Timp Fires

There is a pretty large wildfire that is burning in the hills behind Herriman, Utah.  It was set accidentally by some National Guard soldiers that were practicing with machine guns, and a shot ignited the dry grass by them.  It was so dry that it got too big for them to stop it.  My friend posted this on her Facebook page.  Her friend took it of the Mount Timpanogos temple at night.  He entitled it "Heaven & Hell".  It's beautiful!

I hope the fire is stopped before it gets to any homes.  I will be praying for those families.

Hogle Zoo- The MARATHON post!

All right, walk up o the start line.  Make sure your eyes and fingers are stretched out, warmed up, and ready to do some SERIOUS scrollin'.  This, ladies, is my MARATHON POST!  If you make it to the end, there might be something fun headed your way . . . 

On your mark . . . get seeeeeeeetttttt . . . . GOOOOOOO!!!

I FINALLY MADE IT TO HOGLE ZOO!!!  After 8 years of living in Utah, you'd think that I would have been to the zoo in Salt Lake, but this was the first time I was able to make it up!  Jess and I had wanted to go to the zoo with the kids, and it was such a blast!  We were able to see quite a few interesting creatures, and I LOVED the bird show.  But lets just look at some of my fave moments, shall we?
The Elephants

We went to the Elephant show first, and got to see an adult elephant and a baby elephant do some tricks.  The show was really informative and fun, and the kids kept wanting to stand up to get a better look.  I couldn't believe how BIG those guys are!  They just towered over the ten foot fence.  I just started rethinking my goal of riding one in the future.

The Carousel
I took pictures the first time the kids got on the ride.  They had so much fun!  Just look at the smiles!

Addie didn't want to get off at the end, she was having so much fun.  Even Jessie got to ride one!

The Bird Show:

I have never been to a bird show before, so this was my absolute FAVORITE part!  The birds were just sitting in the trees at first, and then one of the staff came out to spray them with water.  I don't think this guy wanted her to stop:

Oh, and then they had the birds swooping over our heads to get pieces of meat on stumps and things.  It was SO neat!  Addie loved the amazon parrot that was near us.

**Phew!  You've made it to the quarter mark.  GREAT job!  You're starting to work up a sweat, aren't you?**

Then came the biggest eagle I have seen!  They had him go around, picking up meat from stumps and there was one directly in front of us.  I can't remember exactly what type of eagle he was, but he was HUGE!!!

 After this, they brought out a Bald Eagle.  They even had a bird pull a string to unravel the American flag in the background.  So fun!

Then they brought out a donation box and had birds flying around to drop money into the boxes.  I had no idea that birds were so smart!  Braden was brave and handed the bird some money for the box.  He didn't startle or anything!

**Bravo!  You're halfway there!  Check your watch to see how your pace is, grab a cup of water, guzzle it down, and toss the cup over your shoulder.  Keep up the pace, though!  You can DO this!**

The Monkeys:
When we entered the park we kept hearing this loud whooping noise.  Turns out, it was the monkeys and they were having a good old time!  I kind of, maybe, just a little bit, encouraged them by whooping back.  Hey, don't judge me, it was for the kids!

And this one kept coming to the glass to make faces at Addie and Braden.  I only got my camera out in time to snap one picture.  :(

Fun Photo Ops:
We were walking around, and they had a large scale that you could step on.  It listed things at different weights like, "You are as big as a baby elephant", "A flock of geese weighs about this much", "you weigh as much as an adult donkey!", etc.  We wanted to do the scale, but none of us wanted to be the last one off or on.  That way people could tell how much we weighed!  :)  This is us jumping on really quickly:
**Three-quarters of the way done.  This is the home stretch.  Keep those eye and finger muscles moving!**

And then there was the Isenbarger Gorilla family picture.  Too cute!

We capped the day off with another carousel ride (I got him on his favorite- the blue frog.  How great of an aunt am I?!),

 

**ALMOST THERE!**

and an exhibit of scary creatures.  This bird stood like this so long that I thought he was stuffed- then he decided to swoop down to the bottom of his cage and scare everyone.

Last but not least, fruit bats.  They were all snuggled up together in the crook of a tree.  Now if they would just stay up there, I don't have a problem with them.  When they fly around, that is when I put my foot down! 

 It was a great way to spend the day, and I will admit, I fell asleep EARLY that night.  That stuff WORE me out!

WOO HOO!!!  You made it across the finish line!  You can fall off your chair, to the floor, and get your breathing even again.  Make sure to cool down your fingers and eyes, and walk off the fatigue.  I know, it's hard work going through marathon posts like this!  Now, leave a comment on the post saying you finished, and you will get a surprise.  No, really!  I have something for you!

This post is exclusively for Curt & Pooma

That is all. Oh, and check your voicemail.

Fall Means FOOTBALL!

And boy, did I have a day saturated with it!  I woke up this morning, thinking that I would be lucky to watch a highlight or two with all the homework that I should be doing.  And then I went out to the living room and got SUCKED in to the couch!  I literally could not move. 

This is how my day went:
10:30- Illinois vs. Missouri
2:00- eat a quick lunch and watch some highlights for the day
2:30- Jessica comes out and we watch our favorite football movie, Remember the Titans
5:00- Head to Iggy's Sports Grill to watch the BYU vs. Washington game with Jess and Hannah, drink some good Strawberry Daiquiri's with lime, and some yummy potstickers.  Burgers, meh.
9:00- Watch The Blind Side with Jess.  She hadn't ever seen it before.

