We went down to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. We had free tickets and right now they have a Butterflies Alive Exhibit that I wanted to take the kids to. With all the fun they have had with our plants I thought they would love it…and I was right!

There was a thousand or so butterflies flying around!

There was about 10 different kinds of butterflies. Beautiful colors and patterns! We all loved this tiger butterfly!

If you stood still long enough a butterfly would land on you! Ariana walked around with that butterfly on her shoulder for like 5 minutes!

This was a beautiful butterfly we loved!

We had a great time! So grateful for free tickets!!

We made it down to the temple as a family this month! Only minus Nik. We try to go as a family and stay in the temple apartments once a month. Adam works in the temple Friday night and Nik, Zoe and Ammon go inside Friday night while I walk around with the other kids and go to the visitor’s center. Then Saturday I wake up early and go to the temple. It is always great to be is such a peaceful wonderful place.

Tori and I went to Kindergarten orientation yesterday! What?!

I can’t believe she will start school in the fall! She is so very ready. She is going to have a blast!!

Every Wednesday my kids 12 and up to to activities at the church. Ammon does Scouts, Zoe does different Young Women activities and Nik does fun Young Men activities. Once a month they have a combined activity, all together!

This month they made water balloons filled with jello and flour socks!

Needless to say they had a great time and got so dirty!

Zoe and a few of her besties!

Ammon invited his best friend from school. Yes his friend is in 6th grade and younger than Ammon!

Nik got Grandpa so it was only fitting they got a picture together!

A few more of my favorites!

Yesterday we made our monthly trip to Disneyland! It will be the last one until probably August once the kids go back to school!

All ready!

The girls always bring their hats.

Tram ride

Since Nik’s birthday was last week I got him a birthday pin! And made him wear it! He had people telling him Happy Birthday all day! He was more than a little embarrassed!

Luigi’s Tires is a favorite of ours!

The Moores made the trip with us this month! It was so fun being there with them!

We played at the Splash Pad for a while and the kids got soaked!! Good thing it was a gorgeous day!

I love going on the rides with the littles while the big kids go on the crazy rides! We love the Lady bug ride!

Tram ride back to the car! Don’t let these smiles fool you, they are so tired! Everyone knocks out before we get to the freeway!

Nothing like getting some free Oxnard Strawberries to put me in the mood to make jam!

Tori and Michael loved cutting the strawberries for me to smash!

I think Grandma Mary needs to make him a boy apron:)!

Perfection!

Nik had his last baseball game on his birthday! It was great to get a win over Hueneme!

He started as pitcher and did well. He pitched 2 innings and struck out 5 batters!

He was actually being heckled by a Hueneme fans! I couldn’t believe it! An adult man giving a high school player a hard time! Thankfully the umpire quieted him down!

Nik did well offensively too! He had 2 singles and strike out and got hit by a pitch not once but twice!

Nik leads the team in RBIs for the season! He had a great season and I couldn’t be prouder!

Activity days is for the girls 8-11 in our ward so right now that is Britain and Kalixta!

They invited me to an etiquette dinner Wednesday  night! It was a lovely dinner which they served me and totally took care of me and learn some important reasons we have manners and manners!

It was so nice to just spend time with these two sweeties!

Baseball season is almost done! CI played Pacifica Wednesday. The last two games against them were great games! This one was no different!

There was no fence or bleachers on this field. Nik was worried we would get hit by foul balls so he stood near us when he could to protect us!

Nik had a great game! He hit super well and had a few defensive plays! He was hyper and super loud too! It was funny to watch him!

Nik and his best Buddy!

Nik’s biggest fans!

Michael cheering! He would shout anything we told him to!

CI won thanks to Nik’s double hitting in the tying run and then he scored for the win!

He got player on the game!!

Nik turns 17  today! Crazy!! He thinks he is old now! Much closer to an adult than he wants to be:)! It is funny people always think he is 17 or 18 and now that he is he looks (or maybe he acts) younger.

He had a great day! He was spoiled at school with gifts from friends! I won’t mention that they are girls! One girl made him this cute poster!

He had is last baseball game today so I made his team cupcakes!

He had another great game that they won. They came home to his favorite dinner, sweet and sour meatballs! I think this has been his favorite dinner his whole life!

He was then spoiled with presents and love from all of us!

Nik is a fun present opener! The kids always fill like they got him the best gift ever bu his reactions!

He is sure to thank them with big hugs!

Love my seventeen year old!

He got two special packages in the mail!
One from the Platts with a plane ticket to visit them in Utah and a week at BYU football camp!

And one from Jeff and Kylie flying him to visit them for a week and a super cool shirt!

He was overwhelmed with excitement! It can’t wait to visit his awesome family!!

We finished up with ice cream filled cupcakes!

Happy Happy Birthday Dude!! Love you mucho!