We are patriotic

Putting our new flag together.

Connor waving the flag joyfully.

Putting it in it's final position. We finally have a flag! Ammon's been wanting one for awhile. We thought Memorial Day would be the best time to get one.

Good for our bodies

Still at the Tucson Children's Museum, Connor found the food market. He loved pushing the shopping cart around and picking out produce. For the last few days, he has been saying "that food is good for our bodies."










































Is this really a carrot?





















Connor loved putting together this skeleton puzzle.





















How fun- a giant Operation game. Connor was really intent on getting all the pieces out.




Connor found the infant care area. He was so cute changing the diaper, clothes, feeding, and holding the babies. Adorable.

Connor's an active kid

Inside the Tucson Children's Museum.
(This was our first time there.)

Connor was so excited to go into each new room. When he saw this climbing wall, he went running for it.







He had no fear as he boldly climbed up it.










Connor playing with the lego table...










...with his friend Luke.

This red spotted piece is a "bumblebee" he made

and buzzed it around the room.

Bubblepalooza

On Memorial Day we went to Bubblepalooza at the Tucson Children's Museum. Ammon doesn't get this holiday off so Connor and I went alone.

Because I didn't know where it was, we arrived early. That was good because Connor could play with the bubble wands by himself. As the morning wore on, though, it became quite crowded. That suited us fine because Connor was only interested in the bubbles for about 20 minutes, tops. He had fun making some huge bubbles during that time. It was good while it lasted.



Then one of his friends from our playgroup showed up with his family. That interested Connor for a little while longer but then he found this tree. The bubbles couldn't hold a candle to this monkey-wannabe (he even has his tail on). You can see what happened next.

Let's go rollerskating mommy

That's what Connor wanted to do today. He put on my rollerblades and helmet all ready to go. So cute! I'll have to buy him his own rollerskates. Looks like he's ready for them.

The goods are over the fence.

Connor likes to play baseball. He's become good enough that he can hit the ball on his own, sometimes. Here he is trying to hit the ball over the fence. Connor really enjoys going over the fence into the neighbors' yard. They have a fun ping pong table, swingset, trampoline and tether ball. You can see our ladder is leaning up against the wall. The other side lets you over the wall into the neighbors' yard. These neighbors are in our ward and the mom used to be one of Connor's nursery leaders. She often gives him little gifts too. Connor's no dummy; no wonder he wants to go over the fence. He knows the goods are over there!

Fun at the beach

Ever since we said we were going to California for this race, Connor has talked about wanting to go to the beach. Just about everyday he would ask when we are going. I would tell him "in 3 more night-nights" (or however many days away we were from leaving). I'm sure he didn't really understand what that meant so he was excited when the day came to go.

The first morning we were there, we went on the beach. We were there before 7am. It was nice and early and not hot yet so Ammon and Danny could run and then I could. Connor just loved playing in the sand and surf. He was in heaven.

Here he is enjoying some time with cousin Danny. He also really liked this boogie board that Sharon brought. He called it his bobsled. That comes from a Family Circus cartoon that says "can you ride a bobsled if your name is Billy?" Connor kept repeating that and laughing. He also liked putting "mud" on the "bobsled" and pulling it around. He had so much fun with that.

Here's Gwendolyn and Sharon in the waves with their boogie boards. They said as girls they used to just body surf so getting out there in the freezing water on a boogie board was no sweat.

Visiting with family and friends

Friday night we met with my brother Jason who happened to be in California following BYU finals. He was staying with his girlfriends' family down in San Clemente. I didn't get a picture, unfortunately, but it was still fun to visit with my bro.

While we were in California, we also took the opportunity to look up Jackie and her family, one ofmy college friends from BYU-H. We picked up some Chili's take out and had fun talking the evening away while the kids played. On our way to and from their house, we got caught in festival traffic for the Gay Pride weekend. It was a little crazy so I guess they had extra special reason to celebrate with the CA Supreme Court making gay marriage legal. Hey, you've gotta love liberal California!
















We also saw Gwendolyn's (Ammon's mom) friend Sharon and her husband Steve. These girls grew up together in Palos Verdes. Over the years they have kept in touch and usually see each other each time one comes to visit. We had fun walking with them along the beach Sunday morning before Church. In these pictures you can see the Palos Verdes peninsula where Ammon's grandparents live behind us.

Post race recovery and awards

Here's Ammon still hobbling around.














As Ammon and Danny were milling around working out their legs, Ammon found a massage therapist who mercifully rubbed out Ammon's sore legs.































Ammon and Danny also found the other 2 top finishers and took a picture all together.




Finally Ammon got his award metals. One was given for finishing and the other for finishing first in his age group.





This guy he's shaking hands with is one that Ammon ran some of the race with. Since it was Ammon's first race, as well as this guys', he didn't keep running fast at Ammon's pace. I overheard him after the race saying to an experienced marathoner that once he heard Ammon wasn't an experienced marathoner, he thought it unwise to stay with him. I guess he can count himself lucky that he didn't. He saved himself the after effects Ammon had of needing medical attention.


Here's Ammon's grandma. It was good of her to be there. Ammon's mother also happened to be in town from Utah.













A sweet after race hug from his boy.
















Back at the house, the guys show off their metals to grandpa.