:)

So at the same time I did our anniversary post I also started a post with a video of Leili walking and dancing. But blogger is still having problems with my video, so hopefully it will come! :) Until then here are a few cute Leili pictures, I have more to blog about but this is what I wanted to blog about today!! :)The other day I set Leili up with a bowl of water, a spoon, pacifier, measuring cup, and I got almost a half hour of busy baby!!! She was so happy and plenty wet! :) As long as she is outside she is pretty happy, add water or dirt even better, all of them and watch out!!! :)
Look at this cutie, mom was just playing in the car while we waited for dad!

Fern got in on the action too! :)

Look at this chunk!! This is Koa or new cousin, we got to babysit he and Novella while Mary and Ryan went to Mary's high school reunion. Leili loves to hug and kiss Koa, Koa thinks she should be more gentle! :)

12 YEARS!!!

Well here we are again! Our anniversary!

Last night we got to go out on "hot date night" as Dan calls it, Daddy was our gracious (and free) babysiter! We went out to an Indian restaurant that is known for their food but not their ambiance, you can't have everything right! The food was AMAZING and then we had desert (cobbler from Claim Jumper), at the beach. We had adult conversation and did not have to spell a single word...bliss! Oh and I only had to share my food with Dan, double bliss!! :)

Dan and I reflected on how different we are than 12 years ago, we were young, most people did not think we would last. But we both grew up and grew together, thanks impart to Dan's willingness to learn about all the crazy things I learn about, and his easygoing nature. And the blessing of having Heavenly Father as the third member of our marriage. There have been bumps, and skinned knees but we have come out better for it. One of the bet pieces of marriage advice we have held onto is, "the storm is around us not between us" thanks Malia and Bishop!!

I love you Dan! XO

Adventures!

It seems lately that I don't get here often enough, I have all these ideas for post swarm through my head. But by the time I get here I have so much to share that I just overflow with pictures and few words. Hmm, I guess I will have to re-think how I blog... Where else would we go on an adventure? The beach, and not just any beach "Grandma's Beach". These are the rocks I played on as a kid and I am glad that my kids can play here too!
It is really hard to get picture of the front side of these boys, they are always going! So here are their cute backsides! :)

Could there be a cuter backside!!!! I love these rash guards with SPF, that much less slathering that I have to do!!

Leili's first long walk to the water...

I wish I could read her mind!!

She liked the rocks... she is mine...

but she was a little surprised when the water came. It ended in tears, I think all of my kids first dips have.

Look how tall he is getting, Riley is not a little kid any more. Sigh, what is a mama ti do?

I could just live here...and I might just park us right here all summer. I'll have to get a cabana, I have already been sunburned too many times...

I know bad picture, but the flower fields are blooming and I LOVE when they do this. It is the American flag in flowers!! So cool! They did it the first time right after Sept. 11.

The kids got to ride the carousel for a FHE activity. Leili was not so sure of it at first but has decided she likes it! It is right outside from lenscrafters where I got new glasses, and unfortunately I have been back several times getting adjustments so every time we go Leili points at the carousel and throws herself towards it! She loves to point at things she wants... just watch out if she does not get it!!

Monkey see monkey do... especially if it has to do with mama holding someone else!!

Leili spends a good amount of time on my back (last night even while I ran the bases after a home run in kickball), and lately she is all about the baby doll. So of course she likes to mix the too!

So you know I have nothing to do so the girls and I went on a road trip. We went to Grandma J.'s to just escape life for a little bit.

After it was freezing and snowing the first couple of days it turned nice. Leili is happiest outside!

Eating dirt...

Fern had fun "hiding" behind this rug and then bursting out! Leili would laugh so hard!!

Leili is looking forward to running...

The girls enjoyed Grandma's GIANT tub! Leili thought all the baby ducks where for her.

On the way home we pit stoped in St. George. It is my favorite pit stop, they have clean bathrooms too!! The rest of the ride home was pretty abysmal... at best.

With moving troops last fall, moving troops this winter and all Riley finally got his Wolf patch! He finished it two troops ago and almost two years ago but at least he has it now. Now I guess I should get it on his shirt! :)

Look at my cute bear!! :)

And how could I resist!!!

Sweet Leili!!

Just thought you all needed a little sweet Leili for your day!! Nursing in the desert!
THE CUTEST egg hunter!!

Our baby doll in the doll stroller! Seriously she loves this!

She has also decided she likes the stroller, it really calms her down. (We go for lots of walks or bike rides, but that is a picture you'll have to look forward too!!)

And her first dip in the pool today!

The Happenings Around Here!

Famous - Me!! Who would have guessed right!? Here I am under my photograph that is hanging in an exhibit at the local library! :)

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We went over to the Elfin Forest reserve again, this time it was beautiful with all the wild flowers blooming!! This is a California Lilac tree/bush! I LOVE them!

This time we hiked up to the reservoir, it was a bit of a hike for little legs!! But we had a nice picnic up at the top.

Here we are at the top! Burrr! It was windy and chilly, but beautiful!

Happy Leili!!

Silly baby!!

Leili even got to take a ride on Dad for the trip back down!!

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Yep it is RACE time again!!!

Riley's is the yellow one!

3rd place is good!!

Riley and his fans!

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FAMILY ADVENTURE DAY!!!

I have always wanted to see the wildflowers bloom, so since Dan is on his "extended vacation" we thought we would throw all caution to the wind and drive out! It was not a bad drive, 2 hours out to the Anza Borrego Desert. They have a great visitors center and plenty of trails. It is so popular to go see the wildflowers that they even have a 24 hour wildflower hot line!!!

Our first walk was in Coyote Canyon, the ground was just covered in wild flowers. I'll post up close photos of the wild flowers on our nature blog.

Thank goodness for the tripod mom got me a couple years ago!!

We did a little off roading (yea in the van), Leili even got a turn driving!!

Next to hiking I think the only thing we did more of was nursed! Here we are in Palm Canyon!

Super hikers we a little pooped by now and so we did not hike all the way in to the palm grove, oh well. What we did see was beautiful!!

It was quite toasty, the warmest day they had had recently! But what do you expect in the desert!! :) Right before we took this family picture we saw a mama California Quail, the state bird! (Pictures will end up over on our nature blog!)

In the nature center we saw this cast of an actual fossil they found in the park! Hmmm, one really funny picture is missing, maybe it is on Dan's camera...

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Back home... Leili hit the 9 month mark!!! Crazy! Here she is in my old overalls!! (Or "Key bibs" as they would call them on Virginia)! Oh and she took her first steps on Sunday!!!

Last week after picking Dan up at the airport we stoped to check out the newly remodeled Mormon Battalion Center in Old Town San Diego! It was great, really really great. And they have some really fun hands on activities, panning for gold, pumping water, a tower with binoculars... LOTS of fun!! This is the picture they took of our family (Leili is that bump in the sling, nursing) they printed us out a copy and they even email it to you!! So cool! So if you come to visit us we will probably take you there... ITS FREE!!!