Proud of My Girl

I mentioned yesterday how Jeremy was setting up Nichole's science fair project, right?
Well, back in November, the 5th graders were assigned to put together a science fair project for school.  Nichole and her friend decided to be partners.  Nichole had this idea after watching Jr. participate in his first pinewood derby to see what kinds of wood sand better and does it make a difference if the wood is wet or not.  Her partner was fine with that.
So these girls worked hard on their project, researching different kinds of wood, different kinds of sandpaper (including some that are waterproof- I didn't know there was waterproof sandpaper before they did this project).  And they definitely worked hard on sanding those pieces of wood.

So after the 5th grade science fair was done, they found that one of Nichole's classmates had his project picked to go on to the district level science fair.  He did his project on music and what instrument makes people feel the happiest when they listen to it.  Good job, kid.  Since we've known that little boy and his family for years, I made sure to check out his project at the school science fair.  It was fun to hear him tell about his project.
Now, back to my daughter and her friend.  We found out later that the school could send more projects to the district science fair and Nichole and her friend's project was picked to go on.  How fun.

At the district science fair, Nichole and her friend got to present their project again.  At the end of the evening, they announced who would get to continue on to the Central Utah Stem Fair.  Their musical friend was one who was announced.  At the very end, there were only three people left to announce.  Nichole and her friend were two of those.  Jeremy went with Nichole that night and said that she was looking less and less hopeful as her name wasn't announced and then perked up when they announced a "group project" from her elementary school toward the very end.  They were very happy to be picked to go on to the next level.  They were also very happy to get medals.

So yesterday, Jeremy went down to BYU to set up the girls' science fair board and pick up T-shirts for them and cinch bags with coupons in them.
This morning, the girls didn't have to go to school.  Instead, Nichole, her friend, her friend's mom, and I headed to BYU.  Well, that's where I went to college so I guess they did go to school today.
I made sure while we were there to take pictures of Nichole juggling since the science fair was in a building Jeremy and I had done juggling shows when we were in college.  Like mother (and father), like daughter.

It was a neat day.  The girls did a great job.  They didn't win any awards or advance this time but I think it was a good experience for them.

We did find out that Nichole's classmate's musical project did win an award.  I just checked facebook and his mom said he won 1st place for his science project for state.  Woohoo.
Nichole and I did not go to the award's ceremony.  Nichole had already been asked to join several 5th graders at the school district board meeting this evening, playing their recorders for everyone there.  So that's where we went.  Those seven kids did a good job.  It was neat to see them play what they had been practicing.  Apparently the kids could earn different "belts" (kind of like for karate) based on songs they memorized.  So Nichole is a black belt in the recorder.

I'm proud of my daughter.  I'm proud of her for practicing her recorder and learning so many songs.  I'm proud of her for developing her juggling talent.  I'm proud of her for working hard on her science fair project with her friend and making it so far in the fairs.  I'm especially proud that when she learned that her other friend won the state science fair, she was excited and happy for him.  I'm proud of my girl.

A Branch Is a Stick, Right?

Something on a Stick Day, March 28.  Jeremy was invited today to go into someone's yard to take pictures of a Western Screech-Owl roosting in her tree.  I guess word is getting around about our new hobby.

We wanted to do some birding anyway, looking for birds sitting on sticks for the holiday.  A branch counts as a stick, right?
We were also going to make corn dogs for dinner, but Jeremy was out setting up Nichole's science fair project (more on that later) and didn't get back in time.  So plans changed and we made pigs in a blanket with toothpicks stuck in them.  Something on a stick.

Nobody complained about dinner again.

Easter

Yesterday evening at dinner the kids asked Jeremy to tell them a story.  So he started telling them a true story.  It was a story about Jesus and the last days of His life on Earth.  He told them about His suffering and crucifixion and burial.
Tonight at dinner, Jeremy continued the story.  He told of Christ's resurrection and appearances to His friends and apostles and how He visited the Nephites in the Americas.  He reminded us of some things we need to do to be like Jesus.
Jesus Christ lives.  He loves us.  We can be like Him.  We can be happy.

