Summer Fun!

We are in Utah visiting. We miss our daddy who stayed home to work, but we are having fun.

Yesterday we went to the Bingham Copper Mine. What fun 15 kids and 4 women. Tera, mom, Heather and myself.

Today we went to the Sweets Candy Factory in SLC.

We saw them making raspberry sticks and this machine is called the Chocolate Enrober. The chocolate travels through pipes near the ceiling, near the pipes carrying the corn syrup.
We took a tour and no pictures because they want to preserve all of their secret recipes. We had a lot of fun with those same 15 kids - we were even brave enough to go without grandma's help.

Sour bears being tumbled and readied for packaging.

Call us crazy - 15 kids and three mommies in a candy factory.

This was the taffy roller. We got to sample their new flavor 'Cherry cola' . Matt will be jealous. This huge thing of taffy is rolled into smaller and smaller sections and cut and wrapped by the same machine. We also saw a large hunk of Neapolitan thrown into the roller to make 5000 a minute.

HAVING FUN IN UTAH !

Remember when...

Henry surprised me the other day. We were getting ready for bed after eating Jesse's birthday cake, and he asked me, "Mom, do you remember when we (meaning Jesse and Henry) were taking a bath in Grandma Stroud's bathtub?"

I think to myself "we haven't been to Utah in over a year, how does this five year old remember that, he would have only been about three and a half years old", I say to him ,"Yeah- I think so."

Henry giggles. "Mom, it was so funny, remember? Jesse went poop in the tub and then I said 'hey, look chocolate ice cream'. He he he, Wasn't that so funny?!"

I DO remember. It was very funny and disgusting. We were going to be late for church and I had no Idea what to do. None of my kids had ever pooped in the tub. I was amazed that Henry could remember this. I guess it was emblazoned in his memory too.

Ha ha ha. I guess you never know what will trigger your memories.

Under construction...

Trying out some new things.

Isn't it fun to have so many options to play with.

I could spend a lot of time on the computer but my family suffers when I do.

Thanks to Lindsay Stevens for letting me know how she made her updates. Click the link to Leelou's blogs down below to see her helps and options.

I'm thankful for the talents of others and those who can and do help me learn how to use them too.

ODE to Laundry

This has been the true week of never-ending laundry. I have been sick and unable to do my Monday laundry fest. I get about one load done everyday. My sister-in-law Lindsay recently posted a song that she sings during her laundry day. It is sung to the tune of The Never Ending Story. I have included her verse, and made up one of my own. Sing along with me.

"Turn around! Look at what you see-ee-ee!"
"More Laundry! A never ending sea!"
"Socks and shirts and underwear, waiting there for me!"
"Heaps and piles of clothing,"
"KIDS-the answer to our Never Ending Laundry!"

"Look around! As far as you can see-ee-ee!"
"Dirty clothes! They're clear up to my knee-ee-ee!"
"Dirt and grease and ketchup stains, and buggers on the sleeves!"
"Can't believe it's been a week"
"It looks more like three-- Never Ending Laundry!"

I hope you enjoy this song as much as I have this week especially! Thanks to Linds for the inspiration!
I'm thankful for things to laugh at when we're sick!

SPRING!

I am thankful for spring. It seems like spring peeks her face out just when you think winter will never end.

Don't you just love spring? I do. I love to see the new growth. Even if it is weeds.

I have my geraniums blooming in Andee's room and my kitchen window sill. I've started some mini petunias and they are growing in Andee's room too! I feel like such a gardener when things grow for me!

In February my violas that survived the winter started to bloom. Now my daffodils are up and opening. My crocus are too. Next the tulips will open and the pansies will bloom too. YIPPEE!

Spring also reminds me of the promise of the Resurrection. In Primary on Sunday I shared this with the children too. I told them that when we place the bulbs in the ground in the fall it is like when the Savior was placed into the tomb. We have to trust and have faith that the bulb will come forth in the spring just as the apostles and disciples of Christ had to have faith that He would rise from the dead as He had promised.

The thrill that runs through my veins when I see the first bulbs poking through the soil and those first blooms is wonderful. I am also thankful to my Savior for the promise that the resurrection holds for me. Because of His suffering in Gethsemane I can be forgiven of my sins, if I repent, and because of His resurrection I also have the promise of my body and spirit being reunited with my body. Of course, the separation has not yet happened, but as part of Heavenly Father's plan, we all must taste of death. What a precious gift His has made possible.

I'm thankful for...

Aubrie!




What a sweet girl. She has been getting up early to get herself ready and then make me breakfast in bed. Who taught her to be so thoughtful? Not her mom who seems to snooze the morning away and only get up in time to make lunches, fix cold cereal, fix hair, and jet the girls to school after family prayer.



Aubrie has been playing basketball for the past few weeks and enjoying it. Last night at the local School Board meeting she presented something for her teachers with a few other class members. She did such a great job.


Aubrie always helps me get things done. She helps cook, clean and take care of the kids when I need an extra set of hands. I expect a lot of her and she always does her best to please me. She loves making people laugh and tries to think of ways for me to 'sneak' a kiss from Matt.



BIG thanks and love to Aubrie.
p.s. These photos were taken prior to her Locks of Love submission.