No, this is not another post about birds.

This is a model eagles' nest at Hogle Zoo that my babies all fit into perfectly.

We didn't go to the zoo alone. We went with friends we don't see enough: Anisa and her boys B, J and T and Jacinda and F & S. 

 It's not easy to keep eight kids together, but major attractions like a gorilla statue seem to help.

 Ella and I were very fond of the misters located throughout the zoo.

Ella was thrilled to find one that dripped.

Hey Anisa!

For Dane and Brenner, it was like no time had passed. It was also like they had no parents with them. They were the leaders of the day. No child hesitated to follow them around to where ever they might go.

 Hey Bryce!

Of course I'm ending with a bird! Not my fault, since this zoo helper was right at the exit waiting for us.This is a Swainson's Hawk. It was cool to get so close.

I am so impressed with the changes that the zoo is making. I love the new Rocky Shores (arctic) exhibit. That polar bear is a ham! (Did I mention that a portion of this exhibit is inside and air conditioned?!) It was a great visit. So glad we got to do this and sad that our visit had to end so quickly.

We got to go play with the Maynes family at their family cabin over Memorial Day weekend. 

Because of all the crazy wind, we mostly stayed inside, but oh it's a nice inside to be in!

With Angie, I attempted my first card making. Fun! We made a bigger mess than our husbands thought us capable of, but we actually know how to clean up.

Jeff and Cam spent their time talking politics, sports, government, money...and they read a lot.

When we got outside we has s'mores. 

Isn't Chloe adorable?! I can say this because I don't have to clean  up the marshmallow goo off of her 

(and because it's true) ;)

We had a great craft with the kids. We bought large dowels for each of them and they decorated them with feathers, American Indian symbols (which we burned into the wood for them), beads, twine and markers. The kids had a lot of fun with them and no one got hit in the head. Always a good thing...

Yes I was actually there. :)

Jeff and Angie

No one got hit in the head with a sick, but Bryce nearly took my eye out a couple of times.

• you'll want good friends there with you as witnesses to the fact (Rachel, me, Annalisa)

• you hope this person looks like what you think they look like (seriously, how can an author be so cute?)

• you hope they'll look at your camera when you take their picture

• you'll listen intently, gratefully, to every amazing word he says and every story he tells, not only because he's articulate, disarmingly funny and charming, but because he's also Australian and sounds like it

you'll be happy to see old friends again and to rejoice that they get to have this experience too

you'll be flabbergasted that you get to spend just a few minutes with him, watching him sign your books

you hope they won't be fazed by your nervous hero-worship induced state

• you'll be amazed that it was their idea to pose for a picture with you (even though it was against the rules)


• you'll be forever grateful for the people that made it possible

• you may also secretly wish that your friend Annalisa, who is due the next day, will go into labor because that is the only way that this night could possibly be more memorable.

What an amazing blessing to see Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, I am the Messenger and Getting the Girl, to hear him speak of personal stories, writing, creativity, eggs, his experiences as an author, advice and to hear him read from The Book Thief! This evening will be a highlight for my life. Definitely.

I was just curious where I was a year ago. What I was doing and reporting on with this blog...

I was cleaning up my craft room.

Guess what my plans are this week? Yup. Craft room.

It's a joke that this keeps recurring.

I blame Christmas and all my well-intentioned, home-made gifts. Oh well...

I attended little Chloe's baby blessing today. She looked so perfect! Her momma was beautiful and calm as a cucumber...until the opening song...after which she had to say the opening prayer. :D It was a beautiful blessing and a wonderful spirit there. I sure helps that I've met so many members of Angie's extended family. Easy to feel comfortable there.

I'm once again looking forward to the annual Get Down with Scrapbooking charity crop, but this year Anisa is sleeping at my house (no, of course we won't be sleeping) and we're going to get caught up (we is me, Anisa, my mom, Angie and 200 of Angie's relatives) on all the scrapbooking we haven't done this past year...which is a lot!

It's been an insane week. I've been making signs for returning missionaries (not mine) and helping with the jungle background for Ella's Kindergarten operetta. I didn't even know what day it was half the time, I was just going from project to appointment to project. CRAZINESS!

And not a picture to show for all of it.

Anisa and kids came up for this past weekend and we were grateful to spend two hours with them.
We miss our friends, but look forward to the next visit!

TRADITION!In Provo, UT each year we go to America's Freedom Festival. We start the day before 6 AM and arrive for the hot air balloon release. They fill them up all around the spectators. We eat breakfast and the kids wear their pajamas.

This year the Maynes family joined us for our crazy idea of fun. Bryce pretty much sat with them the whole time and awaits the time when Jeff and Angie will formally adopt him. Too bad I like him too much to let that happen.

Next we hit the parade and all that comes with it.

Two crazy monkeys

This was my favorite float

After the parade the kids got their faces painted, patiently waiting in line. My kids had never done face painting (Halloween excepted and then only by me)

Cam and Bryce watching the reptile show The kids were so crazy the whole time so we had a pizza eating contest just so they'd get their lunch down. Dane won by a tiny margin over Lyndsi.

The pieces were huge, as you can see from Sophie's piece.

It was a very full, fun day. And the irony of fireworks? Cam was finally willing to buy them, but we were too exhausted to bother. Happy Independence Day!

I haven't taken the kids to Hogle Zoo for a long time so when Anisa and I wanted to do something during off-track we decided to do this. In the Asian Highlands

They had at least four tigers that we saw. Dane and Bryce LOVE tigers right now.

In the Jungle house
Oh Ella....

"Happiness is getting my way."
We couldn't tear Dane and Brenner away from this large, sneezing elephant.
Joren eating a treat!
Me and Ella
Little baby elephant! Another baby Z to love.

My kids :)
Boarding the train right before we left.

Other than Ella's occasional grumpiness, we had SO MUCH FUN! It was the perfect day: warm but overcast. We saw everything. We didn't even have time to go to the playground area.