What a great Easter story.  What a great message to share as a family.  What a great family we have.

P.S.  Lucky helped make deviled eggs for dinner.

Kick Back and Relax After a Big Day Day

It's been a long day.  Nichole had her dance performance this afternoon so there was a lot of getting ready for that in the morning.  Jeremy took her down to rehearsal while I took the boys shopping to get some last minute things for her.
The performance was fun.  Lots of great dances.  We were surprised to find out that Nichole's class did a Bollywood style dance.  I guess that's what happens when we go birding during dance class instead of staying in the house where the studio is.  We don't see the dance practice or hear the music.
We loved the dance performance today.

Once again proud of our little girl.  But she's not so little.  She's almost as tall as I am.

This afternoon when we got home, Nichole mentioned that it was Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.  I mentioned that we probably wouldn't celebrate it this year because of being busy.  Then she suggested it could be Kick Back and Relax Day since she and I were going to watch the General Women's Broadcast at home while eating brownies this evening.  I mentioned we had a big day so we didn't relax much.  So together we decided the holiday would be Kick Back and Relax After a Big Day Day.

Thanks to my daughter, we celebrated Kick Back and Relax After a Big Day Day on March 26, otherwise known as Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.
I don't know how much Jeremy kicked back and relaxed, though.  While Nichole and I relaxed on the couch watching the broadcast, Jeremy took the boys in to watch a movie in our room.
When it was over, we all enjoyed some brownies and ice cream.  Ahh, nice ending to a long but great day.

One of Those Busy Days

Jr. Jr. has been in need of a Mommy-Jr. Jr. date so we scheduled one for today.  We went out to a park, fed the ducks, played on the playground, and played in the sand.  Jr. Jr. had me getting my exercise by making pits in the sand and instructing me to jump over the pits and run around to certain areas.

 

 

At one point, Daddy and Lucky crashed our date.  O.K.  They didn't actually crash our date.  They were out doing there own outing and after they went to a different park to feed the ducks there, they came to the park we were at.  Jr. Jr. enjoyed having Lucky there to play on the playground with him for a while.  Lucky continued to play on the playground while Jr. Jr. and I had a snack and Daddy watched Lucky and took pictures of birds... and us.

After a while, Daddy and Lucky went home and Jr. Jr. and I stayed at the park for a while longer.  It was fun.

Then this afternoon, Nichole and Jr. both came home from school with medals and trophies.  They both competed in this year's Battle of the Books.  Nichole's team won 2nd place for 5th and 6th graders and Jr.'s team won 1st place for 3rd and 4th graders (Nichole has a 1st place trophy from when her team won in 3rd grade).

This evening after having our dinner of waffles (since March 25 is International Waffle Day), we all went to see a movie at the elementary school.  They were showing the newest Chipmunk movie so we had a nice family movie night at the school.  They had concessions there, too, so Daddy got the kids popcorn and capri suns.  That was a fun activity and all the kids did a good job while we were there (including the 2-year old).  Yay.

It was quite a day.
And now we have so much more going on this weekend and next week.  Busy Busy.  Wish us luck.

I Forgot to Mention

I forgot to mention that on St. Patrick's Day, I was going to cut up carrots to go along with dinner and Jr. suggested I cut them into carrot coins like gold coins for the holiday.

I did.

Snow and Goofing Off

Yesterday, March 22 was World Water Day.  It rained and snowed.

It was also National Goof Off Day.  So after dinner, we made sure everyone just got to do whatever they wanted.

Play Minecraft

Play Chess

 

Watch Studio C

And today, March 23, is Near Miss Day, so I think we're going to play some Battleship.

National Fragrance Day 2016

Happy Fragrance Day!  

What happy smells are you experiencing?

