I'm a Helper

Saturday, February 7, had nice weather. I'm glad of it because I walked over to someone's house in the neighborhood to help paint platforms for the school play... twice. Base coat in the morning, texturing in the afternoon.

It was Play Outside Day. It was nice to get out for that short walk (four times because of back and forth) because I have just gotten over a cold so I haven't been out for walks much lately.

Between trips to do that service I made sure to eat ice cream. It was Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Several people in the family celebrated.

Sadly I was too tired to take anyone to the library for Take Your Child to the Library Day. Oh well. 

It was National Fettuccine Alfredo Day but we didn't have any fettuccine so we had rotini alfredo. Mmmm. I love the homemade alfredo sauce we always use. It's from ourbestbites.com and it uses ingredients I always have on hand. Guiltless Alfredo Sauce.

Saturday was a good day.

Read-a-thon

I'm not the only one who loves reading challenges. The elementary school recently had their annual read-a-thon. This year, a Book Bandit escaped from the book and it took reading so many minutes to get him back in his book.

Jet got very excited about it when they had their opening assembly. He came home and told us about the Book Bandit. He even decided he had a certain color shirt that was his "case solver" shirt to solve clues about the Book Bandit so he alternated between two shirts during the whole read-a-thon. Oh my. He is so cute. 

But let me let him share about it:

 

yeftefytrreggdytdyrtderfyg;lgblkghjghjbnhjbioiuio jioojuojujojiiiiiiiiiiiiikuiiooiuoyiiigtjjirtjrithgiirgthghtiththitgthhfthtrhfrjtgjrgihhrugrftbrth hjrknfrg fjrmfrnfm

 

Translation (as fast as I could keep up):

Mystery solver. mystery solver solved the clues. Boom, solved the clues.

something about the book thief.

Find the clues, mystery solver. 

 

Told you he was cute.

Daddy read a bedtime story (or two or three) to him every night then told me how many minutes they read so I could record it the next morning.

Lucky, of course, did his own reading, and read he did.

On the last day of the read-a-thon, he came home with a medal for being one of the top readers (reading the most minutes). Not really a surprise. This kid also loves reading challenges.

Lucky told me that Jet's team got the most minutes overall, though, so that's also fun.

Galentines

Party time!

Nichole and I went to a Galentines celebration with friends. We had a potluck dinner and did some getting to know you activities.

Our friend, Stephanie, shared some things with us to remind us that our best Valentine, the one who loves us most, is the Savior.

After those activities, a few of us stayed to watch a movie. 

It was another great night with friends. 

 

P.S. That morning I got out for probably my last walk at the park before the lights are turned off.

Sunday Sketches

For Sunday Sketches, Jet requested a bat so this is what they came up with:

 

Jeremy

Jr. Jr.

Lucky

Jet 

 I like to see the different styles and techniques.

Celebrating with Food Again

February 3 was National Carrot Cake Day. I made carrot cake. I like carrot cake.

It was also Feed the Birds Day so Lucky and I reminisced last year when he was doing the Mary Poppins play on Feed the Birds Day. 

February 4 was National Homemade Soup Day. I made Ogre Stew. Yumm.

February 5 was World Nutella Day. We had hazelnut spread on tortillas with baby carrots and apple slices. 

Rise and Shine, Campers

I texted my son on February 2. "Rise and shine, camper. It's Groundhog Day!"

Then, "Bundle up (in your new coat) 'cause it's cold out there this morning."

Then, "It's cold out there every morning. What is this- Miami Beach?"

Then, "Not hardly." 

I gave him enough time to respond between each of my texts but he didn't so I had to do all the (paraphrased) quotes by myself. 

It's okay. 

For dinner, we had imitation groundhog burgers (black bean burgers) and potato wedges (instead of tater tots, even though it was Tater Tot Day). Mmmm. 

Family Time

Sometimes you have to MAKE time for the whole family or make the whole family take time. With a not so tiny family and everyone going in different directions, sometimes it's hard to do something with everyone (in the home). We do make sure to do Family Home Evening and family prayer and scripture study (those last two are quick, however, and sometimes with the phone on speaker). Oh, and sit down family dinner time is fun. 

But... to have everyone doing one thing together as a family (besides the normal necessary things) is not always easy. So I made everybody sit down together on Sunday, February 1, and I told them that one fond memory I had with my family as a child is when my oldest sister took the time to read to us younger siblings The Hobbit. As you know, I'm reading The Hobbit this year for the library reading challenge and I told everyone else they could read it, too. The book is for the whole family but I'm reading it on my own.

I wanted to read out loud to my family another book from my childhood so I made them all sit down (besides the bouncing around littlest- but he was still in the room and was listening to the book) on World Read Aloud Day and started reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to them. Besides being World Read Aloud Day, February 1 is also when Willy Wonka opened his factory up to the 5 golden ticket holders. We didn't get that far in the book but we did get started. I'll MAKE them all listen to me again another day.

 

Bonding Time

Bonding Time! You know I love it.

Sometimes it's important to stop and give someone the time they need. So one day when my son wanted to play board games, that's what we did.

Another day when my daughter needed to go to the library, that's what we did (we ended up going to both Provo and Orem Libraries). We had great conversations on the drive. We had great conversations in the libraries. She even gave me a book recommendation which would fit one of a number of categories for this year's Adult Reading Challenge.

