ROAD TRIP!!!!

That’s right, my girls and I went on a road trip on Friday! I wanted to go down to Zion’s but I thought 8 hours of driving and 2 (maybe) hours of exploring-not much of an investment. So we did the next big thing.

That’s right, Ogden.

I had to get out of my house and I didn’t care where to but I wanted it to be all day and everyone have fun so we went to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden.

But before we get to that we must discuss the best part of the day! The pit stop in Roy. I know what you are thinking, what can be so great in Roy??

This:

This is what happens at “The Burger Bar” in Roy:

I am going to cry just thinking about it, it was so beautiful!! I could’ve died a happy woman after that meal! I don’t know if you can tell but that burger is about the size of my head! I am a very dainty lady so I couldn’t finish it(the 3rd one I mean!!)…No, only one for me and it was plenty! I finished every last morsel!! That was all I needed this week to bring me back from the dead! We found out about this fine establishment (that has no seating, except for benches out front and no bathrooms) on Food Network’s Diners Drive-Ins and Dives. I could go on a Triple D Road Trip! Some people travel for the sights, not me, I go for the FOOD!!! I mean, I did come from my mother’s womb and really, who doesn’t love good food?!

Here’s the awesome seating arrangements. Amy Roskelley and her kids plus Cameron Novakovich came with us. Will is with Annie and Audrey is sitting with Erin and Cameron.

This is the bench I was telling you about. Right up against traffic!

Oh yeah…the museum….that’s what I was blogging about…

The Treehouse Museum is great! It is similar to Discovery Gateway (so I hear) but half the price and double the drive. The kids love it! We’ve been there once before and it was tempting to get a membership there if only it was closer! I think we were there for over 4 hours and I’m sure everyone could have stayed longer. My camera died really fast so I didn’t get all the pictures I wanted but here’s a peek at all the Treehouse fun!

 

There was so much more-a music room, arts and crafts, puppet shows, the tree house in the middle of the museum, books, puzzles, fish, houses from different countries and I wish I got pictures of it all but needless to say, we all had a blast! It’s like a giant playroom for one and all, a child’s Mecca, Promised Land, Zion, Heaven or Kanab…

We somehow ended up back at the Burger Bar for ice cream and I was very tempted to get another “Big Ben” and an order of onion rings for the road but I refrained…this time…..

Footprints….

On this very dreary day, I am in a very dreary mood. I thought if I relived a funny moment in my life through the written word, it may just cheer me up….maybe…

This lovely weather takes me back to 1998. It was a very frumpy..I mean rainy missionary day in Carlsbad, CA. Despite the torrential downpour called El Nino, it goes against Missionary Law to not at least look like you are proselytizing, even if you don’t have a car.

So we pulled up our knee-highs, grabbed our overly clunky shoes and…..WHAT IS THAT SMELL?????

That would be my extra cheap, extra plastic-posing-as-leather shoes.

I had a genius idea-wouldn’t Tide be just as effective if not more than foot powder or baking soda?? It ought to take away the stench AND give them a nice “Mountain Breeze” scent! So, I took a scoop and put it in each of my shoes, rubbed it in like an S.O.S. pad, shook it around and dumped it out, all the while thinking about my amazing intelligence and problem-solving skills.

My companion and I headed out, ready to bring souls unto Christ through our sacrifice and soggy jumpers. We walked to the home of one of our ‘golden’ contacts to check in on her-it was about a 15-20 minute walk and, surprisingly, she wasn’t home. After being sufficiently drenched and our first attempt of the day at saving souls one mortal at a time was unsuccessful, we officially called it a day. At least until “The Hurricane of Adversarial Fiery Darts” ceased.

We figured since we were already “The Soggy Bottomed Sisters” we would go watch the angry shoreline as we walked along the sea wall along Pacific Highway 1. We got half way down the highway when I looked down at my feet. My awesomely fashionable and cheap shoes were foaming at the mouth and every seam possible! There was a trail of sudsy footprints behind me! I tried kicking puddles to wash it away but it just got worse! My companion and I were laughing so hard we could’ve peed our pants but not even know it!

We finally got to the corner where we turn for our street when I realized my name tag had gone AWOL. We JOYFULLY turned back for that all important piece of identification and found it about a half a mile back!

