year 9

 Year 0. Pure bliss.

Year 1. Spent our first anniversary in Hawaii celebrating my parents' 25th! So much fun. Chris' back turned purple with sloppy sunscreen finger streaks after snorkeling. Yay for memories!








Year 2. Dillan is born. A week before our anniversary. Life gets crazy. Then we move to California.







Year 3. Loving life with our little guy. Lots of fun.








Year 4. Our world revolves around him. For a couple more months anyway.

 Year 5. Adjusting to life with 2. Love our cute little family.

 Year 6. Life is busy, but we still try to make time for each other.

 Year 7. These two little monkeys rule our everyday. But it's good!

 Year 8. Then there were three. New challenges, new job, and new hope for the future.

Year 9. Counting on our fingers so we never forget. We've had hard times and good. Really, it's easy to love this guy. I am so blessed and overcome with happiness.

Happy Anniversary to us!

7

 Our big number one boy is seven today. Unbelievable. I don't even know how we got here.
Seven things I love about Dillan:
1-Finishing first grade at the top of the class
2-Plays baseball, basketball, and soccer like a pro
3-Silly with friends
4-Loves playing games with his family
5-Adores his sister and brother, and a good example too
6-A smile that melts mommy's heart
7-Works hard at everything he does

Dillan,
 We are so proud of the big boy you have become and love to watch you learn and grow everyday. You are such a good example to your brother and sister and they love you so much. You make us smile and laugh often. You like to be big and make your own choices, but still know when it's okay to cuddle with mommy. We are so proud of how much you love to read and do math and all the hard work you did in first grade. It is super fun to watch you play baseball and soccer. You always do your best and work hard to get better. You are such a good listener and make everyone around you happy. You also are a good singer, just like Daddy! You are a good friend, lots of boys and girls like to be around you. You are a natural leader around your friends, and you always try to make good choices and be a good friend.
Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we are so grateful you are a part of our family!

Love, Mom and Dad      5-15-12

Party like a Ninja!

And it's birthday season!
Our birthdays seem to last longer than just a single day of celebrating!
Dillan wanted a Ninjago birthday party this year. We decided to try out Sky High. It was awesome. Honestly, a blurry whirlwind for mama, after weeks of preparations and planning, but totally worth it. I've decided sticking with party themes means so much for the kids, and one day they are not going to want a party theme, so I'll get into it now as much as possible.
Thanks to my computer and printer, I was able to make invitations, stickers, water bottle labels, ninja eyes for the balloons, and details for the goodie boxes. Thanks to my very talented dad, Dillan had the best birthday cake ever, Kai shaped! Thanks again Papa!

Dillan invited every boy in his class from school + some extras. Some of those boys had little sisters, which was perfect for Leah.
The jumping room was crazy fun. Sweaty boys all over the place, parents right and left, trying to speak to everyone, meeting some for the first time. Out of control. Then we went to the party room, and thankfully had a very helpful hostess who took care of everything. Cake, presents, then goody bags handed out like a flash, saying our goodbyes and thank yous and BOOM! It's over!
Many of the boys didn't want to leave and wanted to go back to playing, but couldn't.
My head is still spinning.
I was very proud of Dillan, however. He was gracious to all his guests and played with everyone so they weren't left out. He's growing up too fast!

Spring is here

We are enjoying the beautiful weather and keeping busy with everything. We enjoyed a nice Easter Sunday and got all dressed up for the occasion.

Dillan is wrapping up his first grade year, still going strong. We are hoping his love for reading doesn't dwindle. He seems to really love non-fiction science books. He loves reading about sharks and whales. He'll be turning 7 soon and has decided to have a Lego Ninjago party theme at Sky High with a bunch of his good friends. He's still crazy about video games and has lost 3 teeth. Baseball keeps him busy and he says he misses soccer too. He loves doing anything with Daddy, and making his baby brother crack up!

                                               

Leah goes to preschool a couple times a week and cannot WAIT to start Kindergarten in the fall. I made the mistake of telling her about registration, because she thought she was starting that day. Still, we take Dillan to school and she admires the Kindergartners and can't wait to join them! She goes to dance class once a week with her friend and has recently decided she wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up. We have been trying to get ready for Kindergarten by practicing our letters and writing our name using a capital L and lower case e-a-h. Leah agreed to play soccer to prove to Mommy that she didn't like it, but has hung in there and recently scored her first goal! She plays for the snacks at the end of the game. She loves being read to and always having a friend to play with.

