National Doctor's Day 2013

To celebrate National Doctor's Day, March 30, I spent the day pointing out to the kids what doctors would consider healthy.
A cheerful attitude is healthy.  Not whining is healthy.  Saying you're sorry and forgiving each other is healthy.
Exercise is healthy.

It is important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Oatmeal is good for your heart.  Carrots are good for your eyes.  Eggs are good for your body, too.
Helping out is healthy.  Having a clean room that is comfortable is also healthy.

Family Home Evening- Say It

Another challenge I got from my friend, Serene's, blog.  Say It.  "Share one thing about each family member that you like, including yourself."
We did this for Family Home Evening one night.  Each person got to take a turn standing on a stool in front of everyone (even the tall guy- it's a good thing we moved the stool or he would have hit his head on the lamp) and we said why we loved that person.  Why do you love Daddy?  Why do you love Nichole?  It couldn't be the same reason as someone else said.  It was fun to see what kinds of different things people came up with.

Even Jr. Jr. contributed with things like, "I love Mommy snuggling," and "I love Daddy hugs."
It's a good reminder to say kind things to each other.

Something on a Stick Day 2013

For Something on a Stick Day, March 28, we had our traditional homemade corn dogs.  This year, Jr. Jr. was able to help.  He could stick popsicle sticks in the hot dogs just like the older kids and liked to dip them in the batter like the older kids, too. 

Earlier, Jr. showed his creativity for the holiday.  The kids and I were on a walk.  The boys picked up sticks off the ground to carry..  When I mentioned to Jr. that today was Something on a Stick Day, he immediately stuck his stick down and rubbed it around in the dirt.  He explained when he picked it up, "Look, Mommy.  It's dirt on a stick."  Love that creativity.

I Finally Opened an Umbrella Indoors

I mentioned on National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day that I might open an umbrella on the anniversary of when Singing in the Rain premiered in New York.  That's what today is, March 27.
And that's what I did this morning before the kids went to school.  I pranced around our living room singing and dancing in the... well, singing that song anyway.

I didn't plan well enough ahead and we didn't have time to go to the library today to check out the movie so we didn't watch Singing in the Rain.  But I sang the song.  I did.
Then Jeremy and the older kids and I had a tickle fight.  That was fun.
It was a good start to the day.

Pooh Sticks Day

March 26 is Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.  Last year we made up lots of holidays for this holiday.  This year Jr. suggested one early on and we went with it.  For dinner he suggested we have fish sticks and call them "pooh sticks."  You already know we are a Winnie the Pooh loving family.  So we had fish sticks.  We added more "pooh sticks" with carrot sticks, cheese sticks, and pretzel sticks.  And we drank water because you can't play Pooh Sticks without water.

Before dinner we planned to go to a park with a stream and a bridge to play Pooh Sticks.  Unfortunately when we got to the park we found there was no water in the stream.  Oh no.

Luckily another park that was sure to have water wasn't far away. 
The last time I was at this park there was still ice on the pond.  Not today.

There was a perfect bridge and stream to play Pooh Sticks there.  The water had just the right swiftness for the game.

 1 2 3 Throw!

 

Look, there's one.

Mine was the first one out.  Hooray!

After dinner and homework, the kids had time to watch "A Day for Eeyore" where the Hundred Acre Wood friends play Pooh Sticks.

This holiday turned out well.

Family Home Evening

For Family Home Evening, we talked about Easter.  Then we decorated Easter eggs... with crayons... again.  We did that two years ago and it was fun.  It was fun to do it again.  It was Jr. Jr.'s first time decorating eggs with crayons and he was actually really good at it.

Everyone did a great job and the eggs all turned out differently.  Lots of fun.

For Family Home Evening Treat, Jeremy made chocolate waffles which we topped with Neopolitan ice cream.  Mmmmmm.  Today, March 25, is International Waffle Day.

It was a good Family Home Evening.

What Drives You Up the Wall?

Is it kids that drive you up the wall?  Is it work?  Is it other things?  For me, it's National Goof Off Day, March 22.
O.K.  So it's more like the door frame than the wall, but you get the idea.

Fragrance Day 2013

It's Fragrance Day, March 21, and most of us in our family have mild colds.  It makes it hard to smell anything.  I think it is affecting my mood, too.  I was grumpy this morning, and for no good reason.
While the older kids were at school and Jr. Jr. was still asleep, Jeremy sent me out for some Me Time.

 Second day of Spring.  Brrrrrrr.

It was a bit colder than last year's Fragrance Day.  I do think the fresh air helped, though.  And the reminder of what a beautiful place we live.

Jeremy told me that North of here got more snow than the two or three flakes we had come down.  I can see what he meant.

South

 North

First Day of Burning Ravioli

Today, March 20, was the first day of Spring.  It was also National Snowman Burning Day.  And National Ravioli Day.

How did you celebrate?

Ert and Bernie in Winter

After our last unsuccessful attempt at decorating a Bert and Ernie cake, we planned to try again in the Winter because of Jr.'s comment, "And if we make another Ert and Bernie cake in Winter, we can name it 'Ert and Bernie in Winter.'" 
Then I forgot about it.  Until last week, when I was looking through my blog and found the post from National Cake Decorating Day.  I realized Spring was coming fast and if I wanted to make Ert and Bernie in Winter, I had better do it soon.  So in the nick of time, since tomorrow is the first day of Spring, we finally decorated the Bert and Ernie cake. 
I mentioned before that I'm not a cake decorator (nor do I want to be; it takes too much patience) so any improvement over the last one is progress.

