Family outing with Grandma

So we decided to go on a little family adventure with Grandma Judy before she left. We headed to an "Oasis in the Desert"........at 8 am to a little place called Tres Rios, next to a water treatment facility - sounds exciting huh? If you saw this picture you'd be excited to check it out.

Doesn't it look so peaceful and beautiful!?

Well, it wasn't so bad to start out: heat was still at a minimum 90 degrees and off we went. Armed with water and sunscreen. We found the above location and it was less than beautiful like my friend's picture (borrowed from Candace). Imagine a more jungle atmosphere, ducking under the weeds, bugs EVERYWHERE!, and Jeff's mom leading the way (insert SCREAM!!). She walked into this MASSIVE spiderweb - covered the path from one side to the other. I kid you not the spider was as big as my palm........ACK! Jeff helped her clear the web out of her hair and face (bluh!) and we continued to the gazebo - COVERED IN BUGS!!!! Time to go. Candace had these great photos of her boys crawling around, enjoying the gazebo......there were no bugs or even webs in her pictures. :)

Jeff walked down another path on the other side, he walked in, disappeared, then reappeared and seriously his clothes were ALIVE with ants............definitely time to leave. Judy and I quickly brushed them and and we hurried home to shower and get rid of that buggy feeling.

Everywhere we walked, the ground had these dark lines. Nope! ANTS, ANTS, ANTS!!!! I wish I had a picture of it, but I didn't want to stand still for more than 2 seconds or they started to climb. They were in Abbey's crocs and I had had enough - so long Tres Rios, so long. :)
It was an adventure and I quickly lost my enthusiasm for this place - maybe we'll give it another shot....maybe.

BYE GRANDMA JUDY!!

Blessing day

For most of August, I was out of it, so not much family time was documented. We blessed Ammon at home and had a an enjoyable time with friends and family. Thank you all for coming!!

 Chris Wallin (our faithful and loved hometeacher), G-pa Riz, Jeff & Ammon, Geoff, Uncle Steven, Scott and Uncle Eric

 Abbey misses her Erin

 the kid party in Lea's room

 shhhhhh.......these moments are few and far between - the one where they sit still and where they get along :)

 Abbey, Ally and Ammon

AZ cousins!!!

Little ones

Ammon Earl - 8/11/10

4 kids, really!?

Baby Brudder - Ammon

STATS: 7lbs 4 oz, 21 inches long and cute as can be - beginning stages of male-pattern baldness and looks just like Jeff. :)
So excited to have him here - not so excited to be recovering from major surgery... a few cute moments already.

My sister Kristin has been here with her 3 girls - Aubrey (14), Elizabeth (11), Calla (9). My kids love these girls although I was really nervous for Abbey - she is a MOMMA's girl to no end. ONLY MOM can do anything for her. Turns out I can be replaced for a few days by Kristin, but not anyone else. :)

She brought the kids to the hospital the first day: Abbey "Hi mommy!, hi mom, hi mommy, hi!" 

Lucas walks right over to Ammon and pulls the little hat off and says "Does he have red hair like me?" As he was sitting on Jeff's lap with Ammon, he unwrapped to find his little toes and count them. He loves this baby more than I could have ever hoped for!

Boys night - Jeff took Lucas (since he was surrounded by girls all day and night) out on Friday night for a boys night. Trying to figure out what he might want to do, Jeff asked him:

What's your favorite thing to do Lucas?

Feed my baby brother. (Awwwwwww....... :))

The girls love Ammon too - Lea is fascinated by all the little things - "He opened his eyes all the way.....he did (insert whatever was done)......." and Abbey just keeps a close eye on him all the while not leaving my side since we walked in the door. She missed her momma and I missed them.

First day of school - Aug 2010

Lea started 2nd grade at Vista Del Sur Traditional School. After having 2 years of wonderful teachers - Mrs. Gardner and Mrs. Noyes, we are looking forward to another great year with Mrs. Zwick. More pics to come of the first day - just a little comparison from 1st grade to 2nd. So cute!

1st day of school last year - 2009

this year - 2010

More of day one: 2nd grade!!! :)

I've officially given up on getting a decent picture. :)

Okay not bad.....

At the school, headed to class

Abbey wouldn't look at me so she got cut out of the picture.....she snuck into the corner. :)

Lea and her friend Laura Lisonbee (they sat by each other for one day.......Lea was moved back a row because there was a newer student to the class). I was quickly informed (because I told her to be careful not to get in trouble for talking) that she was moved for the new student and not because they were talking. :)

One last picture - BYE LEA!!!! :)

Oh what do you do in the Summertime?

We go to the pool!!! It's actually been a very nice summer here - not too hot. Yes temps have reached over 100, but nothing like we've seen in the past where temps have been over 115 for days on end. We have a couple monsoons and enjoyed some cooler, humid temps. We are normally not around for July so that was a switch for us too - no family vacations, Twin Lakes or any other traveling was done - except for one trip to Vegas for a few days.

I signed up Lea and Lucas for swim lessons at a local pool - El Prado. I was a little nervous, but it was a lot of fun! Abbey and I played in the zero depth part of the pool while the kids had lessons, then we stayed after to play as they were the last lessons and the pool was then open to the public. We'd eat lunch, play and go home for naps. 8 weeks! And you'd think we would have walked away with better tans......but we didn't. Instead we used about 9 bottles of sunscreen. :)

You'll notice a couple things here: one at the top right - Lucas being assisted off the board....he refused to swim the first session (the day he turned 4....), moved him up to level 2 and he suddenly became Michael Phelps and had no fear of swimming or jumping off the board. Even Jeff got in on the diving board action. There were sunny days and the very last day was Lea's birthday and it was super cloudy - the pool actually closed early because of possible monsoon weather. Abbey and her friend Sadie looking out the rod-iron fence....cute friends. We'll be back next year! Great teachers and lots of friends!

A couple videos:

Beckers Backyard:
We drove out to see our people who moved to Gilbert and enjoy their backyard pool. I stayed clear of the action and tried not to get motion sickness from all the "waves". Fun times at Frys Marketplace - so awesome! :) Jeff does a belly flop after they (Geoff and Jeff) threw a few too many kids into belly flops. Luke the shirtless wonder - he was so happy to go without his sun shirt (6 pm) and his cannon ball; Abbey actually playing with her daddy. :) They swam non-stop!

Chandler Aquatic Center: I love this place - we went a couple times last year, but had not made it this year. We went for the 24th of July with Palfreemans and Whettens.

What the pictures don't tell: Imagine an audible "girlie" gasp from the 2 crazies (Jeff and Scott) doing 'dives' off the high dive. :) Lea went off the high dive - unfortunately, I missed the in between photo of diving board to splash..... there was no convincing her to go back either, but I was very impressed she went at all.

When not at the pool - it's been really hot to just play outside, but we got the bikes out and even exercised with Dad - trying to be healthy!!!

Bob and Jillian (Biggest Loser Wii workout) - watch out - future trainers in training!