The Kids

Baking Bread

Anika & Andrew helped me make bread recently. (It was just like playing with play dough!) I figured that they need to learn how to use a knife eventually and a supervised setting is preferable.

Boots

Andrew has been asking for "big boy boots" for a long time. I finally went shoe shopping and splurged on a pair of "Cars" rain boots (for all the flooding we'll be having in Ripon!) He's pretty proud. (The first day we had them he took his nap with them on.)

Togetherness

Anika and Andrew are the best and worst of friends. Sometimes they can play together beautifully. This was one such moment:

Cuddle Time

More Kathryn

Another thumb sucker???

Dad's Home

Lloyd is home from his conference and he came bearing gifts:-) The kids sat so still and quiet I had to snap a picture.

Super Heroes

"Fire Girl" and "Sporticus": keeping the world safe from "bad guys".

Craft Time

Daddy is gone to a convention so we're keeping busy and entertained and not eating meals on a schedule at all! (I can't believe I let the kiddos eat donuts at 11:30 after we walked to pick up the dry cleaning.) Anyway, last night the kids wanted to be "bad guy" and "fire girl" so we did our best.

Kathryn: 4 months

Where does the time go? Kathryn was in this week for her 4 month appt. and I'm not sure where the time has gone. She is such a joy! Everytime she sees a face she has to smile her gummy grin.

Yep, she is sucking her thumb - sigh!:

Ice Cream!

The cousins enjoy some ice cream/sherbet at the end of a wonderful day.

Santa Ana Zoo

Our short visit in Chino included a few hours at the Santa Ana Zoo, a nice small zoo for toddlers with short attention spans. We were able to see a short show highlighting some fun animals, see lots of monkeys, eat a picnic lunch, ride on a train, and play on the playground & animal statues. What fun!


Pretending to be a researcher out in the field:How tall is Anika?Taking a "shower" under the bucket:Andrew "driving" a turtle:An amazing Macaw:Nana and her grandkids:Drew feeding the goats:Anika feeding the goats:

Kathryn and . . .

This was Kathryn's first visit to Nana & Papa's and our first time meeting Cousin Josephine Martha. How fun to have the family together to celebrate Josie's baptism.

Kathryn and Nana & Josie:Kathryn and Daddy:

Kathryn and Anika & Josie:Kathryn and Josie:Kathryn and Josie:

Tea Time

When the ladies were having tea at Nana's, the kid couldn't be left out. Thank goodness for Nana's "chocolate tea" (aka: hot chocolate).

Andrew's New Toy

We arrived at Lloyd's parents for the baptism of his neice and immediately Nana spoiled Andrew with a new toy - Thomas, the train. He is "so, SO exciting" about his new train set.

Almonds

Here are the stages of the almond:

1. Off the tree
2. Still in the pod
3. final product

VanDyken's sell nuts in 2 or 3 form to Blue Diamond.