Best Zoo Day evah!

We went to the Hogle Zoo this morning. 

We've been a few times this year already, but we have a zoo pass thanks to a thoughtful Christmas gift from the Rowleys.

Our children love the zoo. They love animals. 

Today was the best zoo experience we've ever had. 

When I told the fam that we'd be going to the member's only hours @ 7:30 a.m. they thought I was a bit crazy, but I think it was key. Here are the things that made it a great day.

. Less people = easier wheelchair maneuvering, less losing sight of children, easier to see animals.

. Cool morning air

. Zookeepers out with animals in hand for us to touch and to teach us cool facts. (The Great Horned Owl can rotate its head 270 degrees) 

. Lots of sweet baby animals (giraffe, 3 tiger cubs, orangutan)

. Sitting in just the right spot @ the bird show so you can feel the wind/wings on your head

. All the animals eating, playing, growling, doing things besides sleeping!

Thanks Rowleys and Dad and Mom. 

An accident, really?

Just thinking.

Whenever we talk about Scott's surgery we refer to it as the "accident". 

Why do we do this?

I'm really not sure. 

He wasn't in an accident.

It was no accident that this happened to him and our family when it did.  I see blessings in the timing of it all actually. 

I've been reading some inspiring blogs of people who have gone through some very difficult things.  They all have a timeline that seems to run off of "before the trauma" and "after the trauma".  It is as if your life resets to this new timeline.  I wonder if that will fade for us. 

I actually had this big white erase board that served as my calendar in the office "before the accident".  I had February and March of 2005 written on it.  It had church appointments, Primary information, Kindergarten information for Chloe, OB Dr.'s appointments for me, Scott's 28th birthday, and Aidan's 2nd birthday on there.  I left that dry erase board hanging in the basement untouched.  More than one person asked if they could erase it and use it for something else, or if I wanted them to erase it.  I could not let it be erased.  I eventually took it off the wall and put it behind the desk.  I would get it out and look at it on occasion and remember our lives before "the accident".  Everything seemed so easy back then.  

I was finally ready to erase that calendar last year.  It was still hard to do.  

Salubong for Sister Landrum

Our family was able to go to the airport to welcome our sweet niece Britney home from her mission to the Philippines.  What a special moment for her family to share with us all. Your emotions seemed to fill your chest and then just spill out.  I loved to watch people's faces as we first spotted her at the top of the escalator.  I loved how all of her immediate family waited patiently for their mother to be the first to greet and hug Brit. I am so proud of Brit. What a fantastic example she is to her sisters, her parents, her cousins, her aunts, her uncles, her Grandparents and the people of the Philippines.  I loved that all she could do was smile.  Her countenance just radiates the light of Christ. Hearing her speak in church that Sunday was such a wonderful treat. So well spoken, beautiful, always testifying of Jesus Christ (a GREAT CATCH!!! You can currently find her @ BYU).  We love you Brit and are so proud of you.  Your example of service and missionary work will have far reaching effects. 

So they said.

Conversations with Cole:

Cole: Look Mom!  There's a penguin in the field.

me: What? Where Cole?

Cole: Over der. See dat penguin?

me: Uh, that's a cat dear.

Cole: No, dat's a penguin Mom. It's black with a white belly.

me: That's a black cat with a white belly son.

*pause

Cole: Mom, sometimes cats can look like penguins.

The First Thing Out Of His Mouth:

When I woke Aidan up this morning he sat up with sleep still in his eyes and said,

 "Where's that cookie?"

Good Morning my little sugar monster.

A Short Story in pictures

GRACE n' GRASS

"What beautiful light outside", Mom thinks.   

"I'm going to take that pretty baby of mine out on the lawn."

Pretty baby likes the lawn. 

It makes her salivary gland work overtime. 

Mom brings out matching hat to bump up the cuteness factor (if at all possible). 

Pretty baby discovers a crusty leaf on the lawn.

"Yum", she thinks.

Pretty baby thinks she needs more fiber, so she decides she must eat crusty leaves.

Mom knows pretty baby has had enough fiber and steals the leaves from her mouth with one quick finger sweep. 

Pretty baby doesn't understand how her mother could be so mean and hurtful. 

She gives Mom "the look" that says "YOU did this to me!"

