Little Boys or Wild Animals... You Decide.

A couple of weekends ago our family was given the opportunity to go to the zoo on a special night. We started out looking at the monkeys and the Madagascar animals. On our way back to the pavilion for dinner which was provided for us we bumped into a giant germ and some other friendly mascots.






no... Wannabe did not want to touch the snake...




The boys were determined to have their faces painted. Most of them chose tigers but Sheriff wanted to be a bear.






As Smiley was getting his face painted I was trying to determine what zoo animal his makeup artist had chosen for herself. Or perhaps she was going to a wedding later. Right April? hahaha!!!


We had a great time at the zoo and there just wasn't enough time to see and do everything. The boys really enjoyed the bird show of course and the elephant show where the elephant showed off her tricks.

Brett wasn't able to go with us because this evening was special invite only and we were given 5 tickets (you could not purchase additional tickets). I must say that I was a little nervous about taking 4 boys to the zoo without backup (Brett) but I managed just fine. I would have been MORE nervous to send Brett with 4 boys. hahaha!!!! (I know Brett will read this and say "HEY!!!!")

Fun at the Lake

This past week was a Lake Powell marathon. We went down with friends and then we were joined by family at the end of the week. Lake Powell is an integral part of our summer fun and this was our first family trip for this year.

Although I try to get there as quickly as possible (I HATE the drive) ... once there, I'm not in a hurry to do anything. We do things at a more leisurely pace. There is no rush to relax.... just kick back and do things like...

play -






go off the slide -





ski -


molecule -




chill out -





cliff jump -


go for a boat ride -


fish -



This is a view of Navajo canyon when our boat was racing down looking for a great place for a canyon lunch.



This is a view of Navajo canyon a couple of days later as we were being towed out when our boat broke down.



I not only survived 8 days at Lake Powell (I don't usually go that long) but I had a great time. Thanks to friends and family for coming and making it a great trip!

Can you Believe It? Part 2

I'm creating my own saying... Desperation is the mother of invention. I'm tired of Smiley's clothes being all over the floor of his bedroom because he has no dresser anymore. I purchased a dresser from Ikea last weekend but with going between two homes trying to move things, paint, and unpack, assembling the dresser has not been top priority on Brett's list and frankly I can't read instructions of ANY kind. I can't assemble toys, furniture, or even a coordinating outfit.

So it is no wonder that a pile of this...


is very intimidating to me. Instructions of any kind are gobbldigook to me. Sheriff can assemble Bionicles and that to me is amazing. Don't ask ME to do it.

Brett assembled the frame to Smiley's dresser last night and I helped him with one of the drawers. It was getting late however and we turned it for the night. I wondered this morning if I could remember how to assemble a drawer and decided to try it out with these tools...


I didn't have a hammer so my meat tenderizer had to do instead. again... Desperation is the mother of invention (our hammer is at the old house.)

No one was more surprised than me with the result...


Actually I think Brett will be pretty surprised. Come to think of it the boys were probably wondering why I was ignoring all of their screaming, crying, toy throwing and messing around for an hour. They probably thought my super hearing was broken or something. Remember ... all moms have a super power... mine is super hearing.

I think we sometimes surprise ourselves when we try something new. I certainly surprised myself. I was also surprised with what was left over...


hope the dresser doesn't fall apart!!!

Friends Are The Best!

Don't you love it when your friends just know what you need right when you need it or even before you need it? I just love that about friends.

As you know I have had mixed feelings about moving and I really don't like change but my friends' support and offers of help has been helping me as we have moved over to the new house this week.

The fixtures in the new house don't match the fixtures in the old but a friend gave me a giftcard which I'm excited to use to find items I need in my bathrooms. Speaking of bathrooms ... one of my boys yelled to me "we're out of soap!!!" and I was able to quickly hand him some soap that another friend had given me just the day before as a house-warming gift (or a "I'm so glad you're gone gift" she wasn't very specific come to think of it... hahaha!!!)

Then this morning as I was reading in the Ensign from a past Conference issue (I couldn't find the current one as I'm sure it is safely packed away in a box somewhere) I read a talk from President Monson about change and how we should take joy in the journey. I realized that my most important friend, my Heavenly Father was speaking to me about the change we have made and to make the most of it.

I'm so grateful for friends of all kinds that do different things for us at different times in our lives.

Here are a couple of pictures of friends taken in the last couple of days:







We look forward to making new friends here and keeping our friends in our old neighborhood.

Barbeque Blast

I really shouldn't be blogging but should be painting our old house instead. As many of you know, however, I spent WAAAAAY too much time painting and what's the fun in that??????

On Monday I DID have tons of fun at Dede's eating, talking, eating, taking pictures, eating some MORE great food etc. etc.

The adults were not so keen on having pictures taken but most of the kids were obliging (a couple of kids ran away ... ahem...Wesley was one... he gets it from his mom I guess.) That's okay - I got him anyways. I don't have a single picture of myself from Monday night on purpose!!!

The big boys dominated the trampoline and created their own entertainment.


I didn't know an exercise ball could BE so fun...

or should I say deadly?



Little kids stuck with the rocks:






or cars:







or video games:




or just hung around:

and adults enjoyed the finger-lickin' good food:


Thanks for a great night Dede!