Something on a Stick Day 2018

March 28 is Something on a Stick Day.  Here's a simple idea: craft stick puzzles.  You draw something on the craft sticks then mix them up and put them together again.

Here's a video about it:

A story about the video:
Both Lucky and ZZ had lined up their craft sticks for the video, but the paper we were using to cover the counter (thank goodness) got shifted and when ZZ's sticks were disrupted she didn't line them back up.  We tried to get her some more craft sticks to draw on (you can see them at the end of the video on the side of the screen), but by then Lucky was so far ahead in the instructions, we didn't want to stop him and make him start over.  So Lucky did the majority of the project on this one.  That's okay.  You should have seen it when the kids made slime together.  Lucky wouldn't even touch the stuff.  That was definitely more ZZ's project.

Also, Lucky insisted on not just introducing himself as Lucky, but as "Crazy Lucky."  What can you say?  He's 4. 

ZZ and Lucky will be making more videos together so check back on my YouTube channel as well as here at my blog to see how a couple of 4-year olds...

Bang-Clang Day 2018

March 9 is Bang-Clang Day.  We watched the movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (well, some of it- it started getting late). 

Nichole and I did check out the book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, from the library while we were on our outing on Monday but she didn't wait until today and read it several days ago.

Lucky wanted more to be written about this.

Lucky:  Lucky was watching it but he wasn't supposed to watch the movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Nichole was watching it and Nichole was supposed to because Mom let her watch it.  Jr. was watching it and he was supposed to watch it.  Jr. Jr. was watching it and he was supposed to because Mom let him.  Then it was lights out for bed time and then they went to bed.  And then they had good dreams.  Then they had bad dreams.  Nichole is going to have fun reading this.  Tell Nichole to read this when she gets ready for bed.  This is going to be funny for Nichole, Mom.  Necklaces are everywhere and everything is necklaces.  Glasses.  Glasses.  They're looking at Nichole.  This is the end of your movie.  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  This is the end of CD number 5.  This is the end of CD number 6.  Cuckoos are everywhere.  Cuckoos looking at Nichole.  Lucky made the words.  Actually Mommy did make it.  6 mommies.  6 mummies actually.  This movie is cool and then Lucky wasn't supposed to then Lucky was supposed to watch the movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Jr. Jr.:  I know you're reading this, Nichole.

Jazzy Pie

March 8 is Kenneth Grahame's birthday.  Lucky and ZZ got together with graham crackers (get it? heh heh heh) and made a pudding pie with graham cracker crust.

This evening, the kids and I went to the Orem Library.  We didn't check out any Kenneth Grahame books.  We did check out plenty of others.  We went to the library to watch a concert of New Orleans Jazz music with a couple of musicians from New Orleans and a jazz ensemble from BYU.  Ah, such great music.  Great for toe tapping and clapping.  It was awesome.  I loved it.

National Cereal Day 2018

March 7 is National Cereal Day.
We ate cereal.

The End.

One on One Time

Jeremy and I have been talking about how we haven't had Daddy-daughter or Mommy-daughter or Daddy-son or Mommy-son dates in a while.  It's hard to schedule that kind of one on one time when you have so much going on- work, school, extra-curricular activities, scouts, mutual, Relief Society activities, homework, chores, errands to run, etc. etc. etc.  The list goes on and on and on.  We decided to do something about it this week.  Monday there was no school.  Instead of dragging the kids around birding as we sometimes do when there's no school we decided to have some one on one time away from home. 
First thing in the morning, Jr. and Daddy went to get an oil change in the car together.  It may not sound that exciting but it's kind of their thing.  Jeremy never takes any of the other kids.  It's always Jr. (when he can do it on a day Jr.'s around).  They sit together playing games or watching shows while they wait.  Sometimes they have snacks.  It's their bonding time.

When they got back, Nichole and I headed to the Orem Library.  We had a nice talk on the drive there.  We talked books and things while at the library (she even suggested a book I haven't yet read so I checked it out), chatted with a librarian, checked out some books and movies to celebrate some upcoming holidays, and we sat for a while coloring on one of those mandalas they print out for people to color. 

When Nichole and I got back, Jeremy took Jr. Jr. to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point.  He didn't ride on the camel at Vernal Holly Days so Jeremy took him to ride the ponies at Farm Country.  Jr. Jr. also got to feed the ducks.

