Eventually I'll Blog Again

Head's up. I haven't been blogging because of sickness in our home and everybody shares a computer for schoolwork and other things so I don't have time or means to blog but eventually I will catch up. I had several partially written posts before I got sick so stay tuned... eventually.

In the meantime, look at these pictures of the sky. It's amazing how much difference just half an hour can make.

I love nature!

Squid Cookies

October 1 was Fire Pup Day. Lucky suggested we have squid pups with hot sauce, "Fire Pup," but I forgot about the hot sauce so we didn't have that part. Nichole did, however, make peanut butter cookies for Homemade Cookies Day.

We use a recipe from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner, peanut butter cookies with kisses, but we always just use chocolate melties as we always have those on hand and chocolate kisses would just get eaten up too fast. It works.

There's a recipe on The Food Nanny website for peanut butter cookies with Reeses which is the same recipe as in the book just using peanut butter cups instead of kisses (or melties). You can use whatever you like. This is our go to cookie recipe when we want to make cookies right now. Everybody likes them and they're small enough you can eat a lot or just a few (and freeze the rest for a snack later on).

My Happy Place

At the end of September, I went to my happy place. Provo Canyon with the Fall colors makes me happy. I needed to get out after chasing Jet around so much at home. Toddlers are a lot of work, you know.

We drove up Squaw Peak Road. Oh so beautiful.

Have I mentioned I love Fall colors?

Parent Teacher Conferences

I went to Parent Teacher Conferences or Student Led Conferences or whatever it is they're calling them these days. The high schooler and junior high schooler went with me to theirs and the elementary schoolers stayed at home when I went to talk to their teachers.

At Nichole's school I saw my sister's sister-in-law. I didn't realize she worked there but she does so I said Hi. Wow. Nichole has classes on the first floor, second floor, third floor, and across the parking lot (seminary). Whoo.

Nichole showed us weeks ago a sketch of a fairy she was sculpting out of clay in her sculpture class. At parent-teacher conferences I was able to see that fairy in progress. Later she brought the finished product home. Well done, Nichole.

Jr.'s classes are only on the first and second floors and across a small road for seminary. Jr.'s biology class had a picture in there of a pine grosbeak that he took. He made sure to get a picture with my phone. Notice the label. Heh Heh.

Both of Jr. Jr.'s and Lucky's teachers had good things to say about them and I was able to see some samples of their work that show their personalities.

Lucky's self-portrait and Jr. Jr.'s "The Best Part of Me."

"I think the best part of me is my head because it lets me read, write, and think.Reading is my favorite pastime. I spend most of my free time reading so my head helps me not get bored. I'm writing a book so if I didn't have a head I wouldn't have any plan for the future. I wouldn't get to share my stories.I like thinking and figuring things out. My head makes it so I am smart. That is why I think my head is my best part."

Jr. Jr.'s teacher did specifically mention how expressive he is even when wearing a mask. Heh Heh. I love my kids.

More Dinner Club

I'm enjoying dinner club still.

Mirror Lake Drive

September 25 was Public Lands Day. Woohoo. Free entrance into national parks and public lands. We took the chance to drive up Mirror Lake Scenic Byway like we did for Labor Day last year.

There were definitely some Fall colors showing.

Jr. made sure to get a patriotic picture with a flag and colors in the background.

Provo Falls wasn't too crowded so we were able to stop there. I learned a few things. The path is not stroller friendly (even though at the top it looks like it could be). There are a few levels of waterfalls. You can walk to more than just what you see from the parking lot or as you drive by. 

And Jet gets a kick out of the needles on evergreens.

We saw an American dipper while we were there, too.

And Jeremy and I are a cute couple.

 

We made a quick stop at the Hayden Peak Overlook again as we always do (we've only done this twice with our family but both Jeremy and I have done this drive with Utah County Birders) but didn't see any birds we were hoping to and drove around the campground at Mirror Lake. One of the spots we go to was closed so we didn't see any birds we were hoping to see there, either. 

We did have success with the pikas this time and we got better pictures. Jr. has to get so many biological encounters for his biology class and he needs pictures so this worked out great. Who knows how many other kids in his class will have a pika on their list? And pikas are lagomorphs like rabbits and it was International Rabbit Day.

Jr. Jr. helped me get a picture of a pika with my phone... with binoculars. I couldn't hold both and zoom in and push the button, so I tried to hold the phone and binoculars steady while Jr. Jr. zoomed in and took the picture. He was a big help.

zoomed in with just my phone

not zoomed in through binoculars

 

zoomed in through binoculars

Since it was also Singles Day, we put singles packets in our water bottles for the drive home.

It was a lovely drive and family time.

Catch of the Day

You're Not Busy, Right?

Lucky: Mom, will you hold my piece of ham?

Mom: Umm...

Another Day Off?

Since my day off didn't really work on Lazy Mom's Day, I decided I was going to try it again on Friday, September 24, Bluebird of Happiness Day. That ended up more of a lazy mom's day.

I had such plans for that day. Once we dropped kids off at school, Jet went back to sleep, though, so I couldn't do what was on the plan. I could have gotten so much done while he slept with cleaning and organizing but I watched a TV show instead and got nothing productive done (lazy mom).

After the kids got home from school, they knew they were in charge of dinner again, so Jet and I headed off to do at least something I was planning to do. I guess I was chasing that bluebird of happiness with a day off.

We went for a walk at Powell Lake but Jet didn't want to ride in the stroller and didn't always want to stay right by the stroller so there was a lot of running after him to keep him from falling down an embankment. I'd say the majority of the time was chasing after him so he'd be safe. 

 

At one point it wasn't worth trying to make it all the way around the pond so we headed back. I didn't get a chance to look at the birds much. No bluebird of happiness. It took quite a bit of effort to get Jet back to the van and get him in and buckled and etc. etc. etc. Sigh.

We've had better outings. But hey, at least we got a few cute pictures in the van.

We drove home by way of driving around the lake. Jet fell asleep then woke up when we were about as far away from home as possible and was unhappy for a while. Plus we got stuck in construction traffic so it took even longer to get home with a poor uncomfortable baby. Sigh.

I found no bluebird of happiness while I was out. When I got home the kids were watching "Muppets Most Wanted" because September 24 was also Jim Henson's birthday. Nichole had her puppets out as well.

When Jeremy got home I went up to help him bring things in and we chatted with the neighbor for a little while until I saw something in the sky? "What are those?" They looked like something on fire. The neighbor looked up and said, "Oh, those are lanterns." We called the kids up and we all got to see floating lanterns in the sky. We got to see quite a few before they burned out/burned up. They must have been sending them off somewhere nearby for us to be able to see them so well, but for what purpose? I don't know.

So no bluebird of happiness but we saw floating lanterns at home. The End.