Goofing Off With Water

March 22 was World Water Day. It was also National Goof Off Day. Jet and I combined the two and left stuff undone at home to go to a park with a pond. Oh, that was nice. 

There were some Canada geese making quite a racket and Jet was copying their noise.

Someone had just fed the ducks so Jet enjoyed watching them up close.

Later when the kids came home from school, I encouraged them all to drink plenty of water. 

There wasn't too much goofing off, though, because there was a big task that needed to be done and they all helped out... with the reward of video games at the end.

Muffin Night

Oh boy. Muffin Night has become a thing. It all started the end of October when we made one type of muffin then made more and more and more. Muffin Night was a hit and has been requested since then.

This time for Muffin Night I asked that each of the kids make a type of muffin. I helped some. Here are the types of muffins we had:

Lucky made corn dog muffins. Jr. Jr. made orange cranberry muffins. Jr. made s'mores muffins. Nichole made cinnamon streusel muffins.

Since March 21 was National French Bread Day, I made French bread to go with our muffins. I tried a new recipe and was very pleased with the result (and I've made it two more times since then). The recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and it's called Easy Homemade French Bread. We make a lot of recipes from her site. 

Everybody in the picture, smile!

Nichole wasn't in the picture.

Earlier while I was helping boys with muffins, Nichole helped with Jet and made him smile for World Puppetry Day (also on the 21st). That little boy loves puppets... and his siblings.

Spring Equinox

March 20 was the Spring Equinox but all our celebrating went out the window because I had a sick child. Speaking of the window, we forgot to close the window. Oh well. That was a fun tradition last year.

The boys did make Snowman sandwiches for the kids because it was National Snowman Burning Day. Thanks, boys.

Bonding-ish Time

I love my family. I love doing things with my family as a whole or with individual members. Hence bonding time and family activities. 

Sometimes it is absolutely amazing.

Sometimes... not so much.

Here's how bonding time sometimes goes:

Schedule it in advance. We're going to do it on a Friday afternoon. The other kids will take care of the baby and we will do something just us together. 

Mom: O.K. March 19 is Chocolate Caramel Day. Let's make hot chocolate and put caramel syrup in it then drink it while doing something. 

Child: Yeah. I'll play a video game while you're making the hot chocolate.

Mom: O.K. But you won't be able to play very long. Be aware of that.

Time passes.

Mom: The hot chocolate is done. Time to get off the game.

Time passes. 

Time passes.

Mom: You need to turn the game off now.

Time passes.

Time passes.

Other child: Mom, Jet's awake.

Mom: O.K. I'll take him since "Child" and I aren't doing bonding time anyway. You guys can all come out now. We've got to make dinner.

Child: But what about our bonding time?

Sigh. To make a long story short, that child drank his hot chocolate while I got chicken drumsticks prepared (for Poultry Day on March 19) and put in the oven then he and I finally went out for a walk/scooter ride with Jet. 

 

Other things that happened that day. Lucky read to Jet for International Read to Me Day.

Nichole and Lucky were silly and danced around for Let's Laugh Day.

Sometimes You Have "Those" Days

Sometimes you have "those" days. The kids and I had a day, well, an afternoon, or evening. Some stuff was going on. You're familiar with "stuff." Anyway, the weather was nice so the kids and I hopped in the van and headed to a local park for biking, scootering, strollering, and walking. We stayed longer than expected because one child had a hard time because of dogs around and needed to be comforted and another realized as we were about to leave that his mask had fallen out of his pocket. It took some time but we did find it.

One child kept taking off his socks and only dropped one once where I was able to find it quickly.

When we got home, we ate sloppy joes for dinner to celebrate National Sloppy Joe Day on March 18.

It was also Forgive Mom and Dad Day. I hope that child who had his time ruined did forgive me.

Jr.'s Concert

Jr. recently had his first "real" concert at the junior high in over a year. The orchestras at the high school and junior highs had done in class recordings but now they're starting to invite people again. Jeremy and Nichole went to support Jr. while I stayed home with the younger three.

That's my boy.

Shout Out to the Librarians

I want to give a shout out to all the librarians (and other library staff and volunteers) out there, both past and present. There are a lot of different types from church librarians, school librarians, public library librarians, and many more. I have friends and family members who either currently work at libraries or have in the past.