Hot Chocolate Without the Brussels Sprouts

January 31 was both Eat Brussels Sprouts Day and National Hot Chocolate Day.

We didn't have any Brussels Sprouts so I made Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies (from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 1) with other vegetables instead. Yumm. Good with Brussels Sprouts. Good without.

Later on, I went to sleep while others in the family had hot chocolate. I obviously didn't get pictures because I was asleep. 

My friend, Stephanie, sent me Hot Chocolate Day greetings and a picture of hot chocolate she enjoyed that day. She knows how to celebrate, too. 

 

Earlier in the day, Lucky went to a friend's birthday party. He helped Jeremy build a balloon sculpture for his friend. His friend had a really good, "Whoah!" reaction when Lucky got to the party. Heh Heh. 

 

100th Day of School

For the 100th Day of School this year, the elementary schoolers (and teachers/staff/etc.) were told they could dress up like themselves if they were 100 years old. It was fun to see the principal and others outside before school dressed up and welcoming the students. 

Lucky told me this is how he would look at 100. Ha Ha Ha Ha.

I gave him a quick haircut and put some gray in his hair since we still had some left over from when he was Brigham Young for the wax museum last year. We also had a discussion about how we don't know what his hair will be like when he gets older- genetics. My dad is bald with gray in what little hair he has on the sides. Jeremy's dad has a full head of naturally dark hair. Who knows what will happen?

Jet didn't want gray hair but was happy with the 100th Day hat he got from school and the treats he got to bring home to eat.  

My Husband is So Nice (and So Am I)

January 27 National Chocolate Cake Day. I didn't make chocolate cake that day but I made some recently. Mmmm. Thinking about it, now I want to make chocolate cake again.

 

January 28 was National Blueberry Pancake Day and even though my husband had a cold, he still made blueberry (and plain and chocolate chip) pancakes, omelettes, and hashbrowns.

 

January 29 was National Corn Chip Day and I made chicken soup (you know, for colds) and we put Fritos in our bowls of soup. Actually, it was turkey meat in the chicken broth with veggies and some pasta so it was turkey soup?

 

January 30 was National Croissant Day. We didn't have any croissants so we just had Asian Chicken Salad Sandwiches (from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 1) on rolls. Still yumm even without the croissants. 

 

A Room of One's Own Day 2025

January 25 was A Room of One's Own Day.

 

It was also Opposite Day so one of my children was trying to get away with things by saying the opposite. Silly child.

When I could (that evening), I celebrated A Room of One's Own Day relaxing in my bedroom. I read The Hobbit. I took a nap. I read some more of The Hobbit. You know. The usual.  

Sunday Sketches

It's been a while but Sunday Sketches are back. Jeremy, Nichole, Lucky, and Jet sketched that hermit thrush that Jr. Jr. and I saw while hiking. They used that picture I shared as reference.

 

Here's Jeremy's

Nichole's 

 

Lucky's. He got a later start than the others so didn't draw as much.

 

Jet's. He started out telling me about the head and tail he was drawing. Then he decided to embellish. "I made that bird and a machiner attached to the robot bird." Then he decided to really embellish so the original picture is lost in there somewhere. 

I love seeing the art my family creates. 

The Timing

 

The timing. 

 

I wanted to get a picture of me reading to Jet. He came home from school one day so excited for the Read-a-thon at the elementary school. They need to read enough minutes to trap the Book Bandit that escaped and is causing chaos at their school.

I checked out several books from the library and he picked this book for me to read to him. "Just Me and My Mom" by Mercer Mayer. 

 

So it was funny that this was the book we were getting a picture of when my husband was leaving and stopped to be in the picture. Just me and my mom, huh?

You're As Nice As Peanut Butter

Saturday, January 24, I got out for my morning walk at the park. 

It was a misty mountain morning, which was appropriate because I was listening to the soundtrack to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as I walked.

 

January 24 was National Compliment Day, the anniversary of when the California Gold Rush began, and National Peanut Butter Day. 

We had fun complimenting each other. "You're as good as gold," was an obvious one. Jeremy started getting creative with peanut butter brands. Here are some of the ones we came up with (paraphrasing): You're so helpful. I know you'll be there in a Jif. 

This tastes so good, it makes me want to Skip-py.

When I'm around you, I feel like I could fly like Peter Pan. 

I got a little silly. "You're as great as Winco Brand Peanut Butter." 

Creativity. Isn't it great?

I Miss Him When He's Gone

Jeremy had a shorter trip recently. He was gone for only a few days and was only a state away.

I still miss him when he's gone but I'm happy when he comes home. I love him so much.

While he was at this fair convention, he built a one man band out of balloons. It was based on a real entertainer, Eric Haines. Eric's website is funmanband.com 

He wasn't at the convention but so many people were sending him pictures of the balloon sculpture before Jeremy could even send him one. Jeremy had talked to him in advance about basing a balloon sculpture on him. This is one of the pictures Eric sent to Jeremy to use as a reference picture.

 

Isn't that so cool? Eric really liked the balloon sculpture. 

Along with the one man band, Jeremy built a few animals following him. I can't get over how much I love the cow. 

The chicken is dancing- it turns on a turn table.

I do love seeing what my husband creates. That's Balloon Guy Entertainment. He is so awesome.