Literacy Continues

National Literacy Month may be over (no more calendar from Shadow Mountain Publishing) but literacy activities still continue...

Like reading while waiting to pick kids up from school.

There's always another book to read, always another activity to do. 

 

You know what also continues? Literacy challenges!

This year is the 25th anniversary of Provo Library being in the academy building. You saw the water bottle I got for finishing the Summer Reading Program this year, right?

I also did an Academy 25th Anniversary Challenge and picked up my prize the end of September.

I got a card, water bottle sticker, and magnet.

Then on October 2, the governor and first lady of Utah encouraged everyone to join a state-wide read-a-thon. Spend an hour reading as a family, school, library, whatever. Lucky's English class was chosen to be one of a few in the state to go to the capitol that morning for a read-a-thon there.

That evening, Orem Library encouraged families to get comfy, bring pillows and blankets, and have a read-a-thon there. Nichole, Jr., Jet, and I went. Jr. Jr. stayed home to read and Lucky already read at the capitol that morning. Jeremy listened to an audiobook on his way home from work.

Don't we love an excuse to go to the library? Jet and I read a few books together, one several times, which we decided to check out when it was time to go home.

Books are awesome. Reading is awesome. Libraries are awesome. Literacy is awesome! 

And there are so many different ways to do it.

National Literacy Month

Jet and I finished up National Literacy Month with Shadow Mountain Publishing's adult and children's calendars. 

 

September 23 Share your reading-journey story

Read somewhere new

 

September 24 Read a chapter before screen time

Talk about your child's favorite character

 

September 25 Follow an author online

Donate a children's book

 

September 26 Visit a bookstore

Read aloud to a sibling

 

September 27 Finish a book

Act out a scene from a book

 

September 28 Reflect on what you've learned while reading

Build a reading fort

 

September 29 Read for personal growth

Read 3 books today

September 30 Celebrate Literacy Month with your next read

Celebrate by choosing a new book together 

 

That was awesome. I'm glad we did it and we really did. We did an item from each of those two calendars every day. Way to go, us. 

Busy Week

The week of September 21-27 was busy. I had things going on every night. 

Because of Shelftember, I didn't go shopping but used what we had to cook some crockpot meals. Jr. helped with getting them out when they were done or finishing them so people could eat while I was gone.

Everything was going on while I was still doing literacy activities for Jet and me for National Literacy Month and trying to celebrate holidays. I said it was a busy week. 

As you know, I had book club on Tuesday, September 22 (I think we had Family Home Evening on Monday, the 21st). 

I found out the day before that there were parent teacher conferences on Wednesday, September 23, to get through before the boys had a youth activity that night.

Jr. Jr. brought home leftovers. #shelftember

There were parent teacher conferences on Thursday, September 24, which I actually knew about and had planned for. Jeremy was able to go and we were able to watch a presentation by the beginning orchestra students. Jeremy stayed to take a picture of Lucky and to take him home while I ran down to BYU to pick up Nichole so we could make it in time to book club at the Orem Library.

When we got home, I read the book, Punctuation Celebration, to Jet to celebrate Punctuation Day.

It was also Jim Henson's Birthday but those at home forgot to watch Muppet Treasure Island, so they watched it the next day to celebrate observed. Tim Curry passed away recently so that was part of the thinking there, too. To celebrate him.

Friday, September 25, was Quesadilla Day so I made black bean quesadillas before I headed out that evening.

It was National Daughters Day, so I took Nichole with me to go watch a friend of ours in an opera.

It was 9-25. 9 2 5. Dolly Parton Day. Dolly Parton passed away recently so we started watching the movie, 9 to 5, to celebrate her. I got too tired so we finished the movie the next morning. I'd never actually seen that movie before. It was part of Jeremy's childhood, though. Often we find things that were very similar in our upbringing but there were a few differences we've introduced each other to.

Saturday, September 26, I went to a BYU faculty concert to support another friend who was performing.

That day was National Singles Day. Several people had singles in their water bottles or in glasses. It was Public Lands Day but we were too busy to go anywhere. It was Johnny Appleseed Day so Jet ate applesauce while wearing his Johnny Appleseed hat he made at school.

