Sunny San Diego!

Hang on to your reading glasses...this is going to be a long post! We had a good trip to San Diego last week to visit my parents. Despite the colds, ear infections, and time changes, we had some fun times. It is beautiful there right now...sunny and warm...which was a wonderful departure from the cold, dreary winter we have had in Kansas. The leaves were on the trees and the hummingbirds were buzzing outside my parents back door the whole time. Papa is already teaching Nolan about the different birds that can be spotted around Ramona. This feeder they have really lures them in! Can you see the hummingbird perched on the feeder? There are about 5 more buzzing around or sitting in the tree.



Even though he was a little under the weather, Nolan was up for some applesauce from Nonnie. Yum yum!


Nolan enjoyed playing in the dirt and the rocks. It hit me that since he has been walking, he has never walked outside! We're always quickly getting indoors to escape the cold. He and Maya both had so much fun feeling the breeze in their hair and feeling the tree leaves. I am so looking forward to spring in KS! Once he discovered the outdoors, Nolan was so interested in rocks, but he kept trying to put them in his mouth. He also ate a big handful of dirt. I guess you never know how it tastes until you try!

On Sunday everyone was feeling good enough to take our first adventure... we went to Poway to catch a little train ride. It used to carry ore, but now it's just a small train that goes in a circle for kids to ride on. The kids loved it! Here is Papa holding Nolan while we wait for the train.

We were lucky enough to ride the train with a little boy who was having a birthday so we got to go around 3 times! Choo choo!

Near the train was a gift shop complete with a model train set for the kids to play with. Maya and Nolan thought it was lots of fun. We decided to buy a second-hand (or actually third hand!) train set from Gwyn for the kids to play with after seeing how much they liked this one.

After the kids took naps, we headed off to see my great-aunt Jackie and cousin Barbara. Jackie put some big pillows on the ground and it was the best toy! Now I put cushions down at home for the kids to crawl on and tackle. I never knew they would be so much fun! Here is Maya being queen of the cushion.

Jackie's dog Ami was a big hit as well. Maya loves animals!!!

Of course, with Maya's eye for detail, she also noticed Nonnie's flower earrings and wanted to touch them. Nothing sparkly gets past her!

Papa and Nonnie got the kids 3 new books to read and play with. They are all fabric books that have activities in them. One is a Nursery Rhyme book which the kids LOVE and played with for about 30 minutes on the plane ride home, one is a "Quiet Book" which has matching shapes with velcro or snaps, a shoe to tie and untie, zippers, pockets, etc. (another big hit) and the last one is an ABC book with 26 animals, each representing 1 letter in the alphabet. Here is Papa "reading" the ABC book to Maya before bed.

Maya had fun playing with Nonnie. They took turns imitating each other by resting their heads on the cushions and giggling. So cute!

On Monday we went to the Wild Animal Park. The kids really enjoyed themselves...much more than we thought they would! First we stopped by the petting zoo to feed the deer.

Then Darin showed us his "gorilla arms". Hee hee!

Then we bought nectar to feed the Lorakeets. Can you see the bird on Darin's head? They totally swarmed him when we walked in and they chirped SO LOUD! The kids weren't scared though, and instead were fascinated with them. They both wanted to pet the birds. :)

Here we are at "Condor Ridge" at the Wild Animal Park.

Maya is starting to show interest in walking, so here we are practicing. She took her first steps at Papa and Nonnie's house! Since then she has done it a few more times, but she very much wants to do it in her own time. If you try and encourage her to do it when she doesn't want to, she goes "jelly legs" on you. So I'm working on my patience. I am so anxious for her to walk!!

Here are Papa and Maya reading books again on our last day...this one is the nursery rhyme book. Papa and Nonnie took the kids for about 3 hours on Monday. They all had lots of fun playing together and bonding without mom and dad in the way. haha. Darin and I certainly enjoyed the break!

Thanks, Papa and Nonnie, for a great visit! Next time we all see each other, hopefully we'll all be in tip top shape and have our smiles packed!