Tulips

On Tuesday we went to Thanksgiving Point to enjoy the Tulip Festival. The flowers and grounds were beautiful. The weather was not so great. It was cold and windy. But the kids didn't seem to mind.

Eric was impressed by these beautiful red tulips. He liked their soft smooth feel.

Rubie liked running up and down the path.

There were tulips everywhere. Even along the river.

A fish pond behind us!

Eric and Rubie loved feeding the fish. Rubie is picking up food pellets that people have dropped so she can throw them to the fish.

Eric is throwing food pellets out in the water.

There are the hungry fish.

I loved the beautiful yellow tulips.

This is the third year I have been to the festival. These are the most flowers I have seen blooming.

We made it over to the Children's Garden where we found Noah, Max, and Sarah. There was a pond with running water where the kids could launch boats. Rubie couldn't wait to get her hands in the water and on the boats.

Eric first found this area where he got to build with random pieces of wood.


But he too loved the boat launching.


Carolyn came along and really enjoyed looking at all the pretty flowers too.






All the kids also enjoyed the Digging Area.

We love having Thanksgiving Point so close.

Roasting.....marshmallows, bread, hot dogs, sticks, trash, and starbursts

Last Saturday Mom, Rubie and I went up the Canyon with our friends the Jarvis'. We had a great time running around, playing, and eating. We roasted everything. We had hot dogs, marshmallows, and bread dough to roast. We also enjoyed throwing wood, sticks, and trash into the fire.

The marshmallows were kind of old and I really did choke on one. It was scary. But that didn't stop me from wanting another one as soon as it popped out of my throat.

Our neighbor, Grandpa Bishop, happened to be at the next campsite. His daughter even gave us star bursts to roast. Star bursts are good no matter how you have them. We definately need to do this again.

Rubie Is A Rascal

Rubie is always doing things that have earned her the name "Rascal." Today we were having lunch. She finished and wanted to get down. Carolyn and I were at the table eating and visiting. Rubie goes off to play. In a few minutes I hear the toilet lid crash down and Rubie comes running into the kitchen yelling, "Wet! Wet! Wet!" She was soaked on both arms up to her elbows. It was obvious she had been playing in the toilet. In one swift movement I grabbed her, whipped her shirt off, and up to the sink to wash her hands.

Later in the afternoon I was putting away some towels after doing laundry. I open the cupboard where the towels are kept and find a huge pile of soggy wet washcloths. Any guesses what happened?

The Lessons Seem to be Sinking In

Last week our new home teacher, Brother Henrie, came to visit us. From the moment that he arrived to the time he left, Eric and Rubie were anything but reverent. They were jumping on and off the couch--even though that is a well-enforced rule not to--they were yelling and laughing. Chasing each other around the house, wrestling, tickling, being very loud. They were making our visit very difficult. Scott and I tried to entice them to participate appropriately, but to no avail. Rubie even spent some moments in time-out during which we could hear her screaming from her room as though she were right there with us. After Brother Henrie left we had a serious talk with the kids--mostly Eric as Rubie still thought it was wild play time--about how to behave while the home teacher is here. We didn't know how much of that talk actually set in.

A few days later at dinner time Eric asked if he could say the blessing on the food. I offered to help him with the prayer to which he declined. He proceeded to say the most sincere prayer I have yet to hear him offer. He said the prayer correctly, addressing Heavenly Father, thanking Heavenly Father for each of his friends and the things that he could do that day. He then told Heavenly Father that he was sorry for talking so loud and not being reverent when Brother Henrie was at our house. After he closed the prayer, he looked at me and Scott and said something like, "Mom and Dad I really am sorry for talking so loud and not being reverent when Brother Henrie was here." And then he made a silly face and a silly noise and went back to being a three year old boy. But for a moment there was an angel in that little body.

This is Spring Weather!

The sun finally came out today! It is a beautiful spring day. Rubie was really excited to be outside in the sunshine. She kept noticing all the pretty flowers around the yard. We had a good time looking at them all, smelling them, and picking some. Eric, on the other hand, was moping in the car because I wouldn't take him to the store to get a treat. He sat in there long enough, almost an hour, that he fell asleep and then I carried him right into his bed.



Rubie thought this yellow bush was really pretty.

Oh, what else is pretty? Your shoes! The ones you didn't want to let go of ever since you saw them at the store, and then had to even wear them while taking a nap and can't wait to put them on in the morning. Yes they are pretty too.

Look at this flower. Sniff, sniff.

Oooh, flowers on the tree!

These are nice too.

We are lucky to have such beautiful things around us. We love the spring sunshine. I guess the rain is good too or else we couldn't have such pretty flowers. After all, April showers bring May flowers.

Spring Weather??

Here it is April 6th and the weather is still like winter. The kids wanted to go outside and play so bad today. We got bundled up and went out with some new shovels. They lasted 5 minutes, and I wasn't sorry. I was freezing. Eric wanted to try his new shovel so bad in some sand. After we went to storytime at the library he begged to go to the "sand park" and dig. He dug up two huge scoops out of the sand and then ran back for the car. And not only is it cold, but there has been snow. Not enough to play in and build a snowman, but just enough to make everything really wet. Yesterday we went to the mall to play on the dinosaur and treehouse there for some playground type play. We need a warm day. Are you coming soon?

The treehouse playground at the University Mall.