A Day Out With A Lot of Animals

Back in this winter Mrs. Barker -- Jack's teacher -- was honored as one of San Diego's Amazing Teachers. At an assembly in front of the entire school she was given her award and one of the local radio stations gave her tickets for her entire class to enjoy a day at the Wild Animal Park. Well, finally this Monday the kids got a break from school and headed out to the park. Five moms volunteered to drive (me being one of them) and we all set out from school at 8:30. We spent the day enjoying the park and having a great time!

Here is the first two groups who arrived at the park -- oh my gosh, how funny a group of 1st graders can be!!!

Here is my group -- sitting on a bunch of eggs!

Blakeley, Jack, Mo and Arden

Nick was able to go with us on this field trip and oh he had the best time with "all the big kids!"

We walked around the entire park -- we took a Journey into Africa, we got to see the baby Cheetah that was born in February, spent lots of time looking at the beautiful lions, and even went to a bird show. The kids I think I had a great time.

We all packed our lunches and enjoyed our picnic together. After lunch, we took the kids over to the HUGE play area and let them run around and play before heading back to school. Some of the kids might have told you this was the best time of the day!! :)

Nick had a great time playing with all the kids, but the girls took a special liking to him (and trust me the feelings were mutual) and he played with the girls all afternoon!!! They were like a bunch of little mothers and surprisingly Nick loved it!

Jack was full of smiles every time I look at him during the day!

I think it is safe to say, that the kids had a great day "out of school"!! I just hope they all realize how lucky they are. The reason they were there on Monday was because of their wonderful, special, amazing teacher!!!

Until next time............

love from San Diego

6 1/2!!

Happy 6 1/2 Birthday Jack!!!!

With 1/2 a cake and "Happy 1/2 Birthday" song we celebrated Jack's 1/2 birthday last night! He loved it and we all had a good time celebrating Jack's 6 1/2 birthday!!! (And yes Cristin, Kevin mentioned you many times last night! :))

Until next time.........
love from San Diego

A Big Step, a Break and a Celebration

Tuesday Jack and I took a VERY BIG STEP!! For him it was an exciting thing, for me it was difficult thing. It is hard to swallow that my first born is growing up and all too fast if you ask me. For the FIRST TIME EVER on Tuesday after school I did not pick Jack up at the end of the day. Instead he went home with a friend from school for his VERY FIRST PLAY DATE WITHOUT ME!!! It was so strange, not to go and pick him up and bring him home, do homework together while Nick napped, have a snack and then to play a little "2 square" in our backyard before starting dinner. Instead Nick napped and I folded laundry and watched the clock. Jack on the other hand had a great afternoon -- he got to walk down the hill from school to his friends house and then they had a great time playing together. I know that some of you will think I'm crazy -- what is the big deal? For others (Cristin) you know exactly what I mean!!! It was a huge step in our lives, one that came too soon for me, but one that I knew I would have to face. There is just one thing I can say, my Jack is growing up!

The big break here is the heat!! Surprise, surprise, the weathermen were wrong -- the heat didn't last all week, as a matter of fact yesterday the bottom fell out and the temps are back into the 60's (during the day) and in the 40's at night! As I sat on the soccer field last night freezing (I know it's all relative) all I could think about was how crazy it is that we went from sweating and wishing for a/c to opening up the house and letting the nice breezes in and bundling up for soccer practice!!!

Finally, our celebration!! Tonight we will be celebrating Jack's 1/2 birthday!! A tradition that we started last year in Berlin (thanks Hill family) and that Jack absolutely loves and looks forward to. His actual 1/2 birthday was yesterday but we had soccer practice and Daddy was working late so we put off our celebration to tonight!!! Jack is so excited he can hardly wait!!! 1/2 birthday cake for dessert tonight!!!

Until next time........
love from San Diego

A Record Setting Weekend!

It has been a record breaking few days here in San Diego!! I don't know if we have been on the news in others parts of the country for our weather, but let me tell you it is all people around here are talking about. The reason we are all talking?

ITS HOT!!!!!

