Mom is Old

They're at it again. During family scripture study, this is what was said.

Mom: Joseph Smith died before he even got to my age.

Lucky: Well, that's not saying much.

(Silence)

Everybody: Ohhhhhhh. 

Birthday and Second Birthday

Just like with Jr.'s birthday, Jeremy was gone during Jr. Jr.'s birthday so we celebrated his birthday on his birthday and we celebrated it again after Jeremy got back.

Jr. Jr. got two dinners (for his second birthday, he requested a dish that Dad makes. "The good stuff that Dad makes" is what everyone calls it).

He got two cakes with frosting and Jet put the candles on both times (it's his thing). We only ate half the ice cream on his birthday so we didn't have to open up a new carton for his second birthday, just had more of what he wanted- mint chocolate chip ice cream with caramel syrup on it. 

He opened cards on his first birthday and opened his present on his second birthday.

He was not disappointed to get light up juggling balls. 

Jeremy also stopped by Buc-ee's while he was in the South and picked up some caramel popcorn that was birthday cake flavored for Jr. Jr. to have on his birthday.

He's Back

We got Jeremy back!

After 2 1/2 weeks away, Jeremy got back from his South Carolina fair on October 22, National Color Day.

Look how cute we are with the different colors we're wearing.

Speaking of colors, I got out that morning for a walk with some colors. 

I also finally wore a bright red shirt I got a while back that says "Bake the World a Better Place." You know I love baking but I'm usually wearing an apron while baking. I finally wore this shirt (and an apron) while baking bread and got my picture with the shirt and the bread.

Jet brought home a cute little "Monster Spring" (that's what he named it) from school so I showed him how it pops and he loved it.

We got multiple colors in our dinner. Creamy Beef Enchiladas from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 4, by Jordan Page. Because these books are all about this, I saved some of our French Dip meat from when we had French Dip sandwiches while Jeremy was gone (also from that book) to use in the enchiladas. Oh and we substituted a pork roast for a beef roast (substitutions are encouraged). We had a spinach salad side dish. 

 

Nice celebrating Color Day and the best part of course was getting Jeremy home. I missed him.

Mommy, Look

Jet: I made a jack-o-lantern.

Foods Without Jeremy

While Jeremy was gone to South Carolina, I let the kids request foods they wanted to eat since normally I care more about fixing food Jeremy likes (I do take into consideration my kids, don't get me wrong, but if I think Jeremy will like it, I'm more likely to fix it when he's around).

Nichole loves chicken drumsticks so I made sure to make some for her. 

We had Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme (I had been wanting to make it for weeks but hadn't gotten around to it) from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 3, by Jordan Page.

Lucky loves Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps so we had some, of course, along with woo-woo for FHE treat.

Jr. Jr. helped me with menu planning for October (including using A Season of Family Meal Plans) and one of the things we planned and made was French Dip Sandwiches. Mmmm. I made this last year and liked it and I liked it again this year. 

 

Late night baking. I had some bananas that needed to be used so I made Calico Bread from The Fablehaven Cookbook. The neighbors upstairs texted that it smelled good. The next morning I brought some up to them.  

Also from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 4, I made apple cider muffins. It did not take long for them to get gobbled up.

Fall Break 2025

When Jeremy is on trips (quite a few this year), he misses a lot (including us and we miss him, too). One thing we've made sure to do as a family, though, is when Jeremy is traveling, he calls in the morning and night for family prayer over the phone. Sometimes he joins in for family scripture study as well. It's important to keep that gospel foundation strong for our family even when we're separated.

 

Since Jeremy was gone so long on this last trip to South Carolina, he also missed Fall Break.

 

Slumber Party!

When our older children were little we had a tradition of having a slumber party the night before Fall Break or Spring Break. We'd watch movies or play video games then all sleep out in the living room together. Over time, we had less people sleep in the living room after our "party" and eventually the tradition kind of fizzled out.

After many years we brought it back this Fall Break with watching a movie and playing MarioKart while eating muffins. Only a few opted to sleep out in the living room but we did have good bonding time while we were up.

October 15 was National Mushroom Day so I wore my pajamas that have mushrooms on them and Jr. Jr. commented: That's why Jet didn't want me to have mush room on the couch. 

P.S. For dinner earlier we made shawarma for Shawarma Day.

 

The next day, we had leftovers for dinner for World Food Day on October 16.

