Treehouse Museum

It's rare that I get strokes of genius.

My brain just doesn't function that expertly.

But one day, I came across an idea...one that had been percolating quietly in my head and I didn't even realize it.

Quite a while ago, I went to the Ogden Treehouse Museum with my sister, Rose, and her two children.

We had a blast.

Her kids were in heaven. So was I. And the idea was born.

Why not do something fun for Isaac that he or his parents or his grandparents might enjoy?

Why not see if there were memberships available for the Ogden Treehouse Museum?

A few clicks later I discovered that there were, indeed, memberships available for children AND they happened to be on sale!

I quickly purchased a one year membership and called Kalie.

Oh the excitement!

We took Isaac there, set him down on the floor and let go of his little hand.

He took off on a dead run...straight for the train tables.



There are so many fun things to do while you are there.

I think that children find it refreshing that they can touch everything there, run wherever they like and no one tells them NO!

My personal favorite room is the music room. They have drums and xylophones and other instruments that children can experiment playing with.

It is a cacophony for your ears, but a total delight for your heart.

I loved watching Isaac crawl through the log.


There is a room that has a table full of castle pieces, horses, knights, princesses and trees that would spark the imagination of any person.


So if you are looking for something interesting for your young children to do this summer, try the Ogden Treehouse Museum!

And make sure that you finish your visit with a trip to the Farr Better Ice Cream shop for a cone.

Yogi and his adventure with the vet

Being a dog owner has introduced me to all sorts of new experiences.

For example:

I am a little psychotic about Yogi being alone too long. If I am going to be gone for more than 4-5 hours I get a babysitter.

I know!

It's ridiculous!

But it's worth my peace of mind.

I have also learned about things like brushing dog's teeth (which I have done once), taking them for walks, feeding them the most nutritious food possible (Isaac's crumbs), finding out that they like the most comfortable blankets in the house, and taking them to the vet.

One day my neighbor told me about how she gives her dog heartworm medicine. I got all nervous and asked what that was. She explained that it is a monthly medication that you give your dog to prevent worms from growing in their hearts.

Yipes!

Does that really happen?

So I dutifully took my dog to the vet.

He was a very good dog.

He got a shot and didn't move.

He got medicine up his nose. He did move for that...he hated it.

And he got some blood drawn to test for heartworm disease.

When he was done, he scuttled across the table as fast as he could into the safety of my arms. He was not going to be poked and prodded anymore if he could help it.

I had to wait until the next day to find out if he had heartworm disease. I was a little worried. After all, he had never been on heartworm medication to my knowledge.

The phone call finally came:

No heartworm disease!

I was so relieved.

Now all I have to do is remember to give him his medicine once a month.

It's About Time...or is it?

I did it.

I finally succumbed.

I opened a Facebook account.

I have always been a little rebellious when it comes to Facebook. I just didn't want to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else, nor did I want to do something that would give me MORE opportunity to spend time on the computer.

I spend far too much time on this thing as it is.

However.

You cannot have a Pinterest account unless you have a Facebook account. And I wanted to have a Pinterest account.

They get you coming and going these days.

Hence, the grand opening of Marciea's page!

Since then I have received a flurry of friend requests.

My goodness, I didn't know I had so many friends!

But.

In case you are hoping for minute by minute updates from this girl, it ain't gonna happen.

You will just have to get updates HERE!!

It's far more exciting anyway!

Beans and Cornbread

Do you have Pioneer Woman's first cookbook?

Did you see the episode on the Food Network when PW made Beans and Cornbread when her kids went camping with their grandma?

Well, it inspired me.

Why not try beans and cornbread? It's got to be good if PW makes it, right?

So I threw some beans in a pot with a little bacon and started boiling away.

Her recipe calls for 2-3 hours of boiling time.

Three hours later it was dinner time. I whipped up the cornbread, pulled the beans off the stove and relished in my amazingness. I was feeling AWESOME!

Well, the beans were hard, and the cornbread was flat and overdone.

It was the saddest, sorriest meal ever!

The Mr. said that it was pretty good, but I think he was just being kind.


It definitely did NOT look like this!

Yesterday, I had a determination to try this recipe again and do it right this time.

I started much earlier in the day.

I added 8 strips of cooked bacon, 1/2 of a chopped onion, a Tablespoon of taco seasoning and salt and pepper.

I let it cook for 7 hours.

Then I made cornbread, carefully this time, checking to make sure each ingredient was present and accounted for.

In the process, I discovered I had left out a couple of ingredients the last time I made it. No wonder it looked and tasted like death!

Once again, with great anticipation, I pulled the beans off the stove, got the cornbread out of the oven and presented it to my brave husband.

I had a little bowl of Cotija cheese to sprinkle on top of the beans and we began eating what might possibly be one of my favorite bean meals I have ever eaten.

The heavenly choirs were singing above.

I didn't want to stop. Those beans were to die for, the cornbread was fluffy with the best texture and this little girl was happy.

Absent...again...in the mind

Yes. I did it again.

Yesterday I was getting a delicious bowl of frosted wheat bites for breakfast.

I grabbed the gallon jug of liquid and poured it in.

And that liquid was orange juice.

What I didn't realize at that instant was that I had already poured in the required allotment of milk.

Ahhh, is this what I have to look forward to?

Forgetfulness?

Insanity?

Have you ever tried orange flavored milk with frosted wheat bites?

It's a little weird.

29...and counting

Where were you 29 years ago?

Were you alive?

Were you contemplating what to have for dinner?

I'll tell you where I was.

I was in the Logan Temple getting ready to be married.

I remember kneeling across the altar looking at my best friend and future husband and I was SO excited!

I couldn't believe I was there, surrounded by family and gazing into Boyd's deep, brown eyes.

And so began my life as a Mrs.

One degree, 2 moves, 4 children, 2 children-in-law, 1 grandchild and numerous experiences later, I am amazed that life passes so quickly.

Wasn't it just a few years ago when we learned we were going to have our first baby?

Surely it can't be 24 years since Boyd graduated from Utah State and we moved from Cache Valley and embarked on a journey away from family...in the far away land of Salt Lake City.

And can it be possible that we are still in our starter home 20 years later? And that I love it so much I have no desire to move?

Yes, it IS possible and I am here as living proof.

Marriage, with all of its ups and downs, is a wonderful life experience, jam-packed with more happiness than I ever thought possible and more challenges than I thought I could handle.

Would I do it again?

YES!

Boyd, here's to 29 more.

Victoria's Secret

I went in to Victoria's Secret on Saturday. I had a coupon for a free pair of panties for Alyssa.

While there I thought I might look at some bras they had on sale.

The salesperson measured me right there...out in the open, gave me a couple of bras and then told me to go try them on.

There was a 7 person wait to get into a fitting room.

When I finally got into a fitting room, I put that bra on and I saw the most disturbing sight.

I had skin hanging over the side of the bra.

I have NEVER had skin hang over before.

I told the salesperson that I thought the bra was too small.

She told me that is how they are supposed to fit and gave me a box full of bras the same size to see if any of them felt better.

EVERY ONE of them fit the same way.

TERRIBLE!!

I was so frustrated that I just left the store after getting Alyssa's unmentionables.

Checking all of my bras at home, none of them fit like those stupid bras at Victoria's Secret.

Not sure if I should ever go back.