Photosaurus

Lizzie's preschool class, a couple of weeks ago, took a field trip to the Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum. Now I love Museums as much as the next person but I always end up being disappointed by the end. I mean a couple of fossils and a picture or two of what people think the dinosaurs may have looked like and if you're lucky one full skeleton . As we prepared for this trip I tried educating my kids as much as possible about dinosaurs and prepared myself for mild disappointment. Let me just say ummm disappointment??? It was the most amazing Dinosaur museum I have ever ever ever seen. I was beyond THRILLED of all the exhibits and all the hands on activities for the kids. The two hours we spent just flew by and I would not hesitate to ever go again. I guess you can always tell a fantastic place by the number of pictures I take. I took over 150 pictures and have narrowed the selection down to a mere 30 or so. Now I know this is major picture overload but you all need to go to see them yourself. My pictures don't even do it justice. Even if you don't have kids this is such a cool place to go. And now for your viewing pleasure the Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum:



The museum is so kid friendly they have little hand signs everywhere and Abby soon discovered where ever those hands were she got to do something fun. This was a cast of a fosilized shell that opened whenver you touched a button.

When I was a kid in school our dinosaur field trips ment loading up a bus and driving twenty minutes or so to the spot where this steagasaurus foot step was found. Super cool to see it again and be able to run our hands all over it.


This amazing dinosaur was all put together for us to walk around it was so HUGE. The kids had fun seeing how small they were compared to it.

Abby even curled up with the dino's foot and gave it a happy lick. (gross I know but she's had a thing about licking stuff lately with sound effects included)

They had this super cool sand/water table where all the kids could experince erosion on their own. This was only half way through the museum and we almost had to bribe the kids to come see the rest of the awesome exhibits.



Lizzie loved getting her hands all dirty. I loved that she was learning while they were getting dirty.


This picture of Abby makes me laugh.. She was playing with the dinosaurs and watching them get washed away with the sand when this older boy started pushing her around and trying to take away the dinosaurs she was playing with. Right after I snapped this pic little Miss Abby and all of her fiesty i ness let him know he was not to touch her anymore and he could take his bossy nature else where. *SIGH* She is going to be just fine in this world.


Will was so patient to be pushed around in the stroller while he watched his older sisters run from place to place. But as long as he had his one foot in his hand and his thumb in his mouth he was a happy camper.


They had another station where the kids could build their own dinosaur. Lizzie fell in love with her meatiousaurus she knew this dinosaur would eat meat because of his sharp teeth.


This was a really cool exhibit that showed two T-Rexs. They placed all of these dinosaurs in such a cool way.



They showed how dinosaurs and sharks are related and had this giant head on display, needless to say Abby now has a healthy dose of shark fear. Even as I was posting this picture Abby said "Sharks are scary."

We had our friends the Dye's tag along and unfortunately this is the best picture I had of all of our kids together. But Jackson had a healthy dose of space between him and the Shark Abby soon picked up on his wisdom.

They had this great mamoth which Abby insisted was an Elephant and even made elephant noises at it to see if it would call back. I will have to admit that I liked the mamoth they have on display at the Price dinosaur museum better.



At the end of the museum they had some dig pits where the kids could unearth their own discoveries Will discovered he liked the taste of sand but didn't care too much to play in it.

I felt so lucky to have Jeremy there with me. He was just as excited about the exihibts as the kids and insited on taking pictures of every single bone, fossil and picture.

This was a great display as well and Lizzie had just learned a song about the Triceratops and sang it to me. She was slightly disappointed that I didn't know the song as well.

By the end of the museum we were super glad we went and would go again in a heart beat. So if you're ever wondering if it's worth the money to take your kids to this museum you get a exstaic YES from me. It's worth every single penny!

Dear Spring

Dear Spring,

Hey, long time fan first time complainer. So Spring, I know that you and Utah really have a hard time together and you try to stay away from here as long as possible but I have to admit the tease you gave us last week made me want you pretty bad. I'm begging you please, please, please put aside your petty differences with Utah and it's everwinter state and come stay with us. You see we paid these guys
Lots of money to do this to our backyard.


And when they were all done this is what we got.



Now you maybe saying "big deal. it's a fence." but to me a mom of three wonderful and charming children, this fence is a lifesaver/sanity/mess saver/ peace of mind giver.
See little boy can't run out into the crazy busy street.


And little girl with pigtails can't run away only to find her in neighbors garage torturing cats and destroying organized piles. She's instead learning how to make sand castles out of dirt and discovering where worms come from.

Big girl thinks it's great to play in a backyard and not have to worry about big kids coming and destroying her clubs and therefore she's having much more fun.

And this garden box can actually become a garden box where as mommy of 3 active children can garden while they stay within eye sight.

So please spring, on behalf of little boy, girl in pigtails, big girl and mommy of 3 I implore you please come quickly. I desire nothing more than hanging out in our newly fenced backyard and taking walks to the park and picnicking underneath trees and watching my big girl swing across the monkey bars and twirling down twirly slides. But I can't without your cooperation. So please come quickly make the grass green, bring out blossoms, take the chill off of my shoulders and bring with you the joy that has fizzled out of winter.
Thank you and Sincerely yours,
Andrea

My Obsession

obsession....Obsession...Obsession. I am obsessed with this website and check it often and find myself living my photographic dreams through her photo lens. Well she's having a contest that I need to win and if any of you have ever wanted to give me a gift please visit this site through my site. Enjoy her photos. I've actually been inspired by Brooke in so many ways she is one the most talented women I've ever met. So please click and reclick through my site.
Thanks