Mom takes pictures of "the look", so she can look back at them when pretty baby is 16. 

Pretty baby decides that if she can't eat leaves, she's not going to wear this silly hat anymore!

Mom gives pretty baby a flower to help her forget the pain of losing that leaf (and to make her keep the hat ON).

Pretty baby's short memory helps the pain subside quickly.

Mom kisses pretty baby and runs her inside for dinner and a tubby. 

THE END.

Her Day

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” 3 John 1:4

This scripture kept coming to my mind over the weekend. It was such a happy weekend.  Why did I feel so much joy? I suppose it was because I was watching people I love walk in truth. This is my hope for my own children as well, that they will walk in truth. I so appreciate the example Felicia set for my children as she decided to covenant with our Father in Heaven.  I love watching John & Felicia together. They are a team and are working towards their goals together- lifting each other. Thank you for letting us be a part of such a beautiful day. We love you both! 

F1rst DaY: 2009

Yesterday was the first day back to school for the kids. 

Lots of excitement, new clothes, school supplies, lunches. Oh the fun. Asher was the only one who was hesitant because of his swollen eye.  A hornet got him on the eyelid two days previous, but that's another story. 

We were rushed, so I didn't get to walk them to school like I always do on the first day. We all rode in the car in a hurry.  We've had such a fun, FULL summer I had some mixed emotions about the kids going back to school.  I love the ease of summer, but I also love the structure of the school year. I guess once you get tired of the one it's time for the other, like seasons. Anyhow, they have some fantastic teachers this year and so we are all very excited to see how much they grow and learn. This is Cole's first time to go to an actual preschool. He was so cute and so excited.  He was a bit shy when he met his teacher, but I'm betting he'll come busting out of his shell pretty soon. For FHE on Monday we did a Fashion Show & Father's Blessings. I think that'll be a good tradition. 

I've talked to a few other mothers who've felt the pains of summer in the cleanliness/organization of their home.  I'm glad I'm not alone, but I'm wondering, what are your plans to get your home back in order? How do you tackle this big job efficiently? What helps your home run smoothly? Talk to me people. 

Follow your Destiny...and don't let your Mama get in your way!

She's been asking me for years, really, years, to help her sew something.  

I did take 4-H back in the day and made a personal hygiene caddy out of a towel. 

I have no sewing skills, BUT I do have a sewing machine (thanks Dad!)

Before we had the machine Chloe wanted to hand sew, but now she really wants to use that machine.  She has friends who sew, and their mothers sew.  I guess she just couldn't understand why I hadn't figured this out yet.  

Chloe earned a reward recently and was deciding what to pick out. 

She quietly asked, "How about some fabric Mom?"

(My head said, "Oh no, not again.  I've run out of excuses")

My mouth said, "Great idea.  It's about time we got that machine out".

She invited her friend over who has her own machine and is rather talented.

Her friend patiently waited while I read the manual to figure out how to thread the machine. 

Chloe was dying to get to the sewing part and so she kept hinting, "Mom, Hannah knows how to do that.  She's done it a million times.  Why don't you let her do it?"

Only one way for me to learn.

I finally figured it out, and then I turned it over to the two girls.  

Chloe whipped out two pillowcases, a summer and a winter one. 

She was SO excited!  I was so glad I had finally given in to her pleadings, and so sad that I hadn't let her try this out sooner. I shouldn't let my laziness/lack of knowledge stand in the way of my children's desire to create.  

Round and Round

Busy day.

We've got a lot to do to get out of town. 

I just unloaded the laundry from the dryer to a basket, started the washer, grabbed the basket and loaded that laundry into the washer.  

WHAT! 

Hello Amy?

Caught!

I didn't feel well last Sunday. 

Scott had taken the children to church.

After they had lunch I was granted my wish of an afternoon nap. 

Sometime during that nap I was awaken by some loud noises downstairs.  I quietly wondered why Scott wasn't addressing the noise.  Hmmm?  Eventually the noise subsided and I went back to dreamland. 

Today I downloaded pics off my camera.

Looky what I found. 

Scott is SO busted!

ha! ha! ha!

I love that he is wrestling with them in his church clothes. I also really enjoy that shot of them trapping his head in a laundry basket.  Too funny.