Aww, Man! ......Monkeys get all the breaks!

Went to the zoo yesterday with my mom and the two little people who NEVER stop talking. EVER.

We have the best little small town zoo ever. You can see everything in an hour and as long as the otters are out you are completely satisfied. (Okay....I really long for some elephants but since it is just a small zoo I take what I can get.)

I love Kate's little suprised face as they swam up to the glass...

Also, you know how I am always wondering what I should be when I grow up? I have always felt so at home at zoos. And I have been dying to get behind the scenes and cut up some food for the monkeys and birds, etc... I think I should go for zoology. I'm seriously thinking about it. Sort of.

This was maybe the first time ever I didn't need a stroller or diaper bag or a children's leash to go to the zoo. Bo and Kate just ran free and it was great. This new stage of life is going to be a dang blast even though I am achy over it. Who am I? Where is my life heading? I am old! I have no more babies! My heart hurts.

Anyhoo,

We have the coolest monkeys ever. They always come down to visit. And they are loud which makes them most entertaining. And they swing like crazy. And I have yet to see one pick his bum which makes them all the better. Is that offensive? Oh...sorry for that.

And these little Lemurs and I go WAY back. Once upon a time, in a life I can barely remember, I worked for the zoo veterinarian. One of these monkeys pulled their arm out of socket and I got to take it to the real life human doctor to be x-rayed. It was sedated so we got along just fine.

Corey does. Not. like. Monkeys. He has a monkey aversion. Honest. Monkeys gross him out!

For Easter our neighbor has a wild Easter egg hunt and the kids always come home with a trash bag (NO JOKE) of STUFF! Like 8 stuffed animals each sometimes! The "after crazy Easter egg hunt purging" goes on for a year afterwards as I slowly sneak junk out!

Rhett found this little gem at the hunt! When I saw it I said "ohhh, my favorite! Did you get that for me?" He said, "I did" and threw it at me. Sweet boy. I put it on my bed and Corey freaked out. Seriously, I like this ape.

So I am watching these cute little black monkeys. I read that they have a baby. I notice the baby is just ALL OVER the mother monkey. Just engulfingher with his little spasticness. And I think, "Yep, been there done that. Still doing that!"

Then I read the little sign about the new baby monkey when I read this!.....

Oh, I'm sorry, did your brain not compute that either? I'll let you read it again....

THAT'S RIGHT! The dads take care of the babies.

THE DADS TAKE CARE OF THE BAAAAABBBBBIIIIIEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!

That was the DAD taking care of the baby and getting all MAULED!

Huh. Now isn't that interesting!

They are not hiking the world's tallest mountains all summer.

They are not hunting bear in the hills all spring!

They are not skiing in the winter!

They are TAKING CARE OF THE BABIES!

I guess that is why Corey doesn't like the monkeys. They have nothing in common. (Truth be told, I have secetly always been glad he didn't take care of the babies. Because then I got to hog them all to myself.) But still.....THE DADS TAKE CARE OF THE BABIES!!!!!

Someone please tell me...why do the monkeys got it so good?

This is the baby just for your information. Cute little stinker!

Toward the end of our zooing Kate was getting tired. So for some reason she grabs my mom's hand and says "I hate mommy".

It might be a good time to add that I just might have the thickest skin of anyone I know. Takes a lot to hurt my feelings. And in regards to Kate, although she has never said that before, it didn't phase me. Let's face it...when you have one of two of the world's nicest grandmas spoiling you at your every beck -n- call, mama isn't looking to hot anymore.

So we were walking by another lady. She was young and obviously with her first and only child.

How do I know this? Becasue she wore a back pack on her back. Stuffed full of child parfinallia for any occasion she might happen to come upon with her toddler. Even. though. she. could. litterally. sprint. to. her. car. in. less. then. 5. minutes. she. still. wore. the. 20. pound. back. pack.Yep, first time mama.

So when she hears my kid say she hates me I know she thinks the earth just shook to it's core. Once again, how do I know this? Becasue her head couldn't have spun around any faster or any more degrees to look at the little offender.

Now, my children are not smart mouths. They know better. But I am not going to get frazzeled over a tired, just barely departed from toddlehood, girl speaking nonsense. Just sayin'. Agree or disagree.

But I agree cause non of my other kids would dare say that so I think Im fine.... If we had been home, and over prepared women hadn't been sucking all the oxygen out of the monkey house in dismay, I would have reprimanded her. But just to shock over prepared mom I consiously didn't say a word.

