Last weekend

I figured I should try to recap last weekend before the busy Easter weekend happens this weekend! We got a new-to-us used minivan to replace our totaled SUV. Growing up, I never imagined myself EVER driving a minivan, but it fits our family right now, and I am very happy. CJ calls it our "miniban."

So last Saturday, we thought we take a drive in our "new" car to get acquainted. We drove up and over to Palm Springs, CA. The drive was so pretty. Southern California (SoCal) still amazes me so much, that from where we live in San Diego, we can drive an hour East and be in the snow and mountains and we can drive two hours Northeast and wind up in the desert! Such a vast range of landscape! On our way to the desert, you could see this snow capped mountain!

We went to the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert. CJ was excited and dove right in!
"Glasses!"
He added a block to this structure very carefully!
Then enjoyed knocking them all down!
Dada getting CJ smocked up for the painting area!
Running over to paint!
CJ did a great job painting the car...until he started heading toward a little girl with his paint brush. JT stepped in just in time and helped "assist" him for the rest of the painting!
They had a cute pretend grocery store. CJ was excited to get a cart his size!
And he did a great job picking out his own groceries! I was so proud that he was excited to find the "milk!" He also picked out green beans, cookies and cat food (we don't have a cat, ha!)
Pushing his selections around the museum!
Putting a ball on a track.
CJ was amazed that when he pushed a red button air would make the balls float in the air.
We took a different route home, UP and OVER the mountains! It was so beautiful!
JT in the miniban (which rides very nice!)
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has a special exhibit right now, Butterfly Jungle.

I tried to take CJ last week. I should have turned my car around when we pulled into the entrance and there were FOUR lanes of traffic paying for parking...but I was determined that CJ and I would get to see those butterflies. After learning that they weren't running a parking lot shuttle, I elected to pay extra so my 8mo pregnant self wouldn't have to hike as far into the park. So when we finally got in the park, we went to get our Butterfly tickets...the next available time wasn't for another 2.5 hours. Second sign I should have left...but still determined. I decided CJ could play at the playground while I sat down and rested (the park is REALLY hilly). There were a TON of big kids (5-8 year olds) and they were all running him over. We left the playground after CJ got stuck at the top crying because everyone kept pushing him. :( Poor little guy. We managed to feed the lorikeets and get a couple of happy memories in before finally leaving without seeing the butterflies!

So on Sunday, JT went with us first thing in the morning so we could see the butterflies! (And so JT could push the stroller/wrangle CJ). CJ checking out the butterflies flying above!

One of the butterflies.

I am a total dork and I follow the San Diego Zoo & the Safari Park on facebook and Twitter. They had tweeted that the butterflies like "bright colors" so I wore this yellow shirt. At one point I had SEVEN butterflies sitting on my arm!

CJ wasn't so sure about the butterflies up close. HA HA!

It was a fun weekend as a family! I am officially done going to the Zoo and Safari Park until after Baby Girl arrives. I just can't do it anymore. We had a very low key week mostly at home, which was a nice change of pace for this normally "NON-stay-at-home" Stay at Home Mama and her boy! :)