Little Drew loves to be with his Mama. He also loves to dance when he hears a good beat. He makes silly faces and has started shaking his head for "no" and waving "bye-bye." He loves to eat and has not met a food he doesn't like. He also loves his shoes and holds them up when he's ready to put them on. Whenever he sees Mommy or Daddy get their car keys, he runs to the garage door and waits (while pounding on the door) to go for a drive! He is ALL BOY in that he loves pushing cars and throwing balls.

San Clemente

Cousins are those childhood playmates who grow up to be forever friends. 

Spring break camping at the beach with cousins. It's just so much fun!

Yes, there are a lot of pictures of Drewby. He was always the most convenient one to shoot! He discovered a love of balls, sticks, and eating sand. He also took many naps in the bicycle trailer. He laughed while being chased to the water, but once the cold hit his toes, he was helpless and wanted to be held.

We have the best Grandma and PaPa in the world who take good care of us when we camp. It's a lot of work for them, and we appreciate them sooooo much. It doesn't get better than this!

New Talents

Almost 2 months ago, the mother of Dillan's friend sent me a text that asked if Dillan would be interested in trying out for the talent show with a small group of boys in a little basketball dance. I wasn't sure what to say. When I brought it up to Dillan, he looked confused as well. Like he had no clue what I was talking about. So I explained it would be with his friends and basketballs would be involved. He then said, "sure!"
He went to practices and did so good at listening and following directions. When I finally was able to see them try-out, I was so proud of him. He never complained about practicing or anything. I know trying to work with 6 little boys was work for the moms involved, and I'm just so proud that Dillan didn't give any of them more of a headache!
He seemed to enjoy himself on the stage as well, and wasn't nervous! Definitely an Anderson thing. I'm so proud of him for trying out something new and doing such a great job!

Because I knew you...

I have been changed for good.
Kaley passed away on Sunday. Just like that. A phone call followed by a million questions and confusion. She was only a few months away from having her first baby, a girl. It's a new experience for me. This is the first time I've had someone this close to me pass away. Most of the day on Sunday I was walking in circles, feeling the need to do something. I was restless. I cringed every time I heard a new detail about her final days of life. I cried just not wanting it to be true and allowing bitterness to overcome me that she could or should have been saved. Chris sent me to our room and told me to pray. I did. I tried to fight off the why?

Eventually peace and comfort came. It usually comes (to me) in the form of words. Words I'd heard or read before. This time it was a conference talk by Elder Scott. I remember his words about not asking Heavenly Father "why?" The answer is usually "because it is His will," but rather "what am I to learn from this experience?" He has given me this opportunity to overcome a very difficult trial. And I also believe to remind me of the great blessings He has given to me. Most importantly, a temple marriage and eternal family. So now what can I learn from the example of my cousin?

Kaley was sunshine. She smiled and laughed all the time. She lived life to the fullest. She loved everyone. She had lots of friends. She was loyal to those friends. When we were young, we played together all the time. It was always us. Pretending, swimming, dress-up and laughter.
As we got older, our interests were different and our personalities. She danced, I played sports. She liked boys, I didn't. We had different friends. She was out-going and fun. I was much more reserved and grumpy. I try to not upset myself now with my behavior and actions of back then, but I admit I wasn't perfect and wasn't always the cousin I should have been to her. Or the friend. I hope she forgives me. In spite of it all, we had each other because we were family.
She was about to become a Mommy. She glowed with excitement. I know it was what she had always wanted. Her family is eternal and she is with her baby girl. I can't wait to see them together. She loved music, she loved to sing and dance and be silly. Whatever fun everyone else was having, that was what she wanted to be doing. She loved movies. She loved Disneyland.
She cried when you cried, she laughed when you laughed. Her heart was always open to others and she served and loved to the fullest.
I am resolved to be like her. Family is one of the most vital pillars in the Plan of Happiness.
I've loved looking through old pictures and only wish I had done it sooner.

This is one of my favorites. I can't wait to someday have this relationship again.