Ha ha. She is probably blogging right now about bad mothers who don't properly prepare for the zoo and then let their kids speak disrespectfully.

Gotta love it. Life is funny. I want to say its a hoot. But out of proper respect for owls and old people I will just say it is funny. And fun.

Enjoy some really marginal pictures of the zoo. I gotta get a better camera! Oh...and spell check KEEPS breaking! So I just can't fix everything.

Hello, my pretties....and yes I mean it.

I never knew peacock tails were this amazing!!!!

Sweetest most chillax gal on earth! (hey, I didn't mention this but the other night I told my friend she had a frenemy... friend/enemy. I thought I was so cute and funny. I thought I invented the word....turns out...not.)

Uhh....these are the cutest species on EARTH!!! They look like little old men.

Oh...P.S. According to Kate...

This is Grandpa,

and this is Grandma...

She's a smart one, I've been telling ya!

I Love going to church and singing the Easter songs SO. MUCH. Tons!!!!!!!

A few years ago I learned a new way to understand the Atonement. I don't know where I learned it but it really simplified things for me. I taught my little primary children this same concept the other Sunday. It was a really funny lesson in a way but the kids were glued to me. I hoped there little hearts understood the truth I was teaching them. I thought I would share....


Before I do though, I thought I might touch on an interesting topic about my religion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that differentiates it from some other Christian religions.

We do not believe that we are saved just because we believe in Christ or because we are baptized. We believe that our time on earth is a test and that after we have done everything we can do to return to our Heavenly Father, knowing that it will never be enough because we are "natural men", that Jesus Christ Atoned for our sins and will make up the rest for us.


So my very best might only be three quarters of the way and your best might be more than that (it likely is :)) but either way it is okay because Jesus Christ will make up the rest for us, as long as we are working hard.


It makes so much sense to me when I think about it in terms of my children. I would love to rescue them out of any situation I can as long as I know they are working hard. If they are being lazy and floating by then how can I, as a responsible parent, in good consciousness, rescue them. Although I really do want to.


Our church is a three hour time period. Two of the hours our children, 11 and under, spend their learning time in "primary". In Primary they have an hour, with their teacher and the other children their age, learning lessons from the assigned lesson manual. The other hour is spent with a group of the whole children learning sweet precious songs, and an object lesson of some kind....


I really love doing these lessons. I am in charge of doing one every three weeks. That is part of my "job" at church.

So because it was Easter we were learning about the Atonement and the Resurrection. My lesson was on the Atonement.

I made this crazy picture of me. I told the kids they were going to be learning about the life of someone very interesting...ME!


Here is me!



So I put a picture of the earth on one side of the chalk board and a picture of Heavenly Father (God) on the other side of the chalk board. I had "me" glued to yarn and the yarn was wrapped around chalkboard so when I stood on one side of the chalk board I could pull the yarn and "me" would get closer to Heavenly Father.

I told the kids I was born and I pulled the string and I popped out from behind the chalk board(Okay, I got a little stuck but it was still really funny).

Then I got baptized and I showed them a picture and I asked the kids if those things get me closer to Heavenly Father? Yesss.....

So I pulled the string and I would move closer.

But a few things happened on my earth life like one time I would not hold still while my mom was fixing my hair and I was so naughty and she got so mad she hit the banister with the hair brush (true story!) and for the rest of my life those little hair brush marks were on the banister. Did that get me closer to Heavenly Father? Nooo. So I wouldn't move "me".

I know that is a silly little example and I doubt that if I moved too much while getting my hair fixed really had any sort of impact on my relationship with Heavenly Father, but I really tried to use life examples that were simple and would help the kids understand.


One time I said a bad word....did that get me closer? No....


One time I volunteered helping brain injured people ride horses...did that get me closer? Yes. I moved "me" closer.


One time I spilled nail polish on my mom's dresser when I wasn't suppose to paint there. Did that get me closer? No.



One time we rescued a poor helpless cat. Did that get me closer? Yes! Yay!


One time I had little babies and I loved those babies and did my very best to raise them....did that get me closer? Yes. So I moved "me".


So I shared lots of good and bad examples and I had things in a box that I would show them that would represents the things I was telling them. They LOVED it. They watched me the whole time without a peep.


Well, after all my examples, and as hard as I tried to do my best on earth, I just couldn't make it all the way to Heavenly Father. Because I couldn't. Because no one can. There is only one perfect person and my best just isn't good enough. No matter what. Because I am not perfect. And that is okay. I don't have to be. I wasn't suppose to be.

