Ebull Tiddy

What a weird cat!
Though, I don't know which is funnier.....Nico thinking Ronald washes his hair in cat nip or Brigham trying so hard to get in the picture.

Gymnastics vs. Gateway

 Tricia has season passes to The University of Utah gymnastic meets and thought it would be a great way to get some Okies together.  So the Emro and Bishop families came down from Idaho and it was time to have some fun!  Here are some of the kids dancing with Reece while waiting for everyone to arrive.  I think Tricia ended up having 23 people in her house!

 Feeding 23 people is...well...THANK GOODNESS FOR LITTLE CEASER'S $5 PIZZA! 

 Gymnastics tends to be a girly thing so as you can imagine, the men weren't going!  They ended up taking some of the little ones and the boys to a place called Jungle Jims.  I haven't been there but David said it is like one of those small town carnivals; only in a building.  As you can imagine, the boys had nothing but praise to say about the place when I asked them about it later!  

So the rest of us headed for the meet, only to find out we were there 24 hours early!  Honestly, I am not that into gymnastics....I just wanted to be with my friends.  We took 2 vehicles and by the time we got to the university, my head was killing because I was laughing so much!  So I wasn't disappointed that we weren't going to the championships.  We decided to head to the Gateway and shop.  I am not a huge shopper either but once again, I knew it would be a blast with these girls!

We laughed and laughed and I went home knowing that I have been blessed with the best group of friends.  I am still very close to my high school and college friends as well as these Okie friends and I couldn't be happier with how they all treat me and love me.

Becky said something last night that has had me thinking all day today.  She said, "It is all about the kids."  Of course, she and I know the importance of the gospel and our husbands and so much more but I guess you had to be a part of our conversation to understand.  I keep thinking about different parts of my married life and how at some points it really was all about my husband and kids.  Those were joyous times.  They truly were.  Then there were times when it was the last thing I wanted or tried to think about and guess what?  They were horrid times!  It is amazing what attitudes and hormones can do to a person!  The last time I lived in Utah, I can say there were times that I HATED living here.  Yet, here I am 3 years later and couldn't be at a more peaceful time in my life.  

Hormones and Attitudes........I should stitch that on a pillow.

Beehive Tea Room

For my birthday, Christine took me out for lunch at the Beehive Tea Room in Salt Lake City.  I love that she wanted to go someplace girly and different.  She doesn't have any kids but is married so is always around a boy and well, we know my boy situation.......we both needed this!  

I am not quite sure how this place stays in business, honestly.  It is memorable and unique but it is very small, so it can't cater to many people.  Not a big deal if it was fast food, I would think, but this place is specifically for people who want to stay and chat.  So the small amount of customers that they can attend to takes up space for quite some time. The specialty drinks are brought out somewhat quickly but you wait for quite some time for the food....again, leaving time to talk.  It was perfect!

It was all so good but my favorite had to be the Italian cream soda.  I know Christine from my Idaho days and she was actually with me there when I had my first Italian cream soda.  It has always felt like a special treat every since.  So much so today, that when it was time for dessert, I just couldn't do it.  

My favorite quote for today came out of Christine's mouth.  We were talking about something but got distracted.  Once I realized that we never finished our previous conversation she said, "We got distracted by the deliciousness!"

Gardner Village

Gardner Village, in West Jordan, is this cluster of stores (furniture, crafts, candy, toy, baby...) set around this old mill that was built in the 1800's.  This mill has been turned into a restaurant and shop and has the neatest feel to it.  For my birthday, Tricia wanted to take me here along with her mother and Sofie.  Tricia was running late and Hyrum and I were really hungry, so instead of shopping first I called Tricia and asked her to just meet us in Archibald's Restaurant.  Tricia's tendency to be late couldn't have been more perfect!  

Because I was sitting down opposite of where they were coming in, I couldn't see a certain visitor that was coming with them.  They sat down, a few minutes passed by and then all of a sudden, Rose Bass popped out of nowhere and said, "Hey, can I join this party?!"  Oh my goodness, I just started crying!  

You have to understand how much this lady means to me.  We are not as close as we used to be but she was instrumental in knowing my worth during my teenage years.  I loved her so much and she was so involved in my life that I used to call her my "Best Adult Friend."  She was my mom's age but I didn't care.  She was so fun to be around that even my closest friends from high school loved her (mainly Valerie and Pounce).  I have been working on a scrapbook for myself this past week.  It is from birth through high school and sure enough, she is in so many of my pictures and memories, so she has been close to my heart lately.....

This is getting off subject but so many have been close to my heart lately.  Putting together this scrapbook has really made me realize just how many people sacrificed so much for me growing up.  My parents were so young when they had me (15 &17) and yet they stayed together all these years.  Hollywood couples can't even last months together, sometimes, and they have every material possession they could want.  I bring that up because so many marriages fall apart because of the stress of finances.  Yet, my parents really had nothing.  I am truly grateful that they let the Lord guide them to work things out....

