Life at the Graf's for the last 6 months

What have we been up to lately - like all year?  I know I know, I have been terrible at this for a while now.  So here is a bunch of catch up pics!  Enjoy- Click the images to enlarge

February Cousins Camp at Oceanside Beach house

 The water was freezing of course but the house was the perfect set up for little kids.  We had a little grassy area and a little sandy area right on the beach but far enough from the actual waves (separated by big mound of rocks) that it was not really a threat. Pictures above are the crazy scum hats my dad bought.  Tara and Ethan were mesmerized by Blokus and must have put those little shapes on that board for hours the whole trip. We also played lots of awesome rounds of family jeopardy that our resident entertainer Nathan created with fun facts about people in the family.

 We went down to San Diego to the Mormon Battalion museum.  It was actually a really fun presentation.  I learned a lot about their influence in the West that I never knew.  And they had really fun things for the kids to do.  We took a picnic and played on the grass for a while too. 

 The trip down there was a nightmare.  An extra hour stuck in Barstow buying new tires, and traffic on the way meant we didn't get there till dark.  But you should have seen my kids looking out the big windows in the morning fascinated with how big and close the waves were. The upper left pic above is of them in the morning when they saw the waves.  They could NOT get enough of digging in the sand.  So fun, and awesome place, and a true success I think even with smallish quarters, one sick kid, a couple pregnant ladies, and us having to leave early.

 March 17th St. Patrick's Day bowling and buffet

 We have been bowling a couple times with Audrey and she loves it.  She has been playing on the Wii and does really well.  Needless to say- even with bumpers up- I think she was a little disappointed that she wasn't getting spares and strikes every time.  It was sure cute to see my kids get so excited though.  FYI -Charles bowled almost the entire last game for Audrey and Ethan and himself, so I wouldn't splurge on more than one game for a four and two year old!

 March 20th- 8 years!!!

 Mom and dad actually invited us out for our anniversary.  I think that was OK with us, mostly because we have both been married long enough now that neither of us cares too much, and because they take pity on us being so poor that we probably wouldn't have done much more than like Panda!  They had some coupons and took us to Lawry's Prime Rib!  I have never been there.  It was phenomenal and WAY too much food.  I think when it comes to meat (if you are a meat lover) you should look at how much you would like to eat and then cut that amount in half - just as a general rule.  I will admit though, that I am way more of a steak kind of girl than a prime rib kind of girl.  I guess I thought, "when in Rome...."  but I might have enjoyed the ribeye a little more.

March 23rd impromptu California Trip

We hit up the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena while there.  It was a smaller place than I expected but they had different things than we have experiences at other kids museums.  Very fun.  Audrey already wants to go back again some time.  We also made a nostalgic stop at the old Pharmacy Soda Shop in South Pasadena where Charles grew up.  Just as a side note.  We got into this museum for free because we have a year pass to the History museum here.  They are linked with a whole set of museums all across the country.  So if you travel and have kids, a family pass is worth it!

So funny story.  We were at the beach house earlier as mentioned, and in Oceanside, and as of a month before that trip we were planning on going to Lego Land.  Then as time drew nearer we just felt like it was too much to spend right now.  I was so bummed because I had gotten Audrey all hyped up about it and had even showed her the website and everything.  I was nervous to tell her we weren't going.  So I broke the news carefully and followed closely with, but we will find something super fun to do.  You can pick, we can go to a museum, or a zoo....  and she and her little 4 year old voice popped up and said, "or we could go to a play place"!  Aw the wonderfulness of a young mind where these two destinations are synonymous!



So a few weeks after coming back from cousins camp at the beach house, my dad called and said that they had gotten free tickets to Lego Land!!!  from some friends.  WHAT?  AWESOME, of course we will make it work and go again!

We even had enough tickets to invite some of Dad's friends, and my sister in law and her family of 8!  The kids had a total blast and I will never forget their faces the first time they went on something fast and totally LOVED it.  It was better than anything we have done probably.  I was a little disappointed because I think we ran into some spring breakers so it was actually really busy.  I was exhausted and tired and I wish Ethan had been able to do more.  But I was thrilled that he could do anything at all and we did not pay for the tickets so how much can I really complain?  Although it definitely solidified my determination to NEVER go to Disneyland (or probably any other amusement park) unless it is on a Tuesday in the fall, or raining!

In other news:  Ethan is potty trained at just under 2 and half (earlier than Audrey)  And almost completely of his own fruition.  What a blessing because.....

We are also pregnant and expecting a baby girl in June a couple days before my birthday!  Just thought I would let yall know!