Friday, May 15, 2026

Our Anniversary

Saturday of Screen Free Week, Jeremy and I celebrated our anniversary. This year marked the point where I've been married to my husband longer than I have not. I love being married to him.
On May 9, National Babysitter's Day, we started out early- Jeremy made us omelettes beforehand- and started our drive to go birding up Nebo Loop. As we were driving up, having a really heartfelt conversation and crying a lot (this guy is my favorite), we found out the road was closed past a certain point. 
O.K. Plan B. We turned around, drove all the way back down, and headed to Powell Lake in Lehi, listening to music and singing along as we went.
We weren't sure we'd have time to go to Powell Lake that day so this change worked out. It was great- plenty of birds to see. I loved seeing the pelicans in the water and Forster's Terns flying around. 
Lots of birds.
We made a quick stop at Costco after that- we needed Hawaiian sweet rolls for our anniversary dinner with the kids.
Then since our original picnic spot was not available (up Nebo Loop), we went out to Provo Canyon and picnicked at Vivian Park and watched swallows fly around (and a kestrel chase them at one point).
More heartfelt talking and crying as we drove. We ended up at the Heber Fields and saw lots more birds.
It was a long day already so when we got home we took a nap then got up to finish making dinner. We were smart and made some things the day before and Jeremy cut up my pineapple before we left that morning.
We had our traditional anniversary dinner with the kids and Jeremy had his yearly one piece of pineapple.
Jet was very interested in getting pictures of Jeremy's reaction to eating the pineapple.
I've told people before and I'll continue to say it: My husband hates pineapple. He hates the taste and smell of it. Yet every year for our anniversary dinner, he cuts up a pineapple for me because I love pineapple. That is true love.  
Have I mentioned I love my husband? I'm happy to spend forever with him.

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Screen Free Week 2026

Last week was Screen Free Week. Let's talk about highlights from the week.
Monday through Friday, I went for daily walks to Bridal Veil Falls, including on a day when it was raining. I just took an umbrella.

 

I listened through several audiobooks.
One day I walked beyond Bridal Veil Falls and walked along the Provo River Parkway for a bit. I kept having to dodge little inchworms hanging from their silken threads. I tried to get some pictures using my hand as a backdrop (without touching them) but I couldn't get it to focus on the creatures.
Finally I gave up and started walking back. After a bit I looked down at my sleeve and saw a little inchworm sitting there. I was able to get pictures and a video of it (because my sleeve was a good backdrop) before I picked up a stick to encourage it off of me.
I found another one that I also got off. When I got back to the van, I took off my vest and brushed myself off but I didn't have any more of those little caterpillars on me. That was fun. 
 
May the Fourth, I took a couple kids to the library with me. We said Hi to Libby the Librantula (twice) and picked up some books.
There was a display in the children's section for Star Wars Day, so I picked up a book to read with Jet later.
We ate "sand"wich people at home. 
I wished my friend a Happy Star Wars Day and she let me know they were watching one of the movies.
We didn't watch a movie because it was Screen Free Week but we played a card game that night for Family Home Evening.

May the Sixth was No Diet Day so I told everyone to "Fend For Yourself" for dinner. 
 
May the Seventh was National Tourism Day so we ate Greek Pitas.
I wore my slug shirt I wore on our Pacific Northwest trip a couple years ago. Jet carried around Timothy, the banana slug we got from Mount Rainier on that trip. Jet and I both wore brown shirts and black pants that day.

May the Eighth was No Sock Day. I wore my socks some of the time but took them off other times.
It was also Fintastic Friday. We had Sharkleberry Fin Koolaid and Jeremy brought us home gummy sharks.
That night, I introduced another person to the movie, Seeking Persephone. It's a monthly tradition. This person, however, has read a lot of books by Sarah M. Eden so she is very familiar with the book this movie is based on as well as the series (and a related series).
I know it was Screen Free Week, but this movie watching was postponed from when we were going to watch it in April (I got to watch it with my in-laws). The kids were okay with it because they got to watch a movie during Screen Free Week and eat cucumber sandwiches and drink herbal tea.  
 
Other things from Screen Free Week:
Snuggles

Jet  showing that he learned "Skidamarink A Dink A Dink" at school

Jr. Jr. letting Jet play with the train he built at school (how cool is that)
 
Jeremy finally getting a haircut

Roses blooming 

I'll blog about Saturday and Sunday later. Those days were big deals.