My Grandparents have been on my mind a lot lately also.  Reading all these journal entries to put in my scrapbook reminded me just how involved they always were, both financially and physically.  My grandmother has always felt like another mother to me and I love her so much for that....

I have been so weepy lately......just like this picture.....

Ok, so lets stop crying now....some of these shops are restored cabins.  They are nestled around ponds, bridges, ducks.....it is just the neatest place!

Hyrum and Sofie were so cute together yesterday!  At one point I called for Hyrum.  Sofie corrected me with, "His name is DAD!"  So here is Dad, Mom, and baby Ryder......sooooooo sweet!  Ryder is the name of the Bishop's boy (from Oklahoma, now living in Idaho) that they used to play with.  She also convince Hyrum to push the stroller.....but this next picture was all of Hyrum's doing!

We found some jewelry in one of the shops and I wanted Sofie to try some on for some pictures.  We found some huge rings and I'm sure they reminded Hyrum of the plastic rings that are always on those birthday cupcakes that you get at Wal-Mart.  So he started blingin' out!  So I thought, I bet if I get Sofie to try on these scarfs, Hyrum will want to do the same and then I can drive my husband nuts with a picture of my son dressing up like a drag queen.  hehehehehehehehehe....it didn't take long!  Hyrum is going to hate me in a few years for this picture!

Brazilian Feast

The last time that we lived in Utah, I heard about these all you can eat meat restaurants.  All I knew about these restaurants was that they served weird stuff like alligator and snake, along with regular meat, and that you ate as much as you wanted.  Every man's dream, right?  Actually, even some girls that I know.  Well, I am not a huge meat fan.  I have always said that if the Word of Wisdom said "No Meat" instead of eating meat "sparingly" that I would be just fine with that.  Its not that I am all worried about killing animals, I just don't care that much for meat.  In fact there is some that I actually can't stand.  Now fish....that is a different story.  LOVE fish!  

As much as I didn't care to go to one of these restaurants, I did want David to go however.  But they are kinda pricey.  Well, a few weeks ago some friends of ours told us about Tucanos Brazilian Grill and how they pretty much only go on their birthdays because it is free.  So with my birthday coming up next week, David and I headed to Salt Lake.

David was in meat heaven!  You get all you want at the salad bar and wait at your table for the meat.  You have this peice of wood with one side colored red (stop) and the other green (more please!).  Ours was green side up pretty much the whole time.

 They had cooked collard greens at the salad bar.  I have always wanted to try them so what the heck!  I took a bite, was grossed out, but paused for a picture.  It seemed like it took forever for David to take this picture while I still had the collard greens in my mouth!  I'm hoping that the Brazilian way of fixing collard greens is different from the African American way that I have always heard so many southerners talk about.

 So the oddest thing they brought out was chicken hearts.  David wasn't exactly too thrilled to try this but I figure if this boy can willingly try opossum, he can try chicken heart for a picture!

Yeah, he was pretty grossed out but that didn't stop his meat feast.  I think he maybe took one bite out of his salad.  :)   David is not one to ever stuff his self full of anything but I think he got pretty close today.

Mother Nature

Growing up in Oklahoma, often what first comes to mind when the month of March comes along is the beginning of tornado season.  It is scary to me to think of the differences of tornado seasons growing up and tornado seasons now.  I can remember knowing that if you were in a trailer during a tornado, there was a good chance you were going to be hurt and maybe killed.  But after last May and what we saw of the destruction that occurred way to close to home, I know things have gotten worse.  I think one can still be very safe in an underground cellar/shelter but I remember growing up and knowing that you could go in the middle of the house or a bathroom and still be safe.  After Joplin, however, that was proof that those people had no where to go and not even the middle of the house was safe.  

As you can imagine, I am so grateful to not be in the Midwest right now.  I have heard plenty of times, of lately, people wondering why anyone would live in a place like Oklahoma.  Everyone here seems to know exactly why we moved but can't understand whatever possessed us to live there in the first place.  It is kind of humorous to me.  I know plenty of family and friends back home who would get ruffled up by those comments and questions.  When you ask someone from the Midwest they usually respond with, "Well, it's a whole lot better than earthquakes and hurricanes!"  Moving around so much, I think it is all funny.  I know from growing up there that you just get used to it, so sure....it doesn't seem as bad as the unknown like a hurricane.  But after moving around so much and realizing that every region is SO different, well, you just can't outrun Mother Nature.  I personally love where we are, climate wise.  I will take a pounding of snow any day, compared to the rest.  But does that mean I am really safe?  This area is on a fault line and many say it will strike one day.  Am I prepared?  Mother Nature has really made me think a lot lately and I am trying my hardest to make sure my family is prepared. 

But in the meantime.....

We are enjoying our snow!

I can't seem to break from the internet news (Fox) lately with seeing how everyone in the Midwest is doing.  This has been my favorite picture so far.  I think it was taken in Harrisburg, IL.  

You have to have humor in times like these!