Road Trip!

In July, Addy and Blake took their first long vacation without mom and dad.  They went to MI!  Jean and Paul drove them there - and they spent time with all of our Michigan fam! 

 

Ready for the Road Trip

I love Addy's fist pump in the back...off we go!

 The week was spent celebrating Grandma Teresa Bertucci's 90th birthday...spending out a night at camp with Papa Lowell, bonding with auntie Tina and her kids, Auntie Tammy/Uncle Eddy and their fam, etc.  I drove up there on Wednesday night and spent 2 more days with them. 

While I was there we went and visited Aaron's grandma Barb and had a picnic outside with her :)  She always wants to feed us!

No one is looking, but I still captured the moment.  She's such a wonderful lady!!  We LOOOVE grandma Barb :) 

 I will say - if you want to feel like a rockstar mom, take a 7 hour drive (without stopping) by yourself with a 1 year old and 3 year old (who gets carsick)!  I was nervous for my trip home but it went okay, considering!

Addy got carsick around Wausau, JUST as I was exiting onto a ramp so I couldn't pull over.  But, my little Addy is a superstar when it comes to car sickness.  At the age of 3, she's got it down to use the bucket.



Addy really wasn't feeling good here, Blaker likes to have a bucket for sympathy :)

 About 1/2 between Eau Claire and Pine Island, Blake was D - O - N - E  with the car ride, and the only way he wouldn't cry  was if I was reaching back and rubbing his foot.  This is an hour and 1/2 away from home...I thought my arm was going to fall off!

But, all things considered --- we made it, and in pretty decent time!  Addy had dozed off around supper time and I just decided to drive through instead of wake her, since she gets sick on a full tummy anyway.  So, we go home around 7:30 or so...and Aaron was SUPER excited to see his kiddos that had been gone for 7 days!

Home :)

It is important to me that Addy and Blake and any future Anderson kiddos get to spend time with all sides of the family even considering the distance.  I hope we can make this a tradition so that everyone like Papa Lowell and such get to bond with the kids without us around and spend some good time together!

Thanks again to everyone that watched them and made it happen.  Here's to many more years!

New Posts Below

Slowly getting through summer posts...4 new ones below!  More to come hopefully this week to get me caught up through Labor Day! 

4th of July Swimming Party

This 4th of July, since it was a Wednesday we did not travel anywhere, because we both had to work before and after it.  It was very HOT, so we tried to make the most of it!

We called the Scheel's to see if they wanted to meet us at an indoor pool after naps.  There is a hotel in town that you can pay to swim at.  It is a very nice set up, it has a kiddy pool that was only to Blake's thighs - with a mini slide and such.  And in the main pool, there is a bigger water slide. 

We decided to go to the indoor pool to avoid the heat -- and mainly the sun.  It was actually really warm and muggy in there - so HOT, but we didn't have to worry about sunscreen and I can guarantee it wasn't as packed as the pools outside!

 Just like each time this summer, Blake wanted nothing to do with playing in the water at first. He was VERY VERY sad and clinging to me for a while. I finally just sat down with him in the kiddy pool - and he slowly got brave. 

I might be standing by myself, but I'm not so sure about this...

Going down the slide was fun - but I'm TOTALLY not going to show that I'm enjoying myself...not for at least the first half of our swimming adventure :)

Addy was loving the pool.  She would run around in the kiddy one.  Her and Ella kept wanting to go to the big pool, which they couldn't stand in so we would go for a bit, then try and convince them to come back to the kid one.  So, it was a day full of "back and forth" between the pools!

Loving this one of Addy & Ella - getting way too big!

The dads typically give in to these little ladies and ended up with them in the bigger pool!

Aaron took Addy down the big slide quite a few times, and she was loving it.  At one point, he didnt' want to go anymore so I took her.  Rachel got this shot on her camera - shows how much Addy was loving it!

After that we headed to the Scheels' house for a mid-week grill out.  I would say it was a nice 4th.  Relaxing, not stressful, and a good break up of the week.  We sure did miss being at our cabin/camps.  We are usually at one or the other for this holiday (cabin in WI with the Tarara side; camp in MI with the Anderson side). 

...gotta love summer days when you can!

