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Justin had a couple days off work and we wanted to go somewhere. We had planned on going camping, but the weather lately has been a bit unpredictable. So the next obvious place to go? Vernal, of course! Really, it had been a long time since we had been able to visit with Justin's grandparents so we took the opportunity to do just that. The only times we had ever visited his grandparents was when we went with everybody else so it was great to have some one-on-one time with them.
We started our 3-hour-drive Sunday afternoon around nap-time, although Molly didn't sleep at all (that was okay) and Stockton only slept for about 40 minutes. I ended up squeezed in the back seat between two car seats. Fun times! With only about 20 minutes left, I caved in and let Stockton gnaw on a Red Vine. He enjoyed it, if you can't tell.
We stayed at Grandma Fletcher's house in Vernal. She has plenty of space for all of us. The kids even got their own rooms (Molly loved the pink room), separate from Justin and I (the port-a-crib barely squeezed into the sewing room) so we all got a couple of good night's sleep, something that I don't usually plan on while we're on vacation.
The next morning was cold and windy but we braved the weather and headed to the Vernal temple, were we made one quick round around the grounds. Beautiful.
We also walked around the cemetery. This is Grandpa Fletcher, Justin's grandpa. Both Justin and Stockton have his same middle name, Ray.
We went back to Grandma's for lunch, a nap for boy, and a movie for girl.
We had told Molly that we would take her to this Dinosaur Museum but when Stockton finally woke up (why can't he sleep like that at home?) it was closed. So we made a spur-of-the-moment decision and went to Steinaker Reservoir. Justin had packed his and Molly's fishing poles, just in case. Good thing he did-first cast out and they caught a fish!
We only stayed here long enough to let the fish go, throw some rocks in the water, and get sand blown into our eyes and hair and everywhere else.
After getting the kids to bed that night, Justin, Grandma Fletcher, and I stayed up late reading some family history books and listening to some of Grandma's stories. Stories like how Grandma and Grandpa got married two weeks after he got home from his mission because they thought he was going to be shipped off to war; stories about Grandpa and his years being Sheriff; and stories about her sleeping in a boxcar when she went to California to visit Grandpa who was in the army (I think she even had a small baby, someone correct me if I'm wrong).
The next day we got up and headed to the Dinosaur Museum, since we had promised Molly the night before. It was pretty neat; well, at least Molly enjoyed it. She ran around everywhere saying "Dad/Mom, you gotta come see this." The good thing about being there on a Tuesday morning was that we were pretty much the only ones there.
I tried to get a picture of the kids with Grandma before we left that morning but she was still in her pajamas and said no. But we couldn't leave until she gave Molly a doll from her collection and an old sweatshirt that I said would fit Molly because it's a size 3T. I have no idea how old it is but it will great for camping next week!
We left the Museum and drove out to Tridell, where Grandma and Grandpa Goodrich live. Grandpa wasn't there when we first got there-he was out working in the fields. Yup, he turns 91 next month and he still spends most of his days working on the farm or fixing an old vehicle. I think the highlight for Justin was going out on the tractor with his Granddad and picking up rocks. When they got back, Molly got a ride on the tractor too.
This is one of the fields in their backyard. Pretty view.
Grandma was great. She made a huge meal for us, although she kept forgetting to put out some of the side dishes. She also made about 4 different types of vegetables because she forgot that she had already made some. But when Molly said she wanted to go outside and show Grandma how fast she could run, Grandma started jogging with her. She's 87!
Grandma and Grandpa Goodrich are just good, honest, hard-working people. When Grandpa came in for dinner he gave Grandma a hug and said, "If you try to be like Grandma then you'll sure have a lot of shoes to fill." Or something like that. And Grandma got all embarrassed and said, "Don't say things like that, you'll embarrass me" and gave Grandpa a little squeeze around the middle.
I took a picture of their one-car-garage because there is a lot of history surrounding it. 
They lived in the garage for 3 years while they waited for their current house to be built. Them and their 4 kids! (They had 3 more kids after they moved into the house.) Grandma got struck by lightning while she was cooking dinner outside one night but because of the rubber soles on her shoes and the cast-iron pan in her hand, she was only knocked out and scraped up.
Grandpa also had some great stories...like how he remembers as a kid driving the buggy into Vernal and it took 2 days; or when his dad was the first person in Tridell to get a Model T Ford; or when he was driving somewhere one day as an adult (it was for a job, although I can't remember what the job was-I missed that part) and picked up a hitchhiker who really turned out to be a fugitive who had just escaped from jail.
