These Are For You!

Jeremy:  These are for you.
Kristin:  But it's not Just Because Day.  That was earlier this week.  It's not Be Late for Something Day.  That's next week.
Jeremy:  What's the holiday today?
Kristin:  National Toasted Marshmallow Day.
Jeremy:  You're my toasted marshmallow.
Kristin:  Awwww.

(Later)
Kristin (talking to Lucky):  Your daddy loves me.  He brought me flowers.  Because I'm his toasted marshmallow.
Jeremy:  Yep.  I love her s'more every day.
Kristin:  Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Photo Shoot!

August 26 is National Toilet Paper Day.  It is also National Dog Day.
Here's how I celebrated:

I guess I could let the kids play, too.  That would be the nice thing to do.

FHE Treat- Banana Splits

August 25 is National Banana Split Day.  Yeah, it wasn't hard to convince Jr. Jr. what we should have for Family Home Evening Treat.  He was in charge of the treat this week.

He was a little confused when I took half a banana, split it open, and said, "Here you go.  A banana split."  Especially since the ice cream was right there on the table.  He handled it well, though.  I could tell he was about to fuss then he composed himself and asked, "Can I have ice cream, too?"
What a cutie.
He did get the ice cream and toppings on his split banana.

National Waffle Day 2014

Time to celebrate National Waffle Day, August 24, with some waffles and homemade raspberry jam.

Thanks, Banks family, for the delicious raspberry jam.  Mmmm Mmmm.

Dancing

August 23 is Gene Kelly's birthday.  Great day for grabbing a partner or an umbrella (we did both) and dancing.

A Is For Angel

We had a little friend over for most of the day today, so I put out art paper for her and Jr. Jr. to draw and color.  We talked about different things that start with "A."  A is for "all" sorts of things. 

A is for "art."  Besides the coloring, I let the kids do an art project I did with Jr. Jr. a couple years ago.

Since the bags were closed up and taped, I let Lucky create a painting, too.

 A is for "apple."  We had apple slices with our lunch.

A is for "angel."  August 22 is Be an Angel Day.  Those little kids were angels and helped me make muffins.

The older kids were angels, too, helping out while I was making dinner.  I was an angel today, too, doing nice things for my family and our friends.

Fighter Jets and Service

You know when you have plans or at least ideas of what you want to do to celebrate a certain holiday then it just doesn't work out?  Yeah, that happens to me sometimes, too.  I had one of those days the other day.  I had ideas of how to celebrate National Aviation Day, August 19.  I was going to go shopping earlier in the day so after school I could make paper airplanes with the kids.  It was going to be great.  I took a nap instead.  It was great.  I ran out of time to go shopping so after school, we all made a trip to go grocery shopping and picked up some supplies for last minute celebrating.  So instead of making paper airplanes we had honey roasted peanuts like you might find as a snack on an airplane and we had gummi fighter jets.  I didn't know they made those but we found them while looking at the bulk section in Winco.  Hooray.

August 19 was also World Humanitarian Day.  A friend of mine made me aware of it and made me think of humanitarian work my children were involved in through a program called Serving with Smiles.  They had the opportunity to put together projects to be taken to different places throughout the world.  They'd make blankets, toys, school kits, hygiene kits, and other things to help people who might not have access to some of those things.  After working on the projects for a little while, a guest speaker would talk to them about what would be done with those items they made or put together.
We didn't do any humanitarian work for people across the world that day, but last minute Jeremy volunteered to help our new neighbor move in.  He made some calls and got a few more people to help, too.  Of course service is great to do anytime.

So I don't always end up doing what I plan for holidays.  I also planned to write a blog post that night.  As you can tell that didn't happen.  So you get it today.  And while I'm at it, I can tell you that August 20 was National Radio Day.  Nichole got to listen to the radio on her MP3 player and after most of the kids were in bed, Jeremy and I got a little mini date.  He stopped by Wendy's on his way home from work to get us a treat and we ate it while watching the movie, Radioland Murders (for the holiday).  Just the two of us... and Lucky, who eventually fell asleep.  Then it was just the two of us... until I got tired and fell asleep.

Bad Poetry Day 2014

Here's my poem this year:

Pick an object.
Write a bad poem.
Pick an object.
Write a bad poem.
Pick an object.
Write a bad poem
About it.


