Frogs?!?!?!

So look what Isaac has found. A petrified FROG... Yes we live in the city... No I dont know where it came from.. I am sure that one of our lovely cats gave it to our home as a present... but really... how gross! It is fluffy and hard...

I would like to give you a little insider on our conversation...

Isaac: "Check out what I found mom... It is a frog!"

Me: "What are you talking about? Is it alive?"

Isaac: "No it is dead. The eyes are opened and everything! It is SOOOO cool!"

Me: "Get that thing out of my face! I am sure it is super germie!"

Isaac: "Oh yea, I am going to go wash the germs off my hands!"

So he put the FROG on my clean kitchen counter and washed the germs off his hands...

I AM A ROCKSTAR

There are a million trillion things I coulda woulda change about myself. My hair is too thin...If I could just loose a million pounds and fit into a size -93 then I would feel so much better about my looks... The scar on my nose is so ugly... my ears are too pointy... I could go on and on right?!?!?

In the past few weeks something has change within my spirit... These things dont matter to me anymore... To be brutally honest.... I REALLY LIKE MYSELF... So for those of you out there reading this thinking... ARROGANT... go ahead and think that... But for my sake I will say it again... I REALLY LIKE MYSELF.. are there things I can change and improve on? Sure but for today here is a short list of things I think make me a ROCKSTAR

• I am spiritual
• I am a good mom
• I love my husband deeply (Really is there much not to love?)
• I can grow tomato plants
• I am a really good friend
• I know who I am and I am Not afraid to show others
• I have a Utah accent that sounds out loud and clear when I say mountain
• I can laugh at myself
• I love to make lists
• I sing well
• I am a Returned Missionary
• I have not killed of the plant start Val gave me... In fact I have helped it grow big and strong
• I finish what I start
• I am a good scrapbooker
• I am crafty

My list could go on. In fact I may just keep adding to this list so that when I have a super duper bad day I can look back and know that I know that I am a daughter of God. That I am loved by others. But more important that I had a day where I publicly said with NO shame... I REALLY LIKE MYSELF.

For all my blogger peeps... and all the sneak peekers... take a moment today to like yourself.. Let me see it on your blogs!!!! If you are a sneaker... write it on a piece of paper and stick it to your fridge for all the world to see!!!

My Bucket List

A friend "tagged" me the other day. This particular tag asked for my bucket list. So in no particular order:

• Have my home so organized that even the most organized guru would be impressed
• Go on a trip with Marc away from all children
• Get a really good tan... this isnt even something possible for this pasty white bride
• Stay in bed all day with Jordie watching Anne of Green Gables
• Catch up on all my scrapbooking
• Take Isaac all over the U.S. just to see all the roadside attractions we have in our book
• Take Ammon to Legoland again
• Teach Noah to say Mama
• Adopt a daughter... or more!
• Have our adopted children sealed to us. Oh what a joy this will be!

So here is my dorky list. I am sure that it will different tomorrow!

Some of you know that I have been home from vacation since Thursday night. Most times after we get home I unpack PRONTO... This go round life was in PRONTO mode and I simply did not have time. Today I tackled my luggage...
I also tackled a 2 hour nap...

Why Is It?

Why is it that Ammon has to LOVE this frog costume that is a size 2T when he is wearing size 5?

Grandpa's Heart

It has been said that Grandpa Ike has a loud heart. With this heart he is able to calm and lull his children and grandchildren to sleep. Our little Noah quickly learned that he loved to listen to this special mans heart.

The Creek

In the back yard of my parent home there is a creek. The Creek has magical powers. It draws little boys to it (big boys for that matter too.) The boys gather rocks and stones as they are pulled towards the creek. Once there the stones MUST be tossed in. The purpose of this act? I dont know... but I can guess that there is a freedom in this process.. The freedom to be just what they are made to be... [A BOY]





The kids were thrilled to help grandpa build up his water fall. They would wade down the creek in search of the PERFECT rock to add to the sound of the fall. They did a wonderful job and accomplished the sweet sound of water!

Kind Acts

I am so grateful for my moms example to our children. One of my mom's neighbors fish died this winter in their outside pond. So as a kind act of love and service my mom bought her some new fish. It was so important to her for her grandbabies to experience this act of love. So after gathering the troops they marched down the road with their fish. The pictures tell all...







A few days later this Sister came to their wards Enrichment activity. The lesson I have learned from this? If we listen to the still small voice and then act upon it Miracles Can Happen.

While Mom's Away the Kids Play

Grandma took all the kids to Barnes Park for a McDonalds Lunch and to feed the ducks! The kids always look forward to doing this with her each year! MEMORIES

Grandpa is always just so convincing of what a fun time is that there is not a time that one of the grandchildren try out his stunt! This time it just happened to be NOAH

Childhood Games

One fun think to watch while we were visiting our cousins was the endless play outside! I just loved the endless high pitched voices of children saying " Duck, Duck, Duck, GOOSE!" or " 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock... GHOST IN THE GRAVEYARD!" Then then the squills of delight that would follow! Kiera's favorite sound? Happy Children!







