250th Birthday of the USA

We made it back from the Pacific Northwest in time for 4th of July weekend.

Friday the 3rd of July, I watched hot air balloons even driving to a nearby park to see them closer and to get juggling videos and pictures. 

Jet, Nichole, and I went to do a story trail at the new Delta Gateway Park. "How the Beaver Got His Tail" is one we read back in 2023.

Then we went to the library (libraries?) and picked up some Summer Reading prizes. 

Jet earned a trilobite fossil.

 

That day was Chocolate Wafer Day. Jr. Jr. told me, "We're having them after scripture study to remind us to never wafer in our faith."

Have I mentioned I love that kid?

The kids watched Pooh's Heffalump Movie to celebrate Drop a Rock Day and Eat Beans Day because rocks drop on the trap to catch the heffalump and Pooh ate jelly beans. 

 

Saturday, the 4th of July, was the 250th birthday of the USA and our celebration of it was kind of chill.

We were still recovering from vacation so there were some naps going on.

I did look at the hot air balloons from our front lawn first thing in the morning.

We played with bubbles and shadow puppets while waiting for a jet flyover. 

We watched jets with Jet like we did in 2020.

Then it was time for sidewalk chalk before going in and relaxing.

It was Play Outside Day. 

I did have a drink with a red, white, and blue straw.

For dinner we had hot dogs and salad with Caesar dressing because it was Caesar Salad Day.

For dessert we had red, white, and blue ice cream.

The funny thing is a different day we needed to get ice cream for Nichole's birthday and ice cream was on sale so one of the types of ice cream we got was red, white, and blue ice cream. It was so good.

On Independence Day we heard no fireworks, no sirens, and no dogs barking. This year there was a fireworks ban because of too many fires.

We were planning on more activities, but I'm okay that it was kind of laid back.

 

Sunday, the 5th of July, the kids and I went out for an evening drive and saw the giant flag flying in Grove Creek Canyon. They used a different flag this year. This year it was a Betsy Ross flag, which you can't really tell in the pictures Nichole took as I was driving. Oh well.

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 13

The last day before we left the Pacific Northwest, I went for a walk to say goodbye to my parents' yard, including their own monkey puzzle tree and a lizard.

Jet said goodbye to his reflection in my mom's mirror. He had fun talking to himself.

 

I did some multitasking by playing a card game and having a tea party with Jet at the same time.

While we were playing, there was also some singing going on, including songs from The Muppet Christmas Carol. I said we must be celebrating LEON Day observed since we didn't celebrate it on June 25.

We did celebrate Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day that day, July 1, not by eating ice cream but by thinking of different flavors we could have. Since we had fried rice for dinner, I thought of fried rice flavored ice cream. 

 

The next morning, the kids and I headed back to Utah after saying goodbye to my parents and my brother.

Jet got pictures of my mom as we were driving away. 

 

I didn't take a "road trip" picture but I did do some juggling at one place where we always stop.

 

We had a great trip to the Pacific Northwest. I love my in-laws. I love my family. I feel very blessed.

 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 5

June 22 was National Kissing Day. I didn't have my husband to kiss that day but I got this really cute picture before we headed out to visit Snoqualmie Falls.

It's been many many many years since we went to Snoqualmie Falls. I believe we went there in 2012 but I can't find anything specific on my blog about it. The two youngest weren't born yet. So here we go. Snoqualmie Falls in 2026.

Later that day, we got to make homemade ice cream. Everyone got a turn (or more) to crank the handle.

My mother-in-law said it was liquidy, more like a milkshake. She suggested we just celebrate Vanilla Milkshake Day observed since we didn't celebrate it on June 20. Clever, Mom.

Dinosaur Day

We've been celebrating Dinosaur Day on May 15 for many years. You know I like dinosaurs. According to Google, a more well known Dinosaur Day is June 1, so... we get to celebrate both now. I'm not complaining.

This year on May 15, though, while dropping Jet off at school, he let me know that he didn't want it to be Dinosaur Day (he used to be more into dinosaurs), he wanted it to be Leprechaun Day. I explained to him that Leprechaun Day was two days before that. Sorry we didn't do anything to celebrate that day (May 13). He made it clear that he preferred leprechauns to dinosaurs and I let him know I preferred dinosaurs to leprechauns and it's fine that we prefer different things. He let the teachers/aides know that leprechauns were green and he liked leprechauns. It really is okay for us to like different things.

After dropping him off, Nichole and I went for a walk to Bridal Veil Falls. We took binoculars and cameras so it ended up being a lot longer walk than it usually is. 

Earlier that week, I either walked by myself or Nichole and I walked to the falls, got our selfies, and walked back. Every time I thought, I should really bring camera and binoculars. So many yellow warblers and other birds but mostly yellow warblers. When I told Jeremy the time before this, I really need to bring camera and binoculars, he commented, I thought you were already planning to. Yeah, but I finally did on Dinosaur Day.

Nichole and I listened to Weird Al Yankovic's "Jurassic Park" on the drive there then got to try out my new selfie stick tripod at the falls. Note my shirt.

On the walk back, we saw lots of birds. Some posed for us and we even spotted a nest with a bird who kept flying away then coming back to it. I'm pretty sure it was a Warbling Vireo.

I love birds.

This Song Sparrow posed for us so nicely. It even sang for us.

 

You know that part in the first Jurassic Park movie where the power's been off at the compound so two of the characters are eating melting ice cream while having a discussion. Nichole and I continued to celebrate Dinosaur Day by eating ice cream later on.

That night, Jet wore dinosaur pajamas.

While we're talking about holidays, "On the 15th of May, in the Jungle of Nool..." we discussed watching Horton Hears a Who but remembered that our DVD of it doesn't work the best. Sigh.

We celebrated National Pizza Party Day. I made dough, Nichole rolled it out, Jr. put the toppings on. Teamwork for International Day of Families.

It was also National Chocolate Chip Day so I ate some chocolate chips throughout the day.

Celebrating lots of holidays is fun!   

Cosmo!

Since Lucky didn't have school during Spring Break, he was able to help Jeremy build a giant Cosmo Cougar balloon for BYU Grad Bash again this year. Way to go, guys. Jeremy took Lucky out for ice cream afterward.

A couple days later, Lucky and I went back with Jeremy to set Cosmo up for the celebration. I helped last year and wanted to do it again this year. This is how Jeremy put it:

Lucky, the short one, built the legs, Jeremy, the big one, built the torso, and Kristin, the cute one, did repairs.

Yay! I'm a helper. I love that Lucky is learning the "family business."

 

When we got home, we had more ice cream, in the forms of... root beer floats and/or on top of apple pie.

Farewell Summer Reading

At the end of July, we finished up our Summer Reading Programs at Orem Public Library and Provo City Library. So the beginning of August, Nichole, Jr., Lucky, Jet, and I went to the closing event for Orem's held at Scera Park. Jr. Jr. didn't feel like going and Jeremy was gone at another fair, this time in Wyoming and this time without a hurt back.

Lucky, Jet, and I got to ride on the Orem Express train that drove around the park. We got there early enough to miss the long line waiting for it.

We played some games then spent a lot of time on the playground. Lucky was a big helper with Jet.

After we finally left, we made a quick stop at the Orem Library then went home and had ice cream.

Summer reading fun!