Swimmin' at Grandma's

Jean and Paul just moved into a new home --- one that has a pool in the backyard.  On one of Aaron's Sundays off during our extreme heat spell around the 4th we headed up there to see his mom and cool down by the pool.  Of course, I didn't get a picture of Jean or Paul with the kids - bummer!

...to Grandmother's house we go.  Heading there in style!



My cool dude! 
(side note: Michigan fam - do you have these glasses?  I haven't been able to find them!)

Posing by the pool --- I love this pic for some reason!  Addy cracks me up.  Putting her arms around her 'boys'.  She definitely has quite the love for these guys in that sweet little heart of hers!

Blakers was not really fond of swimming.  He shocks me, because this kid LOVES his bath.  But in the past, and for the first few times this summer, the water really scared him.  Even when it was warm water, he would cry, even being held in the water.  I finally got him settled and relaxed in this floaty on the day at Jean's.  Throughout the summer it took some warming up to, but this last weekend, he was ALL ABOUT the water at the cabin!


Mama's Boy - I HEART him!

Addalyn really enjoys swimming - and for the most part - she wants to be a big girl in the water, which can make me NERVOUS!  By the end of the day on this particular day she told me "Mom, you can let go of me." I couldn't though - because it wasn't shallow enough for her to be able to touch! Goof!


Learning to Doggy Paddle!

This was one of the few days we made it to the pool this summer.  I had high hopes of swimming more often to keep the kids exposed to the water.  But, with Aaron's hours - on Sundays when he's been off, it's hard to cram in all that needs to be done and that we want to do.  My kids aren't at the age that I could take them anywhere but a kiddy pool by myself since they both need to be watched and held depending on the depth.

We did go a hand full of times (more blogging on summer adventures to come!) but I wish they could've been exposed more consistently! I'm thinking of putting them in lessons (or Addy at least) this fall/winter in Rochester to keep swimming 'alive'!

Random summer cuteness:


Her hair is finally getting long (and curly)

Just monitoring the local pool, making sure all stays under control :) 

Daddy's Day 2012

With Aaron only having Sundays off, we decided to go out and do something for Father's day this year and spend some family time together.  We went to Oxbow park for the morning - which is a free park about 15 minutes away that also has a zoo in it.  The animals there all have some injury so they are not able to go back into the wild - so they are taken care of here.  It is a free zoo, run by donations --- so very impressive considering :) 

 

There were bears, wolves, eagles, porcupines, some farm animals, buffalo, other birds and animals you'd find in MN...

 

 After the zoo we had lunch and then headed back home for naps...I think Aaron even snuck one in that day!  It was a nice morning.  I have taken the kids back to the zoo on a Saturday while Aaron worked.  If you are in the area --- I'd recommend it.  Quiet enough and not busy, so having little ones there on my own was not at all stressful!

 

Addy, Blake, and Daddy  --- humoring me with a picture on Father's day!

 



Addy took one look at this red fox and said "Swiper no swiping, Swiper no swiping!!!" Gotta love Dora



Giggling at the Turkey...she thought he was pretty funny.  The "Tom" turkey was being all protective, making noises and sticking his chest out!



Waving at the animals :)

 

A little late but I still want to wish a Happy Father's day to Aaron, and of course all of the special dad's in our lives ---- you all know who you are. I am extremely lucky to have had great men placed in my life - and so are Addalyn and Blake.

A dad is.. someone who
wants to catch you before you fall
but instead picks you up,
brushes you off,
and lets you try again.

A dad is... someone who
wants to keep you from making mistakes
but instead lets you find your own way,
even though his heart breaks in silence
when you get hurt.

A dad is... someone who
holds you when you cry,
scolds you when you break the rules,
shines with pride when you succeed,
and has faith in you even when you fail.
-Unknown

Aaron ~ you are a WONDERFUL father! It is so awesome to watch you interact with our kids. I see the love that you have for them just by the way you look at them sometimes. Miss Addy Jane & Blaker Boy have been blessed by God choosing you for them. They definitely love you to the moon and back, and so do I! xoxox ~Ris
 

'Lil Runners

This June the kids competed in a children's track meet hosted by the local Lion's club.  Addy was allllll excited to go run races - but she got very shy and nervous once we got there, and wouldn't do anything unless we were by her side.  Sooo - we (mainly Aaron) ended up running and competing with 2, 3, and 4 year olds as well :)

 

Blake competed in the long jump and the 50 meter hurdles.  For the hurdles, he wanted to be held by the end so we didn't put him in anymore races.  During his long jump - he started running down for his jump, and then he just stopped - and would

 

not...

