This.

Me to Julia: Julia, A couple more minutes and then I'm going to take Micah for his bath, and after his bath it's your turn.

Julia: You can't take him! I'm playing with him! I'm going to dress him up like a girl!

At least they're playing nicely together?

San Diego: Mormon Battalion and Padres Game

Last month Robert's cousin Woody got married in San Diego, so we went down the afternoon before the wedding and spent some time with family who were in town.

First we went to the Mormon Battalion Site and met up with some of Robert's siblings and his parents.

 Some of the kids had a little too much fun with all the water...

These are all the grandkids on the Wheat side.

I like how Robert is the only one really smiling. It could almost be an old time photo.

Later that evening we left Micah with Aunt Lauren and Robert, Julia, Robert's parents and I went to a Padres game to check off another stadium for Robert's goal to visit every MLB stadium. It was just perfect that the Dodgers were the away team playing that night. Julia wore her Dodgers hat, but she cheered for both teams. It was our first baseball game in over a year so everything was new to her again. 

Eating hot dogs for dinner.

Every time there is a home run flames shoot out over a display beyond center field, which was pretty close to where we were sitting. So the first time there was a home run the crowd went wild and then flames shot up and Julia was a little stunned by it all. A second later she was cheering and clapping right along.

Singing "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch.

 Just a random picture of Micah with Grandpa Wheat back at the hotel eating grapes. It is where Micah was during the game, but Grandpa came with us so the picture was taken earlier in the day.

Our Week

This week was a typical summer week, full of fun, but still with lots of down time to do whatever we want. Just the kind if week I've been meaning to have but have been so busy up until now to actually do anything but try to catch up around the house between trips. Now that we've been home a while I have actually caught up on housework and have been even able to start on some projects I wanted to get done before the baby comes, like turning our old guest room into Julia's room. (October 9th is the baby's due date in case you need reminding. Now that I'm in the third trimester and getting big I get asked almost daily when I'm due. Alas, still more than two more months away!)

Our week starting from last Saturday. Robert had to drive into work to bring in Costco packs of snacks, goodies, and drinks for his team to get them through the summer busy season (through September 15). PwC moved office buildings earlier this year and the kids and I had never been to the new office, so we decided to join Robert to check out the office. It's amazing how much fun an almost deserted office building can be on a Saturday night, the kids loved it.

They got to play in the conference room.

Watch a Dodgers game.

And best of all, write on the walls! A lot of the walls in the office are painted with whiteboard paint so you can write right on the wall. Julia loved it. Here she is with her masterpiece of everything she saw out the window: an airplane, a helicopter, "daddy doing the taxes" at a desk, the office building with Mommy and Julia inside looking out the window, the black fountain at the front of the building, a blue crane, Mommy and Daddy hugging, a firetruck,and a fire station with two flags on it and a couple people inside (which it turns out is actually a restaurant that is in an old fire station. That was my bad, I thought it was a real fire station when I pointed it out to her). Then she signed her named at the top.

The rest of the week Robert was pretty busy (busy season...) so we didn't see him much. But the kids and I had plenty to do. On Monday and Tuesday we went swimming and tried to practice getting Julia over her fear of floating on her back, getting water on her face, and jumping into the water. She took swimming lessons for one week and literally kicked and screamed when asked to do these things. They had a one week break from lessons because the other family she is taking them with is on vacation, so we were trying our hardest to work on her phobias. They start up again tomorrow and I have high hopes that she will cooperate better now. I think by the end of last week she was completely over her fear of floating on her back (still with someone holding her, but at least she's still and not thrashing around) and is greatly improved in her fear of jumping into the water and getting water on her face. 

Tuesday night we saw Wreck it Ralph as part of Claremont's summer movies in the park. I told Julia we could only go if she took a nap, and since we had gone swimming, she did! So she stayed up for the whole movie and was very into it. Micah was excited to be outside with lots of people and also stayed up the whole time. He was impressed with the giant movie screen for five minutes and then spent the rest of the time eating snacks, running around the blanket, and climbing on top of me. 

Wednesday we went to a program at the library as part of their summer reading series. It was a presentation of  "Old Mcdonald" with live animals. Each time we sang the song they would bring out a different animal and tell the kids a little about the animal. They brought out a chicken, ducks, a tortoise, a guinea pig, a rabbit and five bunnies (or kits we found out). Afterwards they had a little petting area outside with some bigger animals like goats, sheep, and an alpaca they could pet. Micah started out the show on my lap on a chair next to all the kids, but he let me know he wanted to be like one of the big kids and went and sat down with Julia. At the petting area he really liked to stand right next to the animals, but not touch them. Julia was running around touching all of them.

