At preschool last week Ariana came home with her name written on the back of her paper. I ask her who wrote it and she said me! I was shocked and had to ask her teacher for the week if that was true! She said it was. I did preschool today and saw it for myself! I couldn't be more proud!

She is pretty proud of herself too!

Tori did a little coloring herself! 

 She LOVES to color!!!
 

I do not like markers! You could say I hate them. I don't know why I thought it would be a fun treat for the girls so use markers at preschool. I gave the markers to Ariana and her friend to color with after school. I like to be the fun Mom sometimes! Silly me turned my back on Tori to help Ariana in the bathroom and she wrote on the wall! And herself! 

There is marker under her eye and on her forehead and all around her mouth! The markers will not be making a reappearance at my house for a while!!!

Yes, I had to bribe her with my lip gloss to get her to stand still. I think she was embarrassed of her mess! She got it all over the cute white dress too! Funny story about that dress. We were playing freeze dance at school today. Tori ran to her room and came back with that dress when the music started! I guess she can't dance unless she is wearing a dress!

The Moving Wall was in Spanish Fork this last week so we took the kids Saturday. Do you know what The Moving Wall is? It doesn't actually move like my kids thought it did before I took them. The Moving Wall is a half size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that is in Washington D.C. It moves around the country so that people can go see it! You can get more info here. I was excited to take the kids and teach them a little of our country's history and show them why it is great to be an American! 

Driving there Adam and I explained to them about the war, what the wall is and why the wall is important. And how to act when we are there!

We also told them how Grandpa Buzz fought in the war! They of course knew this already and Ammon added that Grandpa drove the tanks when he was there!

The wall was huge and it is only half-size! There were so many names on the wall. It was hard to be there and not tear up as I pictured a face for each of those names!

It was an incredible experience for me and one I hope the kids will remember!

There was an "army guy" there and the kids wanted to shake his hand. He was older so I am guessing he fought in the Vietnam war. He shook each of the kids' hands and told them to be proud to be an American. I looked down to get the camera and looked up to see him squatting down and all the girls hugging him! It was the sweetest sight! He then saw the camera and told the kids to say cheese! I hope he knows how thankful we are to him and all those who fought! We are thankful to all those who currently serve and have served this country!

I am proud to be an American. I am grateful that I live in the great country. I am thankful for the freedoms and liberties that we have.

Tori talks a ton and she in not even 2 yet! I had to get this video so I can forever remember her little voice and the way she pronounces words. In the video she is pointing out all the body parts she knows. We play this game a lot. It distracts her when she wants something she can't have or keeps her occupied when we are waiting somewhere.The kids all love to play with her too. 

An added bonus came at the very end where I got her to say I love you a few times. I took this video about two weeks ago. She had just started saying it then. Priceless! 

I was on the late train and signed the kids up late for sports. When I finally went all the teams were full! At the last minute a spot opened for Zoe so she is the only one playing anything this year. It is kinda nice because there are only 2 games a week instead of 8 games and 5 kids playing. I really miss it though too. Ammon would have played flag football for the first time. Britain and Kalixta are missing out on their first years. But it is what it is. 

Zoe is having a good year. She loves soccer and looks forward to fall all year long! She has mainly been playing the midfield position and so she is all over the field. She is aggressive and often where the ball is, getting her foot on it! I don't have too many actions shots the field is huge and everything happens so fast!

Zoe got to play goalie in her game today. She wasn't excited but she did great!! Truthfully, she didn't touch the ball once. It never even came in the box. She was very grateful for that!!

My Zoe!

Tori helped take that picture. She is very fascinated with the camera. Then she had to have a picture taken of her!

I am all done with the CA pictures! I loved going through them to relive the summer. They make me miss my brother Jeff, my family, all of Adam's family and CA! We had such a good time!

Ammon loves to play games! When the cousins were here he had lots of people to play them with and play he did. He played at least one game a day. This was in addition to chores and all the places we went! He wouldn't ask, "can we?" he would ask, "do we have enough time to play…"! 

I am glad the kids can all play together and have a good time! One of Ammon's favorites is Ticket to Ride!  It is a great game!! He even added a few rules! Some make the game better others are just ways to cheat! I only got one picture before the camera died! At least I got one! Usually I forget the everyday moments that make life good!

