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.

 

Yet More Bonding Time (With a Little Alone Time Thrown In There)

Saturday, I had time to myself in the morning. I was able to go for a walk in the park with the lights. Since I don't have any audiobooks checked out right now (I have two physical books I need to read ASAP), I listened to music as I walked. It's been a while since I've done that. It was quite enjoyable. And it wasn't raining like the last time I went walking there.

That alone time didn't last long. Lucky and I had choir practice and choir brunch later that morning to get ready for our Christmas Program for church the next day. I'm glad he sings with me in choir.

Remember the blue pancakes I made the other day? There was a reason for that. Since the first few episodes of the second season of Percy Jackson came out recently, we've been planning to start watching them but things keep coming up. The day I made blue pancakes was one of the days we were going to but it didn't work out with everyone's schedules.

Saturday evening we finally watched the first episode as a family and ate blue jelly beans and gummy sharks and chocolate wrapped in blue foil. 

Last Week of School- Monday

We reached the last week of school for the boys. Busy week. It always is. Here's how it started out.

Planned Power Outage Adventure

Remember that power outage we had a couple years ago where we all headed out in the van and had some fun throwing rocks in the river and stuff? I do.

Recently we were told of a planned power outage. It could last up to all morning and afternoon (or less). The kids would be gone to school most of the time and Jeremy would be at work the whole time. So that left Jet and me to make plans. He had an appointment at the pediatrician's office that morning so after he played Peek-a-boo with another toddler in the waiting room (it was so cute), we went to the Orem Library for a little while and read several books.

After our library trip, I figured a drive to Bridal Veil Falls would be good. You know I love Bridal Veil Falls. As we were driving in Provo Canyon, we found there was an accident on the other side of the road. I hope everyone was okay. Since the traffic was getting backed up on that side, I didn't want to contend with that so Jet and I stopped briefly at the viewpoint for Bridal Veil Falls then continued up the canyon. 

We turned on the road that goes up to Sundance then just continued on and drove Alpine Loop coming out of American Fork Canyon. I like driving up in the hills. As I drove, Jet and I sang, "I love the mountains. I love the rolling hills. I love the flowers. I love the daffodils..." It's fun to sing with Jet. We sang a few songs, saw some turkeys cross the road in front of us, looked at the trees with their green leaves, enjoyed that the air was cleaner up there than in some places down in the valley, and eventually Jet fell asleep after I continued driving around a little more. The power was back on by the time we got home so it was on when the kids got home.

That day was September 12, Hug and High 5 Day. There was a lot of hugging and high five-ing going on in our family that day.

That day was also Boss/Employee Exchange Day so Jr. suggested he and I trade jobs that evening. So I did his chore while he made dinner.

Caroling Elf

December 18 is Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day. While I was out running errands I had to call the kids. When Nichole answered with a normal greeting I reminded her that's not how Buddy would answer the phone and she fixed it for me. The kids watched the movie, "Elf," and we ate spaghetti with spaghetti sauce and syrup again like last year.

Something else Buddy shares in the movie is, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear." Light The World for today is "Songs Worth Sharing," singing together with loved ones. So after our advent scripture study, we sang, "Angels We Have Heard on High" as a family.

It's funny because when we were all sick with our coughs we didn't sing much together because we couldn't so it was really nice to have us all sharing this hymn. I really love music. And I love the messages of Christmas that can be shared through music. I loved having that feeling in our home tonight.