The Manti Utah Temple

So you are all wondering what those Utah cities and the movie Julie & Julia have in common? Not a lot actually. But to me I hope at the end of one year they do.

So yes, those of you who guessed right, those Utah cities all have an LDS Temple in it. Then what about the movie? Well in the movie a woman named Julie Powell took it upon herself to cook all 524 recipes from Julia Child's French cook book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in under a year, and blog about it.

So I decided I was going to find my own "Project" but was having a hard time trying to decide what to do. I don't like cooking so I wasn't going to cook. Excersize? NO WAY! Cleaning? NO! Do my hair every day? Yeah right!!

Then Branch and I were able to go the the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication last Sunday, and President Monson said that we in Utah are very lucky to be able to have so many temples around us. It kind of hit me. When we were in Dallas we only made it to the temple 3 times. How sad. Now we have so many temples around us. We have been here almost 4 months now and have walked around the Salt Lake Temple once.

So now I am announcing my Julie/Julia Project...

MY TEMPLE TRIP
I am going to be going to all 13 temples in Utah... (Logan, Ogden, Bountiful, Salt Lake City, South Jordan, Draper, Jordan River, American Fork, Vernal, Provo, St. George, Monticello, and Manti).

In a year. Starting soon!

I am then going to blog about my experiences. Its going to be hard especially getting to the St. George, Monticello and Vernal Temple, especially finding child care, and time, and expenses.

I am really excited about this. I really hope to learn a lot about the temple, family, my faith and the reason we are all here.

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To my friends that aren't LDS, please follow this link to learn more about temples and the reason they are so important to me.

Why These Temples by President Gordon B. Hinckley
The Holy Temple by President Boyd K. Packer
History of Temples by Elder James E. Talmage

Also if you want to learn more about the LDS CHURCH please visit the link or leave a question in my comment page. I would love to hear from you .

100th post

Happy 100th post to me!
Happy 100th post to me!
Happy 100th post to me!
HAPPY 100th POST TO ME!
(sung to Happy Birthday off course)

Announcement coming soon...

***No, I am not announcing a pregnancy***

What do these Utah cities (Logan, Ogden, Bountiful, Salt Lake City, South Jordan, Draper, Jordan River, American Fork, Vernal, Provo, St. George, Monticello, and Manti) and the movie Julie & Julia have in common?

I'll let you know later!!

My two bits.

My friend Tera posted a thing on fb and I just wanted to post what I said in response to her post that said.

"is tired and overwhelmed by the continuous amount of CRAP required of a SAHM."

This week has been pretty hard. Little Miss has been teething. This moler has been the worst and her new favorite thing to do is say "NO!" and shake her head. Cute but frustrating. "Can I have a kiss?", "NO!" ....Do you want to change your stinky?", "NO!" ..."Is daddy your favorite?" "NO!" (Ok I haven't asked her that last one)

I always thought I wanted to be a Stay At Home Mom. I always pictured what a great mother and wife I would be and how my house would be in order and have well behaved kids. And then I had Little Miss. And that ALL went out the window! IT IS SO HARD! And she drives me crazy! I can't keep the house clean! And I am gaining weight (people have actually asked if I was expecting)! Which I am not. And I sometimes can't bring myself to get out of the house! And I sometimes think of going back to work!

And then I realize that this is the best thing I have EVER done! EVER! And I hope I am up to the challenge. And I am going to do my best and hope it all turns out for the best because that is all I can do. And I have the worlds best support system. Thank you Branch.

Anyway that is my two bits.

PS- I didn't mention that Tera is preggers and has a 5 years old and an 15 month old, so she is a little tired right now, but she is a wonderful mother and later wrote
"it gets better, but there are still days. I wouldn't give up being home for all the world!"

Top Ten Tuesday:Vacations

My sister in law Julie has started a new post thingy were every Tuesday she is going to have a Top Ten Tuesday, where you list the top 10 on certain topics. Todays is vacations. Now I have been on a lot of vacations. I know I have, I just don't always remember them.

So here you go. Sorry no pictures. I suck I know!

