Utah Museum of Natural History

Last week we went with Jossue, the little boy I babysit, and his Grandma Jan to the Natural History Museum. Jan is really great, and shared some free tickets that she had with us. They were having a frog exhibit, and the kids had a lot of fun seeing all of the different types of frogs.

One of the exhibits was an aquarium with a hole in the center. You could stand up in the middle, and watch the frogs swim around you. Here is Reed taking his turn.

They had several different "FROG" themed things you could do. The kids had fun with this.



We went through the rest of the museum, and enjoyed the exhibits. They had one of those photo booths that they take the little pictures in, and I took one with each of the kids. That was fun.



After the museum, we went outside and had a picnic lunch on the grass. It was really a nice day, and the kids played for a little while. Jan is a very nice lady, and we appreciated her invitation.

Bees Game

The other night our family went to the Bees game. We really had a great time. You can get cheap tickets if you go on a Monday night, so we decided it would be a fun FHE. The Bees are the 3A team affiliated with the Angels who are Kent's all time favorite baseball team. It is fun for him to follow the Bees because Angels players get sent down here, or rehab here. Also the really good players may get called up. Since Kent has our kids brainwashed, and they all love Angels baseball too, they were excited to go. The kids will even watch the Angels play by play games on the computer with him. BORING!!!! It is funny to watch them. They are even understanding it. I actually really enjoy baseball too, I just think it is more fun to be there, not watching it on a computer. The kids are playing t-ball and coach pitch right now, and before the game, we had just gone and picked up their uniforms. They wanted to wear them to the game. They thought they were pretty hot stuff with their Bees shirt and hats.

 

 Our friends Kimball and Shelly Holt came along too. They are a lot of fun, and we were glad that they wanted to come with us.

   

 Here are Camille and I cheering the team along  

 I actually got to sit by Kent for a few minutes. When you have 4 kids to contain, that doesn't happen very often!

   

 To top it all off, we even got to see a grand slam. It was a good night!

Saturday, um I mean THURSDAY!

***This is an old post that I was working on that I never actually got posted. I have a couple that I never got to, so I will post them today.


For the past month, I have been working Saturdays from 1-9 pm. I have to say that I don't love it, but it is a blessing because we needed the extra hours. Hopefully it will just be for a little while. So instead of having Saturday be our family day, we have been doing fun things on Thursday nights. We have really enjoyed it too! Last week we went to Murray park and had a picnic. Afterward, we played baseball with the kids. Camille, McCray and Reed are signed up for coach pitch and t-ball, so we figured that we had better practice a bit first. I played catch with Camille and Morgan most of the time. Camille is a lefty like her Mom. I always liked being left handed. It was something different.

Morgan was having a ball. She had an old broken yo-yo that is round, and had a string coming out of it. She would have me throw it way out into the field, and would go and get it over and over again, and throw it back to me.

The boys were practicing batting with Dad. They did pretty well. It was fun that they were willing to practice.

After baseball, we all walked over and saw the baby geese. They were furry and cute. It was a fun night. It is so nice to do something out of the routine. I am learning to really look forward to Thursdays.

Contest Answers

My SIL Mandi is having a contest on her blog. So here is my go at her questions.

1. What is the last thing you purchased for yourself?

A Bright yellow t-shirt from Downeast Outfitters. I have been really liking their shirts lately, because they are long, and much cuter than your average t-shirt. I found a shirt yesterday for $5.00 and I figured for that price, I would give it a try. It is a little brighter and different than normal, but that is what I need- something that is NOT normal.

2. What's a recipe you have been dying to try, but haven't got around to it yet?

When I went to Pauline and Kirt's house a few months ago, they had the BEST grilled chicken. It was made with THE MOST delicious rub on it, then just bar-b-qued. It is a recipe that their meals for a month group uses. It was beyond good- and I am not kidding. This recipe makes a lot of the rub, you just save it in a bottle.

Dan's Essence

2 cups salt

1/2 cup granulated garlic (not powder ‑ it clumps up)

1/2 cup granulated onion (not powder ‑ it clumps)

1/4 cup white pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed well ground (if you don't have a mortar and pastil, you can grind it with the back of a spoon on a plate)

Also, if you have it ‑ you can add a bit of 5 peppercorn blend (ground). Mix spices together and put in spice shaker. Using Pam spray or olive oil, spray or moisten chicken. Shake spices generously over chicken. Grill on both sides and slice.

This is enough for approx.24 pounds of chicken.

3. Share something that is inspiring to you at the moment.

Lately I have been really wanting to re-purpose. Mostly furniture and home decorating things. I love to look at blogs where people have purchased something at a thrift shop or garage sale and turned it from trash to treasure. I am always amazed at the vision people have to make something ugly beautiful. I haven't really done any of this, because we don't want to get anything until we have a place of our own, and we know what we need. We don't need any junk that doesn't have a place. But we both really look forward to being able to decorate a house again how we want it to be.

Here are a couple of blogs that are inspiring to look at:

Thrifty Decor Chick
320 Sycamore

4. What's something you have been enjoying as of late?

My family. We have been trying to go places and do things together when we are all home at the same time. Our kids are at a fun age where we can actually do more things because we don't have a baby. I love watching our kids play together and be happy. It is such a great feeling when they are getting along and enjoying each other. On the flip side, when they are getting on each others nerves and fighting, it drives me CRAZY.

5. What's something you would like to try?

Sewing a skirt. I have sewed different things for years, and I really like it. But I never have sewn any clothes yet. I am determined to make a skirt this summer. I will post a picture when I do it. :)

6. What's something you're looking forward to?

Not working on Saturdays any more. I don't mind working if I have to. But having to work when your family is all home, isn't much fun at all.