We got some snuggles in before Nichole and I went to a Relief Society activity to paint pumpkins. 

Normally I'm hands on involved in the activities (remember the sourdough?) but this time I was content to just sit and socialize. I also was able to praise Nichole's pumpkin painting. 

 

I got Kiki's Delivery Service vibes from it and not necessarily the movie. Isn't it so cute?

 

Fall Break Fun!

I hiked up Big Springs area with the kiddos. We'd been wanting to for a while and finally got the chance. We even had sun that day. 

A couple times, Jet and I took pictures of each other. This is how they turned out. 

Jr. Jr. pointed out to me how in Jet's picture the first time, Jr. Jr. was standing by me. In the other picture that I took, Jr. Jr. was standing by Jet. Ha Ha. Clever noticing. 

When we got home we had pasta to celebrate... National Pasta Day.

The mountains were gorgeous at sunset.

I love nature and I love living here and I especially love my children. 

 

The two oldest and I had some bonding time watching a movie one evening. While we watched, Jet watched Kiki's Delivery Service in a different room. I think he heard our conversation about Nichole's pumpkin.

 

Jet requested going to the library during Fall Break so on October 20, he and I went together. He was so well behaved. He followed directions. He stayed with me. We did a children's activity in the children's wing with pumpkin emotions. He got to play in the children's area and when it was time to move on to gather books on my list, he didn't put up a stink about it. He was quiet in the quiet areas, even when we had to get a book from the quietest area in the library. He was very good at whispering. We watched construction on the new courtyard/greenhouse area. He helped me check out our books and did a good job. I am so proud of him.

He did not yell, "Tractor!" in the middle of the library. Once we got out to the van, he was able to. "Tractor! Burninating the countryside..." For those that get the reference, he yells, "Trogdor!" but thinks it's "Tractor!" If you listen to Strong Bad from Homestar Runner, it does kind of sound like "Tractor."

Since October 20 was International Sloth Day, Jet requested a book about koalas. Why not?

I love bonding time with my children. And I love how this Fall Break went.

The Big Sit

It has been years since I participated in The Big Sit. The Big Sit is where a group of birders gather together in a 17 foot circle and see what birds can be seen from that circle in a 24 hour period- usually birders don't stick around that long, it's usually dawn to dusk (because that's when you can see the birds). It also doesn't have to be the same birders all day, just the same circle. This year for Utah County Birders it was at the end of the Provo River Delta. Nichole and I went in the morning and stayed for a few hours. First bird of the day we saw cross the road in front of us while we were driving- skunk. Okay, not a real bird but it was fun to see. We saw plenty of real birds, the highlight was a peregrine falcon that flew by. No longer my "nemesis bird." I've seen a few in the wild since then.

The Big Sit is done all over at least the United States. I'm not sure about other countries. Lots of groups do it. The bird count (species and how many of each species) is put on an ebird record and that's how the information is logged for the annual event.

Nichole and I enjoyed ourselves. There was plenty of birdwatching as well as socializing. You know I like both. It's always good to catch up with other birders.

Our birding friend who helped us jump our van in St. George was there and of course he brought some things that someone else forgot. Always to the rescue, always the hero.

Nichole and I stayed until almost noon when I got stung by a bee so we decided it was time to go home even if we would have stayed a few more minutes. It had climbed on my shirt and I didn't think it climbed up my shirt sleeve so I was patting my arm hard "just to make sure." I felt the sting and felt really bad for it because it was my fault and it was an actual bee and not a yellow jacket. I would have felt worse for me if it was a yellow jacket. One of the other birders used her long fingernails to get the stinger out of my arm. See? Birders are helpful people. So, it was too bad that that happened but other than that it was a good day. I love sharing things like this with my daughter especially since October 11 was International Day of the Girl Child.

I did not have my camera to take pictures because it was in South Carolina with Jeremy. I would rather it be with him there. Binoculars were plenty good for me.

 

A few days before The Big Sit, Nichole and I went to the Bean Museum at BYU for the monthly UCB meeting. Jeremy joined from South Carolina on Zoom because two hours ahead, he was done with his balloon building for the day. 

I don't have a picture but the day after The Big Sit was International Moment of Frustration Scream Day on October 12. I didn't feel like screaming again this year (I'm fine with that), but I had one child almost scream when I tried to wake him for church.

I actually had a good day. I got to teach Relief Society. After church I got a long nap. It was a pretty good day.