1. Vegas (Jan 2004)
This is were Branch and I went on our honeymoon. Branch had never been so I loved seeing his reaction. We stayed at the Luxor and at Circus Circus. His uncles camera was stolen at The Luxor so Branch spent a lot of time on the phone with the police and insurance company. We were able to visit the temple, eat at a Filapino restaurant, and visit all the cosinos. We haven't been back since but I can't wait to go again.

2. California (don't remember)
This is my first time on an airplane. LOVED IT! We stayed at a nice hotel, went to DisneyLand. Went to Knoxberry Farm, Sea World. This is an especially loved vacation because it was the last time that my family went on a vacation before my parents split. I will always remember it. I will always cherish it.

3. Utah-Panquitch
I consider these vacations. We went to Utah a lot when I was younger to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson. I loved going there. My grandma Metta was one of my favorite people because she made me feel so special. We would always perform shows for her and she would just laugh and laugh. I haven't been there in a while either. I need to go.

4. Utah-Lehi
I loved going to visit my grandparents in Lehi. I wanted to live in Lehi. I was upset when my parents wouldn't move there. My grandparents had a cool drinking fountain in there kitchen, a spiral staircase and a swing set in the backyard. A lot of family on my mothers side lived there, including my cousing Tonya, and we would spend almost every waking second with each other. We seriously need to have a Girls Night Out!

5. Girls Weekend (all of them)
We get together ever year (the girls in my family) and just spend a couple of days together. We relax, we eat, we laugh, we cry. I look forward to it every year. I love that it is growing and we have such a strong bond because of it. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for those girls!

6. Vegas (various)
My mom took us on vacations a lot. But my favorite place that we went was Vegas. It was SOO COOL! And so big. I loved the food. I loved the sounds. I loved the lights. I love the playrooms! So much fun. I onlly have good memories of Vegas.

7. Bear Lake
Believe it or not but I use to go camping a lot and I liked it. Now I don't know how I feel about it. Anyway, my dad took us camping a lot and we went to Bear Lake a lot when I was a kid. We would always stay in the same spot, well almost always. We would stay in the pop up trailer. How we survived with 7 of us in that trailer, I will never know. We would fish, we would take by the camp fire. Liz had a good sleep talking experience once. She started screaming "A BEAR! A BEAR! She stepped on my dads stomach trying to get to the door. "A BEAR! There is a bear in here! A BEAR!" And we always played 31. My favorite game.

8. Utah-(Christmas 2008)
My family is probably wondering why I have added this as one of my favorite vacations. At the it was one of my worst times of my life. I was so sick. 13 days in the hospital proved that. Having to stop breastfeeding Little Miss cold turkey proved that. One Lifeflight, 3 ambulance rides, 3 days in a coma, four ER visits, and two months away from Branch proved that. But it was "the best of times" too. I got to spend so much time with my family and got to see their love for me, for us. They got to help us take care of Little Miss and get to know her in a special way. That time and that love shared I will never EVER forget. THANK YOU ALL. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Ok, that is not 10 and that isn't all of y favorite memories but that is what you are getting tonight. Hope you enjoyed it.

I haven't been out of the house in THREE days. Ok, I have but not really. So I am starting to go a little stir crazy. And I can't find my phone. I need my phone so I can call Branch and tell him to go to Arby's on the way home. They have a free sandwich today an I haven't done much today. **I am a dork, I forgot I plugged in my phone in my room. Stupid battery. All of a sudden it only last about half a day, anyway luckily my MIL was on facebook, so I messaged her and she called me! So I have my phone back. I do feel bad though because the whole time I was wondering what mysterious thing Little Miss did with it! Bad mommy!**

Little Miss has been sick the last couple of days, or as she says "I kick". Poor girl she has thrown up so much in the last couple of days. It has been so sad because other than the throwing up she has been pretty normal. Except she has taken more naps than usual, and longer, and she starts to cry at the things that normally wouldn't phase her. We also missed lunch with grandma grandma and my sisters birthday bbq.

And for anyone who cares. This weeks journal jar question is "What is your quilty pleasure?" Is it chocolate that you don't share, is it reading when you should be cleaning, what is it?