We spent one afternoon playing tennis. My kids love to play tennis! Anything keeping them active is good with me!

Ammon is so quick and all over the place he is hard to take a picture of!

The little ones could rarely hit the ball. It was funny to watch them try so hard!

Uncle Jeff bought the kids ice cream from the ice cream man!! Such a treat for the kids!

There were not enough rackets for all the kids so we had to take turns. The kids were being really silly so Jeff threw the ball for someone to fetch! It really caught on and soon we had a lot of doggies playing fetch!
 

 
 It was hilarious to watch them have so much fun this way!

A new splash park opened in Spanish Fork. The kids have wanted to go so bad. I have wanted to go all week too but with school, homework, games, and activities there just isn't enough time in the day! I decided I would surprise them on Friday! Friday is our early out day so I knew the park would be the least crowded. I told the kids we didn't have time to go and then I packed all their suits and towels in the car! They were so excited when we turned into the parking lot and I said Surprise!!!!

The kids changed in record time and they were getting wet! Ariana jumped right in which surprised me. She was soaked in minutes!

She would play and play and then run out and sun on the concrete and then get back in!

At first Zoe was a little embarrassed to get in because she was the biggest one there, but soon a few friends from school came and she was running around getting wet!

Kalixta was in the water almost constantly! She was very disappointed we had to go after only 3 and 1/2 hours of playing!

Ammon loved running everywhere through and around the spouts of water!

He loved punching his way through the spouts too!
 
 

Britain had a number of friends there and was always in the water!
 

Tori did not want to go anywhere near the water. I tried to force her but she just cried. After we had been there a while she finally warmed up and would touch the water ONLY if I was holding her!

She would get her hand all wet and then drink the water from it! So sanitary I know!

Slowly she put her feet in, IF I was holding her!

A few times she even tried putting her face in, but of course I was holding her! 

She had fun as long as I was close, but she never went in by herself. I got completely soaked, between her and Zoe and Ammon splashing me! We all had a blast. We will absolutely go each week until it is too cold!!

We stayed a week mostly because of the Basua Reunion. The reunion was conveniently the weekend after the Fiesta!  The adults all had matching dark blue shirts. 

Nik got an adult shirt!

Adam's Mom made all the kids matching dark blue shirts! I love how they turned out! On the front is a picture of Adam's Dad's Mom and Dad.

They also had their names on them!

On the back in the name of Adams' Grandpa, Luciano.

There was tons on delicious food! Adam and his brother Lou barbecued chicken and tri tip! So good! Everybody brought something to share! I love trying different salads and sides! They were amazing!

There was an auction to help raise money for next year's reunion. We got this box of purses and shoes! It was a hit in our family! Zoe got tons of cute shoes and Tori loved modeling them.

 There was lots of family love too! Ariana loves her cousin Cami!

Grandpa Buzz and his sweet girl!

This is the family that comes from Luciano, that came!

What is a trip to California without a stop at the beach?!! We tried to go to the pool where Kylie lives but got kicked out, just as we got into the water, because there were too many of us! Try to get 10 water loving kids out of a pool! It was no fun! So we changed plans quick and headed to the beach! 

The day was beautiful and sunny but the closer we got to the beach it got windy and overcast! It was cold. It took some of the girls a while to get used to it! Zoe had a hard time! It was way to cold for her!. She spent most of the time in a towel! Mariyah was a sweetie and stayed with her!

Tori stayed by my side with a towel for a long time!

Can you tell she is thinking, "Hurry and take this picture so I can go play!"

Ariana and Tori let me bury them to help them stay warm!

It must have worked because a little while later they were off and playing!

Always have to build something!

This boy was in the water constantly!!! Cold is nothing to him!

I had tried to take Tori to the water and she wanted nothing to do with it. Just before we left I asked her again and she said yes. And then she actually got in the water. AND loved it!! She stayed close at first and had to be touching me!

Soon she was very brave and on her own. Figures as soon as she left me a wave came and knocked her over and she got all wet. She didn't cry at all and might end up being a beach baby after all!

So much fun!!

We found two very cool parks while in California! Unfortunately my camera batteries sucked the whole trip and I only got pictures at one park. There are some cute pictures so I shouldn't complain!!