Yes, this weekend started our heatwave and we are still going strong. The mercury has topped out at 98 degrees in some parts of San Diego. Here at "the beach" its been a little cooler. By a little cooler I mean yesterday we topped out at 93!!! Holy smokes, that is HOT for San Diego in April!!!

So, what have we been up to in this record breaking heat? A lot!!!

Saturday morning (thank goodness we were the early game and were finished before it got too hot) found us on the soccer fields at Miramar watching our favorite soccer player!!! Jack had a great game this weekend and I took a ton of great pictures!!! He is getting really good with his ball handling and passing and just loves to be out on the field playing!!!

Saturday afternoon we did a few things around the house, and then once the sun went down and it was cooler, we headed over to Sea World to enjoy the last days of "Spring Into Night" and to see the fireworks at the Shamu Rocks Show!!!

Here are my boys at the Shamu Show -- can you tell they were having fun?

Sunday was busy. I got up and went to the commissary early in the morning and can you believe it -- nobody wanted to go with me!! HA HA!!! When I came home we took the boys over to MCRD to get haircuts and while we were there we bought a bubble machine!! That's right -- we can now fill our yard with 4000 bubbles in 1 minute!!! The boys think it is GREAT and had an awesome time running around popping bubbles!!!
But, popping bubbles can be a lot of work and can cause you to get really hot when the temps are in the 90's!! So, what better way to cool off?
Put on your bathing suit and run through the sprinkler!!!!

Oh my gosh, they had the best time!!

Even Koa got in on the sprinkler action and laid in the yard just where the water would get to him but he didn't have to do any work!!!

The hummingbirds that live in our backyard had a hot weekend too!! In our three feeders we went through 6 cups of food in three days!!! Every time I would look at the feeders there were always at least 1 bird on each!!! Our record is 4 birds on one feeder!

Even with all the heat, it was a great weekend!!! Filled with lots of fun and smiles!!!

Monday came and Jack and Kevin headed back to school and work and Nick and I headed to the beach to try and beat the heat!! We met Aunt Elizabeth down in La Jolla for lunch and some fun in the sun and sand!! I wish I had had my camera!!! Elizabeth took Nick into the water and was "jumping waves" with him!! He had a blast and the smiles and giggles were the greatest!!

Its been fun trying to beat the heat and it looks like we will continue to do that all week long!!! I'm not complaining though -- I much rather be hot then cold!!!!

Until next time..........

love from San Diego

My Sweet, Funny Nicholas

Yesterday, Nicholas and I were playing when and I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of my sweet boy. He was so funny -- posing for pictures and then the minute I would take the shot he would want to see it!!! Gosh, I love digital cameras!! I just had to share a few of my favorite pictures of my Nicholas!!!

Until next time...........

love from San Diego

Easter 2009

We had a wonderful Easter weekend, filled with lots of family time and fun Easter traditions. The night before Easter before heading off to bed the boys dyed Easter eggs. We had such a good time! The boys really worked hard on their eggs -- Nick drawing as Jack put it "abstract" on his eggs, and Jack writing his name, his brothers names, and Happy Easter on his!!!

The boys working hard on their Easter eggs!

Daddy and the boys checking on the color of the egg -- Jack wanted to leave the eggs in the dye for a really long time, but Nick was less patient and wanted them out right away!
The boys and our wonderfully beautiful, and most certainly colorful Easter eggs!!!
You did a great job boys!!

In the morning the boys were so excited to hunt for their Easter baskets!!! Nick wasn't really sure what "hunting" for them meant -- but he followed Jack around looking for them. Jack did a great job finding both of their baskets. Nick was so excited when Jack found his basket for him that he danced around and said "oh thank you Jackie so much!"

Nick checking out the things in his basket!
Jack finally found his basket (in the bathtub) and was so excited to see all the "cool things" that were inside it!!!

We had our Easter egg hunt outside in the warm California sunshine (such a difference from the snow falling in Berlin last year)!! It was really warm and in fact so warm that even some of our chocolate that we found in our eggs had melted!!! I don't remember the last time that has happened!!!