This was quite an improvement.

I'm glad it turned out as well as it did.  Now I don't have to do another one in Spring.

Eat Two Fruit-e

March 15 was the Ides of March.  For dinner, Jeremy made tortilla bowls to put our salad with "Caesar" dressing.  He made orange "julius"es.  And this year he thought it would be funny if we "ate two fruit-e."  Give it a moment.  Get it?  Get it?  So we had apples and grapes.

Jeremy told me that one of these years we're all going to wear togas to dinner on March 15.

For Tiffany

My friend, Tiffany, had her birthday today.  I told her we'd have apple pie to celebrate her birthday.  Birthday pie for Tiffany.  Unfortunately, I had a meeting tonight and we forgot about doing the pie until it was too late to do it.  The pie was also for Pi Day.  March 14.  3.14
Sorry, Tiffany.

On a lighter note, Spring is on its way here in Utah.  I took some Me Time to go to some parks to enjoy the sun. 

I went to Hill Park to watch the sunrise.  Well, most of the sunrise.  I had to leave before it reached the point I was at, but I got to watch it coming across the valley from the other side of the lake.

I went to Highland Glen Park to watch the ducks and geese on the pond, the somewhat frozen pond.  I said Spring was on its way, not that it's here yet.  We still have some bits of Winter left.

I also went to Carterville Park to enjoy the sunshine and a little walk.

I enjoyed my time out and my husband told me tonight, "I hope today for you was as easy as pie."
Wah Wah.
Happy Pi Day and Happy Tiffany's birthday.

National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day 2013

To celebrate National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day, March 13, Nichole asked me to make umbrellas out of bread dough with seasonings.  So I did.

And guess what.  We didn't open an umbrella indoors today.  Or outdoors.  Maybe we'll save that for celebrating the anniversary of when Singing in the Rain premiered.

Mommy, Look

I'm the Phantom of the Opera.

So Long and Thanks for All the Fish

Google informed us that today, March 11, is Douglas Adams' birthday.  Douglas Adams wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.   

While Jeremy was out, he picked up the movie from the library and some swedish fish from the store.  For Family Home Evening activity and treat we let the kids watch the opening sequence of the movie (big musical number with dolphins) and eat some swedish fish.  Then they told us, “So long and thanks for all the fish,” and we sent them to bed.   

Well, something like that.  There may have been some dancing in there somewhere, too. 

 Then it was our turn to watch the whole movie.

March 11 is also Johnny Appleseed Day and we had certain plans that didn’t work out, but we did have apples with our dinner.

Kenneth Grahame's Birthday

March 7 was Cereal Day.  We ate cereal.  It wasn't too exciting.
But today, March 8, is Kenneth Grahame's birthday.  Kenneth Grahame was the author of The Wind in the The Willows.  And this year marks the 105th anniversary of when The Wind in the Willows was published.
The boys and I went down to the library today and picked up some books.  One of course was The Wind in the Willows.  The edition we checked out had illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard, who as we know was also the illustrator of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. 

Jr. was sweet to take a picture for me.  Then I went into the other room to read The Reluctant Dragon, also written by Kenneth Grahame.  I'll read The Wind in the Willows later.

Happy Dentist's Oreo

In the immortal words of Weird Al...

"I've had a zillion or two
In my life, they're so right
My teeth are all rotted clear through
But who cares? What else am I supposed to do?

Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo
Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, the white stuff
Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo
What's in the middle? The white stuff"


Happy Dentist Day and Happy Birthday to the Oreo Cookie, both on March 6!

Read Across America Day 2013

March 2, Read Across America Day, celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday.  We always eat green eggs and ham for this holiday.  This year I requested them on bagels with cheese.  We used eggs with green shells again. 

After we ate, the kids acted out the book, Green Eggs and Ham, for us.  It was very entertaining.

At bedtime, the older kids got to stay up a little later than usual reading books.

Jr. Jr. got some special one on one time with Daddy who was willing to read him Green Eggs and Ham again.

Service Pigs

March 1 is National Pig Day.  I had ideas of what we could do with it: play Pass the Pigs, read Pig Pigger Piggest by Rick Walton, watch Babe, eat pigs in a blanket.

All we managed to do was eat pigs in a blanket.

The boys and I were able to celebrate another holiday, though.  March 1 is also Share a Smile Day.  Before Nichole came home from school, the boys and I went around delivering smiles to some friends and neighbors.  I printed out notes that said, "March 1st is Share a Smile Day.  We want you to know we're thinking of you and would like to share this smile, too."  Jr. then drew smiley faces on the notes.

It was nice to do that bit of service, sharing smiles, and getting smiles in return.  Of course at a few places, the boys played with the kids while I chatted with the moms.  Fun for all.

After Nichole came home, I took the kids out to Hill Park because the weather was so nice.  March did not come in like a lion this year.  Nichole and Jr. had fun riding their scooters around while I pushed Jr. Jr. in the stroller. 

By the time we got home there wasn't time to do any of those pig-themed activities except the pigs in a blanket.  Jr. did go around snorting like a pig every time someone said the word, "pig" for a while.