Thursday Julia had her first gymnastics class. She was jumping around on the mats before class even started so I took that as a good sign that she was going to like it. And she did. Everything was right up her alley and she is looking forward to the rest of her classes. Micah sat with me and drew, and then jumped around on the mats as well when the kids moved to a new area.

Friday we went to Costco and while we waiting in line for returns I took my phone out to show Julia she had a nasty scab on her lip (not pictured), but Micah saw me taking a picture of Julia and made this cheesy smile too.

Friday night we went to Robert's work and charmed met some of his coworkers. Then we went to a Dodgers game, Micah's first at Dodgers Stadium and our first since we've been back in L.A. We were camping over the Fourth of July weekend so we didn't see any fireworks, and Julia has been asking me all month when we are going to see fireworks because it's July. So, since the Dodgers do fireworks after the game every Friday night and Robert has been wanting to go to a game, it only made sense to go and appease both Robert and Julia.

Micah did good considering we got there at his bedtime. He stayed up the whole time and was kind of cooky/crazy loving the crowd.

I told Julia that afternoon she should take a nap because we would be up late, but she did not. So she started melting down a little by the end. Dodgers won 2-1 and after the game we got to go down to center field to watch the fireworks. We had brought a blanket to sit on, but forgot it in the car. Turns out, the grass in center field is so nice you really don't need a blanket anyway. 

Julia wanted to do a handstand.

Then on Saturday we had some family over, Daniel, Amanda, and baby Hannah. The baby swing is always set up in our kitchen and the kids love to push it, empty or with a doll in it. They were thrilled to have a real baby to push in it.

Then Steve and Wendy stopped by. Micah really liked sitting on Steve's lap and "reading" the book.

After lunch we went swimming. Julia loves the water more than Micah, so Amanda kept her entertained in the water after Micah (and baby Hannah) had enough.

And Sunday after FHE Robert did Micah and Julia bench presses, a favorite around here.

Iphone Ranch Landscape

We just got back on Monday from the annual Sandberg Family Reunion at the Sandberg Ranch. I think everyone from Robert down to Micah had a great time, but I'm really glad to be home now. This was our last trip we have planned until the baby is born. And, besides swim lessons for Julia and then preschool in September, we really have nothing going on. Normally that might seem like kind of a drag for me because I enjoy going places and doing things, but we've been so busy lately I'm ready to take a little break! We haven't even had time/energy to unpack completely from one trip before we have been off on our next trip. I'm ready to let the nesting instincts kick in and get some deep cleaning and projects done around the house, plus have a relaxing summer with the kids letting them play outside, and the park, and in the pool (things we haven't had much time for lately).

Some of the landscape photos of The Ranch from my phone. Eventually we will get around to a full blog post recap of the reunion. Even though it stormed every afternoon while we were there, it was actually perfect because the storms kept the sun from making the afternoons too hot. One thunderstorm a day was just right to keep things warm enough at night without baking us during the day. Plus they are fun to watch and it makes The Ranch look really beautiful.

Sunrise, I'm usually not awake this early at the Ranch, but this time being six months pregnant I had to go use the "facilities."

Zion: Angel's Landing

Another hike we did, on the last full day we were in Zion, was the 5 mi. Angel's Landing hike. This was another one where the kids stayed back because a) we hiked it at sunset and they needed to go to bed and b) all the warnings for the hike say "Long drop-offs. Not for young children or anyone fearful of heights." In fact, when you get off the shuttle the recording reminds you that fatalities have occurred on this hike and you should not do it if you are afraid of heights.

Unfortunately we started our hike just a little too late so by the time we got to Scout's Lookout about 1/2 mile from the end of the trail, and where the trails gets really steep and narrow and uses chains to give you a better hold, the sun was already close to setting. We continued on a little further but ultimately decided to stop when we saw this part of the trail:

The trail goes right across that saddle and up the side of the mountain with sheer cliffs on both sides. We decided that even if we made it up there by sunset we did not want to be coming down that part in the dark. So this is the view from where we stopped. Almost as good as the very top, but not quite since you can't see the right side of the canyon all the way to the end.

The chains on the way back. 

Can we count this as my five month belly shot? Third child definitely gets less pictures, it's already started. I only have one belly shot from this pregnancy so far...

The moon makes an appearance. See, it really was getting dark. 

Robert back at Scout's Landing. Don't look down! I have no problem but heights but the Wheat boys all seemed a little nervous by it all.

A few shots coming back down.

This is about halfway down the mountain now. The trails starts down by the river. This is where we took out our headlamps so we could see the trail the rest of the way down. I like hiking in the dark, it's much easier than having the sun beating down on you in the middle of the day.

At the end right before we got on the shuttle back to camp.