Summer Time

I was recently recently reminded that not EVERYONE is on facebook (Gasp!).  I commit to doing a better job of updating our blog!

Summer has started and it seems to be flying by.  I worked "School Days" at Lagoon (local amusement park) this year.  It's 9 days over three weeks that you work while local schools come to Lagoon in May to celebrate the end of the school year.  For doing it, I got paid minimum wage and 5 season passes.  Woot Woot!  I worked on the Sky Ride.  It's basically a ski lift that takes you from the North end of the park to the South end.  Rumor has it that we would walk roughly 15 miles a day, walking back and forth to let guests off the carriers.  I made it through the three weeks, barely!  Had you asked me if it was worth it during that time or the week after, my response would have been a resounding NO!  But now, it is a yes and I do plan to do it next year.  Thank you to my friend Heidi for telling me about it!!  We have enjoyed going to Lagoon and had a couple of  what are now called "Lagoon Thursdays" which were a lot of fun.  We hit Lagoona Beach (their water park) first and after lunch we go on to the rides.  My good friend Amber went with us and the kids love being around her.  So do I.  She is fun and I'm lucky to call her my friend.  Amber and I have "quirky" personalities, however the kids find me embarrassing but not Amber.  I asked Laura why that was, since we did the same things.  Laura's reply?  "Because Amber is cool".  There ya go.  I have to agree, she is cool.  Liz rode wicked (one of their crazy roller coasters) with her hands in the air, the whole way.  Luke went on the new ride that goes upside down and I suffered through the dumbest ride, ever.  The Wild Mouse.  Seriously, stupid.  I think I have whiplash.  But the kids love it.

The kids were with us for the Memorial holiday.  We love to fish and turns out Brigham City (which is 15 minutes North of us) has this pond at a park that they stock with fish.  It has been a fun, quick little fishing spot when we have our spur of the moment fishing adventures and not a lot of time.  Liz did NOT want to go fishing that day, the only thing that was getting her through it was the fact that we were going to Grandma Connee's after to BBQ and swim with Pookie and the Lyon family, and Grandma Connee too!

Liz was bored, so she decided to fish.  And?  She caught the first fish!  HA!  For someone who claims to not like fishing, she is really good at it and has a lot of fun doing it.  Luke has amazing patience when fishing on a lake or pond.  I do not.  I prefer fishing in rivers, there is more to do.  But I'm happy fishing anywhere as a family.  After fishing, we did go down to Connee's to swim and eat.  Paul's friend, Mike, moved here last year with his family to attend school.  Paul and Mike served in the Army together and did one of their tours in Iraq together.  Angie and I became fast friends and her darling 3 year old Mak has become my little BFF.  It was fun swimming and hanging out.

Brandon, Laura and I went to the Bountiful Temple to do Baptisms for the Dead.  It was fun to take her there and introduce her to the people we worked with when Brandon and I were volunteering there washing dishes every other Saturday.  We got to introduce her to the manager of the cafeteria, Maria, and show her the security office and the first aid room.  Laura has what is called a limited recommend, which means she can only be there to do Baptisms for the Dead and can only go in certain parts of the Temple, like the cafeteria.  While there, a couple of women sitting next to me leaned over to me while Brandon was baptizing her and asked if we were there as a family or with a youth group.  When I said we were there as a family, they responded with how cool it is that we brought her.  I clarified that it is Laura who brought us.  Which is true.  Brandon and I love attending the temple but Laura is who asked to go this time.  The two women commented that they were impressed right away by how beautiful Laura is but that they were impressed even more and admired a 12 year old girl who is just as beautiful on the inside.  Lilly wasn't there that time, she was having a sleep over and day with friends.  I have had very similar comments about her when we've been in the temple together.  Lilly and Laura both have a love of the Temple and do not wait to go with their youth group, they go every chance they get.  I am blessed to be their Step Mom.

I found one of Brandon's flys (or is it flies???) in the car.  Thankfully, for him, it was not due to injury.  Charlie is HUGE and loves the back seat of our van.  He is kind of a pain in the van....he has too much room to move around.  But I love taking him places with me.  He has also taken puppy farts to a whole new level!  His training is coming along, I need to focus on it more.  Brandon started a job at Davis Hospital and is loving it.  Yes, he is still full time with WSU and doing Home Health.  He seems to be gone a lot but home a lot too.  This is one of the perks of having a college education and in the Nursing and education fields.  He is able to work these jobs but not be gone ALL THE TIME.

