Things my kids say...

On route to St. George, I suggested we sing, commenting how when I was young that's what we did to pass the time in the car. Maryn quickly retorts; "Yes mom. But that was before electronics. Now we have no reason to suffer."

Conner came in to where I was sleeping and proclaimed: "Quick! We need to have our last cuddle!" I asked him why it would be the last. "Because I'll be 12 today and too big to cuddle." I pointed out that's not true. Paul STILL tries to cuddle. "Yeah. But it's not very cute." 

Ashlyn: I want money. How come Maryn has money?
Me: Maryn earned her money. You can earn money. 
Ashlyn: But she's older! I want money to spend!
Me: I put money up for chores all the time. 
Ashlyn: Well, I don't want to do WORK for money.

Me: I'll be back in a minute. I have to go to Walgreen's and get Conner's meds.
Conner: Pick yourself up a candy bar while you're there. You deserve it.

Giving Conner a super short haircut. Which he dislikes. He yells at me as he's running down the hall "You can't shave me if I'm fat!!!" I... uh...

Ashlyn: Can I play with the 2 foam mattresses?
Me: Sure. What are you going to play?
Ashlyn: Sandwiches. 
Me: Ummmm... Okayyyy.

Maryn:"We're supposed to bring long pants unless we go horsing." Uh... I believe it's called riding.

Maryn looks at a box of fruit snacks and asks "What are Ass or Ted fruit snack?" I paused, confused, and then it dawned on me. "Do you mean assorted?" "Oh yes. That makes more sense."

My kids called as we were wrapping up visits to church history sites. 
Conner: Where are you?
Me: Adam-Ondi-Ahman
Conner: You're at Monday Almonds?
Me: No. Adam-Ondi-Ahman
Conner: Oh. Is there a gift shop?
Me: No. Just trees.
Conner: Well if there's treats you should definitely bring us some. 

Maryn: "You know I'm your favorite. Unless... its like in those animal shows. Where the group just makes you think they like you, Then they take you to the edge of a cliff and push you off. Or I'll be like Sid, in Ice Age. I'll just wake up one morning in a tree and wonder where everyone went." 

I wonder if my kids are aware of the fact that I can see all of their selfies on my photo stream...

September Overview

So school is fully back in swing, but we try to still have a few adventures.

I had an adventure in Florida while on a business trip (yet another post because of an abundance of photos). I also went to a piano concert with Colby. It was in the performers home, so very intimate. We then went to dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant and had a wonderful time. September also brought a little GNO action with Tara and Adrienne. We went and listened to a band at a bar, and then got the best burgers in the world before stopping to see Bry at work.

Leg lamp!

Three ladies having fun :) And not getting drunk...at a bar.

Another just me adventure was a surprise visit with a friend from high school, Andrea Bishop. I picked her up from the airport, and took her on the very scenic route to Park City, including a stop at my house to meet my kids and an exploration of the Alpine Loop with a stop at Cascade Springs.

Gorgeous! Wish you were here!

Bridge at Cascade Springs

Approaching the bridge

And the selfie on the bridge

Family adventures also prevailed. We took the chance one Saturday to go to Tibble Fork up American Fork Canyon and went on a hike with Bryant and Bowser.

This is why we hike in Utah.

Squirrel!!!

We found this random shelter.

Ironically, we had just watched Dead Poets Society.

What goes up, must come down. Event when its scary.

Best line of the day; Conner watched Bowser scramble up a steep hill and said "Wow, he's a good climber." I commented that I thought it was because he had claws. Conner said "Well, we have fingernails and farts. One good fart could get you all the way to the top!"

Boys are gross.

It was also fun going in the jeep because it allowed us to climb a dirt road to Silver Lake. Conner is not a fan of steep hills and didn't enjoy it, but the rest of us did.

I call this one "Jeep in a stream"

On one Saturday, we went to a candy store outlet called the "Peppermint Place". We found out you can have lots of different kinds of gummies! Like penguins, and bananas, and even body parts. Conner loved the body parts, especially when the lady helping us said "Now you can give someone the finger without you mom getting mad at you." Yeah. He thought that was pretty funny.

