This year Ari is my busiest little athletic child.  She tried out and made a dance team but did not want to quit competitive soccer.  The coach of her soccer team wants her to play so much that she allows her to come when she can.  She dances ten hours a week, takes piano lessons and fits soccer in between.  Every other week she has dance for four hours on Saturday morning and then goes to a soccer game in the afternoon.  She’s usually the happiest child in the house too – but don’t mess with her, as TT & Lelu discover on a regular basis, she is small but she is mighty and won’t take any crap.  She’s got a really fun group of friends that keep her social life pretty busy too.  She really wants to be a sought after babysitter but with her schedule – I’m not sure how she’ll fit that in.  She regularly tells me that she want’s to add more sports in – gymnastics, cheer, lacrosse, mountain biking, football (anything the boys can do – she thinks she can do better).  She makes her daddy very happy with all this athletic energy and therefore, has him wrapped around her little finger.

Here’s some highlights of the fall:

09/13/14 When Lelu was voted in the top three for homecoming queen – we had an extra ticket to see One Direction in CA. Her friend Sierra was her first choice. I imagine those two forces together could take over the world with their spunk. Titos is always our first stop when arriving in LA

I love live music, but One Direction in concert did not make me a fan – it just made me realize how brilliant Simon Cowell is to put together a bunch of good looking guys that have decent voices, come up with some really lame lyrics like “we can dance all night to the best song ever” and make tons of money selling it to adolescent girls with the highest pitched screams on the planet. Know my girls strongly disagree with me – they are completely enamored by the charm of these boys (especially Niall – who can at least play a guitar – and Harry) so I hope they don’t take my critique personally. Simon was actually up in a box seat in his white t-shirt with his arms folded when his minions gave him a shout out they put a spot light on him and I swear I could hear his thoughts “Ka-ching, Ka-ching….$$$$$”

We went out to breakfast, did a little shopping

And because it was 95 degrees we headed to the beach – I’ve never been actually hot on a beach before in Santa Monica but I was baking that day –  and the girls spent at least 2 hours in the water. Trying to fit in homework at night when those two energizer bunnies settled down made me a VERY tired mom after the weekend.

10/16/14 Over fall break, TT went to Moab with a friend, Lelu went to Lake Powell and Ari and I had mommy daughter time. We went hiking in the beautiful fall foliage, got pedis and went to lunch.

10/31/14 Ari convinced TT to be matching ninjas this year but TT and his friends had other ideas and he bailed on her – thus my tradition of coordinating costumes ended. Ari loves the tradition and did her best to keep it alive.  They did go out trick or treating with their friends in the neighborhood and their group had over 20 kids in it.  2001 was a very prolific year for our neighborhood.  I think we have 22 deacons and 18 beehives.

11/07/14  Ari turned 13: The birthday interview:

1.What do you like to dream about?

I can fly

2.what is your best memory this year?

When she went to AZ by herself to visit Dave, Michele and the boys

3. Who is your hero? Why?

 My hero is my mom. She is always there for me.

4.How would you describe your family?

My family is weird and fun. 

5.If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I was super flexible and had naturally straight white teeth.

6.What are you most proud of yourself for?

I’m proud that I am good at athletic things.

7.Who is the kindest person you know?

My mom. 

8.who is your best friend?What do you like most about your best friend?

My best friend is Sierra – we can talk about anything.

9.What is the one thing you would like to learn to do well?

Tumble and dance. 

10.If you were an animal, what one would you be and why?

A honey badger – because they climb really well, are smart about getting out of situations and can eat poisonous plants without dying.

11. When is the last time someone hurt your feelings? How did you react?  (this one is optional)

When my parents and Jeff & Christina started watching the movie “Zombieland” that’s rated R – when I was the only kid home at the time, it was super scary and I was the all alone upstairs.  I threw a very loud crying tantrum until they turned it off and my dad watched “Liar Liar” with me instead.  

Disclaimer: Master D picked the movie for us because we wanted to watch something we’d never seen before and we thought she was entertaining herself upstairs.  Once we started watching it – it was disgusting but pretty funny and we were disappointed to turn it off – haha.  

12.What is the scariest thing that happened this year?

 Getting 7th grade shots. 

13. If you could keep only one thing, out of everything you have, what would it be?

My money in my piggy bank. 

14. Who do you think is really successful, why?

My dad. He is a good business man and is a good dad. 

15. What three words best describe yourself?

 Spunky, fun, loving. 

16.What’s something that makes you angry?

When TT annoys me

17. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

My friend told me I was fun, awesome, pretty and smart. 

11/07/14 Cute friends Ari (Yes another Ari) and Brooklyn celebrating her birthday by decorated her locker

!2/02/14 The YW went to see the Christmas lights at temple square – cute little beehives -Ari, Lauren, McKenna (who also has a twin brother) and Brooklyn.