We made the soapy trek back to our home and since my shoes were apparently out of commission, I don’t remember getting a whole lot more done that day aside from side-splitting laughter!

I, of course, shared this story in my next letter to my family and my mom, of course, shared it with anyone she could including her Gospel Doctrine class! About a month later (yes, I was still wearing the same shoes and no, Tide did not take care of the stink!!) I got a call from a woman in the Carlsbad Stake who happened to be the step-mom of Sis. Peterson in my home ward. She had heard the story from her daughter, tracked me down and told me she wanted to take me out to replace my sudsy shoes! She bought both my companion and I each a pair of Doc. Marten’s shoes (which were all the rage with the sister missionaries-they go soooo well with those Nude knee highs!!)!! Those puppies lasted the rest of my mission and never once did I need to treat them with Tide!!

The moral of the story?

1- Tide should NEVER be used as an odor-eater in your shoes!!

2-Sacrifice really does bring blessings…or at least a nice pair of shoes!

My Brother, Mike Thomas' rendition of "Sister Bubbles"

And The Sun Shines Down

Back in middle school, I read a short story and watched a video of the same story about a planet that had one day every 4 hundred years or so when the rain clouds would part and the inhabitants of this small planet would see the sun. For just a measly few minutes.  I have felt like that planet of late. But the clouds parted this past week from some much needed Vitamin D and UV rays for us to enjoy and enjoy we did!! We went out and took those rays and slathered them all over ourselves and, by dang it, we enjoyed it!

A Day at the Farm!

We enjoyed Wheeler Farm with the Roskelley’s and the kids loved it (and I loved the price!!) It was a gorgeous day and it felt great to be out in the fresh air!

My little Lilykins was fearless with the animals! At one point she tried to feed a horse rabbit poop-for some reason that horse didn’t go for it…weird… She may be a handful but she is a cute handful! I’m beginning to think she’ll give Annie a run for her money! I won’t lie to you…that scares the bijeebers out of this dainty flower of a mom!

It was a much needed day in the sun and I hope we have many more and I hope I can survive them!

Lastly, here are a couple Easter pictures!

    

This was Lily’s first time doing them and she loved it! I love Annie’s picture-they call that “Bugsy Eyes” from “Bedtime Stories”. That kid cracks me up!

And, of course, Easter morning in their new dresses.

I {heart} Spring!

~If anyone knows the name and author of the story I mentioned above, please let me know!!

Ode To My Yellow Hat

I have had the same mustard-hued hat for over a decade. Not only is it a shade of my favorite color, it has been with me on many runs, hikes and exceptional bad hair days-rain, snow, sun and wind. It matches or goes with absolutely nothing in my wardrobe (and let me tell you, that huge!!).

The sweat ring, made with love, is forever stained on it’s yellow flesh. There are few inanimate objects in this world that I love, this little ray of sunshine is high on the list!

As I look out my back window I have come to realize it may be time to trade in my prized head gear for one of these:

And a pair of these:

Oh yeah, and these:

If I Had a Million Dollars...

I would buy a dishwasher that actually WASHES the dishes! We were at our friends' house for dinner one night when Jenni started loading the dishwasher WITHOUT rinsing them first!! I have to clean my dishes before I can put them in the DISHWASHER!! I was very concerned and asked:

"Don't you need to rinse those first??"

Jenni: "No, the dishwasher DOES that (really???)!"

I did my best to hold back the tears of joy and envy.

I've been dreaming of owning one myself ever since.

I would invest in REAL silverware! Oh, the joy of a fork that doesn't bend in my feeding frenzies!!

My pans would be replaced with ones that aren't scratched up and slowly giving us all cancer! Curse you, Teflon!!

My family would live on a small piece of land with our chickens, dog, 2 horses, 3 pigs and a cow. You could all come to me for your manure needs!

There would be a condo by the beach with my name on the mailbox.

I would buy stock in Diet Coke! Have you seen all the women at Maverick at 11 in the morning?? It's a gold mine!!

The rest would go to making the world a better place! That's right! I would hire a nanny...and a housekeeper!!!

Whatever!!

ElRey won.

I am very disappointed in 9 of you!!