September 22, 2011

Day of Service

Our stake did a day of service a week and a half ago. Our ward split up and went to three different parks to do some sprucing up. We were assigned to clean up and paint the outside of some restrooms. Drew was totally into it. He really wanted to help! The first thing we did was clean off the outside walls. Once the painting started, we took turns playing with him on the playground, far away from the painting going on. :)



It was really a neat experience and a lot of fun! Ever since that day, whenever Drew finds the brush and dustpan, he "cleans" off our walls, just like that day at the park. What a helpful boy!

September 18, 2011

Our Little Vacation

(I had this post all written a couple of weeks ago. I clicked publish, nothing happened. I clicked save, nothing happened. I lost the whole post. I've been mad at Blogger ever since, which is why it's taken me a while to post this.)


A few weeks ago, Dan, Drew and I took a little vacation out to the coast and to see the Redwoods. It was so much fun! And the best part is that while it was in the high 80's at home (with no a/c, mind you), we were in 65 degree weather.


Since Dan goes out to Coos Bay (which is on the coast) overnight every other week for work, we figured we'd take advantage of the hotel room and start our vacation then. We were in Coos Bay on Wednesday night, then on Thursday we drove to Bandon and went to the West Coast Game Park. The have free roaming animals, as well as caged animals. We thought Drew would love it.



He got to pet a baby leopard, which was seriously so cute!


Here, he's petting a baby goat.


Then he noticed that all the monkeys had fun things in their cages, like balls and playsets with slides. He was not happy about not being allowed to play with them.


Here, he's sad that we wouldn't let him in the cage with the emu. We lasted 30 minutes. :)


Thursday evening, we drove down to Gold Beach. I love Gold Beach. The beaches there are beautiful. Our hotel was right on the beach and we got some fun play time in.



Friday was spent exploring the Redwoods. Drew absolutely loved this tree that he got to play in. He was covered in dirt by the time he was done. :)


We went to the Trees of Mystery. Paul Bunyon and Babe were huge! There was a man in Paul that was talking to everyone, and he was so funny!


The Redwoods are gorgeous! So tall and majestic! I'm so glad we hiked around the Trees of Mystery.


This tree is called the Family Tree because of all the little trees growing off the big, main tree. This tree was my favorite. Every time I see a family tree, I think of an adoption family tree, where the birth family are the roots of the tree, and I feel so unbelievably grateful and humbled. (See, adoption is always on my mind. :)


Dan loves this picture because Drew is "high-fiving" the tree.


We got to take a sky ride thing up to the top of a mountain and Drew loved it.


My boys. :)


Coming home to an 80 degree house is no fun and definitely called for sprinkler time at 9:00 at night! Drew was sopping wet, but had oh so much fun!