Our First Camping Trip

This Memorial Day Weekend, our family took its first camping trip. For the kids and I, it was our first camping trip ever! Jered had not been in over 10 years. We went to Vallecito Stage Station County Park, about 2 hours northeast of San Diego, with our friends the Carpenters. We were able to borrow most of the supplies we didn't have, like a tent and lanterns, from our friends the Strouses. It was a giant tent - Jered could even stand up in the center! The Carpenters showed us lots of camping tricks and yummy outdoor cooking, and we had a great time relaxing in the evenings around the campfire. The kids had fun too - mostly playing in the sand and getting as dirty as I've ever seen them! They also had a blast with squirt guns. They slept very well in the tent; we were proud of them, especially Will, who had to sleep on the floor since we left his air bed at home. Sunday we drove to the mountain town of Julian, which Jered and I have many fond memories of, so we were happy to see it again before we leave San Diego in a couple weeks. We are so thankful for our good friends and a fun first experience camping.

California Coastal Cruise

We just returned from a week long California Coastal cruise onboard the Sapphire Princess. It was a great vacation! So relaxing and luxurious. We stopped at San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Catalina Island, San Diego, and Ensenada Mexico. Onboard we enjoyed the wonderful dining rooms, buffets, swimming pools, nighttime outdoor movies, and all the other amenities that make cruising so relaxing. Jered and I celebrated our 10th anniversary, and Auntie Abby watched the kids quite a bit so we could do things on our own. The kids and Abby stayed in one cabin and we had the one next to it. The ports were fun, and we got to see all the cities we had wanted to visit before we move in June. What a great way to say good-bye to California!

Easter 2013

So much has happened in the last few months, I have not updated our blog. It would be difficult to write about everything, and too hard emotionally right now, so I will just post some pictures and a blurb. Today was Easter Sunday. I am so thankful we have the hope of eternity in the midst of times that seem dark and weary. So thankful for Jesus and his victory over death. We sang an "I Will Rise" choral arrangment this morning. "I hear the voice of many angels sing, Worthy is the Lamb. I hear the cry of every longing heart, Worthy is the Lamb." It really touched both of us.

The children are doing well, and looking forward to several things in the next few months: our California coastal cruise in May, visiting family and friends in June and July during our cross country move, and exploring our new home. Emma started weekly ballet classes this year, and Will does Art Club at school as well as Awanas. We got free last minute tickets to Legoland in February. The kids also enjoyed their time in Colorado with Grandma and Uncle Ian, although it was not in good circumstances. We are still coming to terms with the loss of Grandpa Mike, Jered's dad. Tonight Will said in his prayers, "I am happy about heaven. I still love daddy's dad. When I get to heaven, I will run up to him and hug him." When I also finished praying, thanking God for Jesus and Easter, Will told me, "I have a little bit of tears in my eyes." He said he is thankful for salvation, but sad about Grandpa still. I told him that's ok. We have hope and a promise, but tears are normal and good evidence of his beautiful, sensitive heart. It's good to cry sometimes. That's about all I can write about that right now.

Here's some pictures!

Christmas 2012

This year we spent a week in Texas for Christmas. Before we left, we celebrated our little family Christmas in our home. We also did present opening at Abby's house before Christmas. We left Texas on the 26th and were home to celebrate New Years here. We had a great trip, although all four of us and our Texas family were sick over vacation. The kids were sick before we left, Jered got sick on the drive, and I got sick there in Texas. It was a really bad cold or the flu of some type. This is the first day I've felt "normal" for about 2 weeks. In Texas we were able to see all of my aunts and uncles, 3 of my cousins, our immediate family, and spend time with GG in the alzheimer's unit at the nursing home. She did not remember our names, but seemed happy to see us. We sang Christmas carols to her Christmas morning and Jered read her the Christmas story from the Bible. Christmas Eve we spend with our extended family at Aunt Dorothy's house, eating tamales, opening presents, and singing together. Christmas day my mom made a great meal after we went to see GG. It was a good last Christmas in the home I grew up in. We toured my parents' new home that is being built and will be finished sometime in February. It is beautiful, and so spacious. Throughout the week, Jered and I got to go out to some of our favorite haunts from when we were dating, and we saw The Hobbit twice in the theater.

The last week since we got home has been a blur since I was still sick, but we had some fun family time watching movies and playing Will's new Wii games. Over the last two days I've spent time cleaning out the children's toys; making room for the new ones, and cleaning out the babyish ones they don't play with anymore. Today I went through the drawers and closets finding any baby things we have left to give away. I also took down the baby gates. I can't believe Emma is older than Will was when we moved into this house. It's flying by. New Year's Day we watched movies, played board games, and enjoyed some yummy treats. Jered went back to work today and we miss him! Back to school work and cleaning for us, and thankfully back to feeling healthier. Will has independent study projects to complete, but doesn't go back to school until the 15th, so hopefully can do some more fun things before term starts again. Emma has been doing wonderfully with potty training. She stays completely dry most days. Some days she still has an accident or two, but she's so much younger than Will was when he potty trained, we're in shock it has gone so easily and early. She loves pull ups and actually uses them how they are meant to be used - like underwear! We had to use them with Will as diapers because he was so big normal diapers didn't fit him, lol. Emma has also been praying before meals with Will and wants to have "Emma's turn" to pray before bed. She says "Dear God, Mommy and Daddy and Will (babble babble)...princess and castles, sleepy good...Amen!" We're so proud of her, getting to be such a big girl. Next week when her stoplight alarm clock comes in we're going to try converting her crib to a toddler bed. She's not very good with colors yet, but we're sure going to be working on "red = stay in bed"!

October 2012

Another month (almost 2 - today is Thanksgiving!) come and gone. Things are so busy, I have a hard time blogging about everything we do. There is some activity almost every day of the week, and full weekends. So I'll just put up an October slide show. The highlights were: Abby's visit - which included Firefighter Open House, Sea World, girls' night out, a date night - and afterward: trips to the zoo, playdates, Will's new big boy booster seat, Great Pumpkin Express, Pumpkin Patch and carnival, Awana Sparkies Drive-In, Will's school costume parade, and Halloween.  I think the pictures are pretty much in order. Enjoy!