Happy 100th Birthday, Dick Van Dyke

Did you know that Frank Sinatra and Dick Van Dyke were only 10 years and 1 day apart in age? That's crazy. I have friends that are 10 years older or younger than me. 

I think of Frank Sinatra and Dick Van Dyke as being in two completely different time periods. Part of that might be that I remember hearing about Frank Sinatra's passing when I was a teenager and I watched Dick Van Dyke in a movie that came out when my oldest was a teenager (and he's still alive today). 

On Frank Sinatra's 110th birthday this year on December 12, we were discussing how we want to watch Guys and Dolls again (and singing some songs from it). We didn't have time that day so we'll have to watch it later.

Today, December 13, is Dick Van Dyke's 100th birthday. I thought about watching Mary Poppins but we don't have time for that either. There's only a 9 year difference in when those two movies came out, yet I still don't think of those men being around at the same time (even though they were both making movies at the same time). Isn't it a funny thing? 

Oh, here's another thing that's funny when I think about it. My parents were kids when Guys and Dolls came out and were teenagers when Mary Poppins came out. 

O.K. Even more fun. Looking at IMDB, I see that Dick Van Dyke was in a movie that came out when my parents were teenagers, a movie that came out when I was a teenager, and a movie that came out when my child was a teenager. As well as many many others. Wow. That is a long career. Pretty awesome that he's made it to 100 years old. 

 

And since I don't have pictures of Frank Sinatra or Dick Van Dyke, I'll show a picture of yesterday, 12-12.

Before Sneeze and After Sneeze

The sneeze was fake but it was funny. He was trying to get it as I took the picture but I was too fast for him. He's the kid that likes to do subtle photobombs so it's not surprising for him to try something funny. 

 

And today, I'll show a picture of what I gave to Jet when he asked for apple slices shaped like spider legs. Eh, why not? He was pleased with what I gave him.

Celebrating In December

December 1 was Eat a Red Apple Day. We did.

 

Since it was also the beginning of December, we started our Countdown to Christmas scripture study. Pick a flag with a scripture for each day, answers questions, earn mint M&Ms.

The first Sunday in December is always the First Presidency Christmas devotional so we are able to say a song that was sung, a story that was told, something like that to earn our mint M&M. President Nelson encouraged us to gain our own testimony of Jesus Christ, that He is the son of God, and because of Him we don't have to go through challenges alone. That is a great thing to remember (I'm glad I took notes).

 

December 4 was National Cookie Day. We took Oreo cookies and cream pudding and Oreos and made "Dirt."

December 5 was Walt Disney's birthday. We listened to Walt Disney music and some interviews with him. I made sure to wear my bow earrings that night at Jr.'s holiday concert.

 

For St. Nicholas Day on December 6, everyone got candy in their shoes again. It was also Put on Your Own Shoes Day. Jeremy didn't think he'd gotten any candy in his shoes. Ha Ha Ha. He realized he did after he put them on. Tee Hee.

 

We had good intentions of celebrating Cotton Candy Day on December 7 and Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day on December 8 but it didn't really happen. So December 9 we finally traveled in time to eat cotton candy but not before Jr. Jr. posed in an epic time traveler position.

December 11 was International Mountain Day. We took that day to make a mountain of latkes, ate challah bread, and played dreidel with chocolate coins which we ate, too. Yumm.

On Frank Sinatra's birthday on December 12, I listened to Frank Sinatra music while getting things done.

On Cocoa Day, December 13, we were going to do our annual Polar Express Party. We got as far as Jeremy dressing up and reading the book to us. Then I was tired and didn't want to deal with things, getting supplies out for cocoa. Sigh. I went to bed and the kids played video games.

December 14 was Monkey Day. I went to watch one of my monkeys play in his first real orchestra concert. Well done, monkey.

 

December 15 was Ugly Christmas Sweater Day. I didn't get any pictures of Jeremy wearing it but he got himself a t-shirt this year with this on it:

I love it.

That's enough for one post. Stay tuned for more December 2023 catching up.

Family Home Evening

Yesterday we had a special stake conference at church.  Bishop Waddell of the Presiding Bishopric came and spoke to us.  It was a wonderful meeting.  Nichole and I got to sing in the choir for it.
Bishop Waddell talked about ways we can choose to follow Jesus.  We can choose Him by making our homes a place where we can feel the Spirit, by reading the Book of Mormon in our homes, by teaching in our homes first so that the things we learn in church will support it and not replace it, and by parents being committed to one another and to God.  We can also choose Him by following His leaders.
Bishop Waddell ran out of time so he encouraged us in our own Family Home Evenings to discuss more of how we choose Jesus.
Today's theme for LIGHTtheWORLD is "Jesus taught others and so can you."  I was assigned to give our lesson in Family Home Evening and since very important service is done in the home I wanted to talk about something very meaningful for Family Home Evening.  When Bishop Waddell suggested continuing on with what we learned in our special stake conference for Family Home Evening, it definitely felt right.  So that's what we did.
The kids did a good job joining in the discussion and suggesting we can love others and help others and be nice.  We also discussed personal and family prayer, teaching others, encouraging people, and answering people's questions about the Gospel.  Of course, another important way to follow Jesus is by keeping the commandments.
We have really good kids and I'm so grateful for how much service they have been doing lately.  I've been pointing it out to them when I notice them being kind or using good manners.  That is service.  I can't write down all the ways we've been trying to follow Jesus through service lately- with sometimes big things and sometimes little things.  It has been wonderful, though.

For Family Home Evening treat we had cake and sherbet.  December 12 is Frank Sinatra's birthday, after all.  Later while making juggling balls for Nichole's science fair project (she had such a great time with it last year, she decided to do it again this year), I watched Guys and Dolls.  Frank Sinatra!
I love my family and am so grateful to serve alongside them this month as we LIGHTtheWORLD.

Happy Birthday, Frank Sinatra

December 12.  It's Frank Sinatra's Birthday.

So have a cupcake.

Open a present.

 

 

And play a game.

"Baby blue eyes" here knows how to celebrate the birthday of "Ol' blue eyes."