More cousins!!

The next day brought more cousins to our party. It was wonderful to have everyone here and we were so touched that people made the long drive from the east and the west to celebrate with us. It is so fun watching the cousins play with each other.

This little girl is growing so tall and has every bit of energy and spunk that her older brothers have!

Liam and Josh played all the time together- if you needed to find one you just had to look for the other.

They made a lot of new friends at the park that day and came home talking all about them. I wonder why we as adults make it so much more complicated to become friends or simply enjoy an afternoon with a stranger? I learn a lot from my nieces and nephews.

The water boy

I know the angle of this picture is strange and the lighting is off- but I love the expression on Jack's face- he really is such a sweet little boy and he had a lot of fun in the water.

I also learned about Jack this weekend that he likes to make music and so even though I filled this bowl of water for him to play in, he enjoyed it more when the water was dumped out and he could turn it over to bang on it. I guess this is another example of not needing a lot of expensive of interactive toys to entertain and child- just some basic kitchen items will do. He also really enjoyed the measuring spoons on the tile floor. Whatever keeps the talent happy!

He got a shorter than expected summer haircut the night before this picture was taken- the night before they arrived in Arizona. I think he looks adorable and the good thing about hair is that is will always grow back.

We don't have a pool and I am not sure I ever want one- so in the mean time we make due with a big rubbermaid tub. It's great for watering the plants and if you are the right size it's a great spot to cool off.

A more controlled approach

Liam was also busy working in the garden, however he had a much more controlled approach to his building and design. He still loved getting hosed off- but who doesn't in the warm Arizona sun!

I remember seeing Liam right after I came home from my mission. He was only 5 or 6 weeks old and I have loved watching him grow. We were married on his 2nd birthday and so in many ways I feel like the time after my mission is referenced off of him- which makes it all the more fun to remember.

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

This Memorial Day brought lots of visitors to our home. During one evening we were sitting outside to enjoy the cooler weather and Ella started to build a nest in the garden. We didn't plant a garden this year due to being too big to bend over and tend it- but Buck had tilled the ground so the dirt was nice and soft. She was so happy to play out in the dirt and mud.

Periodically she would clap her hands together to get the excess dirt off and look around to see where else she might get some dirt and mud for her nest.

The cutest part was when we suddenly heard her say, "Look Mom, I pick a flower for you!"

And Tanya, being the loving mother that she is, was able to retrieve her lovely flower from her happy yet muddy girl. And I, being the loving aunt that I am, hosed her off before we went inside for dinner.

All 7 of us

Here we are in all our pregnant glory! This was at a dinner at Andrew and Charla's house. This wasn't planned for us to be all be delivering this summer however it will be nice in a few years to have cousins to play with. Everyone has been quite healthy and the babies are all growing well. We are so grateful for the health of our babies- we are so grateful that they even exist and are very excited to meet them!

Dinner at Bill and Marianne's

Nadia and Lupe Quezada- we had a delicious dinner of several different types of soups and we had great conversation as well. The Quezada family has been part of Buck's life since he was a young boy and they are some of the most genuine people I have met.

Chad, Buck and Milo Quezada on the patio. The weather was very nice and it was so nice to be all together. The pictures make the evening look very calm but Bill and Marianne were generous hosts and their house and yard were both very full. We ended the evening with s'mores over a fire in the backyard where they used their Christmas tree as the wood.

Happiness

Happiness is having a friend and a husband like him.