Lately, Andrew has rediscovered the baby swing and excersaucer. Both are sitting in the office and he likes to play in them every now and then.
He will get in the swing and say “night night” and pretend he is asleep.
He is way too big for the excersaucer, but that doesn’t stop him from climbing in and out and playing.
I know, it is already the end of July and we have done our first camping trip. This has been a very mild summer and we are still waiting for summer to get here.
We went camping at Kamiak Butte. It is a great place to go camping. It is only 9 miles outside of Pullman, but you feel like you are in the middle of the woods. We had such a great time!
We got there around dinner time on Friday and set up the tent when we got there. When the tent was set up, Andrew walked in and said “wow. This is cool.”
He and Aaron then got the fire going for dinner. We made tin foil dinners of bacon wrapped meatloaf, onions and potato wedges (Aaron’s suggestion) and corn on the cob. It turned out great and very delicious. We had smores of course for dessert. Boys and fires, what a dangerous combination. Andrew thought it was great to help build the fire, but had to be reminded constantly that the fire is hot and we don’t touch it.
Aaron got a new fancy camera so he was trying it out that night. These are some great pictures of the night sky and the fire.
Saturday we woke up and Aaron made breakfast, his famous chocolate chip pancakes. Andrew was helping me mix the batter and I poured in some chocolate chips. He then wanted the container, I figure to snack on, but instead poured the rest of the chips in. (When we are cooking or baking together, it is his job to pour in the ingredients. I guess he felt he missed out.) Nevertheless, there was some very chocolaty pancakes.
We were going to do the hike after breakfast, but Andrew was already falling apart and we didn’t bring anything to carry him on the hike and I knew one of us would be carrying him most of the hike with the mood he was in. Instead we went and played on the playground equipment and “hiked” on the trails to the amphitheater and other areas. I still ended up carrying him some. He thought the stage at the amphitheater was a great place to dance.
At the beginning of the summer, Andrew was all about the slides. Now he is all about the swings. This boy loves a good playground.
We had a very successful camping trip and can’t wait to go again!
Tonight I was fixing dinner and I saw Andrew playing in my purse, but didn’t think anything of it. I figure he was getting my wallet out to play as usual. Well he ran past me and I looked down to see he had my new chubby Lip balm (remember my new love?) in his hand. I quickly grabbed it from him so he wouldn’t ruin it. As I reached down to get it, I looked at his face and he was wearing the lip balm. I tried as hard as I could to tell him he doesn’t play with this and it is only for mom, without laughing. Silly boy. He did learn the other day how to put on chapstick. It is the cutest thing, but I didn’t know why I wouldn’t think he would do the same thing with lip gloss or lip stick.
This past weekend we went to Boise to celebrate my Grandparents 60th wedding anniversary and for a family reunion. We had a great time visiting all the family. It has been way too long since I have seen a lot of my cousins and their families. We stayed in hotel there and the boys had fun jumping and diving onto the bed.
(Sorry, there are so many pictures of wrestling on the bed, but they are all so fun!)
Saturday we went out to my Grandparent’s house and introduced AJ to Grandpa’s ATV. He wasn’t too sure at first, but then couldn’t get enough of it.
Saturday afternoon we went to a park for lunch and visiting and playing with all the family. Sunday we had a family BBQ at my Grandparent’s house and played some more. Then Monday we came home. It was great to see everyone, go swimming at the hotel and do a little shopping. What a great vacation!
(My mom took pictures at the other events, so when I get those from her, I will have to post them.)
We got back from Boise just in time for the neighborhood parade. Every year the neighborhood kids decorate their bikes and scooters and ride up and down the streets. We have an elderly man, Carl, who lives by himself on our street and one of the neighbors got an ATV and drove Carl down the street so he could be the Grand Marshal of the parade.
While we were waiting, Aaron introduced Andrew to snap pops. He taught him how to throw them and step on them. AJ loved it.
After the parade went by, we met down at the cul-de-sac for popsicles and visits with the neighbors. We love our little neighborhood.
Our neighbor across the street had family visiting for the weekend. They have a great grandson who is 18 months and he and Andrew had a lot of fun playing together. They set up a little pool in the front yard and he and Andrew jumped in, clothes and all. After “swimming” some, they played blocks on the front porch.
Later we went out to my parents for a BBQ and fireworks. We ate yummy food and made smores in grandpa and grandma’s fire pit and then did fireworks.
This was the first time Andrew roasted a marshmallow. He was in heaven…fire and marshmallows, what more could a little boy want?!
Aaron introduced Andrew to smoke bombs, which he liked. Aunt Kate bought a set of fireworks that had a tank, boat, plane and cars in it. Andrew loved flying his plane around. Andrew wasn’t too sure about the sparklers but liked the big fireworks as long as they weren't squealing or whistling. He didn’t last too long and fell asleep on my lap.
We had a great 4th of July with family and friends. Happy Birthday America!
