Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 11

Monday morning, Jeremy and Marcus headed to another fair in California and I went for another morning walk, this time by myself.

I walked to the covered bridge that used to be the scene for so many pictures in the past- when it wasn't closed and you could actually reach it. Several of my nieces/nephews got senior pictures there.

I then walked down the road to a walking trail in the area. 

I got my juggling pics and videos.

June 29 was National Waffle Iron Day. Here's how I figure celebrating works sometimes- rationalization. My dad grilled hot dogs for us to have chili dogs. I figure that the grill has a lid that you close just like a waffle iron has a lid that you close. Boom. Celebrated.

After lunch, while Jr. and Jr. Jr. were playing frisbee, 

Jet, Nichole, my mom, and I celebrated National Camera Day by going on a "color walk" photo hunt. It's one of the activities for library Summer reading. Pick a color and take pictures of everything you see of that color as you go. We let Jet pick the color. He picked green. It's Oregon. We didn't take pictures of everything we saw.

When I showed him we could attach his camera to my selfie stick tripod, we was very excited and used it for the rest of the walk.

At one point, my mom showed Jet a line on the road where cracks had been filled in and he followed her following it.

This shows you're never too old to have fun.

 

When we got back to my parents' house, Jet said, "Let's do a family picture." I think he's been around me... and my mom. He set his camera up on the tripod with the timer and got his picture. 

Then when we got inside, he wanted to get another family picture with everyone so I just had everyone gather around Grandpa so he didn't have to move and Jet got his picture(s).

He really wanted to use the remote that goes with my selfie stick tripod, but I let him know it doesn't work with his camera. I let him take a few pictures with my phone on the tripod and he was happy.

Later while we were playing another game, 

Jet set up his camera on the tripod again and took more family pictures.

He even photobombed his own selfie. Did you know you could do that?

Jet certainly celebrated National Camera Day. It was terrific.

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 10

Sunday, June 28 was Mel Brooks' 100th Birthday. I wore my bow earrings.

After church, my mom wanted pictures with the tree they planted for our wedding reception so many years ago. It was itty bitty at the time. It was hit and miss with how the pictures turned out because of Jet. He is still a wiggly little boy.

 

My mom made sure to get her short girl picture. She says she has so many pictures like this of young men this age who she teaches at church or she used to teach and they're getting ready to go on missions. My short mom with the kids who stand heads taller than her. 

I have plenty of those pictures with my own children. My children did not get my (and Grandma's) short genes.

 

That evening, we played Rummikub with Todd. We like playing games with Todd.

One time, everyone was able to put tiles down but Jr. Jr. could not. He kept adding more and more until he couldn't fit them on his board.

After this picture, he picked two more tiles, the last one was one he needed. Right before Jr. Jr.'s turn, Todd put his final tiles down and finished. Oh man. We all looked at Jr. Jr.'s tiles and saw that he was indeed correct. There was nothing he could do to get started. And just to show what could have happened if Todd hadn't put his last tiles down, Jr. Jr. started putting his tiles down and realized he could have gotten EVERYTHING down on that one turn and he would have won. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Sigh.

While we were playing, we noticed the lighting was gorgeous on the trees on a nearby hill. 

We stepped outside to see and realized there was a rainbow (double rainbow). A bunch of us piled outside to get pictures in the rain. It was lovely. Absolutely beautiful.

I can't get over Jet's frolicking. That's how we all felt out there that evening.

Panorama function on my phone for the win.

Panorama function on Jr.'s phone for the weird. 

 

This is what my mom caught.

We had a beautiful end to the day. 

Family Picture

I feel like it makes a difference when you get a photo of the whole family looking at the camera and smiling. It doesn't always happen.

 

Summer Reading!

The theme for the Summer Reading Programs for both Orem and Provo libraries this year is "Unearth A Story." 

Jeremy designed a Triceratops skeleton for Orem Library and built most of it with some help from us. The day he built it, after building the head,

Lucky, Nichole, Jet, and I came to the library. Nichole blew up balloons, Jet handed balloons to those needing them, Lucky worked on the back vertebrae, Jeremy worked on the frill (and also the back vertebrae), and I worked on the tail.

After a while, I took the kids home, then came back to help Jeremy finish the balloon sculpture. One day build. Woohoo.

Jeremy reminded me to get juggling pictures and videos. That is a cool background, wouldn't you say?  

By the way, Jet and I matched that day. Aren't we adorable?

 During the kickoff event, we made sure to get a family picture. 

The kickoff event for Provo Library was about modern dinosaurs- birds. We got to watch a bird show and I learned some new things I didn't know about certain birds. It was pretty fun.

The presenter showed us a Lanner Falcon, 

Sulfur-crested Cockatoo,

Harris's Hawk,

Eurasian Eagle Owl,

and Siberian Eagle Owl. 

 

There are a lot of paleontology/archeology themed activities and events for the libraries this Summer. I'm not complaining. You know I love dinosaurs... and birds.

 

I love that the day of the bird show was June 1, Dinosaur Day.

It was also Flip a Coin Day so when Jr. Jr. had a decision to make earlier in the day, I flipped a coin for him. It was inside a vehicle so I had to flip it several times before finally catching it right. Have you tried flipping a coin inside a vehicle before? Not as easy as when you have more open space.