It's May!!!

We reached May 1. You know what that means? 

Bridal Veil Falls is open! I made a quick stop that morning to check that the road really was open then three of my children went on a walk with me in the evening. We walked by the falls and all the way to Bridal Veil Park and back. I thought it would tucker out my youngest but he still had a lot of energy when we got home. Sigh.

 

May 2 was Baby Day. Lucky made "baby" pasta (small shells) and I have to share more cuteness from my youngest.

For dinner we had baby hot dogs (li'l smokies), baby muffins, baby carrots, and mini jalapeno popper egg rolls. Jet called the egg rolls "baby poppers" and decided since they were babies, to make up a lullaby to sing to them. He even cradled one in his hand to rock it while singing. He's so stinkin' adorable.

 

May 4 was International Respect for Chickens Day, World Laughter Day, National Orange Juice Day, and Star Wars Day. May the Fourth be with you.

You know you live in a cool ward when the bishopric member who is conducting Sacrament Meeting mentions Star Wars Day over the pulpit and the sister sitting next to you in choir is wearing tie fighter earrings.

We drank orange juice.
Jr. Jr. gave me this piece of advice on International Respect for Chickens Day: Remember, Mom. Whenever you see a dancing chicken, make sure it doesn't have any carrots.

 

Tell me, please. Do you have a child as random or as awesome? Yes. He makes me laugh.

 

I made sweet and sour sauce from Shelf Cooking 101 by Jordan Page and put it on chicken with rice and pineapple and green bell pepper. It reminded me of when I was in college and there was this eating place called Teriyaki Stix and I would sometimes get their sweet and sour bowl with rice, chicken, pineapple, and green bell pepper. Yumm.

Other April thins

Because of the laugh I got with "Other Narch thins," I now present "Other April thins," in no particular order:

My soon to be sister-in-law (more on that later) had a birthday in April so Jet had a pretend birthday cake. He blew out the candles and "ate" it. So cute. She got a kick out of it when I told her. He's been on a birthday cake kick lately.

 

Cuteness.

Haircuts before and after. Wow, that haircut took a lot of years off. 

It kind of reminds me how when my brother-in-law was a young teacher, he had to keep facial hair so he wouldn't be mistaken for a high school student.

 

Jet likes to help me spin lettuce. Well... he likes to use the lettuce spinner. He's learned something new he can do with it. He takes a toy helicopter, puts it on the top and pushes the top down and locks it. Then he releases the top and makes the helicopter fly. Tee Hee. I love it.

 

We've been eating yummy food. Some obviously came from A Season of Family Meal Plans by Jordan Page, some from other sources. I really enjoyed those red beans and rice with hush puppies last year and looked forward to it this year. I was not disappointed. 

The baby doll head is making an appearance again.

 

You know who is getting into placing it now? Jet. That's who. He climbed up so he could put it in the cupboard. Sigh.

Jet's Turn

Jet is a cutie. He definitely learns by example. He sees me type on the keyboard and wants to do it, too. So what does he do? He types on the number pad. So cute! 

12222222222222255630010450022

 89955555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555554444444

 44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444

11111111888889999999999977777771111616136111******/////////////////////////////////////////

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,...............................,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.................,,,,,,,,////////////,,,,,,,......**********

Catching Up April 2025 part 4

April 27 was Tell a Story Day. I told the kids a story. I don't remember what story I told them but I did. It was probably another family history story. 

Wait. I remember. We started looking through pictures to find a baby picture of Jr. for seminary graduation. We found some pictures of Jeremy and me from when we were dating and told the kids some stories about hiking up Rock Canyon in the snow with my brother to get pictures.

Oh, good memories. And silly memories. You see where our kids get it?

I love that I've had Jeremy in my life longer than I haven't. I look forward to the time that I've been married to him longer than I haven't. It won't be long.

Jeremy also told the kids the story behind this photo he got of a black gibbon (at the Hogle Zoo while we were dating).

It was yawning.

 

April 28 was Terry Pratchett's Birthday. I continued to read Wyrd Sisters. The kids watched Going Postal.

It was also Blueberry Pie Day so I made Thronis's Blueberry Pie from The Fablehaven Cookbook. Yumm.

It was also Great Poetry Reading Day. I read a little bit of poetry.