Here's Jeremy's:

My bad poem is called "Oink"
*Long pause*
And it goes like this...
*Long Pause*
Oink

Catch of the Day

Help!  I'm being conquered by balloons!

A Golden Evening

August 16th is National Tell a Joke Day.  Jeremy checked out a joke book from the library and we were telling jokes throughout the day.

The best part of the day was no joke, though.
This evening we got to celebrate my aunt and uncle's Golden Wedding Anniversary.  That's right.  50 years they've been married.  That really is something nowadays.  A lot of marriages don't seem to last that long (mine will, and longer, just like my aunt and uncle).  It was beautiful to see so much support for my aunt and uncle.  Big family get together.  Most of my cousins were there.
Since my aunt and uncle have made a lot of quilts during their life together, that was the theme for the evening.  There were dozens of quilts (that they'd made) around the room.  It brought back good feelings from my childhood to see some of them. 

Jeremy was asked to make a quilt out of balloons for the celebration.  It had a big golden 50 in the middle and was popular for photos.

Once again I was able to get pictures of Lucky and me with a couple of my cousins and their babies.  One set was different this time.  So don't be confused if the cousin and baby look different than last time I got pictures like that.  There's a reason.  Four of us had babies within 6 months of each other and we're not always around each other at the same time.

Lucky's expression isn't nearly as cheerful in this picture as last time.  Oh well.  He's still cute.

After the event was over, the balloon quilt was taken down and the grandkids of my aunt and uncle got under it like... a quilt.  It was fun to see the adults trying to get pictures of all the kids under it and the whole quilt.

Jeremy saw the kids lying there and commented, "Sorry I didn't make balloon pillows."  Ha Ha Ha.  National Tell a Joke Day, right?

It was a golden evening.

This is My Life

I go into my room to relax on my bed.  After all, August 15th is National Relaxation Day.  And what do I see?  A large balloon AT-AT taking up space.

Yep.  This is my life.

National Creamsicle Day 2014

We had Family Home Evening this evening.  For our activity we went to Thanksgiving Point... for the third day in a row.  Except this time it was all of us that went and this time we didn't go to the Gardens.  We went to Farm Country!

We timed it so we could be there when a cow was being milked.  Nichole and Jr. each got a turn milking her.

For our treat we had Creamies since August 14 is National Creamsicle Day.  We told the kids it was appropriate since they are made from milk which comes from... "COWS!"  Just like they got to milk.

It was a good Family Home Evening.

P.S.  Jr. needed a haircut so he got one before we went.

 Before and After

Oh What Do You Do In The Summertime...

...When all the world is green?

Today I was able to take all the kids to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens.  We made it just in time for Story Time in the visitor's center.  The lady read the book, "The Bugliest Bug."  Then the kids were able to color bug crowns and look and hold real bugs.  They all went outside to watch a dragonfly be released into the gardens.  They named it "Copter" before it flew away.
My kids and I had a good time walking around the gardens.  Since yesterday the boys got to pick activities to do, today I let Nichole pick which gardens we visited.
We had fun.  I love my kids.

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday: since it was Tuesday, there were a lot more people at the gardens.  Every Tuesday in August, Thanksgiving Point does $2 Tuesdays for their venues- The Museum of Ancient Life, the Museum of Natural Curiosity, Farm Country, and the Gardens.  It was a good thing Lucky and I weren't going to go to the Museum of Natural Curiosity.  As we drove passed, I could see the line to get in.  It was soooooo long.  At the Gardens, we only had to wait for a few people.

Middle Child's Day 2014

Last year we had one middle child when we celebrated Middle Child's Day, August 12.  This year we have two middle children.
Jr. and Jr. Jr. got to take turns picking activities to do throughout the day.  Playing games and watching movies...  Jr. got to go on a special outing with Daddy this morning and Jr. Jr. got to pick the bedtime book for me to read to the kids tonight.
Even though it was Middle Child's Day, Lucky and I went out to get some fresh air at Thanksgiving Point Gardens.
Lucky slept in the stroller while I saw flowers and birds.
Can you spot the birds in these two photos?

Happy celebrating with middle, oldest, or youngest children.

This Little Piggy

It's Wiggle Your Toes Day, August 6.  What a great day to play "This little piggy went to market" with a little guy who loves it.