When they got back, I took Lucky to University Place (I still call it University Mall) to ride on the escalators.  He thought it was so neat when we rode the escalators at the Conference Center on Saturday that he was very much in favor of riding others.  Unfortunately I could only find one set in one store, though it did go up three floors.  We did ride some elevators, though, including one where you could see out as it went up and down.  After walking around the mall for a while, I decided to take Lucky down to the other mall- Provo Towne Center.  It has many more escalators (not just inside stores).  We also rode in an elevator that had mirrors all around inside. 

So we all had fun with our one on one time/parent-child dates.  It was a good use of the kids' day off of school.  No birding, though I kept mentioning birds I saw as Nichole and I were driving and walking to the library.
It was good family time, though divided up between family members.

Luz de Las Naciones

Who wants to make a trip to Salt Lake City?

I do!

Saturday, we made a trip to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.  We went for "Luz de Las Naciones" cultural event called "My Family. Mi Herencia."  It was "an evening celebrating families, heritage, and latino culture."
Now I don't have latino roots like a lot of people who were in the conference center that night, but I sure can appreciate beauty and there was so much beauty in that event and in the culture represented.  Again, all of us on Earth are children of God so we do have that common heritage and that is also beautiful. 
It was a beautiful night with a beautiful program.  We enjoyed watching it live but they are rebroadcasting it on lds.org right now.  Here is the link.
Jeremy had the opportunity to build some giant (10-14' tall) balloon puppets for this event.  They danced on stage with the other dancers.  That was a lot of fun to watch (and can be seen on the broadcast).  He also built a balloon bouquet like a balloon vendor would hold to hand out balloons.  The balloons looked helium, but they weren't.

There was so much talent to see that night- great music, great singing, great dancing, great balloons, and everyone else who put so much work into it.  Well done on the sound and lighting and sets and just everything.  I'm so glad we went, even if the kids didn't get to bed until really late that night.  We had to stick around after the show for Jeremy to get some of his gear to bring home, then he had to find us in the auditorium (you know the Conference Center is huge, right?) when they made us move from the place he left us when he went backstage (they were really nice about it, though- they were just trying to clear the auditorium after the show).  He kept coming back onstage from backstage and looking around for us then going backstage again.  I was worried he was going to leave a different way and we wouldn't know how to find him.  Finally he came down off the stage and we chased him down before he left.  Phew.  Then we had to drive all the way home and eat something.  Yeah, it was a late night.  But it was so cool.  I am so glad we went.

National Dance the Waltz Day 2018

March 4 is National Dance the Waltz Day so grab a friend and do some waltzing.

1-2-3. 1-2-3. 1-2-3. 1-2-3.

While you're at it, watch my newest YouTube video of a couple of 4-year olds dancing the waltz.

The story behind this video:  Lucky and I watched a short tutorial about the basic waltz step.  I told him the most important thing is that it goes 1-2-3 1-2-3.  I made some music box music to go along with our waltz.  We practiced a few times to the music then got together with ZZ.  We told her the same thing.  The most important thing for a couple of 4-year olds to remember is that it goes 1-2-3 1-2-3.  They remembered that part (4-year olds are good at counting) even if it wasn't exactly to the music.  It was more exciting for them to see the music player that was playing the waltzing music so they just kept looking at that while shuffling around the floor.  Kids are fun.
ZZ and Lucky will be making more videos together so check back on my YouTube channel as well as here at my blog to see how a couple of 4-year olds...

Busy Week

Let me tell you about our busy week.

Monday, February 26, was Tell a Fairy Tale Day.  The kids and I watched a foreign film based on some of Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales.  I also read to the kids from a fairy tale I wrote.  I didn't get any pictures.

Tuesday, February 27, was Jr.'s Blue and Gold Banquet.  It was Harry Potter themed.  The decorations were awesome as was the food.

We also each got to decorate a wand.

The boys enjoyed a nice game of Quidditch and some of them even did some dueling.

In the invitation, they told us to dress up and wear robes.  Jeremy got the robe part right.  He looked like an Arthur Weasley type person interested in all things Muggle.

It was fun.

Wednesday, February 28, I went to a Relief Society activity.  Games, chocolate, and fun.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Chocolate.  I didn't get any pictures.

Thursday, March 1, was National Pig Day.  We had pigs in a blanket before going to a concert for the elementary schoolers.  I forgot to bring the camera to the concert.

Earlier in the day, I did bring the camera when Lucky and I went to visit friends.  ZZ and Lucky made slime with googly eyes in it.  Lucky didn't want to touch it. 

They also ate chicken nuggets with sze chuan sauce.

Today, March 2, is Dr. Seuss' birthday.  The kids and I ate green eggs and ham sandwiches while watching "The Lorax."

Busy week but lots of good things.