Back to Hogwarts Night

I took the kids to the Orem Library for Back to Hogwarts Night they held toward the beginning of September. Timing was good because Jr. Jr. had been reading Harry Potter books and discussing them with friends and family members.

They had quizzes (O.W.L. or N.E.W.T. Official Exams), crafts and activities, and even a "potions class." 

Our favorite part was going to see live owls.

You know we like birds. Birds are awesome.

When we got home, we got out a non live owl for Jet to play with because... owls are cool and he could continue on the Hogwarts fun. 

 Another nice evening at the Orem Public Library. 

Fun in July Other Than Celebrating Holidays

We didn't just celebrate holidays in July. We had other fun, too. Some things worked for Summer Reading.

Dressing up (total Harry Potter vibes going on).

He stole my pajamas and put them on himself.

Crafts- it's Dixie Fox.

Bonding time- One day Jr. needed a break so he came into my room. I suggested we play a game so we did... until Jet came and decided to mess up the cards. Sigh.  He wanted to "play," too, I guess.

We brought back some treats from Washington. There were jelly snacks in a frog shaped jar. Jr. and Jet named the jar, "Senor Frog," so at one point Jet said, "Aww. Senor Frog. He's so cute." Jet's so cute.

We've continued to try new recipes. This was BLT pasta salad (big hit with several family members) and Hawaiian baked beans (I was the only one who liked them and I really liked them).

We did one more story trail that they set up on the Provo Library grounds. The Golden River.

Nichole went to a Lord of the Rings marathon at the Orem Library. Jeremy made her a food for one of the breaks.

We weren't able to get tickets for a movie night to watch Wonka at the Provo Library so we checked the movie out and had our own movie night at home with popcorn and brownies.

Nichole and I got out for walks with friends.

A couple family members won prizes from the Orem Library and Jr. won a prize from the Provo Library. Jeremy won a movie night at the Orem Library. Jet won some new Pete the Cat books. Jr. won some play tickets. We all got some prizes just for participating in the Summer Reading programs.

July was busy.

Some September Catching Up

September 1 was Lazy Mom's Day. I was sick so I kinda took the day off, lying on the couch all day except when I had to take or pick up kids from busses. We missed a wedding reception that night and I missed out on a birding field trip the next morning. Jeremy went on the field trip at least.

 

Nichole came home for Labor Day, September 4, so I had her help with the American flag selfie that day.

Jr. and Jr. Jr. got up early with other young men to help set up flags in the neighborhood. It was cold and wet that morning so they warmed themselves up with hot chocolate when they got home.

The next night, Nichole went with some of us to watch a storyteller at the Orem Library. I love library events.

September 6 was National Read a Book Day. I started reading Fleur-de-Lis by Sarah M. Eden that day with swag I won in that contest a few months before. Good book.

Nichole celebrated National Read a Book Day not as happily by reading Animal Farm for a class.

I also combined National Read a Book Day and Shelftember with my Shelf Cooking 101 book by Jordan Page.

Going along with the book theme, I mentioned that Lucky's teacher has a Harry Potter themed classroom. Lucky brought home a Harry Potter snow globe he earned.

On 9/9 it was President Russell M. Nelson's 99th birthday. I went to a Stake Relief Society National Day of Service. 

Besides service activities, they had a luncheon. The bottle of water with the food made me think of Elder Allen D. Haynie's talk from April 2023 General Conference, "A Living Prophet for the Latter Days." Read or listen to the talk to understand the water bottle reference and why I squished the water bottle as I did before recycling it. 

On a more serious note, I am grateful to have a living prophet who helps us know what the Lord wants us to know. I have gained so many blessings from following the prophet and of course still have so many things to work on. I know the Lord is pleased that I am trying and that I sustain His prophets and apostles.

 

On a not so serious note, September 11 was Make Your Bed Day. When I told Jr. Jr. to make his bed this was his response. "But Mom, I did. I made it a complete mess." Jet has a habit of taking my made bed and unmaking it. So yes, I did make my bed. It didn't stay made.

We had pigs in a blanket to go along with Make Your Bed Day.

September 11 was also Hot Cross Bun Day. I used a recipe from The Fiction Kitchen Trio Cookbook to make Hot Cross Buns. I was maybe the only one in the family who liked the spice in the buns and I definitely liked them. I keep thinking I need to make them and just freeze some for myself.

And of course since it was 9/11, Jr. Jr. and I got our selfie with the American flag. I also took time to share with Lucky some of my memories of that day in 2001.

 

September 12 was National Chocolate Milkshake Day and Ants on a Log Day.

 

September 13 was the 30th anniversary of when The Animaniacs premiered. Seriously. 30 years. I remember afternoon cartoons. I remember anticipating that new show and then getting a kick out of it when it did premiere. My mom thought it was fun because she got a lot of the references that we didn't get as kids at the time. I got a lot more of the references as the years went on. Great for the whole family. I love that 30 years later, my kids enjoy that show as well. Jet will even ask for it by name. Jeremy and I did some reminiscing about those days on that anniversary.

September 13 was also Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day. I honestly can't remember how much they took over the kitchen that day. I made homemade tortilla chips from corn tortillas. We also made bean dip to go with those chips. It wasn't seven layers because we were shelf cooking for Shelftember- using what we had.

 

September 14 was Eat a Hoagie Day. Homemade buns for Chilly Pheesesteak sandwiches and homemade chili with corn chips we had in our pantry. Yumm.

It was also Parents Day Off but I didn't have time for that. Sigh. I actually took a couple of my boys with a neighbor kid out to practice bike riding.

I'd say that's enough catching up for now.

And Then Things Got Crazy

After Jeremy and I had such a nice relaxing anniversary celebration, our family then had a crazy busy week.

August 13 was Alfred Hitchcock's Birthday. It was also my nephew's birthday, my brother's anniversary, and a good friend's anniversary. Hence the bow earrings.

There were back to school nights and first days of schools.

When taking Jr. Jr. to back to school night, it was fun to see Nichole's ceiling tile was still up right outside the library.

Lucky's teacher has a Harry Potter themed room this year so he got to run through the "wall" at Platform 9 3/4 to get into his classroom to meet his teacher.

I asked what the boys wanted for first day of school breakfast. "Apple Pancakes" from The Fablehaven Cookbook. Are we surprised? No.

Jr. Jr. had two first days of school pictures because he had two first days. 7th grade day and everyone's first day.

We also went to a Utah County Birders potluck that week. The kids had fun running around and one of the birder's little boy joined in the fun.

We celebrated National Fajita Day on August 18.

We had a neighborhood end of Summer party for our ward that week as well. It rained pretty hard and was windy while we were there.

Crazy busy. I tell you.