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Vernal Trip of Funness

One morning I woke up and realized that the summer was quickly coming to a close and we hadn't done all the stuff on our summer to-do list.  Travis was working and so I called around and packed up the car and took the kids to Vernal by myself.  Crazy...yes.  But we had a great time.  We didn't get into town until in the afternoon so we got into the hotel and then drove around town.  We found the temple first and got a picture in front of it.

 We then went across the street and walked through the museum of the Daughters of the Pioneers.  I wish I had a picture of it but Maggie saw a case of dolls and hugged the glass.  She LOVES dolls!  Then we went to the movies.  We saw the latest Ice Age movie.  Me alone with four kids in a movie theater....interesting.  It wouldn't have been so bad but the only treat that we could find that Isaac could eat was a giant Kit Kat.  It was soo hot in the movie theater that it was a melted mess by the time the movie started.  I looked over and Isaac was covered with chocolate as he was licking it out of the wrapper.  Such a mess!  I had to use our napkins and dump some of our drink on to it and try to scrape off the chocolate.

 By the end of the movie Isaac was running up and down the isle and I was standing up and bouncing Maggie, and trying to loudly tell Eldon not to eat things off the floor.  We then went to McDonald's and had dinner and the kids could run around the playground.  Then for the first time ever in my motherhood life a child of mine set off the fire alarm.  Kyler went out the wrong door and set it off.  He felt awful!  I felt overwhelmed...we went back to the hotel.   Oh that room!  The door didn't close all the way...in fact when we got back to the hotel the door was still open....had to check to make sure nothing was stolen.  Anyways and there was no lock on the door and you had to hold the toilet handle down for two minutes for it to work and the fan in the bathroom sounded like a space shuttle was going to take off while tickiling a gorilla with a cold.  It was crazy!  But it was cheapest we could find!  Gave the kids baths and then we watched cartoons for a while.  Finally we all feel asleep to watching Finding Nemo.

 Kyler and Isaac slept together, Maggie slept on the floor in a sleeping bag, and I got the privilege of sleeping with movey-kicky pants Eldon.

 Next day we woke up, ate at the continental breakfast and then watched some more cartoons while I packed up the van.  Then we headed out to the reason we went to Vernal- the Dino Museum!

 It was wonderful!  And as course as you all know they have these giant dino's outside.  Each kid picked their favorite to get their picture by.

 Then we heard it was their County Fair.  So we stopped by.

 By then I was done.   So we started the 3 hour drive home.  It was beautiful scenery!

Crazy, yes.  And it was cray herding my children by myself on our adventures.  But the kids really were great to stay with me and listen.  I feel so humbled to be their mom.  It was a wonderful adventure!  So many great memories!

This is my last post as an unprivate blog.  If you missed that memo, we are going private just because of the stories we have heard lately about creepiness.  Nothing has happened to us personally but want to keep it that way.  So if you want an invite please let me know.

Rec Center Love

Summer to me means Swim lessons but we have been so busy that it hasn't been until the last two sessions offered that we could take them.  And this is also Eldon's first experience with them.  Here they have to be four in order to take lessons.

 I was really nervous about him taking.  Because he is perfectly fine with walking around the little pool and not swimming.  But he was happy to be old enough to do it and was really pumped up for the experience.

 Though he did get a little nervous about it as we were waiting.

 His teacher Jake really took him under his wing and it wasn't long until Eldon felt right at home!

 He did fantastic!   Better then I ever imagined he would.  I didn't even have to coax him or sit by the pool and talk him into calming down.  I watched from above and he did great!

 Kyler was ready.  He is a seasoned swimmer now!

 This is the picture that he wanted me to take...those are his hands.

 We also have taken our friend Roni's nature class.  So fun! 

 Like we caught Crawdads....and looked white trashy with crazy hair.

 Roni and Isaac....oh my love his face!  So not loving those crawdads, can't say I blame him!

On a Date with Eldon and the cat gets a Name

So remember that cat a few posts back.  Well it hasn't left our house.  We called the police and told them about it so that if any one reported it missing they knew where to find it.  No one has come around.  I started feeling bad for it so I gave it some tuna...then Kyler named it Sharpie, and that is when I knew it was over.  We now have a cat...which after it pooped in my house the first time became an outdoor cat.  And everyone loves her....

 We have been trying to take all the kids out for a date.  We do it once a month and then rotate the kids through.  It was Eldon's turn and we went to the ball fields to watch Papa play his last game.  We got fancy, I put a flower in my hair, he put on a crown. 

 Oh and then we went a picked up a turtle from a friend who gave it to us to play with until it hibernates.

 And we picked up some snacks...his choice Starbursts.

 We played a game called "Run and don't step on the random things that Eldon tells you not to."

 And then we came home to this...yes that is a cat in the bed with Kyler...no comment.

WICKED!!!!!

One day eight years ago my past roommate Kjersti came into my apartment.  I was engaged to Travis and it had been a while since the two of us had chatted.  She asked me if I had heard about this great new musical on Broadway, I hadn't.  Kjersti was constantly introducing me to new musicals.  Anyway she hoped onto our computer and then showed me every clip we could find of Wicked.  She then burned me a CD of the music.  I have loved it ever since and have wanted to go.  But money was tight.  We had to finish school, and then we kept having children.  This year Travis bought tickets for me in January and kept it a secret until my birthday.  And then on the magical day of July 20th we went to see it.

It was magical!  It was fantastic!  It was amazing!  It was everything I had ever hoped it would be.  The overture had barely started when I turned to Travis with tears streaming down my face and said "This is the best birthday present EVER!"  I sat at the edge of my seat the whole time.  My program, which I usually keep open during any production I see, sat closed on my lap.  I laughed, I cried, and then did that over and and over and over again.  It was seriously a dream come true and my stud of a husband made it all the better.  It was great to sit next to him and hear him laugh at all the right moments and hold my hand.  It was seriously one of the best days ever!!!

Third week of July Brought the Martinsons!!!

So after Elder Martinson went into the MTC the rest of the Martinson's came up to visit us.  We didn't do much...we ate together, window shopped a little, talked and laughed, toured the town of Evanston, and went to Fort Bridger.  It was obviously the highlight of the trip.

 It started to rain and my fantastic nephews ran over to me and picked up two of my kids and put them on their shoulders.  Nicklas even went as far as to let Eldon wear his hat.  Wow, that kind of made me tear up a little...nice to have family around and good examples for my little people.

 And while they were here Maggie decided she really could walk.  That was exciting and happy!

 And Eldon made homemade numchucks to attack people with....made with hand weights and handcuffs...pretty genius if you ask me!