I wanted to take a little time right now to say Thank You specifically to the librarians (and other library staff and volunteers) at the Provo Library and Orem Library. I've mentioned before some of the adjustments that have been made at the libraries because of the pandemic. I appreciate the work those at the library have put into things so my family can continue to have good experiences through the public libraries.

 

We've done online events, 

I've had good communication through email when something wasn't working on a library website, librarians at the Orem Library have asked about us since I never got to bring my baby in to see them, so many things. I did text this picture to Jeremy when he was talking to one of the librarians one day so she could finally see my baby. 

Thank You, librarians!

 

In February, librarians at the Provo Library shared book recommendations twice a week on Facebook Live events. You know my kids are huge readers so they're always on the lookout for new books to try.

 

Also in February, Jr. Jr. and I participated in a virtual book club together through the Provo Library (I mentioned on my February 13 post about it). We got to read a book together, Jr. Jr. created a bridge out of craft sticks, got a treat, and we were able to chat with librarians about the book. Jr. Jr. had plenty to contribute at the meeting and we enjoyed it.

He and I are doing another one this month.

 

The Orem Library in February put together Literary Loot Boxes. The three oldest filled out an online questionnaire about what kinds of books/authors/genres they like and the librarians put together basically goodie bags (in box form) based on their answers. There were stickers, buttons, pens, treats, and the librarians included books the kids might be interested in that they could check out. On one of his trips to the library, Jeremy was told that while the librarians were putting together the loot boxes, they commented how one of the kids had read so many good authors, then they realized it was a Telford. It's nice to be recognized. Even the junior high and high school libraries recognize Jr. and Nichole as big readers since they go in there so often.

Since Lucky was too young for the Literary Loot Box activity, I had him fill out an online mad lib activity that the Orem Library also provided. Funny stuff. Jeremy put together a box for him with pens and treats and things and checked out a book that he would enjoy.

When the kids opened their loot boxes, this was the number one comment we heard from them. "They know me." The librarians (and Dad) had done a good job putting together these boxes and the kids wasted no time diving into the books (including some they actually hadn't read before) that were included.

 

Jeremy is involved with a writing group through the Provo Library. It's hosted by one of the librarians and meets monthly.

 

Jet and I have been participating in virtual Storytime through the Orem Library. Not only are there songs and books during the weekly broadcast but they've put together a Storytime page with other activities on the library website. We've had fun with tissue snowflakes falling on our heads and we did some drumming with chopsticks on a food storage can (and later on everything else the toddler could find).

 

I've already posted about the Summer Reading Program and the Winter Reading Program with the Provo Library. Now we're participating in the Spring Library Challenge. We don't have to log reading minutes but we do mark activities that we do (including some reading). 

 

The librarians (and other library staff and volunteers) put so much work into making things go smoothly, we often don't even think about how there is a real person behind that library blog, that Instagram or Facebook post, that library website that doesn't just come into being. So to all the current and past librarians (and other library staff and volunteers), I say a BIG THANK YOU!

What?

St. Patrick's Day 2021

St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2021. We wore green. We ate potatoes. I fell asleep to Darby O'Gill and the Little People. The End.

 

P.S. Jet is the right age to wear the shirt we got Lucky for St. Patrick's Day in 2015.

P.P.S. We also watched the Youth Music Festival for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

P.P.S.S. Not so Lucky was looking a little green so he stayed home from school that day.

Artichoke Hearts Day 2021

March 16 was National Artichoke Hearts Day. Time for chicken alfredo pizza with artichoke hearts. Yumm. I ended up making four pizzas. One pepperoni, one BBQ, and two alfredo.

So so yummy. I haven't done four pizzas at a time in a while. It took some time but I was pleased with the results.

Beware the Ides of March 2021

The Ides of March came up again on March 15. There was a lot of joking about stabbing people in the back. Jr. put on a shield to protect himself. Ha Ha Ha. The shield enjoyed himself.

We managed Caesar Salad but didn't do Orange Juliuses. Oh, well.

Some of us watched the episode of Studio C with the sketch, "Caesar is a cool boss."

That day Jr. and I had some bonding time (Jet joined us). Jr.'s idea was to celebrate Everything You Think Is Wrong Day (also the 15th) by eating junk food and playing video games. We made ourselves sick with all the candy we ate. Sigh.

But we did have fun.