Phew! Isn't that a relief? We don't have to be perfect. So everyone give yourselves a BREAK! We just have to be trying.

I have a boy. He is a rascal! He has severe dyslexia. I have mentioned him before so you might remember. He is taking piano lessons. For a few years now. He is coming along very slow....but steady. Do I, as his sweet mommy, care about the slow part? No. Honestly. I really don't. Do I care about the steady part? Yes. Heavenly Father, who is our sweet parent, cares about the steady part also.

He knows we can't make it. Therefore it is necessary for us to have a Savior and that is Jesus Christ. Aren't we thankful there is a plan?

So I showed the kids that I hadn't made it to Heavenly Father and what was going to happen to me now? How could I get the rest of the way to Heavenly Father?



I showed them our secret weapon. It was a picture of Jesus Christ. I told them that He would take me the rest of the way there. He would atone for my sins and make up for all my lack.


He would save me.



He will save us all.


And He will. It is true. I know it.


Happy little late Easter, my friends.

Happy Birthday to my Mountain Man! (Warning-my spell check quit working)

Corey hiked 7 miles up hill with snowshoes for his birthday present to himself. He had friends who wanted to go with him and he said...."no thanks". He just likes to be alone in the mountains.


Mountain goats! My favorite!

He was charged by a moose. Three times. Bad enough that he yelled and tried to run away in snowshoes. (Yes, I have life insurance.)

Bo made him a birthday cake. It was out of big puzzle pieces with big marshmallows and toothpicks as candles. It was a fine masterpeice which I never got a picture of. Wah. He even cleared space for it in the fridge... and wrapped it.

I bought him his favorite kind of apple tree...Honey Crisp. I feel so stupid for not having fruit baring plants at our home sooner. It just seems wise.

Of course Rhett wants to help. He is our hardest worker.

I also made Corey his cake. I don't know why or when I suddenly started having to make a 42 year old man a cake of his choosing.... but I do. (I secretly like it. I admit it.)

I am proud of this one because I did it all from my own mind. My confidence has waned a bit because my last few cakes have stank. But this one turned out just like I invisioned it. When Corey told me he wanted a bear a few days later he clarified... "Not a teddy bear". He needn't worry. I had his back.

Turned out okay, don't you think?

Great day the other day...

A little cleaning house...





Look! Dishes done!

Sheets stripped! (thanks to the flu...ewww!)

A little painting with Kate...

A little nap from having the flu...

A little puzzling....

A lot of stuffing easter eggs..... A little Gilmore girls.... So fun and relaxing. I was sorry Kate was sick but her having a nap was a thing of rejoicement for me. I had a whole 2 hours of solitude. I admit I did a happy jig.

Toys from the party store to put in the eggs!

Later on (or maybe the next day) a little cuddling from Bo. You might think I could tell what day I am on by Kate's clothes. Nope. She changes 50 times a day! Isn't she tall?

Yup, that's all!

Hi Terri....Still very thankful for my couches. Just wanted you to know.

Do you think maybe I let Kate watch too much TV?

I found her little girl doing this....



Leaving the babies doing this....

Completely unattended!

The absurdity of it!

Eggaholic!

I need to go to EEE.

Easter Egg Enonymous.

I have a thing for Easter eggs. I really like to buy them. And I always save them. The kids know they have to give them back. I am scared to have an Easter egg hunt with any one else's kids because they might not know the rule of having to give them back.

I have added a few really great ones to my collection this year. I have been trying to refrain until after Easter so I can get them on clearance but sometimes they are just too good to risk them being all sold out.

Snoopy was just TOO good to pass by!

Some other great ones I added to my collection...

Seriously? A cupcake!!!! Way cute!

My new GOLDEN egg! I told Rhett I would put a five dollar bill in this one.

I just liked it!

When I was little my mom took a ceramics class (I love that idea of her still having a life) and she made this little egg with a baby girl in a bunny costume. It is me. With dark little bangs peeking out of my bunny hood. I love it. Sorry the picture is so bad.

I just read on Face book about a friend who has a real biblical dinner on Easter Sunday with an oil lantern. I am so doing that next year. Why next year? Because I need to research what a biblical dinner is. Is that terrible that I don't know that? Also I want to wait another year when hopefully Bo and Kate can be quiet during dinner. My friend and her family also get out all of the pictures of Christ's last week on earth. They each take turns telling in sequence about the pictures. Doesn't that sound great?