Another Busy Day

Saturday, April 26, was a busy day. Nichole and I got some bonding time in when we went to a Page Company Warehouse Sale together. We got some planners and I got my hug from Jordan Page. As usual she had to bend down to my level and I stood on my toes for a picture. 

You know I love her cookbooks. I've gotten some good advice from her as well. We're all just trying to make it through. I told my husband when I got home that Jordan is going through some struggles that I'm not going through and I'm going through some struggles that she's not going through but we're sisters. As sisters we support each other how we can. We can cheer each other on, give each other hugs, pray for each other.

It was nice to be able to chat with her for a bit at the warehouse sale. It was also nice to get a free gift because we got there before it opened. Tee hee.

After we got home, and after some stuff we had to deal with, Jeremy took Nichole and Lucky with him to see the play, Newsies. Jr. was in the pit orchestra for it. I'm glad he's having these experiences.

I started making Muriel's Pretzel Knots from The Fablehaven Cookbook for National Pretzel Day. When Jeremy and posse got home, Nichole made taquitos. I was not able to finish the pretzel knots before Jr. Jr. and I headed out to have our bonding time watching the play so my sweet family finished them for me. 

I enjoyed the play, loved the music, and am proud of Jr. again.

When we got home I got my taquitos and pretzel knots. Yumm.

April 26 was also National Audubon Day. Nichole and I saw a robin while waiting to go into the warehouse sale but it was too busy of a day to go birding.

Perfect Date

April 25 was Arbor Day. I went for a walk in a place with trees... and birds. I got to see a couple of spotted sandpipers and killdeer. So many killdeer. 

It was a beautiful birding morning. 

 

April 25 was also Perfect Date Day because, "it's not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket." Jeremy and I went on a date. We stopped by the library to pick up Miss Congeniality (which we never got around to watching) and went to Deer Creek Reservoir to eat dinner in the van and look for loons.

We found one that Jeremy named Claire. Think about that for a moment? Classical music fans? 

Claire the Loon. 

The weather was just right for wearing our light jackets.

 

At home the kids ate fish sticks and watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie for National Plumbers Day, World Penguin Day, and National Telephone Day, all on April 25.

Catching Up April 2025 part 3

April 22 was Earth Day. I took a quick trip to Powell Slough to appreciate nature.

April 22 was also Jelly Bean Day. I stopped by BYU to bring Nichole some food to help her get through finals and jelly beans, of course.

April 23 was Shakespeare's Birthday. I started reading Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters based on Macbeth.

April 23 was also National Picnic Day. Dinner was make yourselves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, baby carrots, and apples because Jeremy and I were busy bringing Nichole home from college for the Summer.

 

April 24 was Pigs in a Blanket Day. Kids made pigs in a blanket, Thanks, kids.

Easter Days

April 19 was Hanging Out Day. I got to hang out with Jr. at another UVU event. 

Besides the lunch they provided, the also had a soda bar and candy bar. We got lots of candy. I got a lemon-lime soda with coconut and pineapple flavoring in it based on Jr.'s suggestion. Thank you, Jr. It was yummy.

At the end of the event, they had a Bingo competition. I won! I won! I won! I won a little air fryer. 

I've used it a couple times since I brought it home, both times to make mini jalapeno popper egg rolls. I love those things.

 

That afternoon we had an Easter egg hunt at home. Jet loved it. I'm sure the older kids did as well. It was fun to see Jet didn't need guidance this year like he has in some past years. He was told which color egg to look for and didn't try taking anybody else's eggs.

April 20 was Easter. We went to church and had a beautiful Sacrament Meeting then a brunch in the cultural hall afterward.

We were able to put together an Easter dinner that day. We had ham, scalloped potatoes (from a Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 2, by Jordan Page), pineapple, and resurrection rolls or empty tomb rolls.

I had everybody come help with the rolls and taught them what each part represented.

Roll dough represents the tomb. A regular sized marshmallow represents Christ's body. Dip it in melted butter then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture to represent the oil and spices used to prepare His body for burial. Wrap it up in the tomb/dough and bake about 20 minutes. When you open the tomb, it is empty for He is risen. That's what it represents.

 

It was a nice little reminder during our dinner of what Easter is really about. Because Christ was resurrected, we will be resurrected, too. All the physical troubles our bodies go through in this life won't follow us through eternity. But the relationships we cultivate here on Earth, whether it's going to church together to learn more about our Savior or making a fun treat together, will last. What a marvelous blessing.