Field Trips

Do you remember elementary school and the fun times you had when you got to go on a field trip? You got to take home a permission slip for your parents to sign. Then you got to pack a lunch in a brown paper sack (I always had hot lunch so this was fun). And then the fun time riding on the bus with your classmates to some random fun place where you didn't have to sit in the class room all day.

Well, now that you've had a trip down your own memory lane of those wonderful class trips, I'm now going to tell you about Oliver's recent ride to the past. His favorite class this semester is Wildland Shrubs. One of the reasons is because they go on field trips. They go on field trips twice a week! To look at plants! He loves plants and the teacher is great, but one of the fun parts is that he's been introduced to some areas around the valley that he never would have been able to find without this class.

So he then takes his family on mini field trips to those places!

This was the Daddy/Son Field trip to Rock Canyon...Evan later got to spend it in the car because he tipped himself over when sitting on the ground as shown, and when he was on Oliver's back, Oliver kept getting attacked.

Here you see Oliver & Ryan near the trailhead up Mt. Timpanogos, cutting a Psuedotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) clipping for his collection.

And this is Evan, trying to be curious like Daddy and play with the leaves of the plants. I think Oliver said this was some sort of maple.

Oliver & Ryan again up a canyon I had never even heard of: Battle Creek Canyon in Pleasant Grove. It has a great view of the valley:

That's Utah Lake, and if you turn to the right you can see the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. And it was very easy to get to. You just head toward the mountain on 200 E. in Pleasant Grove.

We also went up Santaquin Canyon which was gorgeous, but a little too dark to get any pictures. The fall colors are coming out, especially in the higher elevations up these great canyons & Santaquin Canyon made me want to have a bonfire, because someone was camping out and I could smell their campfire mixed in with some strong pine smells.

This class has Oliver really excited and it is so great to see him excited about school again. Plus, I feel like I'm learning with him. He makes me quiz him on the scientific names of these shrubs and the families they are in. For example, the pseudotsuga menziesii is the Douglas Fir and in the Pinaceae family. And some of them sound like a spell from Harry Potter: ericameria nauseosa, symphoricarpos oreophilus, and vaccinium scoparium. (Rabbitbush, mountain snowberry, & grouseberry).

Have fun with those new words to add to your vocab!

Not-a-blog

Oliver has recently stated that the blogs that I like to keep track of from friends as well as this one, are not really blogs, but online family history journals. Instad of focusing on a specific topic and voicing our opinion, we tell stories and post pictures and videos about our family.
I won't deny that's true. In fact, i enjoy that aspect of the "blog." But I'm also stubborn and have to say that most of the blogs I read, while being a way to keep up to date with others' lives, are intertwined with the traditional "blog" that Oliver seems to think is the only true definition. And because I am so stubborn, I actually looked up the definition of blog on dictionary.com which states that a blog is an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page. I also looked at wikipedia which says: Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries.
So while I can understand where Oliver's thoughts were going--wanting to discuss the development of technology from specific purposes to being used by the general public--I just wanted to share my enjoyment of all of those "non-blog" blogs out there. Thanks to everyone who chooses to use the blog format for whatever purposes they choose!

TAG--

Okay, I decided I could do this because my family loves those silly survey emails and I thought-hey, why not do one on my blog. Since I was "tagged" by Kristen, I thought I should probably do it. Here goes!

3 Joys:
1. My boys
2. Photography
3. Laughter

3 Fears:
1. Failure
2. Ruining my children
3. changing myself unknowingly into someone I don't want to be

3 Goals:
1. Reading scriptures daily
2. Get house clean & Evan-proof
3. Developing myself further in an artistic area

3 Obsessions:
1. Blog-stalking!
2. Chocolate
3. Reading

3 Surprising Facts:
1. I don't think any of this is surprising: I've been contemplating getting a master degree(just contemplating).
2. I grew up in an underground house
3. And I have no idea what I'm doing trying to raise children. :)

3 people tagged:
1. Emily
2. Kendra
3. Laura

Our Angel

At this moment, I have 6 tabs at the top of my browser with different websites about Angelman Syndrome and haven't read through half of them. I was going to wait to post until I had more answers, but my beautiful son is still an angel, even if I don't know much about his syndrome. For those who don't know, Evan has officially been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome.