7. Post a few of your own favorite photos from the last few days.

I don't have any photos from the last few days, and I am at work so I can only choose from what is on here.. Usually I put my favorite pictures on here anyway. None of these are great photos, but they make me smile.

I love cousins. They make life fun.

Happy kids after a fun night out.

Sisters- everyone should have one

I like this picture. We have a hard time taking a good picture of the two of us. This one isn't too bad.

8. What's something you've been thinking a lot about lately?

Wanting to get a good summer schedule, and doing fun things with the kids. I really want to make the most of the time that they are home. I seem to feel like this every summer and have BIG BIG plans. Then by the end I realize that I didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to. I just want them to enjoy it and not watch TV all day. That is the goal.

I have been working on making this Cool Summer Days Calendar to make it more fun. Hopefully it will get done soon so that we can get started.

9. What is the last thing you wrote?

A list. I am a list maker. It is a trait I inherited from my Mom. I like seeing what needs to be done, and I love to cross things off as I accomplish them.


10. What is something you wish you could be doing right now?

Be home playing the game Settlers with Kent and the kids. That is what they were doing as I left.

Morgan

Morgan is dressing herself these days. Sometimes it can be very embarrassing. She is loving skirts, but insists on wearing socks with her Sunday shoes or sandals. This night we were going the rounds, because she is supposed to wear a shirt under her tank top. "But Mom, I don't have any shirts clean!"

Sure.

Panther Pride Award

Every year at the kids school, each class gives one student the "Panther Pride" award. It is an award to a student who achieves academically, but who is also a good citizen, works hard, etc. This year McCray was chosen from his class to receive this award. We are very proud of him.

They give the awards out at an awards assembly. They went through all of the students who got this award. They forgot McCray. His teacher told the principal before the end of the program, after all of the others had sat down. So they called McCray up all by himself to be recognized, and they made him hold his trophy up. He had a huge smile on his face, and was so cute.

Afterwards, I went to his class to take a picture of him with his trophy, and he said "Mom, I finally won something!" He was so excited. It makes a Mom happy to see their kids excited about what they have accomplished.

Way to go McCray!

Reed turned 5!

Do you like our new birthday banner that I made? I have always wanted one, so I made one out of stuff I had laying around. It was fun to make. I still want to make a couple of more additions to it.

Reed had his first birthday party last week. It was really fun. I love planning parties, and had a a lot of fun getting ready for it. I think the kids had a good time too. We had it Sat morning from 10-11:30. That was a perfect amount of time for little ones. It seemed to fly by.

When the kids got here, we started by making headbands using pipe cleaners for the antennae, and stick on foam bugs for the decorations. It was a good way to get things started while we waited for everyone to arrive.

After we finished that, we had the kids fish for bugs. I got a little wading pool, filled it up with water and bubbles, and put plastic bugs in it. We did it like a relay. There were two teams, and each one had a net. The first person would go down to the pool, scoop out a bug, then run back and give it to the next person. The first team to have everyone back, was the winner. The kids liked it, but I thought that they would have had more fun with it. I thought it was fun! :)

Then we took the kids to the front yard and played a couple of tag games. One was Bumble Bee. are you sleeping? One person is the bee. The kids all walk around the bee, asking, "Bumble Bee, are you sleeping?" The bees answers yes. You continue this a number of times, until you finally say NO! The bee stands up, and starts chasing the kids. The first person tagged then becomes the bumble bee. It was a fun game.

Next we played "Buzz, Buzz, Sting!" It is the same as Duck, Duck, Goose. Just the bumble bee edition.

After playing yard games, we gave each child a bug catching kit from the dollar store. We took them next door to the Johnston's backyard, where we had hidden bugs around the back yard. The picked them up with the tweezers from their kit, and put them in their bug catchers. They had fun catching bugs. This was a hit.

We did one craft. Each child made a caterpillar out of pom poms. I had them glue them onto long cinnamon sticks, that looked like a twig. Then they attached googly eyes.

Finally, it was time for cake and ice cream, and then opening presents. Reed was so excited about the presents that he got. He loved all of them! The other kids have been helping him enjoy them too.

Reed with his "Bug Mountain" Cake

Doesn't Uli like her is having a great time?

Now that is much better.

(Isn't this the cutest bug wrapping and card? My friend Stephanie did this. It was so cute, I almost didn't want him to open it.)

All in all it was a great party. Reed seemed to have a great time, which is why you do it. He better live it up, because who knows when he will get another one!

We sure love Reed, and are glad that he is a part of our family. He is a sweet heart, who likes to snuggle. I have a hard time sending him back to his bed when he sneaks onto my side at night. He is very curious, and ready to be a kindergartner. He likes music, is a great singer, and just a very sweet little boy.

Kent's Birthday

For Kent's birthday, we got together with Kelly and Erin, Carter and Uli, and Kelly's Mom Shirley. We roasted hot dogs at Murray Park, Erin made potato salad, we had watermelon, chips, and to top it all off, summer cake. YUMMY! I love celebrations- I wish we had an excuse everyday! We had to celebrate a night early, because I had to work on his REAL birthday. It was really nice to visit, and the kids had a good time running around and playing. It was a beautiful night. I Love this time of year!

Here are some family pictures from the night.

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Uli is getting big. It won't be too long until Uli is tougher than his dad!

Happy Birthday Kent! I love you and hope you had a fun night. I appreciate all that you do for me and for our family. You are such a great husband, Dad, and best friend.