Sunday, September 27, was National Chocolate Milk Day. We ran out of milk (I told you I hadn't gone shopping), but a few people had hot chocolate. Close enough.

That night was a Neighborhood Walkabout. We were encouraged to go for a relaxing evening walk around the neighborhood with our families. Several homes had food and treats to enjoy while socializing. At the Goodmans' home, besides socializing and treats, Stephanie read to Jet. She said he was the first child to hear her read Blue's Lost Shoe. Awww. 

It was a lovely evening.

Man, those days were busy. 

Celebrating and Observed

September 20 was National Punch Day, National Pepperoni Pizza Day, National String Cheese Day, National Fried Rice Day, and National Care for Kids Day.

I nicely abandoned my children to work on my literacy activity for the day. I made them make pepperoni pizza while I was gone. Someone may have eaten string cheese that day but for sure the day after. Nobody attempted to make fried rice anytime around that holiday. The kids made punch the next day because they forgot to on the 20th. 

But I did read a book where there was punching happening.

And I did do the literacy activity with Jet.

 

The literacy activities for adult and children's calendars from Shadow Mountain Publishing for National Literacy Month for the few days around that time were:

 

September 20 Read somewhere new

Read before bedtime

 

September 21 Recommend a book to someone

Find a book about adventure

 

September 22 Enter the adult book giveaway!

Let your child "read" the pictures 

 

Part of my abandoning my children was so I could read more of A Lady's Guide to Love and Pirates for a few hours so I could finish it in time for The Proper Romance Book Club event on September 22.

I finished it on the 21st. Woohoo.

I'm grateful I did. September 21 was World Gratitude Day.

I also went around singing, "Do you remember the 21st night of September?"

 

Since A Lady's Guide to Love and Pirates is my favorite book I've read this year (and I've read it twice), I was excited about the book club to learn more from the author, Jennifer Moore. 

It took place on the first day of Fall. We have some Fall colors around, especially up in the mountains.

I had plenty to contribute during book club because I love that book so much. 

Often with this book club, the authors will add little behind the scenes info throughout the month about their book then there is an online event at the end of the month to listen to the author and host discuss things and comment in the chat. Those that comment are added into the drawing for a book. That's how I won When You Rescued Me by Sian Ann Bessey the end of last month.

This month was a little different. Jennifer Moore took us on a treasure hunt with clues to answer throughout the month. I loved it! Those that got them all right were entered to win a special prize.

Guess what. I won! I won the book, Pirateology. I'm excited to explore it with my family.

They also had the regular drawing for a book based on comments throughout the month and from the book club event.

I've been enjoying book clubs this year and reading challenges.

Talk Like a Pirate Day 2026

September 19 was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. We love that holiday.

The day started off with me finishing the audiobook of Wendy's Ever After by Julie Wright. Definitely pirates in that book.

Then the three oldest, my husband, and I watched a little bit of Pirates of the Caribbean movie until the younger kids woke up and we turned it off. I did wear my pirate ship necklace, though. And the lipstick color I put on was called Rum. Hee hee hee.

Some kids set the language to "Pirate" on Minecraft while they were playing.

We continued with National Literacy Month using Shadow Mountain Publishing's calendars of literacy activities (adult and children's calendars). 

 

Donate a book

Share a reading photo on social media (use our #)

 

While donating a book to the library, I checked out a book about pirates to read to my youngest.

I continued my rereading of A Lady's Guide to Love and Pirates by Jennifer Moore.

Jet wanted to get a picture, too. 

While I was out running errands, I listened to the soundtrack of Muppet Treasure Island.

For dinner I told a story about a pirate ship carrying dinosaurs. Then giant squid pup monsters came from the sea and attacked, wrapping around the dinosaurs. There was red fluid everywhere.

One of my dinosaurs got away and my youngest let me know two of his pteranodons attacked and pulled a squid pup.

After dinner a few of us followed the youngest on a treasure hunt with a treasure map he painted. We followed it to where "X marks the spot." We uncovered a treasure chest (mini cooler) filled with treasure. Donettes!

We had fun celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day. It's nice we had more time that day since it was a Saturday so we were able to do some things we don't always get to.