Catching up, Happy B-Day Adam!

I really haven't updated in about forever, but since I had a fun time and had time to blog I decided I would update just a little bit since I was browsing as I was organizing pictures and came across some of Adam's birthday pictures. His cake was pretty much the best cake I have ever made thanks to theidearoom.blogspot.com. I love to look at blogs and they always take me to other blogs and I saw this cake and it just made me happy. So Mom and I made it behind Adam's back (even with him around ;) I had tons of fun making it and eating it. Super yummy. We used a homeade Bonnie Butter cake recipe and although adding in so much food coloring was a little gross, it was fun to see all the colors stacked on top of each other. I had so much fun making it, even if it took practically all day like all of my cooking adventures. Making it was fun, eating it was fun (even if we did have to share each piece) and even cleaning it up was fun. The six layer cake!

Eating the colors of the rainbow

"Taste the Rainbow"

I would have had more pictures but the minute I uploaded them on here they completely lost their quality.

"Do the Chickens Have Large Talons?" N.D.

Today Heidi went back to Logan but before she left we took pictures with our chicks. Of all the animals we have (excluding the dogs and cats) I think I like the chickens the most.

Princess really likes to play ball

Trying to make the chicken give Heidi a 'kiss'

Chasing ducks

Cute

Camera Curious

Fourth of July

Happy Independence Day! It started with a flag raising ceremony at the RV Park at 7:00 a.m. I had watched Inkheart (such an awesome movie) and then afterward stayed up talking with Heidi the night before and was now super tired. After the ceremony there was cinnamon rolls and orange juice and after visiting a while I went home and got completely ready for the day. Then the parade was ready. It was really long but nothing I thought was too fabulous. We get more turnouts for Atomic days than we do for 4th of July.

One of our two floats

An Inchworm that was just looking around on mom's shoulder. We took it off and I put it in the flowers. I wanted to keep it around in a jar but I thought I would probably enjoy it more if it was happy outside

After the parade the day was pretty boring and uneventful. Lunch was good old fashion hotdogs(yuck!) and then everyone crashed. Except Adam, Amberly and me. A bike ride sounded nice because of the great day outside. Amberly and I took the bikes and Adam rode behind us on the four wheeler out to our version of box canyon. There are two different spots we have gone to so far. One is better without water and the one we went to today was fun to jump across all the rocks, avoiding the water as best we could. I wished I was more like Farid on Inkheart who could do practically anything without over thinking it. I had a hard time jumping from rock to rock, afraid I couldn't reach it, or losing my balance and slipping into the manure infested waters. But once I jumped it was easier to do the next few times. Looking at it was hard, but doing was easy. As a storm brewed behind us we decided it was best to head home. Adam and I sang our lungs out and as we were heading up a hill a snap resounded. I looked behind me and the chain on Adam's bike broke. We strapped it to the back of the fourwheeler and Ihad to stand up while driving the next two miles. It was quite the adventure.

The Forces of Hail

For the Fourth of July parade the Mountain Veiw :D Rv park made a float. I had gone in with Cody and as a result of feeding him so he wasn't grumpy we were stuck in the cafe because of a hail storm. There were several piles of it and lots of the hail pieces were the size of marbles. These are the pictures they took at home, I sadly didn't have a camera.

After finally being able to get out to the garage, we put the float together by painting banners and a tp. When most of it was done and Jackie was gone to work we all started goofing off, starting with Adam, of course. We had a broom and a couple sticks which usually results in acting like we can fly them and sword fighting.

Rain, Rain

ƸӜƷ This rain is so fabulous. 15 days in a row! It's so exciting. It reminds me so much of England and green feilds. The feild next to us is nicely growing into tall green plants that make our little valley so beautiful. I'm so grateful for all this moisture and don't care a bit if it rains more. In fact if the sun is shining I get kind of annoyed.

Handcart Trek

ƸӜƷ Last week was the Martin's Cove/ Willie handcart trek. It was absolutely fabulous and the best experience anyone could ever have. The stories you hear, the ancestors you and others research and tell about are enchanting and will stick with you forever.

First off, the ancestor's name that I took was Lucy Simmons Groves. She wasn't in a handcart company but a wagon one. She was in the wagon company with Brigham Young, his last trip across the plains. On the first day they started out, she tried to get off of the wagon, but being weak from having a baby ten days earlier, fell off and the wagon wheel ran over her, breaking three ribs. Her husband was nearby and ran to pull her out before the second wheel went over her but it ended up breaking her leg. They stopped the wagon and Brigham Young came over, set her leg and gave her a blessing. Her children had to take all of her responsibilities and she had to stay in the wagon. As she was almost completely healed, her oldest daughter, Patience, tripped over her leg and rebroke it. The pain was worse than before. While in the wagon, each step the oxen took was a new burst of pain. Her husband finally pulled the wagon out of the train. Brigham Young saw this and stopped everyone, gave another blessing and then cut off the bottom of the poster bed and strapped it to the sides of the wagon. Lucy was able to gently swing back and forth like a hammock.

There are billions of stories out there. Several of the missionaries at the trek knew several stories but only told them if someone asked. If I had the time and new this I would have, but I didn't know.

Everything was beautiful and set a new appreciation for everything that is simple. The wildlife is so peaceful and calm there that they seem to have no cares at all that humans are there and close to them. After the trek I was babysitting and even enjoyed watching the boys play with worms and closely watching ants pick up rocks and move them.

Several experiences await everyone and the outcome is phenomenal, the women's pull, martin's cove, the sweetwater crossing, just being dressed like pioneers...aww... I truly miss it and would jump automatically at the chance to do it again. ƸӜƷ

ƸӜƷLast week there was a rainstorm that was fabulous. As the sun was setting it spread out like melted butter over the valley and decided to light up some beautiful colors in the form of two, perfectly arched, complete rainbows. No matter where I went I couldn't fit the whole thing into the camera, so the pictures I took are only a reminder of what it really looked like. I guess that's better right?