home this summer with us.
Unfortunately I think she has been getting ear infections when we go swimming.  She fevers all the next day after we spend time in the pool and I think that is why she has had several "double ear infections" over the past few months.  I am still trying to figure it out but I hate to keep her from swimming because she loves it so much!  She gets so excited when she sees the older kids putting on their suits.  We'll have to see how it goes in the future but this little stinker will not know what hit her when all the older three are back in school soon.  Luckily, we will be doing a home-based preschool co-op for her two days a week so she can have a little social outlet. 

Emma at Home Depot Kids craft

Painting at the Discovery Museum

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

The 5 granddaughters to date wearing the matching skirts Nana made them

For her Mother's Day gift from her husband, my sister Lara was given a trip with her girls to CA to visit us!! We couldn't have been more thrilled.  We tried to line up a bunch of fun activities and food to help them enjoy the time they spent with us.  My parents picked her up from the airport and brought her down to our house so we could all stay here until she had to fly home a few days later. I decided the theme for the week was "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" because Jared and my dad were working and Jonas was a good sport to put up with us, but we had a lot of Girly activities going on!!  We had all the Anderson granddaughters together and we were trying to take advantage of that fact.  The only one missing was Cosette who was born to Nate & Tausha mid-trip (a couple states away). We figured she would have to wait until the next girl gathering.  She probably sensed it was happening and chose that day to be born!!

We still had a couple regularly scheduled activities like piano lessons and birthday parties, but we tried to make the most of the couple days we had.  We went swimming, hosted our own American Girl Doll Tea Party al fresco, went to dollar scoop night, Berry Picking and the beach, and at-home spa night, out to dinner at Pieology, shopping at Costco to help Nana pick out some new glasses, to Gilroy Gardens and the Children's Discovery Museum.  Man!!  We were so sad when we had to send them back home so Noelle could finish school and they could return to the other half of their family.  We sure missed having their boys with us.

Swimming at the Rec Center

Dollar Scoop Night

Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum

Berry Picking hands

Berry Picking

Picnic at Gizdich Ranch after Berry Picking

Lillian and Evelyn Berry Picking

Jocelyn and Noelle at the beach

On our way to the beach

Beach Babies

Spa Night older 3 girls

Spa night younger two girls

Showing off manicures

Out to dinner at Pieology

Gilroy Gardens

Gilroy Gardens Boat Ride

Gilroy Gardens

Shopping at Costco

 Probably one of my favorite parts was the tea party we put together.  The girls had been asking to go to the American Girl Doll Store and it wasn't fitting in the agenda so we put together a menu, the girls decorated the tree house and set up and each of the girls dressed to match their dolls.  They fashioned their own outfits and hairdos and we all gathered for a very fancy tea party using our finest manners in our clubhouse out back.

Lara Cait and their girls before the tea party

The hor's d'oeuvers

The crew at the Tea Party

The girls with their dolls and Jonas with his action figures before the tea party