 

move...

 

any further....!

 

Stopped! (he's the little guy in the red!)

Addy's "jump"!

Next Up: 50 m Hurdles!  (See Aaron right there with the kiddos at the start?!)

Almost to the finish!

50 meter dash...still not wanting to go alone!

3rd place on the 100 meter dash!  (this one mom ran with her and there were fewer kids so she finally placed!)

There were only 2 meets this summer - and the first one was the day after her birthday when she was sick.  I had plans on going to the meet prior to her getting sick.  I wish we could've gone - I think that she would have been independent at another meet, because she still talks about it!  We have to drive by the track when we head towards main street from my parents - and she'll randomly yell out "I ran there at the track!" when we are driving.  :)
 Who knows - maybe we have some future runners on our hands --- they definitely have it in them from both sides of the fam!

First Trip to the Dentist!

I took Addy to the dentist for the first time in June.  Addalyn does pretty well brushing her teeth.  The one complaint I have is that she is too independent so she rarely lets me help her. 

She does her sides, tops and bottoms, front, etc so she's got the right idea, I just don't know how thorough she is :) 

I wasn't sure how Addalyn would do at the dentist.  She actually doesn't mind going to the doctor at all, so I tried to explain it in a way that she was going to a "doctor for her teeth" and explain what would happen....but you can never prep a little one with such a new and interesting experience.

Waiting Room fun :)

 I was very happy with the outcomes and I was very impressed with the experience that our dental office creates.  They have definitely put a lot of thought into how to make the first few trips "not scary" and do as much as they can to work with the child.  They had explained to me when I called to set it up that they would be prepared to do as much as she would let them, but if all they do is sit and talk with her, they won't push it at all....

To start off the experience, the dentist himself came out in the waiting room to talk to Addy and "introduce" himself to her so when she was called back it wouldn't be the first time she would see him. Then when she first went back with the hygenist, the girl talked to her for a while to try and get to know her.  At first she was a little shy...

Not so sure what to think...

But, she actually did WAY better than I expected her to.  For her "safety glasses" she got to wear cool purple shades (and purple is her favorite so that was exciting!).  They let her play with all the instruments before they used them in her mouth.  They would show her what the electric ones woudl do by demonstrating on her hand and then asking her if she wanted to try that in her mouth. 

She ended up letting the hygenist do everything - check out her teeth, clean/polish them, and even floss them :)  She was pretty good when they put the water in her mouth and then used the "suck" tool...it did take a few tries to understand what she is supposed to do.

I think by the time she was finished she was done with all of the new things, because she got very scared and sad when the actual dentist came in, even though she had met him in the waiting room.  Poor girl!  I think she had warmed up so much to the hygenist and had been allowing a lot of new experiences to happen, that she just was over the experience at that point.

All he was going to do was count her teeth but she wouldn't let him, and he didn't push it.  Apparently they had already counted them when the hygenist was working with her - they just say that is what the dentist is doing so that he has a reason to meet with them when they come for the first time...

Poor Girl--- not 'down' with the teeth counting (because that is WAY more intimidating than crazy instruments polishing your teeth, pouring water into your mouth and then sucking the water out...ha ha!!)

They did stop as soon as she started crying that hard (but I had to snap the pic because it was part of the experience!).  And then afterwards, the dentist made her a very cool "balloon face" out of a glove, so I think he earned some bonus points with her.  She also got a new tooth brush, floss, toothpaste, and a necklace!

Making her balloon :)

Putting her token in for a prize...she got this totally awesome necklace.  Ha ha.  It's a fake gold necklace and has a the dollar symbol ($) as the charm....like the ones that I think I've seen rappers wear!  She thinks it's pretty cool, it just makes me chuckle :)  P.S. Check out the cool balloon!

All done with my first trip to the dentist!  Have my balloon and bag full of my loot in hand!

Gotta love the convenience of the cameras on our phones!  I had asked the hygenists if it was okay to take pictures and if it was an unusual question, they laughed and said that almost every mom takes pictures.