Speaking Of...

Continuing on with what has become tradition this year. When we got back from our Pacific Northwest trip, Jeremy and I got a selfie with the American flag because they forgot to take it down after Pioneer Day. Heh Heh Heh.

Speaking of my husband, we were at the grocery store one day and he saw some chili cornbread in the discount bakery section and said it looked so good. I told him I could make that at home. Cornbread is easy to make. We had green chilies in the pantry. So later, I made some. Yumm.

Speaking of American flags, one day we were sitting at home and there was a lovely rain and windstorm happening outside. A few of us went outside to enjoy it. It definitely got the American flags blowing. And check out Jet's hair.

Speaking of Jet, one day we needed help bringing in Costco supplies from the van. Jet really wanted to help so he grabbed the first two shoes that he could find, put them on, then went up to help.

Speaking of helping out, one day my sons said this to me. "You wanted us to help pick up the living room, right?" This is what I found them carrying:

Speaking of carrying, one day Nichole, Jet, and I went to a park so I could let Jet run around without worrying about him running off. He went a little ways then decided he just wanted Mommy to pick him up and hold him. Ha Ha Ha Ha. He sure liked the swings, though.

Speaking of Jet again, he's decided it's hilarious to pull my apron strings, not just to untie them, though, but to pull them hard enough to make me have to step back. He is so fun.

Pacific Northwest Trip- Part 2

My parents were happy to help us celebrate while we were visiting. A couple of my brothers visited while we were there, too, and also joined in. Some of the holidays were celebrated observed because of schedules.

July 18 was National Sour Candy Day. We ate sour patch kids and made sour faces.

 

July 19 was National Hot Dog Day.

 

It was also Stick Out Your Tongue Day. 

We went to Shore Acres, did a little birding while there, then went down to the beach so we could introduce a couple of the kids to putting their feet in that cold Oregon ocean. Jet enjoyed it.

Lucky didn't want to take his shoes off to wade in the water so he "tried" to run away from the waves but just got his shoes and socks wet. Sigh.

We got to see some brown pelicans which was fun. We're used to seeing white pelicans in Utah. We've only seen one brown pelican in Utah before.

July 20 was Moon Day. We ate "phases of the moon" cookies and creativity took over. We had half moons, full moons, gibbous moons, moons with the Cheshire Cat smile. We had the man in the moon and the moon on the man. 

Nichole opened up a cookie and started eating it. I pointed out it was a full moon. And as she ate it she replied, "Yep. And now it's waning."

"It's the moon!"

 

We of course couldn't visit my parents' house without visiting the nature area that is down the road. I got the kids up and made them go out with me. We got our target bird- green heron- as well as plenty of other birds in the area. There were actually 3 or 4 green herons in that area.

My parents' ward had their Pioneer Day picnic while we were there so I got to see some childhood friends and give a hug to the woman who was the Young Women's President when I was a youth. My kids had fun running around and playing (or sitting reading depending on the child) and Jet had fun running around with his uncles.

It was a great trip to Oregon.

Pioneer Days

Pioneer Day, July 24, was on a Sunday this year, so there were celebrations throughout the weekend with the main day being Monday.

I got my traditional picture of the kids with the American flags.

For Family Home Evening that night, Lucky talked about pioneers and made a covered wagon out of marshmallows and pretzels, etc.

We'd already been telling pioneer stories throughout the month, including that weekend when we went to Southern Utah.

Celebrating with Family at a Distance

July 22 was National Hammock Day. I wished my brother a Happy National Hammock Day. He makes his own hammocks and goes camping with them. He's put together several YouTube videos about it.

 

July 23 was National Gorgeous Grandma Day. I wished both my mom and my sister Happy Gorgeous Grandma Day. It was also National Vanilla Ice Cream Day.

 

July 24 was National Cousins Day. I wished lots of family members Happy National Cousins Day.

It was also Pioneer Day. We sent the kids to bed but I ran out to get a few fireworks pictures (I love that we can see them so well right outside our home). It was a laid back Pioneer Day (and Cousins Day) even though I got up early to go up Nebo Loop to the same place Jeremy and Nichole went to celebrate her birthday. Lots of birds, no crossbills, though. There were also squirrels, chipmunks, and a weasel (and plenty of cows and deer on the drive). And lots of bugs.

Oh, it was a lovely morning.