We were at Grandpa Scott & Grandma Kris's house the other day with all the cousins. Not everyone is looking at me, but, no one is crying!

This week while Trav's home we are visiting different places close to home for our family vacation. On Monday we went to Hogle Zoo. We haven't been since Caleb was Brooke's size. There are a lot of things that are different at the zoo since we were there last. And, they are adding a huge section onto the zoo. We will have to visit again next summer to see the new addition to the zoo.

We got to see the baby elephant:

The dinosaurs that they use to have in a special section you had to pay extra to see are now spread throughout the zoo. They also have some fossils and fun things about dinosaurs in one of the bldgs. This is a giant fossilized footprint:

This is how everyone should do the zoo:

After we left the zoo we went down to The Gateway. We had dinner at the food court before heading over to the Planetarium. Travis hasn't been there since we went on our honeymoon. They are in a different bldg now than they were then. The kids haven't ever been to the planetarium before. I've been a few times on school field trips. The kids loved this contraption:

My boys on the moon:

The kids on Mars:

We watched the Led Zepplin laser show while we were there. I wouldn't recommend going to the laser show. They didn't use the lasers much. The laser show Trav & I saw when we visited on our honeymoon was much better than the one we saw this time. The IMAX shows are awesome. I've seen those when I've been with the school. Brooke loved the laser show because of all the lights and sound. The boys got bored pretty quick. Trav was disappointed because of the lack of lasers. Sam was kind of indifferent. I thought it was ok.

Tuesday we stayed home because the kids had summer camp & Nash had an appointment. Tuesday night Travis & Nash went into Logan to rent movies from Hastings. Sam & Brooke & Caleb & I went down to my mom's house. Brooke put her feet in the pool for the first time:

On Wednesday we went down to Ogden to the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park. This park is amazing! I would definitely recommend taking your kids here. Don't skimp out on seeing what's inside the bldg. In fact, go in there first! It's better than outside in my opinion. There are lots of huge dinosaur fossil skeletons. Here's the wooly mammoth:

If you pay a little extra you can let your kids excavate for polished rocks, cut a geode open or pan for gold. Sam & Nash chose to excavate for rocks (Caleb helped) and Caleb opened up a geode. His geode is awesome. I need to get a picture of it. They were all thrilled with their rocks though.

Some of the fossils:

Outside there are tons of dinosaurs placed throughout the park (8 acres). They don't move or anything, but they look quite life like:

They had quite a few of this cutouts for photo opportunities:

This dinosaur fossil is left in the rock because it's got gold in the rock as well. Not sure if it's fools gold or actual gold - I didn't get a chance to read the whole placard:

The Flinstones!

This one of Caleb cracks me up:

World's Most Dangerous Creature:

Brooke did the dinosaur park the same way she did the zoo:

There's this sandbox that has fossils in it that the kids can excavate. This little boy came up and started talking to Sam. She told me when we left that he told her he liked her. She was like, "He doesn't even know me!"

After leaving the dinosaur park, we went to Sandy to The Living Planet Aquarium. It was better than I thought it would be:

We stayed home today so Travis could study for his finals. We'll be home tomorrow because Travis has to take a test & we are celebrating Caleb's birthday tomorrow night. I've got to get that Diego cake made!

45 Lessons

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .


"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is
he most requested column I've ever written.


My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents
will. Stay in touch.


5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is
all about.


14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry ; God never
blinks.


16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to
you and no one else.


20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an
answer.


21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save
it for a special occasion. Today is special.


22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this
matter?'


27. Always choose life: YOURS

28. Forgive everyone everything. .but if you can't , put them away so they can
no longer hurt you.


29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or
didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab
ours back.


41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Friends are the family you choose.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."