BaBy ShOwEr EnJoYmEnT

So for the past two years I've been hoping and praying for my sister in laws to get pregnant so that I could throw an awesome baby shower for them and luckily my Sister In law Amanda was kind enough to get pregnant all so I could throw her this fun fun shower. (Thanks Mandy :) )
We had lots and lots of fun and the morning started out just dandy.
It had snowed that morning and as I was packing up the car Jeremy gave me a hard time about driving in the snow. Jeremy normally drives us everywhere and if you've ever been in a car with Jeremy you probably know why. That man has some seriously mad driving skills. Anyhow I reminded Jeremy that I have grown up in Utah and before I met him I somehow managed to get around in the snow without and near death experiences. Well sure enough there I was putting along I-80 when a diesel comes up behind me going much faster than what I'm willing to so being a courteous driver I signal to get over in the right lane. Just as I change lanes the tire hits a skiff of snow/slush just wrong and I start spinning out of control. Everything I've ever heard about skidding comes into my brain I try turning into the skid and not to brake and say a whole bunch of prayers all at the same time. As soon as I see the shoulder coming I pray even harder not to flip mainly because I didn't want the adorable cupcakes i made to get all messed up, well that and I am kind of fond of my life. I skid off onto the shoulder and slide down the embankment and come to a gentle stop. I was positively SHAKING as I watched all the traffic go by and wonder how on earth I did not die. After composing myself I reluctantly called Jeremy to resign my safe Utah Driver award and ask him to come help me out. He arrives and we try to push the car back onto the shoulder but just can't get it up and we were hesitant to tow the car out with the pilot whereas our sweet babies were inside the pilot. So just as we are ready to give up and call a tow company a police officer in a Red Dodge Ram Truck pulls up, flips on his light and has us out quicker than you can say Nice Truck. And I just continued on my way to the shower as if nothing had happened. So this post will continue on it's way too and get the best part of it....My adorable little sister in law and her adorable baby belly.


Mandy and Grandma Carter. Mandy is due in April and has the most adorable pregnant glow. Seriously I can't think of anyone else who has looked so magnificent pregnant.


Everyone that was able to brave the roads and make it to the shower. I know Mandy had issues with everyone feeling her belly but I saw this pose somewhere and wanted to see it in action.


We played a few fun games. I totally rocked the guess what the baby food game. And was a little bit off on guess how big Mandy is game I was probably closer to guess how Big Andrea gets.

Mandy got lots of adorable presents and was even overheard how much more she likes baby showers than wedding showers and I totally have to agree. Aren't these burp cloths so cute. Why do we make such cute things to clean up such stinky messes?

These adorable little shoes traveled all the way to Mandy's shower from Brazil. Mandy's husband served his mission there and our sister in law Patricia's Mom had just returned from a trip there and brought the shoes back for the little bambino.


So I was so excited for the food for the shower I had seen these done and just thought they were to cute not to do. And honestly how many times in our lives to we get to make cute food. So the Baby Bib appetizers didn't turn out as cute as the picture but the point was well taken. The Baby rattle cupcakes were probably the reason for my survival praying and all that they wouldn't be damaged. We had a lovely chocolate fountain with strawberries, angel food cake and other such yumminess and then there were some of my homemade girl scout cookies (featured on my secret blog) and then the joy and goodness of eating was demonstrated in this salad....

Oh my I just had to wipe the drool from my mouth. This salad was to die for and so incredibly easy to make.


All in all we had a great time. I'm so grateful for these girls for the chances they give me to be their sister.

I HEART my kids

So I know I haven't posted for what seems like ages but thus it goes when your life is so filled with love. I have much to post and many adorable pictures to share with all who care. Here's just a small bit of what I have to post I'll come back later tonight to post even more.

I may be slightly biased but I have the greatest aunts ever. My Aunt Cindy sent my little girls valentines and both girls were so excited to receive them in the mail. So here you go Cindy a shot by shot reaction of when the opened your loved filled cards.

Yes Lizzie is a ham and wanted to show her excitement/ shock of the great valentine.

Lizzie's class had a Valentine's party on Wednesday and she had to make a "box" and some how our box turned into a bag with great foamy sparkly valentines stickers. You may be able to sneak a peek at her adorable hair do but to make it easier for all to see......

I give you the close up shot. I loved loved loved her hair. It turned out so cute and she looked good enough to eat.


We did the same hair do on Abby but instead of getting a shot of her cute hair I got a couple of shots of seriously sisterly love.

Still to come tonight the rest of Valentine's adventures, near death experiences and fantastic baby showers.

oUR WeeK iN PiCTuReS

We played outside last week and whilst we were playing I played with my camera. I'm so glad I've got such great test subjects. Seriously could anyone ask for more gorgeous models. I think not.

This picture you can see the difference of the flash on the left and non-flash on the right.

Will loved just screaming outside. I think he was both excited to be outside and mad that it was cold.

This was fun. Lizzie threw snow at me and I was able to catch the snow in mid-motion.

The fields are white...And seriously look at how cool those clouds are.

Again look at the difference of flash vs non flash. I can't decide which is my favorite.

I knew I loved our porch for some reason.

I'm half tempted to send this picture to Old Navy where We bought Will's warm outer duds.

One super cool feature of the Nikon D60 is being able to edit a picture moments after taking it. I ran a red filter over this picture and then cropped and rotated it all without my computer. Snazzy, I know.

Yep their sisters and they love each other. I love their rosy cheeks.

Abby was running after Lizzie and throwing snow at her. Her smile says it all to me.