"Can I play in the water?" this is a question I hear daily, multiple times if I don't say yes the first time. Monday I told Britain yes when she asked and off she ran to recruit all the other kids. There were lots of yes's and dooring slamming. It quieted down once everyone was outside and the water was on. A few minutes later I heard the door being opened very quietly and then it was opened again quietly. There was no screaming so I waited a while and then went to see how everything was going.

Oh boy did I find a sight! There was five different containers filled with water and bubble bath bubbles! Hence the very quiet door opening and closing! 

Britain and Ammon had a bubble fight! 

Ready!

Aim!

Fire!

Leave it to my kids to take bubble bath to a whole new level!!

They had a great time! Too bad there is no bubble bath left for another day!

Tori must have had a hard weekend because Monday just before lunch I found her like this!

I am guessing she climbed up to get a doughnut and then what….! I don't know, she just feel asleep!

I put her in bed and she slept for three hours and then fell asleep at 9:00pm (way early for her) on the living room floor!

Poor girl party with Jeff too much this weekend!

My brother Jeff and his girlfriend Kylie spent the weekend with us! We love having them come and visit. 

They came Friday night so we had everybody come over for s'mores! 

Saturday everyone met us at the reservoir and we had so much fun!

This is usually how Tori spends her time, playing in the sand!

But with aunts and uncles who are patient and play with her in the water this is what happens!

And this!
 

She spent so much time on that boogie board! She just got braver and braver!
 

Ammon let Jeff dump water on him!

 Then he got Zoe!

Kalixta and Ammon loved getting buried by Jeff! He then had to bury about 5 boys we didn't even know!

We had a blast with everyone!!! 

So Jeff and Kylie are gone now, they left this morning and my house is so quite!! Miss you guys! Thanks for coming!

Nik went to spend the rest of the summer in CA with his Dad! He left Saturday and the kids miss him already and keep asking where he is. It is very sweet! I started a tradition of taking a picture by the face before he left so I could tell how much everyone has grown in a year. Here is the picture I took last year.

2009

Here is this year's!
2010

 I love that Tori can stand up now. She stood so good to take all the pictures! It will be fun to see all the changes year after year.

Having the Fourth of July be on Sunday this year was great because some people celebrated on Saturday, some on Sunday and some on Monday!

 
 We watched fireworks out the window on Saturday night. We sat on the curb and watched our neighbors' set some off on Sunday. Then on Monday we had tons of friends and family over to celebrate. I love having people over and spending time with them. The kids love it too! I always forget to take pictures though! I did get this one of Tori talking on the phone!

 Once it got dark we started the fire pit our friends brought over and roasted marshmallows and did sparklers!

Ariana didn't really like doing the sparklers. I think this is the only one she did!

Tori wasn't a fan of the sparklers either!

Nik is too old for sparklers so he found other things to do.

We settled in blankets on benches and chairs for a fireworks show put on by the boys!!
 

Tori has been back and forth about baths. Sometimes she likes them sometimes she doesn't. Right now she is in a bath liking phase! It is super great because then I can send Zoe or even Ammon to give her baths! Monday Zoe was bathing her and ran to get the camera! I was cracking up when I saw the pictures she was taking so I just had to share!

It all started with Alfalfa!

And just went crazy from there!!! Funny stuff!

My sweet little Ariana Joy turned 4 yesterday! She announced her day by coming into my room while I was still asleep and saying, "The birthday girl is here!" with her arms stretched out and a huge smile on her face! Ariana is the sunshine that gets me through the day! She tells me, at least, once day that she loves me. She often compliments me on my shirt, my jewelry, my shoes, pretty much anything! She gets so excited when I do things for her! For example, when I wash and fold her laundry she says something like, "Thanks for washing my clothes for me!! You're the best!" Ariana loves to sing! Her favorite songs are Hannah Had the Hiccups and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star! She loves to make up her own songs too!   

Ariana couldn't decide what kind of cake she wanted! She changed her mind a thousand times and I finally decided on a pony cake. It was a hit! She loved it!

Ari is the best present opener! She gets so very excited about each thing. She hugs it and loves whatever it is! She was very specific this year about what she wanted. One thing was pink shorts! She loves to wear all one color so she needs those shorts so she can wear pink shorts, pink shirt, pink necklace, and pick panties!! Grandma Mary came through for her and found the perfect ones! Boy was she excited!!! Her face says it all! Grandma Mary and Grandpa John also gave her the Dora Lego set she wanted, cool Dora panties and much needed socks! Thank you!

Grandma Sylvia and Grandpa Buzz sent her some awesome flip flops that she hasn't taken off!  They also gave she two cute outfits (one is the one she is wearing), a brush and some hair elastics! Thanks so much!!

Ari loves having her birthday is July because she always gets a party with so many friends! This year both her bestest friends were at her party!! All her Utah aunts and uncles made it too! We missed a picture with Jason and Jaime! Sorry guys!

Today we had a fashion show and Ariana tried on her new clothes and danced around in them! 

Gotta love those modeling skills! Britain is behind me trying to show her how to do it!

Jason and Jaime gave her these two outfits! So cute Jaime!!

Aside from the pink shorts there was a color theme going on. Even the sunglasses she got matched!
 

She also got a bunny Littlest Pet Shop that she loves, a jewelry set, Diego bubbles, ring pops, a cup that looks like a ice cream cone, candy and chips! Thanks to everyone for the gifts and for coming! It was, "the BEST day ever!!" 

The kids just discovered jumping on the trampoline with water squirting underneath! Good thing because it is HOT HOT HOT here now. Summer is in full swing and playing in the water is mandatory!!

Tori doesn't care for the water at all! In fact, if she gets wet she starts SCREAMING. She does love to be outside even when it is hot!

The kids did a fun art project today for the Fourth of July. It is called cookie cutter art. I got the idea here. We used star cookie cutters and blue and red finger paint. I put the paint on a cookie sheet so it couldn't run anywhere but there is also plenty of room for dipping the cookie cutters.

Then they stamped the stars onto the paper.

Dip, Stamp, Dip Stamp!

The kids had a great time and the results are as individual as they are!
 

While waiting for a turn to do the star stamping I let the kids do other colors and other cookie cutters. Tori tried the yellow paint but didn't have much patience for this art project! She sure did have fun getting messy though!

Ammon had his last baseball game tonight. He did great, as always! I can't wait to watch him next year in the older division! He is so fun to watch! I love when he plays catcher because he gets to wear all that gear!

Ammon is one of the best hitters on the team!

Ammon is a smart fast base runner!

Love this shot!

Tori colors a lot at his games!

Ariana loves to run the bases before or after the games.

Ammon loves to have his Uncles and Aunts come watch him play!
 

Ammon's coach gave each of the boys a medal with their name, team name and the year on it!

Today Tori "had" to carry the chair to the car! She is my little helper!