We also had the chance to do a few special things as a family. We all went to a session of a dedication of the remodeled Ogden temple. So we all went for a recommend interview.  Brother Johnson asked all the kids if they believed in Christ as Savior and Redeemer. Conner and Maryn answered in the affirmative, but Ashlyn said "No."I asked her why and she quietly responded "I don't even know what those words mean."

We also went to the baby blessing of Kami (Cameron) Terry's son. We enjoyed chatting with some of Dave's family.

Florida- Coast to Coast

So while Sarah and I were in Florida, we made it a goal to hit each coast. And I am so glad we did! Tuesday night was a quick trip to the gulf and St. Petersburg. Our new friend Bryan from Oklahoma, went with us. I sure am glad Sarah's an extrovert and has the guts to ask people to join us. It was nice to have him along.  We left right after class and made it to the beach right as the sun set.

This view made the drive completely worth it. Isn't it amazing?

We walked along the pier at Fort DeSoto and asked the locals where we should go eat. They suggested PJ's Oyster Bar, and so we made our way to the location.

This is the menu. A lot of the fish was caught fresh that day! They served my soda in a plastic PJ's cup, so I asked for 3 to take home to my monkeys.  

You could write on a dollar bill and staple it to the wall. We did that. That;s George Washington with a guitar. Theoretically.

Here is where we stapled it :) Also notice the paper towels hanging from the ceiling or convenience sake. 

Flounder sandwich, shrimp salad sandwich, and crab legs! And we had "gator bites" for an appetizer. It tasted like chicken. Like tough, chewy, slightly fishy... chicken.

So then Thursday after the final conference luncheon, we headed toward the Atlantic coast. We shit the ocean in Daytona Beach and then took a little state road that followed the shoreline all the way to St. Augustine, the oldest continually occupied city in the USA. There, we saw the Castillo de San Marcos, a pirate museum, and an old street rebuilt to look just like it would have 300 years ago when the Spanish were there.

First, the Castillo;

Sarah and I on one of a series of drawbridges meant to keep the fort safe and impenetrable. 

The outside of the fort with the cannons up against the water. The walls are 16 feet thick at the bottom, tapering to 11 feet thick near the top.

One of the look out posts. It was a little squishy.

The view into the courtyard from the gun deck. The castillo was built in the early 1600's. And it still stands. 

A view of the castillo from across the street. 

Each indivdiual room was an arch with dirt over it for stability. 

The entire thing is made of coquina, a rock made of shells cemented together, St. Augustine is full of it! Its illegal now to harvest it from the ocean since it is so rare.

The inlet an a view of the dry moats.

Next, we enjoyed the pirate museum. Apparently the town was burned by pirates a few time. Being part of the Spanish stronghold made it the frequent victim of English privateers. One invasion brought all 1300 of the towns residents (most of them the families of soldiers) into the walls of the castillo for 50 days of siege. The only hope of those attacking was that they would run out of supplies and give up, because the fort certainly was formidable.

One of 2 original Jolly Rogers! Made in 1850.

Sarah is a little unsure about the friends we are making.

Me at the helm.

Firing off some practice shots...

Then we ventured over to St. George street.

The shops and homes along St, George street representing different eras of colonial St. Augustine. 

The cemetery they had to create after a yellow fever epidemic so non Catholics had a place to be buried. 

Spanish food for dinner. The inside only had oil lamps for light. It was kind of cool. Dark, but cool.

Ice cream! Which I'm sure isn't Spanish or British at all. Very touristy, But very yummy. I also got sea salt caramels for Susan and some fudge for my babies. 

The oldest wooden school house in America.

And finally, our quest for shells led us to go beach combing at night. I'm not going to lie. The ocean is scary in the dark. And it was windy, so the waves were a little more violent than they normally would have been. But we were directed to Vilano beach. And we found PLENTY of shells. There were strips of shells and strips of sand alternating. It made us a little nervous at first, but I ended up loving it, and carried a sweater full of shells back to the car.

I should also probably post a few things from actual Orlando, where we were staying.

The hotel, view from my floor.

The hotel, view from the atrium floor.

Marvel Island block party. Captain America!

And some of the mutants... Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Sarah, Chiara...