I have been blessed to have a mother who started researching it back in May and has passed a lot of that info on to me. I'm also very blessed to have a brother-in-law who is dating a very intelligent young lady who has a lot of experience and done a lot of scientific research on the syndrome. While I have been grateful to hear the encouraging words from loved ones about how the Lord sends such children to special parents, I am more grateful for the fact that the Lord is a part of our lives and can help me through the day to day living and also give me a better understanding of long term things as well. I'm still very unaware of what is going on and how this will be effecting our lives, but as I learn more, I'm sure I will talk about it.


I am of the mind that I want people to know about it though because I don't want anyone to judge my happy little boy. I know there is no way to prevent human nature, but I am still wary of what will happen as he grows. It is very difficult to teach him and guide him and even discipline him, but we will get there. I hope. Today in Regional Conference, Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy shared some stories of having a brother who had some brain damage and the experience he had with people or other children teasing him. His talk was about treating everyone in this world with respect and without judgment, but it was still interesting to hear since I do have a child who the Angelman Syndrome Foundation refers to as an "Angel." He ended his talk with one of my favorite Primary Songs, "I'll Walk With You."


Because we have a two month old, it is very easy to think Evan is BIG, but the last few days, every time I have looked at him, I am hit with how tiny he is and how angelic and sweet. His beautiful blue eyes seem to look straight through to my heart and his small features just make me want to cuddle with him and protect him.

This is probably a year ago, but his eyes are still bright & innocent.

If you don't walk as most people do,

Some people walk away from you

But I won't, I won't.

If you don't talk as most people do,

Some people talk and laugh at you,

But I won't, I won't.

I'll walk with you, I'll talk with you,

That's how I'll show my love for you.

Jesus walked away from none

He gave His love to everyone

So I will, I will.

Jesus blessed all He could see,

Then turned and said, "Come, follow me,"

And I will, I will.

I'll walk with you, I'll talk with you,

That's how I'll show my love for you.

Pat on the Back

This is titled after my mother-in-law stated that when her kids were little, she'd give herself a pat on the back for the things she accomplished that day "because no one else was going to do it."

So here is my pat on the back to myself. (With a great big thank you to Shayla for helping me begin my day on the right foot).

Way to go--working out this morning at 6am!(pat pat pat)

Way to shower & shave!(pat pat pat)

Way to make scrambled eggs for Evan this morning followed by some cereal and yogurt!(pat pat pat)

Way to wash, dry, hang, fold & put away two loads of laundry!(pat pat pat)

Way to vacuum & edge the living room(pat pat pat)

Way to put away the clean dishes and wash another load of dirty dishes!(pat pat pat)

Way to do some work, clean the sinks, start to clean the microwave, make some lunch & get the boys down for naps!(pat pat pat)

Way to go--sitting through 3 hours of staff meetings/RA class!(pat pat pat)

Way to go to dinner with your family!(pat pat pat)

Way to sit through another nearly 2 hour staff meeting!(pat pat pat)

While that may not sound like very much to some of you, this is like a major achievement for me. I am not as amazing as my mother who can go and go and go and get so much done. We will have to see what happens in the future, to see if I will ever be able to have another day like this(considering after the hour of working out, mylegs are currently saying "Megan, what in the world were you thinking? We're going to make you rethink ever working out again.")

Thank you to Oliver's mom for watching the boys this afternoon while I was at work and Oliver was in class(pat pat pat on Oliver's back).

And I wanted to add one little note of congratulations to my dear "Buttercup" friend.

I love you and wish you luck. Let me know what I can do for you!