Perfect Date

For the past couple of months I've been part of an Instagram book club with Megan Walker to read her books, Lakeshire Park and Miss Newbury's List, in preparation for her book, The Duke's Bargain, which comes out on May 5. It has been wonderful learning behind the scenes details from Megan as well as hearing experiences from other readers. Do you know how many of us have memories of berry picking from our youth?

When I found out Megan was coming to Utah to do an event at the Provo Library with Joanna Barker and Esther Hatch who both had books come out recently, as well as several other authors, I made sure to get a ticket. 

The event was a speed-dating/speed-friending kind of event. The authors each spent six minutes at a table with readers who got to ask questions and chat before they rotated to another table.

I loved how it was done because I got to chat with some authors I hadn't been able to chat with before.

Afterward was a Q&A session then book signing.

 

Before the event started, I met up with Amber from that same book club and we hung out the whole time, both got our hugs from Megan Walker, and got to be each other's picture takers with the authors (I didn't get pictures with all the authors but that's okay). It was fun.

Book Club Buddies!

I got a bunch of swag (not all pictured. Let's just say I have plenty of bookmarks to lose now), and got The Duke's Bargain (before release date) by Megan Walker, 

 

and If You'll Have Me by Esther Hatch, 

 

and A Love Most Daring by Joanna Barker. 

Those last two books I really got into when I read (or listened to) them earlier- see my March 30, 2026 post about A Love Most Daring.

 

I also got pictures with Jennifer Moore 

 

and Jentry Flint 

 

and Arlem Hawks.

 

It was a fun way to do an author event and I'm so glad I went.

I love events with the Provo Library.

 

P.S. That day was the perfect date to do this event since April 25 was Perfect Date Day. The speed-dating style fit right in with it.   

Jeremy took the kids out that morning for some birding. Their weather was not too hot and not too cold. It was also Celebrate Trails Day so they walked around the visitor's center at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

P.P.S. Since April 25 was also World Penguin Day, we ate fish sticks. Even though it was National Plumbers Day, I did not wear my Mario shirt to my event. I wore my Gentlemen's Gamble shirt. 

 

What Jr. Missed

Jr. was so busy with the play, but a couple days after it closed, he went on tour to California with the orchestras from his and that other high school.

I made sure to get a picture before he left and one after he got back. I missed the going picture when Nichole went two years ago.

We had a few celebrations while Jr. was gone. March 14 (3/14) was Pi Day. It was also National Potato Chip Day. We had chicken enchiladas and verde rice with potato chips and apple pie (made in our pi plate) for dessert. I used some substitutions in the dinner.

 

March 15 was the Ides of March. Beware the Ides of March. Beware too many dishes. I had planned on making certain food for dinner that day but was overwhelmed with dishes so... I washed dishes but still managed to make Caesar Salad and Orange Juliuses for dinner. (Julius... Caesar...). So better than I thought at the beginning of the day but not what I was originally planning. Oh well.

March 15 was also Everything You Think is Wrong Day. I had kids trying to convince me to let them do things by pointing out what I thought was wrong when I said No.

March 16 we went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. 

That evening we had corn dog muffins for National Corn Dog Day.

 

March 17 was St. Patrick's Day, of course. Earlier in the week, Lucky, Jet, and I watched a concert at the Orem Library.

"A Season of Family Meal Plans" has suggestions for meals for certain major holidays. Fits me, doesn't it? You know I like to celebrate with food.

According to their St. Patrick's Day suggestions, I made Irish Stew, Irish Soda Bread, and Lucky Buddies.

After dinner, I went to a Relief Society Devotional and Testimony Meeting with a group of women from my ward. We kept adding sisters from our ward to the pew we were sitting in. We filled it up. Afterward there were green donuts for refreshments.

Jeremy texted me that evening. "March 17th is not only St. Patrick's Day. It is also the feast day of St. Gertrude of Nevelles. She is the patron saint of cats and those who love them. I love my KAT!" Tee Hee.

So that's what Jr. missed. I picked him up late that night and made him go to school the next morning. I'm that mom.

First Weeks of School! First Weeks of School!

Catching up on what we did at the end of August.
I had promised the kids we would play at a certain park so we finally did.

 Jr. started playing an instrument- the cello.

August 22 was Be an Angel Day and my kids were angels. Lucky had his kindergarten assessment to find out which class he should be in. He got a treat and was very happy about that.

That evening we went to the UCB (Utah County Birders) potluck. Nichole made a cheeseball in the shape of an American Dipper. Jeremy made a sign to go with it.

Since we had the potluck that night, we celebrated Be an Angel Day foodwise a few days later. We had alfredo with angel hair pasta again.

I got to go on a UCB field trip up Mirror Lake Scenic Byway. It was a long day but great. Jeremy took care of things with the kids while I was gone. My hero. I got to see some birds I'd never seen in Utah before and some mammals I'd never seen before.

Highlights were Canada jays (formerly known as gray jays), American three-toed woodpecker (lifer), pine marten (allusive weasel-type animal- I didn't get good pictures, others in my group did), and some pikas (cute little rodent-like animals- They are fast).

If you look really closely in that second to last picture, you can see the dark brown pine marten just above the log leaping toward that evergreen on the right side of the picture. Go ahead and click on the picture to make it bigger.

Lucky had his own first day of school. He was so excited for it, he ran to the bus stop and we got there super early and we waited... and waited... and waited. When he got home from school, he asked, "Do I get to go to school again tomorrow?" He was pleased that he did.

This picture Jeremy calls my "I'm not ready" picture. Actually, I was just trying to make sure he didn't get too far ahead where I couldn't see him and so I could take pictures.

I will admit, though, I did cry before the bus was even out of sight. I knew he would be fine, but... you know.

August 28 was National Bow Tie Day. We had bow tie pasta with our meal. Yumm. I asked the kids to set the table. They had an interesting way of doing it.

One Saturday, we took a trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and Antelope Island to see a couple new life birds. At Bear River, we saw a brown pelican. We're used to seeing American white pelicans in Utah, but we don't get brown pelicans around here. That was exciting.

At Antelope Island, we saw a wandering tattler. I didn't even know there was such a thing until that week.

And of course we chose August to go, which is when the biting bugs start to diminish because there are spiders everywhere- Western Spotted Orb Weavers. They are big... and beautiful.
Thank you, Jr., for letting us use your hand for size comparison.

Luckily, we brought along our web detracting sword so we could go along the path full of vegetation and get webs out of the way.

We celebrated Jr.'s birthday in August as well. When I asked what kind of cake he wanted, he said what he really wanted was pie. I asked what kind and he said "apple." Ah, yes. I can make apple pie. So that's what he got for his birthday. Apple pie and ice cream... and a sonic screwdriver. Have I mentioned we're Doctor Who fans?

 

Everybody's been needing haircuts. I took care of three of them in August, one in September, and one in October. I forgot to do before and after pictures on some of them but if you look at my blog, you'll be able to see the difference.

 There may have been more holidays and things in there but if I don't have pictures, I don't remember.