I took the kids to pick raspberries with the Johnson Family this morning. (Thanks for coming guys!!) It was an adventure! I had help from two neighbor girls who went with me. We picked just over 11 pounds of raspberries! The kids got a bored and hot and tired. Kalixta, Britain, and Ammon were my best helpers! Thankfully Ariana stayed home with Adam! She would not have had much fun. It was an experience. I don't think I would do it again, but I am glad I experience it once and have pictures to tell. Nikolas was the great photographer!

Everybody who knows Adam, knows he loves gadgets! Anything to make something easier or funnier he loves. Typically I am too cheap to buy these types of things. He is not!

He loves to look around stores like Bed Bath & Beyond. Me? I go in get what I need and get out!

Well last week we went there and he found a new gadget for me. And I love it! It is called Pancake Puffs. It makes pancakes and more!

Let me explain why it is so great! It helps my kids eat because the food looks fun! Kalixta and Britain do not like eggs. But whip them with cheese and bacon bits cook them in here and they both ate four! Ariana will eat anything I make in here because she thinks they are cookies! Kalixta doesn't like hot dogs. When I usually make corn dogs she eats only the corn bread part, but made with this she ate the whole thing! Here are my pancakes.

Here are my omelets!
 
I haven't even scratched the surface of what this thing can do and already my kids are eating good things!

I love new gadgets that work!!

Today was the first soccer games for Ammon and Zoe. They played 30 minutes apart and in different locations. So Adam took the boys and I took the girls!  This will be the norm! We will always have to split up to watch them play!

Zoe was fun to watch. She played defense and did a great job. She has a great coach who has taught her well! She made a few new player mistakes, but she is having a blast and she loves it so she will only get better! She actually wants to play goalie! She was a little disappointed she didn't get to play today! I told her to get some pointers from Melanie Johnson and she would be starting in no time!! I am very proud of her. I made her play soccer this year. I felt she needed some kind of outdoor activity (Zoe is an indoor girl! When friends come to play they want to jump on the tramp or do something outside and she would rather play inside.) I think she is a little surprised at much fun she is having!

I was really bummed I couldn't watch Ammon play! I hate having to miss things. Good thing his next game is Thursday! Adam said he is a true Beck and falls down every time he get near the ball. But he is quick and with some good coaching (which he didn't get unfortunately) he will be good. So tune in Thursday for pictures of him.

Yeah! We did it! We survived the first week of school! After the second day things got better. Ammon's second day of school was much better! He hasn't cried again in the morning, but he still NEEDS Nikolas to walk him to his class. Nik is such a good sport and watches over Ammon and Zoe!

Nik was so helpful the first week being home. Now reality has set in and it's like he never left! He is very patient with Ari and the twins. It is heartwarming. The fighting between him, Zoe and Ammon I could do without though!!

Nikolas is playing tackle football and Zoe and Ammon are playing soccer. They all had a few practices last week and are loving it! It makes the afternoon very rushed but it is fun too. The little kids have enjoyed playing at the park lots while waiting. Games start this week so that should be a big adventure. Ammon and Zoe both have games on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Nik has games on Wednesdays and Saturdays and with Adam's games on Fridays it will keep us busy!

Adam's game Friday night was lots of fun. It was a good game, they almost won! Next week guys!

School started yesterday! No more sleeping in, I am very upset! Looking through my own photos I always have a picture out front of my house on the first day of school. I guess that is why I always take one.

Nikolas is home and not too excited to start school. He did have a good day though and likes his teacher a lot. He is too cool to take pictures in front of his friends so I quickly snapped this one to remember that this is the year it started!

Zoe was so excited to start school. She has lots of her friends in her class and a very nice teacher.  Her teacher's name is Mrs. Beagles so her classroom mascot is Snoopy! Zoe had a good day, but was disappointed by some of the changes that were made. The school got a new principal and he made some new rules! Zoe doesn't like change, but she will get used to it soon.

Ammon was very excited to start first grade. He met his teacher last week and he liked her. Unfortunately his day didn't go well. He exaggerates a little so it is hard to tell what happened, but he said kids in his class accidentally tripped him three times. He doesn't have any friends. He didn't have enough time to eat his lunch. Everything is scary and he is not smart!  It is very heart breaking! When I dropped him off this morning he was crying. I really hope today goes better!

Marci's birthday was Sunday. We had a great afternoon together. I am very grateful for my very special sister, who I couldn't imagine life without! You are the best Marci! We all love you lots!

Happy Birthday!

I have been having computer difficulties! Sorry about the late post.

Here's just a few pictures of swimming the other day. They were just too cute not to share!

This last picture is very amazing. Zoe doesn't like to put her face in the water. Marci had a pair of goggles for her and she loved them. She went under the water numerous times. It was a great day!

We went swimming at Kenny and Marci's pool again yesterday. It was so much fun! We have been going almost every week and the kids are getting so good! They are so much more at ease and confident than when we first started. They all have floaties or life vests now that help them swim like little fish. They will all jump into the pool. Ammon is so brave he will jump into the pool with NO floaties on! Here is a few videos of the kids showing off!

Here is a video of Ariana jumping into the pool!

Here is Ammon jumping into the pool!

Here is Britain jumping into the pool!

This video needs a little explanation! This is the second race. The first one Marci was pushing Britain and Jordan was pushing Ariana. Jordan won. Britain wanted to win so she asked Jordan to push her. Marci told Jordan to let her win. So at the end of the race Britain can't believe she didn't win.

That's right! It's that time of year again. The kids start school NEXT Monday! Ammon and Zoe are very excited to start. Nik is not. He isn't even home from CA yet!

Yesterday we had our annual fashion show. I started this tradition when we first moved to Utah. The kids were not excited to wear uniforms to school. I figured I could get Zoe excited about it by showing off all her new clothes to her family. It worked like a charm. Plus she really enjoys the fashion shows and being center of attention! Without further ado… here is Zoe Basua!!!

As you can see in the photo above Marci is our fun and fantastic MC. She does such a great job of telling what Zoe is wearing and keeping the show moving. Thanks Marci!

This year Ammon got all new clothes to go to Reagan Academy. They are all blue, tan, red, and white and "boring." He did not want to be a model until half way through the show. He made up his own costumes! This is only one. He was so fast it was hard to capture.

Britain and Kalixta wanted to be in it too. They had a good time! Next year will be fun because they will be started school and will have clothes to model!

Ari was not to be out done! At the end she put on Zoe's skirt and twirled and twirled!

A special thanks to our super photographer, Marie!! Our awesome videographer, Adam. Our great MC, Marci! And our wonderful audience Jordan and Michelle
And of course super models Zoe, Ammon, Britain, Kalixta, and Ariana!!!!

Adam is now playing on a co-ed softball team. There are a lot of the same guys plus Marci, Marie and Michelle. It is really fun because we have more players to cheer for!

We really miss Jason and Jaime who moved to Louisiana. Jason got the grad assistant position on the LSU football staff. The moved about two weeks ago.

Adam is pitching again!

Here is the fantastic coach/manager Kenny!

The park they play at is really great. It has a center building with the snack bar and rest rooms. Then all the fields are around it. I feel pretty safe letting the older kids run around with other kids they meet. Too bad Ariana thinks she is a big girl. Last night she wanted to run and play with everyone else, which makes me nervous. I tried to bribe her into sitting still with a movie from Adam's iphone! For the first time ever this didn't work. She sat for less than a minute and then she was off again. I did manage to get a quick picture though!