All about...

Andrew!!!

Andrew is so much fun! He is thrilled to be 4 and tells EVERYONE! He often describes things as"awesome!" He plays really well by himself. He can most often be found playing with his trains, cars, or new marble track (when it's built). He recently started naming his stuffed animals and building forts for them. He will often ask if it's time to go get Luke and enjoys playing with his brother most the time.

Andrew is a unique little personality- my sensitive fire. He often views new things as scary, yucky etc. At Legoland we had to convince him to go on several rides (aka. carry him on despite protests) and he'd usually declare them awesome! He's not a thrill seeker. He doesn't like loud noise and yet he is very good at being loud. He is particular and wants things just so. When he doesn't like something you will know it by the loud protests. We are working on not having a tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants.

Andrew loves to bounce on the couches and see how far he can jump. He says he doesn't like Tae Kwon Do but he usually has a huge smile on his face throughout the class! He likes to help in primary and has even said a prayer! He doesn't like to get out of his chair for most the action songs- preferring to sit and watch.

Andrew loves his preschool and is continuing to learn his letters and numbers. He's started noticing them when we're out and about or on TV. He loves the letter A!!

Andrew is super cuddly and gives the best hugs and kisses. He tells us he loves us all the time. He wants to name his new baby brother Star Space Baby.

Out of his mouth

Favorite color: teal, pink, purple, tan, dark green, light green, blue, red, brown when he's five he'll like yellow and orange.

Favorite food: grapes, rice or pasta with butter, pepper, salt, and Parmesan cheese

Favorite drink: green, white, or blue milk (colors made with food coloring)

Be when he grows up: a dog, cat, donkey, reindeer

Favorite book: Biscuit goes to the Farm

Favorite holiday: Halloween, Christmas, Birthdays and Parties!!

Favorite toy: his trains!!!!

Types of book/title of some!: about dogs, Maisy books, Marley books, If you were my Baby, Magic Tree House (NOT Tigers at Twilight)

He wants me to say he's thankful for his babies (his stuffed animals)

Names of "babies": Scorpy Truck(sleepy-guy), Trains Police Car (polar bear with blue hat), Nest (panda bear), Space Ball(polar bear with scarf, his last name is because he likes to play with balls), Frosty (black horse), R2D2 Fridge (sheep), Tree Life (dog)

Favorite thing to do on computer: Space Quest, 4,5 1 and Kings Quest 1, 5 with Daddy

Favorite movie/show: Backyardigans

On a mission: to India with Mom

Best Friends: Ethan, Noah L., Nathan (these are all kids Luke plays with. Andrew thinks they're pretty awesome!)

Favorite thing in the world: Not tigers... a cat.

Favorite song: Praise to the Man, Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam (at home- it's too loud at church)

I could go on and on about this kid but suffice it to say we LOVE him!!

Guess Who Turned...

Happy 4th Birthday Andrew- We LOVE YOU!!!

All about Andrew post will follow!!

Labor Day Trip- day 1 and 2

Over Labor Day we headed down to San Diego to visit Curtis, Alaina, Georgia, and Levi. We love going there! Unfortunately it took us a long time to get there because I15 was closed due to a fire over Cajon Pass. We got there just before it opened but the back up was pretty far. The boys did pretty well sitting in the car moving very slowly but we were all happy to get there!

Our first day in CA we went to the San Diego Natural History Museum and the Mormon Battalion visitor center. I highly recommend the battalion visitor center if you haven't been recently- it is fantastic!

The 3 boys in the back of Curtis' new truck!

Andrew and the Manatee

Balboa Park

Panning for Gold at the Battalion

Working the water pump

Doing the wash

A well- the battalion members were able to teach the people in San Diego how to make bricks- an invaluable skill!

Hitting the road

Alaina, Levi, Georgia and Curtis with the Levi Hancock statue- member of the Battalion, relative, and Levi's namesake

Sunday we headed off to church and then spent the afternoon playing with the backyard toys

Luke LOVED riding the go-kart. He went on many trips around the yard. click on the picture to get a good look at Luke's face!

Andrew went exactly once and then was happy to watch...

Funnies

Today Luke spent some time with Sarah's Grandma and Grandpa O. Apparently they asked him what his Daddy does. He said he didn't know but he makes $10 a week! Wow- Go Kiley!

Andrew loves mini-vans. Aunt Melinda and Uncle Uriah happen to own one which he got to ride in once today on the way to the Science Museum. After that, all we heard about were mini-vans. He said "I don't like Grandpa's car (it's a rental), I don't like Mom's car, I only like mini-vans." This is nothing new. It's been an obsession for a while now. Every time we pass a mini-van I get to hear about it. If he sees one across the parking lot he wants to know why I didn't park next to it. When we're with one of our friends who has one- he wants to ride with them. Makes me laugh!

Denver Adventure- Temple!

While visiting Grandma and Grandpa we had a lot of fun! The next few posts cover it all!!

We:

Visited the temple

The boys spent the afternoon with Grandpa while my Mom and I worked in the kitchen and then did a session. They had a blast! Here's some pictures Luke took while my Dad and I transfered carseats. A photographer in the making!

That's my Dad's car

The accomplice always happy to pose

We were paying really close attention- I promise!

Neighbor car- why not?

Andrew loved this rabbit and had it most the time we were at my parents- but he called it a mouse!

Temple grounds at their best

My Mom's car

I took a picture similar to this of my Aunt and Uncle on their wedding day. Do adults have heads in kids' minds?

Luke capturing Andrew playing catch

Don't want to forget what the inside of the car looks like!

And another classic kid shot! And that's about half of them :)

Littleton Historical Museum

Went to the Littleton Historical Museum aka the farm with my friend from our Parker Days (and the kids she was watching that day!)

All 6 kids (there's a cow back there too)

Me and Andrew with a little lamb

Luke and Mayci in the one room school house (these two saw each other pretty much every day when we lived in Parker! Mayci is actually a few months younger than Luke but she's tall- always has been!)

Milking in action- pretty cool!

petting the cat in the 1890's house

Checking out the lake behind the farms- there were some pretty cool birds!

Can you tell who the older kids are? They actually looked when asked!

Me and Brindi- we'll always be great friends (and I'm sure she'd like me to mention she's pregnant in these pictures- due with their third girl in September!)

Afterwards we had a picnic at the park but apparently there weren't many picture worthy moments.

Just Grandpa and the Boys

The boys went fishing with Grandpa:

Practicing casting

prepping

Ready to go! They didn't catch any fish but some people who came in on a boat from the lake gave them their fish they used as bait. My Dad brought them home. The boys liked watching the fish for a few minutes. They were all floating 3 hours later so my Mom and I went and dumped them in the ponds. Not exactly the fish we had hoped they'd come home with...

Helped Grandpa Mow

Luke joins in!

Wrestled with Grandpa