Zoe has been busy this summer creating. We saw a necklace holder made from an old rake on interest. With the help of Grandpa John she sanded, painted and hung it up! She loves it!

She modge podged this boarder with pictures of her friends from church, retyped the Young Women theme in fonts and colors she liked and found a frame. Love how it turned out!

Zoe, her church leaders, and her friends all made matching pajama bottoms for their week at camp! They turned out so cute and the girls looked amazing all matching!

We have been tying fleece blanket for a service project at church! The kids have been really creative with the scraps making bracelets and head bands!

We had the perfect system. I would cut the girls would tie! Zoe and I made a few before she went to girls camp. Britain and Kalixta and I did some too!

It was great mother daughter bonding time!

Zoe, Britain and Kalixta  designed and planned a whole breakfast for the family one morning including place cards, menu options, making and cleaning up breakfast! It was so creative and thoughtful!

This is what Zoe calls me! Each kid had their own place card with a nick name on it!

The menu choices.

Love my creative sweet girls!

Loved my breakfast!

We had a blast at the beach with my parents and Marie while she was here!!

The kids are getting so much braver in the water. They body surfed, boogie boarded and jumped waves!

Even Tori!

My Dad made great food for all of us!

We had a blast!! Thanks Mom, Dad and Marie!!

Ammon got to spend a week going to scout day camp in July!! He had a good time, met new friends, and did a lot of scouting!

He got to work with leather and earned his Leather Works merit badge.

He made an arrow for his Archery merit badge.

He worked and worked on archery!

I was able to spend most of the week with Ammon at camp teaching and helping his group of 11 year old scouts! It was so fun to be there with him! I huge thank you to Nik and Kylie for watching the kids so I could go!

The last day camp provides lunch for the camp. This spaceship lunch truck came! We thought is was so cool!

Zoe volunteered to help at the day camp! She was there everyday helping one of the 19 Dens! She was busy busy but had a great time! She was, unfortunately in a different area than Ammon and I so we rarely saw her. A couple times after camp she had the chance to shoot arrows!

When Adam was getting the caterpillars from his friend he also got a cocoon. The kids watched and watched that cocoon. Ammon even looked online and learned all about butterflies hatching so he would be prepared! He went to bed saying the cocoon would hatch soon and they next morning we woke up to a butterfly!

We woke all the kids up, took the butterfly outside and they spent about 3 hours waiting for the butterfly’s wings to dry and fly away!! Again I have 150 pictures and videos of this!! They really love it!

Beautiful Monarch Butterfly!

He didn’t like Nik’s hand, but he climbed on mine!

Michael wanted to hold him too. He was so gentle!

Right after this picture he flew onto Ammon’s shorts and then off he went!

We cannot wait for our  2 other cocoons to hatch!

Adam learned all about milkweed plants from his friend at work. He went out and bought one for the kids. Know what a milkweed plant is? It is caterpillar food!! We have had caterpillars all over our plant! The kids have had a blast checking them every day, watching them eat and checking them again! Seriously I had no idea they would love it like they do!! They show everyone and anyone who comes over!

I love this shot of Kalixta checking out the caterpillars.

We must have 100 pictures and videos of the caterpillars!

A little while ago we can out and all the caterpillars were gone!! The kids were so sad but knew they were off to become butterflies! The next day we saw one caterpillar climbing up the side of the house. He went all the way up to the roof of the house and dangled upside down!

A few days later within two hours he was a cocoon. He now has a buddy up there with him. Again the kids check on the cocoons everyday waiting for those butterflies!!

Zoe joined a summer church choir. She practiced twice a week and learned a number of new songs. They were all fun songs, some of them had african words. She loved repeating those around the house being silly!!

She did a great job! It was so fun to watch!

No she is not taller than me yet. She was trying really hard to look like it. She is not far off though!

Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Marie came to listen!

Nothing says summer to me like S’mores!! I love love love toasted marshmallows! My Grandma gave Ariana all the stuff needed to make S’mores for her birthday!! We loved making them at the Basuas.

This boy likes his a little burnt.

Mmmmm happiness!

We also made them at Grandma Mike’s house when we were visiting with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins!

Michael learned how to toast marshmallows!

He had a blast!

He would be so patient and turn and roast the marshmallow nicely. Then get distracted and look away and burn the top!

He didn’t care though! He wasn’t interested in eating them after the first one! Like a true boy he just wanted to roast them!!

After he made s’mores for Nik and Zoe, they were too busy looking at old photo albums and laughing at me, I got to eat all the extras! Burnt isn’t my favorite but I will eat it! How do you like your marshmallow? Burnt, toasted to perfection or not toasted?

So much fun and so many pictures I have to do two posts!

We took a little break to sit and watch the polynesian dancers! We love watching them!! They asked for volunteers to try something and I nominated Nik!! A cute little girl came and got him so he couldn’t say no! He was a good sport and did a good job!

This is a bigger kid ride that all the kids love to go on!! Michael is too small, but he can’t wait until he can go!!

Another big kid ride that most can go on! Tori and Ari were first timers this year and LOVED it!

Ammon’s facial expressions are too much!!

The younger crowd enjoyed the train ride! I love how comfortable Michael looks!

Ariana could go on this ride but Tori was too short! She was not happy about that!

Nik made her happy by winning her a painting! He also won a big puppy one for the girls!

The brave and crazy Zoe and Britain went on The Zipper.

The Ferris Wheel is a fun one that some hate (Ammon and Ariana) and the others like!

Nik took Michael on it.

The second time it was later and Michael fell asleep before the wheel went all the way around! He was out for the night!

Adam with the girls!

We can’t wait for the Fiesta next year!!