A picture with Grandma and Grandpa, notice Grandpa's still in his coveralls.
Like I said, it was great to visit with them one-on-one. Molly was also a great age to go...she wasn't shy or nervous around the grandparents. She talked and talked with them like they were her best friends. And I think that they were happy to see us too!
Now before anyone gets too impressed, let me just say that I only ran the last leg of the relay...a mere 3 miles. To some of you serious runners, this is just a warm-up. I was a little bit embarrassed to hear "Congratulations!" and "Good job!" especially when you compare what I ran to those who ran half and full marathons. But it was fun just to be there. Who knows, maybe next year I'll get serious about my training and go for a half. But that's a BIG maybe!
My cheering squad. Although they missed me actually crossing the finish line-Molly chose that very time to have to go to the bathroom.
After Molly saw me in my race and heard that her cousin Ben was going to be in a race, she wanted her chance to race too. They have a kids race, a 1K, so we signed her up. She was so excited! Before the race I looked over and saw Molly stretching out. No one told her to, she told me she was just getting ready for her race.
During the race she had lots of fun. She didn't run the whole way (she is only 3), but would alternate between jogging and walking. Since she looks at her feet while she runs, she ran in a zig-zag pattern and almost crashed into a few other kids/strollers. Good thing I was there!
After the race, she was so proud of herself. She kept saying "We beat everybody!" or "I beat the race!" She got a T-shirt, a cow-bell, a granola bar, and some apple juice for running.
**Erin, if/when you read this, can you please e-mail me your pictures? Thanks!**
At preschool graduation, April 2010
Molly's Favorites, according to her...
Food: Pineapple
Treat: Chocolate
Thing to do outside: Play soccer
Thing to do inside: Play blocks
Thing to play with Stockton: Tickle him, play "Tag, your it," play blocks
Book: Five Little Ducklings
Thing to wear: Dresses
Thing about Dad: I love him and he plays with me
Toy: Stickers
Color: Purple and pink
Thing for dinner: Rice
Friend: Mommy
Movie: The Princess and the Frog
TV show: Super Why
Song: Like there's a song in Hercules that Meg goes, "Ahhh," and then walks away.
Prophet: President Monson, Adam and Eve
Princess: Sleeping Beauty
Thing to do with Mom: Our activity
Thing about your room: Because it's so cute
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Molly's been drawing a lot lately. She likes to draw a picture of something or someone and have me guess what it is. Some of the hints that she gives, in her words...
It can hop, has a pouch, and lives in a zoo...Kangaroo
Lives with Molly and Megan...Stockton
Crawls on the floor, you're scared of it...Spider
Old, in a library book...Strega Nona
Old, came to Strega Nona's house...Big Anthony
Thought the pasta pot wasn't magic...the townspeople
(Okay, if you've never read the children's book "Strega Nona" you'll have no idea what she's talking about. Go get it from the library, it's a great book. Both Justin and I have read it numerous times.)
A monkey...Curious George
Someone who is Molly's friend and lives with ponies...Chloe
Molly's friend, lives with Grace, Ben, and Bryce...Abby
Goes to work and smiles...Dad
Born in September...Molly
Makes Sleeping Beauty fall into a deep sleep...Maleficent
Rescues Snow White from a deep sleep...Prince!
What we carve at Halloween...pumpkin
* * * * *
If I wasn't careful, I could go about my day just cleaning and getting "things" done. Just so that I don't do that, Molly and I made an "activity box." We decorated a formula can and I filled it with various activities that we can do together. As soon as Stockton lays down for his afternoon nap, Molly draws an activity out of the box and we do whatever it says. We've made crafts, played blocks, put together puzzles, made treats, etc. We've even acted out a few of her favorite books. It has become her favorite part of the day. And it's helped me to stop and spend some one-on-one time with my favorite girl. I love her.
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You may wonder why I let her do this each day. It sure makes a lot of laundry, right? Well, I used to not let her and then I changed my mind. It just wasn't worth the battle. And it sure is fun to see what she's going to wear next!
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You may wonder why I let her do this each day. It sure makes a lot of laundry, right? Well, I used to not let her and then I changed my mind. It just wasn't worth the battle. And it sure is fun to see what she's going to wear next!