Could this day GET any better?!  I submit that it cannot!  I love football.  It completes me.  Time for bed so I can get some rest after such a busy and tiring day.  ;)  G'night!

Happy Birthday to my MAMA!

Today is Mom's birthday.  Jess and I were able to call a little earlier in the day, since we were headed to Lagoon for some fun.  She informed us that she was going to a bridal shower, and then might be going out for dinner.

I immediately thought, 'WHAT?!  My Mom deserves a better day than that!', but then I found out that she was headed to Outback (it's her own personal Disneyland- she LOVES their croutons), and I knew she was going to be all good.  Great food and family, it doesn't get much better than that.

I'm sad I couldn't spend the day with you, Mom.  I love you and hope you have a GREAT time tonight!  Eat some of those amazing croutons for me, all right?

lAgOoN aWaRdS!

Ok, so it's no Six Flags, but I had a lot of fun today.  Best of all . . . it was FREE!  Jessica's office took their employees and their friends to Lagoon today.  We got there early so we could get on the rides while there were relatively small lines, and rode every roller coaster in that park that didn't involve spinning (we both get sick, and didn't feel like hurling in an amusement park).   So here are the awards to sum up the day:

BEST ROLLER COASTER
My favorite would have to be the Spider, since your car moved around with the motion of the coaster, so there was a little spinning, but it wasn't enough to make you sick.  It was cool to be facing forward at one moment and then backwards the next.  Nice work, Lagoon!

BEST WATER RIDE
Better than the 24-second long Log Flume Ride, the winner is definitely Rattlesnake Rapids.  It's that water ride where you are in the big yellow boats and you go under waterfalls, over rapids, and under bridges.  My favorite part had to be the fact that Jess and I really wanted to go on the ride, but we didn't want to get wet, so we kept moving seats as the ride progressed.  At one point, Jess even hit her bum on the railing while trying to avoid the rapids.  I haven't seen the bruise, but she says there is a small one there.  Nice.

WORST RIDE
Hands down, this had to be the Terroride.  Now, I don't usually like to be scared, but I know Jess likes the thrill, so I agreed to go.  I didn't need to worry.  Jess and I rode the entire ride without screaming once.  No, really.  Even when the ride takes you to a completely black room and all of a sudden you see car lights and a loud horn beeps. . . we got nothing.  And the ride took approximately 20 seconds to go through.  Yeah, when the ride was over, Jess and I quickly agreed that it was uber lame, but we wouldn't let people know it.  So as the doors swung open, we hooted, high-fived, and hollered like it was the greatest ride ever.  And no one called our bluff.  Ha!

WORST PAIN FROM A RIDE
For Jess, it was the Rattlesnake Rapids ride, but for me, it was the twisting and jerking that my head and back got on the stupid Mouse Trap ride.  The car takes you to the top of the ride, where you are flung from side to side through a course of hairpin turns.  I am surprised that Jessica wasn't squashed from my being thrown against her.  Yeah, my back is hurting me a bit!

BIGGEST LOSS OF BREATH
This came from a ride that took you to the top of a 50-foot tower, with nothing but a seat strapping you to the ride, and a heart-stopping sudden free fall where you are bounced up and down a few times.  The worst part was not knowing when the ride was going to drop you the fifty feet.  Jess and I agree that the one that shoots you straight up was better.  You at least had your heart remain where it should be instead of catapulting to your throat.


BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME
Even though the Mouse Trap ride was the worst, this award goes to the fabulous ride, The Bat.  Jess and I were able to walk onto the ride with no wait, and that should have clued us in.  It's one of those rides that you sit in a seat and a bar secures you in, but your feet hang loose.  We had a laugh at the sign that let us know that if we put our feet up on the seats in front of us, our legs would break off and go through our necks.  Nice.  And then we embarked on a 15-second ride that left us wondering, "was that REALLY IT?!"  We literally asked that twice when we pulled into the station again.  I think we went over one 10 foot hill and the rest was just on a flat track.  Biggest waste of time, ever.

It was fun to get to go to Lagoon on someone elses dollar, but I think my next park will have to be Disneyland.  That place is FUN!

Final grades are in!

And guess who has a 4.0 for the first time in a REALLY long time?! I think Elle Woods said it best in Legally Blonde. Yeah, that's right. I'll say it again.

"ME!!!"

I feel pretty darn good right now.  Now if I can only keep the ball rolling through the Fall.  And for my reward?  Jessie and I are headed to see B.O.B, Jason DeRulo, Iyaz, and Auburn in October!  Woo hoo!  Tix went on sale today and we got a killer deal.

YAY FOR GOOD GRADES!!!

With all the weddings going on in my family . . .

I had a friend post this on her blog.  This will be what my parents, and my sibling and their spouses are doing when they are married for 62 years.  Enjoy!

Reality Check

So, I'm not sure if there is something in the water where I live, if I'm just an old fart that remembers things better in her old age, or I have turned into a geek, but I'm doing really well in my classes this semester.  I was kind of reveling in the grades that I received on the recent tests in both classes, and feeling smug that a girl had the highest score in my math class.  Then someone in my math class stabbed me with the red-hot poker of reality.  He simply said,

"Yeah, well we are in a class that 9th graders take."

Balloon (aka my head)- deflated.  I completely shrank inside.  And outside a little bit.  My shoulders hunched over and I felt my stomach bottom out.  9th graders take the math class that I am in right now.  A 14 year-old child.  Pffff.

Then I remembered that a 99.8% is still a high A.  And it's higher than his grade.

Take THAT, you pessimistic peon!  Hyah!