Being Sick is No Fun

Sigh.  We're finally getting over sickness in our home.  We'd been going through it for quite a while.  I was sick for a couple days, thought I was better then got sick with the same thing again.  What?  Sigh.
Now I'm finally going to blog about some of the good things we've been doing between bouts of sickness.
So... let's start from where we left off (before St. Patrick's Day).  Wednesday, March 2, was Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss' Birthday) and also Silly Putty's Birthday.  For dinner, we had green eggs and ham breakfast burritos and then the kids played with silly putty.

Jeremy had a show in Fillmore that day so he stopped by Delta on his way home where snow geese were stopping by during their migration.

Thursday, March 3, was I Want You to Be Happy Day.  Birding makes my happy.  Driving around the lake makes me happy.  Nature makes me happy.  We decided to go out for a drive around the lake to look at birds like we did on February 3.  We didn't make it all the way around the lake.  There were so many birds out that day (including some turkeys crossing the road).  It was awesome.

We did stop at Lincoln Beach so I could go down near the lake to get pictures of killdeer and so Lucky could get out with Daddy to stretch his legs.

There were actually snow geese flying around the area while we were there so it was great to get to see them since some of us were sick when we were all going to make a trip down to Delta.

Monday, March 7, was National Cereal Day.  It was also a day off of school so we headed up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge with Nichole's friend again.  It's migrating time for tundra swans so we got to see so many on the water.

We saw lots of other birds of course and we had a good time.  The kids got to take turns with my binoculars while Jeremy and I took turns with the camera.  The visitor's center was closed so we just drove the auto loop.  In the van we ate granola bars which are made with cereal.
We did have a little bit of running around outside time when we needed bathroom breaks.  The kids enjoyed that.

Friday, March 11, I got out for some fresh air and alone time.  I went to Highland Glen Park to search for the elusive spotted towhee.  This is our first year knowing what a spotted towhee is and it was actually the first bird I saw through my binoculars on Bird Day back at the beginning of January.  Every time we try to get pictures or video, though, it's either hiding in brush where we can't see it very well or it's flying off just as we turn the camera on to film it.  Like this picture:

So Friday I waited very patiently and it paid off.  A spotted towhee came into a good view for me to get pictures.  Hooray!

Jeremy took a wildlife photography class on Saturday, March 12 then went out photographing wildlife (well, birds, you know).  The class was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, but the visitor's center with walking trails was open this time, so he was able to do birding not just from the car, but also walking around.

Sunday, March 13, was Open an Umbrella Indoors Day.

Monday, March 14, was Pi Day.  We had chicken pot pie for dinner but I didn't take a picture.
We had to Beware the Ides of March on Tuesday, the 15th.  Actually, we didn't beware it.  We celebrated it by drinking orange juliuses and eating caesar salad.

While Nichole and Jeremy worked on a school project that evening, the boys and I went to cub scout pack meeting.  It was a carnival theme that the 9 year olds were in charge of.

I made it through most of the day without realizing I wasn't wearing green on March 17, St. Patrick's Day.  The kids and Jeremy all dressed in green and I didn't realize until Nichole and Jr. both pinched me after school (gently) that I wasn't wearing green.  It's pretty funny since green is my color and I have so many pieces of clothing that have green on them.  Oh, well.  We went for a drive earlier that day to scout out some more birding places.  There are so many places.

 
Saturday, March 19, was Poultry Day.  Jeremy had a show over near Roosevelt so on the way back he got to do some birding.  He saw some quail and some pheasants and lots of other birds.  Jeremy told me it was a bluebird of happiness day.  He saw mountain bluebirds all over the place.

 That's not a bluebird or poultry.  That's a sandhill crane.

 
March 20 was the first day of Spring.  We went for a nice Sunday afternoon drive around the lake.  And looked at birds.  We did make it all the way around the lake this time.

 

O.K.  Good enough for catching up.  There were other days we went birding, but this is good enough for now.  Especially since if I don't post this, there will just be more things to talk about and I'll continue to get more and more behind.  So... done.