Hill Aerospace Museum

Last weekend we headed out to the Hill Aerospace Museum.  Carson had been begging us to go there for the past few months and since Jeff finally had a Saturday off, it was the perfect time to go. 

 I think Carson had envisioned it to be a museum full of Army memorabilia, and he was very disappointed when it was "only airplane stuff". 

But a quick trip to the kids center made it all better.  The boys were able to dress up, play in flight simulators, and have some hands on activities that taught them about flying.

Grandma and Grandpa Larsen were in town and went along with us.  Carson ended up walking away from it with a smile on his face, so I think the trip was a success.

The Switch

We've held off as long as we could.  We've squished three kids into the back seat of our cars for almost two years.  We've been an anomaly in Utah, where the birth of a third child usually means you make the switch to a mini-van or suburban. With our fourth little man due to make his appearance in the next few months, we had no choice. We finally had to make the switch.

We feel so blessed at how everything just fell into place for us.  Extra overtime so we could save up money...being able to sell our Yukon...and a posting from my cousin about a mini-van he needed to sell. Sometimes things just seem to work together for you...this was one of those times for us.

And we are so very, very thankful.

Love

My new mothering motto:

LOVE

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,

but have not love--I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,

but have not love--my children learn of cleanliness, not godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.

Love smile at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.

Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.

Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love is present through trials.

Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.

As a mother there is much I must teach my child,

but the greatest of all is ....LOVE.

   - Author Unknown

Taken from A Love the Multiplies by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

Dino Love

My boys have been a little obsessed with dinosaurs lately.  Ok, maybe a lot obsessed.  Especially Jonas.  He LOVES dinosaurs.  So it was only natural for us to take them to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point.

They. were. in . heaven.

We could have spent all day there.

 Jonas and Mason loved this huge funnel that you can drop balls into at the "In-Motion" Exhibit.

Jonas now asks me every few minutes, "Can we go dinosaur museum 'gain?"

We may need to buy a family pass.

Pumpkin Pickin'

The pumpkin patch.  A family tradition most looked forward to by my children.  Last Saturday they waited in not-so-quiet anticipation for Daddy to get home from work so we could go. Once there, we found ourselves trudging through mud (courtesy of the stormy weather we'd had a few days prior) with one cranky little boy (Jonas) who'd fallen asleep in the car and did NOT want to be "waked up".

But once in the pumpkin patch, all thoughts of sleep and crankiness quickly vanish because picking out the perfect pumpkin is serious work.

Fall Fun

 There's no better way to get in the mood for Halloween than to take a trip to Gardner Village! Every year we make it a point to stop by and enjoy the festivities. There are always the cutest displays of pumpkins, hay, and of course, the witches!  The boys always love to go see the witches and try to find ones we've seen before and look for new ones.  This year their favorites included one in an outhouse and one that had crashed into a tree...neither of which I snapped a picture of.  The boys are already asking me when we can go back.

Bring on Halloween.