Audrey and Volcanoes

Our playdough was needing to be made into some kind of fun creation. We added a couple of dinosaurs to our volcano and got started.

Oh, the anticipation

Jonah mixed the vinegar and food coloring

and we had an explosion on our hands

We had to do it again, and

again, and
again,
We put dinos on the rim to see if they could survive the blast

Miraculously, they stayed in tact on the top.

We only had to re-erupt this about 8 times. My sister said they went through 2 huge jugs of vinegar when she did it at her preschool class.

My sister is the best. If you haven't already checked out her fun blog, Bella and Peikna, do it. She and her best friend post great ideas about everything. I saw this activity she did about Volcanoes. The instructions can be found HERE . If this looks intense as an activity, I assure you, it is not. It really did not take long to construct the volcano or erupt it. It was really fun.

I figured it really was our only option on V day. Right?

Jonah is Lucky!

Jonah got to go with Gma and Gpa to a family reunion. He was the lone child that got to go on this little trip. Matt couldn't get off work and my little brother had something he had to do, so the rest of us stayed here. Jonah is old enough and responsible enough, that I felt he could be trusted and that he would obey. They rented a truck, loaded everything up and left us to go camping for a few days! Have fun!

A Fun Tag- I did this last night

I am: Mary Ann Murray
I think: it is an injustice the way women are treated in Saudi Arabia
I know: I am lucky to be a citizen of the United States
I want: to change all the inequality in the world and make it a safe, happy place for
every human being
I have: 3 great kids
I miss: trees, green, humidity, my in-laws, relatives, friends, southern accents,
friendly waves when you do something nice in traffic
I fear: that there are too many uneducated people in the world
I feel: content and happy
I hear: the fan blowing in the bathroom
I smell: the soup and cornbread I made for dinner
I crave: exercise
I search: the internet for couer ala cream and blueberry buttercream
I wonder: why so many people are unhappy and prejudiced
I regret: sleeping in this morning
I love: creating in the kitchen, my sweet husband, my kids' kisses and hugs, a good
book, warm air and sun, sweating, running
I care: about people alot, maybe too much :)
I always: want people to feel accepted and loved for who they are, exactly, right now at
this moment
I am not: crazy
I believe: that someday I will understand why the world works the way it does and it
won't make me mad
I dance: when no one is watching me
I sing: at the top of my lungs, when I am alone in my car
I don't always: wash my face before I go to bed, but I hardly ever wear makeup, so
maybe it doesn't matter?
I write: to vent the feelings and thoughts that I should probably never actually say
I win: at whatever I do or I get upset, sometimes
I lose: sleep when I am too busy thinking about things
I never: ever, want to go bungee jumping
I listen: to people sincerely when they are talking to me
I can usually be found: in the kitchen, playing with my kids, outside, or on the
computer
I am scared: people won't like me, sometimes
I need: to get over it and stop worrying what people think about me
I am happy about: my life


Thanks to Katie for this tag, not that she tagged me, but she said anyone who wanted to could try it, so,- try it, it is kinda fun and interesting!

Savannah is a Monkey

Here she is carefully planning her next acrobatic achievement. Now, she is putting her plan into action.

That must have been a little bit stressful. She looks relieved that it is finally over.
Here we go again!

Happy 4th of July

I will keep this short because I could go on forever about how blessed I am and how lucky I feel to live here, so HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Have fun and laugh. Enjoy your family and friends because we are truly blessed!

Struggles

It just seems like so many people are suffering or struggling right now. Everywhere I turn or every blog I read it seems that a friend or the friend/family of a friend has suffered the loss of a child, friend, family member or that some other kind of intense struggle is going on. It just blows me away the things that people are dealing with. But these are only the visible struggles or ones that are on the surface for everyone to see. I know that many of us struggle deep down inside and no one knows about it. We keep it inside and struggle alone.
Also in a world where tragedy and fear are everywhere, it seems that life and the future is so uncertain. Will we even be able to drive in a few months or will gas prices be so high that we will have to stay at home? Will food run out? Will everyone lose their jobs? Is the world on the brink of a crisis so large that we will suffer extinction? Don't even get me started on wars and the threat of enemies. There is still so much injustice and so many horrible things happening around the globe. There are so many questions and sometimes it seems like there aren't answers that are satisfying.
But then, with so many questions, so much tragedy and hurt, so many crises, why do I feel so at peace? Why do I not fear the future and the situations at hand?
It is because I have hope in what my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ have promised me. I have hope and firmly believe that this earth life is not the only thing that matters for us. I know that there is always a reason to hope and believe that things will turn for the better and that everything will work out the way that it should.
I know who I really am and I know that I am not alone in my struggles.
My heart still aches with those who are experiencing pain and struggle, but I know that all is not lost. I weep with those who are troubled and in the darkest night of their lives, but I will never forget something that I heard Jeffrey R. Holland say at a meeting in Macon, Georgia. He said "although it may be the darkest night and there is no end in sight, It will not be 3 am forever. The morning will come. The light will come. There is always hope because the morning will come."
I have faith and hope that the morning will come and hope that we can all feel peace through the troubled times and struggles that lay ahead.

P Day- An Alphabet Update

We started out P day with the most amazing pancakes, Lemon Lovers' Ricotta Pancakes with Quick Blueberry Sauce.
Really, they were delicious! We spent a little time playing the piano, and Savannah was singing and rocking her baby to Ryanne's tune


We went to a park or playground

Had a picnic with PB&H sandwiches and pretzels (among other things)
Some of us were pooped and passed out with ponies
We saw an emu (totally unrelated to P, but it isn't an everyday occurance)
Peered at Pretty Ponies

Pretended to be a Pet Parrot
Partied at Deseret Peak Pool


And finished it off with Paperdoll Princesses

It was a good day. Thanks to my bros for playing with us!

Pickles

Today Jonah informed me that his teacher told him, if he drank pickle juice, mosquitoes wouldn't bite him. He took this advice to heart, but first had to get rid of all the pickles. He had a little help and then he drank the juice. All of it.