The boys wore their new Easter shirts I bought them -- and I must say, they looked really cute!!!
Jack finding one of the many Easter eggs that were in our yard!!!
Nick had a blast finding the eggs and putting them into his basket!!!

Later on in the afternoon, the boys got out their bubbles and had a blast blowing bubbles.............

And then when Daddy said he would blow the bubbles, the boys loved running around the yard chasing after and popping the bubbles!!!

We hope that you all had a wonderful weekend!!!

If you would like to see more of our pictures you can always visit us here:

www.dropshots.com/theandersonfamily

Happy Easter from The Anderson's in sunny California!!!

Until next time...........

lots of love from San Diego

Under the Big Top!

The Circus came to Miramar this week -- so I bought tickets and we went last night. Kevin had to work late so Uncle Nick went with the boys and I!!

We had a good time -- and the boys thought it was great!

Uncle Nick got called out of the stands to help "Paco Paco" and his knife throwing routine!

It was funny -- but the funniest is what little Nick had to say during it!

When Uncle Nick got blindfolded and laying on the board little Nick said.....

"I can't like this! What they do to Uncle Nick?!"

Little Nick was very happy when Uncle Nick was back in his seat and he could sit on his lap again!!!

Until next time.......

love for San Diego

Presented by USAA!

Yesterday afternoon Kevin sent me a text that said have the boys ready to go to the ball park around 5:00!! I will be home then!

What?

We don't have tickets to the game!

What I didn't know was this.....

Kevin's SgtMaj was given 4 tickets (compliments of USAA) to Military Opening Night to be given to a deserving Marine in the unit. The SgtMaj told Kevin that no one deserved it more then he did and handed the tickets to Kevin yesterday afternoon!!

Wow!!! 4 tickets!!!

So, we went to the ball park to watch the Padres wear their camouflage and thank the military for their support and their service!!!

My boys at the ball park!!!

We got Military Opening Night shirts from USAA (that is what Kevin and Jack are wearing)! We had GREAT seats!!! If you know Petco Park we were in the section that the recruits from MCRD sit in on Sunday afternoon games!

Before the game it was a salute to our military!!!

The 3rd MAW Band was there to play our national anthem -- and wow, what a great and moving job they did!!!

As they marched onto the field they played the Marines Hymn -- no matter how many times I hear that song -- I get goose bumps every time!!!

The Friar was there sporting his camouflage!

Nick loves to watch him run around the field!!!

It was cold last night so my boys were bundled up watching the game!!!

But, they didn't stay in their seats the entire time!!!

They were so cute standing there watching the game together and cheering "Let's go Padres!!!"

We really enjoyed our night at the game!!!

Check out more of our pictures from Military Opening Night here:

www.dropshots.com/theandersonfamily

Until next time..........

love from San Diego

In The April Sun

The boys playing Thomas trains on our backyard patio enjoying two of our favorite things!!

Trains and Sunshine!!!

Hope your enjoying the spring sun too!!!

Until next time...........

love from San Diego

Opening Day!!!

Yesterday afternoon we headed downtown to the Gaslamp Quarter because

we had these!!!
To go here to Petco Park for Opening Day of the 2009 Baseball Season!!!!

The boys were so excited!!!

It was a thrill for us to be at the park on Opening Day and to start the celebration of the Padres 40th Season!!!

Before the start of the game -- the SDSU Marching Band came out onto the field and made a GIANT #40. And then they played the National Anthem while the entire stadium sang along!!!

Then it was time for the opening pitch!!!

San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers!

The boys sat and watched the game and cheered on the Padres!!!

But, it was not looking good for the home team -- so it was time for a RALLY!!!

The Friar rang the Rally Bell!!!!

And my boys put on their rally caps!!!

With the final pitch.....

We knew our rally didn't work -- and our "hometown" Padres lost.

Even though the Padres lost it was so much fun to be at the park on Opening Day!!!

We all enjoyed the festivities, the fun, the food, and the All American game of Baseball!!!

We are looking forward to many more spring/summer days at Petco Park!!!

Go Padres!!!

For more pictures from Opening Day 2009 visit us here at:

www.dropshots.com/theandersonfamily

Until next time............

love from San Diego