I asked the kids once just why they NEVER played Ghost in the Graveyard at night and they all yelled "IT is TOO SCARY to play it at night!

Happy Fathers Day

I just can not say enough about my husband! He is a true ROCKSTAR in my book! He is my very best friend to me as well as our children. He is our true leader. He is close to Our Heavenly Father. He is my example. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have an eternal partner like Marc. I love you my Marc-a-Roni! Have the Happiest Fathers Day!

All In One Day

The Great Salt Lake

On our way home from Tooele we were able to stop and investigate one of the most famous landmarks in Utah. The Great Salt Lake. Isaac has been really excited to "get his hands on" this vast collection of water. As we walked towards the water the kids kept saying "oh this is smelly.. I think someone pooped!" Indeed this is a smelly place... But oh did we have a good time. The kids walked far out in the water! Isaac found some flat rocks. We were able to see and touch brine shrimp (YUCK). Albeit smelly it was a cool experience!

WE MISSED IT!

While I was in the other room with my Grandma Bateman Noah was with Grandpa Ike. Well... Grandpa though this was a good time for "Tummy Time" I guess Noah didn't because he rolled over in 5 seconds flat! Yes you read right NOAH ROLLED OVER AND MARC AND I MISSED IT! But Grandpa didnt! What a great day!

We Tried to get him to do it again but he pulled the ol' singing frog trick. He would not do it again for a captive audience!

Day Trips

Grandma Bateman Grandma Great
What a busy day this has been! It started out with a trip to Tooele to see both of my Grandma's. It seem as if nobody can get enough of this little guy! While we were at Grandma Bateman's home the kids were able to climb and pick apples off the big tree in the back yard. Aunt Carol (a.k.a. Aunt Sis) and Aunt Tammy were waiting for us at Grandma Greats house! Then My cousin Heather arrived... I thought a cat fight might break out due to the lack of more babies! All the stops were pulled out when it came to who Noah loved the most. I think that maybe Aunt Tammy won... Even if she didnt win I would say that she would because I have seen how onery she can get. I remember how she would chase her daughter around grandma's house with a shoe! Really! How funny huh!
It was really a great visit. I was sorry that it had to be so short. I really miss hanging out with family. I asked my cousin Heather to come out for a visit! I sure hope she takes me up on the offer! She is really a ROCKSTAR!

So what do you tackle while on vacation? Today I was excited to go somewhere that I have always wanted to visit but it seemed as if time had always run out. Before Marc went to the airport we were able to take a tour at the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint's Humanitarian Center and Welfare Square. I am just so sad that I have not made it a point in my past to have visited these incredible places before. What an amazing spirit we were all able to feel. We were able to see how clothes were sorted and prepared for others in the world that are in need of clothing. We were also able to see and feel the spirit of the different kits and projects the church accepts. It was so fun to walk through these great buildings and see pictures of my dad, or pictures he has taken as he has served the world. At Welfare square we were able to see wet cannery. They were canning spaghetti sauce... Oh it smelled so good. There are also facilities to process milk, cheese, and bread. I am so grateful to have been able to have this sweet experience today.






























If I didn't have the service bug before today, I sure do now!

Mr. Man Now

So Marc has been hounding me to trim Noah's hair.. I mean really it did look ridiculous. But he is only 4 months and I didn't think that he really needed to have his hair cut when he was just so little... Well..... We did it today. Noah cried through most of it... He was just so tired. I bet he didnt like the buzz of the clippers on his head either. Anyway it is all over now and he is still just as amazing as the day we brought him home! Just now He is our Mr. Man... So darling.



Before


AFTER

Kennecott Copper Mine

We took a little field trip to the Kennecott Copper Mine this afternoon. I remember going there as a child and wanted our kids to experience this vast mine. I missed the cool movie due to a diaper change and not knowing where everyone went but I hear it was really really cool. I did learn a few things though...

1. vinyl is made from the ore extracted from the mine


2. it take 6 tires to fully operate a tractor... each of these tires cost $25,000.00


3. You can see the mine from space


4. the mine NEVER shuts down operation. Everyday and night of the week.... even holidays!

There is a lot more I learned but I guess I didn't retain much. It was super cool to see though.

What a great day!

Last Saturday our family along with Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson, Uncle Shawn, Aunt Carol, Brooke, Taylor, Madi and Stevie were able to make a day trip to Mt. Rushmore! What an awesome experience. Gutzon Borglum originally wanted to make a western carving on the mountain! I am so glad he changed his mind. We now have a great monument of our founding forefathers. I can not imagine the work that went into this monument. But Mr. Nick Clifford can!



We were so lucky to have been able to meet the only worker still alive. Mr. Nick Clifford was here today signing a question answer book about his experience. He was quite a fascinating man to talk with. He told Jordan that he is almost 85 years old. That put him on the job at 17.

The kids worked hard to complete a workbook all about Mt. Rushmore. Here they are at their official Jr. Forest Ranger swearing in.

Oh... did I say the kids worked hard... I mean really the adults worked just as hard... if not harder!