Brandon spoils me.  We went down to Farmington last weekend to get the kids some summer clothes and we spent the day wandering around and grabbing lunch at Harmon's.  The Harmon's in Farmington is AWESOME, we tried a bunch of cheeses (I tried a true stinky cheese and thought I ate mold, I guess technically I did) and got salads and sushi.  We walked around and just enjoyed being together.  I love that he makes that time for me.  I'm not sure I could do it, working three jobs.  I came home from working at Lagoon and was beat.  Maybe I'm married to Superman?  Just an imperfect version?  I state that he is imperfect because I have found that sometimes I come across as though I think things or people are perfect.  They are not.  The honesty, communication, effort, and a marriage and family founded on principles of the Gospel are what makes my life so perfect.  (Just to clarify)

Well, there ya go!  A quick (quick in the sense of me typing and uploading) but long update on our antics!



Also, I find Brandon to be the funniest man ever.  Sometimes, I think I might be the only one who finds him funny, which makes him all that more funnier to me....here is a recent funny moment with him....he tends to like to mess around when in a drive thru.  My apologies to all the fast food employees in Weber and Davis county but I find it hilarious!

My first time at the temple...

Hi this is Laura. I am going to be blogging this time.

  Two Saturdays ago, I got to go do baptisms for the dead for the first time. I was able to pick which temple I wanted to go to. I chose the Salt Lake Temple.
  So that morning, Jill, my dad, Lilly, and I, all got ready to go. On our way there, we had to stop at Bountiful to drop the twins off at Grandma Connee’s. Then we headed to Salt Lake. When we were driving around, we were talking about how there were underground tunnels for the prophet and other people to use. I thought that was pretty cool. We parked underneath the Conference center.
  Then we walked across the street to the temple to do baptisms. We walked in the front doors, and they told us that we had to go to the back of the temple, and find the flagpole. He told us that it would be pretty easy to find. We looked all over the place, and finally found the hidden door. We rang the little doorbell and the door unlocked. We walked in, and down the hall to a man dressed in all white. We showed him our recommends. Then he put a small orange sticker on my jacket. Then we went and got our clothes. Then the man showed us where our dressing rooms were.
  We walked into the dressing room and walked into the little stalls. I took one of the keys and unlocked the locker. I put all my clothes in the locker, and put on my jumpsuit and white socks. Then I pinned the key to my clothes. Then we took a quick bathroom break. The bathroom there was really small. It sort of looked like a spiral. It was really cool. When we were in the hall, Jill was telling me about how when the people built the temple, they put in elevator shafts, and air conditioning vents. They put those in without knowing why.
  Next, we met my dad in the chapel, (waiting area). We told him that we were ready, and we went across the hall to a small room. We were going in to do the confirmations. I was first. A man told me that I was doing four girls from Hungary. They were from the 1800’s. It was really cool to know that. When I sat in the chair, I literally sunk into the chair. It was so soft and squishy. My dad sat behind me and said the prayers. He, and another man, put their hands on my head and my dad started to say the prayers. After each girl that we did, they would lift their hands off my head, and quickly put them back on my head.
  After I was done, Lilly was next, and then Jill went. It was really cool to watch.
  Once we were done, we headed to the baptismal font. My dad had to sit on the opposite side of Me, Lilly, and Jill. When we walked into the room, it felt really peaceful. I asked Jill what the 12 oxen stood for, and she explained it to me.
  As we sat there, I listened to the other people get baptized. Lilly went first, so I could see what she did, and how my dad would do it. When Lilly went into the font, I walked up the stairs and sat in a chair. I took my socks off and waited. When she was done, she walked up some stairs on the opposite side of me, and went into the dressing room. Then it was my turn. The water in the font was really warm. My dad baptized me four times. In front of us was a screen. My dad read what was on the screen. After I was baptized each time, a man would put a check mark in a small box. When I was done, my dad kissed me on the head, and I walked up the stairs to the dressing rooms. We all took a quick shower and got ready to leave. I combed my hair, and Jill blow-dried my hair. Once I was done, I met my dad In the Chapel, (waiting room) and we waited for Lilly and Jill to be done.
  After we left the temple, we went to the New City Creek Mall. After that, we went to Olive Garden.
  It was a really great experience to be able to go to the temple, and I hope I can go back sometime soon.