Bonding Time: Museum Trip

January 21 was National Granola Bar Day. After school, Jet and I went down to BYU and sat in the van eating granola bars while waiting for Nichole to meet us after her class.

Then the three of us went into the Bean Museum to celebrate Museum Selfie Day.

While we were there we also celebrated Squirrel Appreciation Day

and National Hugging (National Hug) Day.

We let Jet be in charge to lead us around the museum until it was time to go. It was enjoyable.

I love bonding time! 

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. 

 

World Puppetry Day 2024

World Puppetry Day was on March 21. Jet likes puppets. We had puppets around and he even took one while we were picking kids up.

At the end of the day, Jet and I were watching 9 Years to Neptune, a show with puppets on BYU-TV. I kept telling Jr. Jr. to go to bed. This was his response. "It's not me watching the show. It's the dinosaur puppet." Heh Heh Heh.

That same day, Jeremy, Nichole, Lucky, and I went to a UCB Meeting at the Bean Museum. Club members were presenting about different shorebirds. Jeremy and I were asked to present on Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs. Jeremy put the presentation together and I presented it.

Because the meeting was about shorebirds, and little sandpipers are known as "peeps," the club officer in charge of meetings brought marshmallow Peeps for refreshments afterward. Tee Hee. She had fruit punch flavored. We'd never had that kind before. It was fun. I liked the flavor.

Fall Break 2022

Fall Break: Hiking (Big Springs)

Fall Break: Dead things (Bean Museum)

Fall Break: Scarecrow Festival (Thanksgiving Point)

Fall Break: Date, Live music (My niece, Carina, performing with my sister and brother-in-law in attendance)

Fall Break: Live animals (Hogle Zoo)

Just a Couple of Notes

The other day we got to meet up with some friends who were visiting from out of town.  It was so good to see them after so many years.  They invited several people to meet at the Bean Museum at BYU so that's where we went.  Fun stuff and it was fun to watch the little kids run around.

Then yesterday was Valentine's Day.  I made heart shaped pancakes for breakfast, Jr. gave everyone in the family Valentines, Jeremy made dinner, Jr. Jr. and Lucky set the table, and Nichole serenaded us with "That's Amore" on the violin after dinner.  Way to show love by doing service on Valentine's Day everyone.

Play Date and Family Time

Yesterday, the kids and I got to visit a friend of mine from college (well, technically it was when my husband was going to college, but we lived in student housing so a lot of the people were in college) and her kids.  It was so fun to chat with her while the kids played nicely.  They have a nice backyard and the weather was good so we got to play outside.  Of course I forgot to bring Lucky's coat.  Silly me.  But my friend let me borrow one from her son and a hat for him.  So nice.  Thank you, friend.

This evening, we had some family time.  We went to the Bean Museum on BYU Campus, saw some stuffed animals, and got to watch their live animal show.  The show was about Utah's Diversity.  Nichole was like Hermione Granger in Harry Potter.  She knew all the answers and every time a question was asked, her hand shot up in the air.  I was impressed.
After the show, Nichole, Jr., and Jr. Jr. got to pet the ball python, a couple of them pet a box turtle's shell, and Jr. and I had a tarantula crawl across our hands.

So much fun.
We hadn't been to the Bean Museum since they redid it so this was a new experience for all of us.  We didn't have time to see much, but we'll definitely go back.  We were mainly there to watch the animal show tonight anyway.