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. 

Thank You, Agatha Christie's Hat?

September 15 was National Thank You Day. Those words were said in our home, of course.

It was Linguine Day but I didn't have any linguine so I made spaghetti with alfredo.

It was National Double Cheeseburger Day. To go along with Shelftember, I used a tamale casserole from the freezer (it had both hamburger and cheese in it). I made Spanish rice to go with it and homemade bread and applesauce (not homemade).

It was Agatha Christie's Birthday. I checked out an Agatha Christie book from the library.

It was Make a Hat Day. I watched Alice Through the Looking Glass while doing dishes and making dinner.

One of these years, we really need to make an Agatha Christie themed hat.

   

The Shadow Mountain Publishing calendars for National Literacy Month had the following for that day's literacy activities, in order of adult calendar and children's calendar:

 

September 15 Join a discussion online

Read a book about friendship

Parents Day Off? Ha!

September 14 was Parents Day Off. Ha! Too much to do. I even made dinner even though the menu plan said FFY (Fend For Yourself). And Jeremy had to go to work.

I did go for a walk that morning, though.

 

We needed some necessities so among my other errands that day, I went to Costco and bought flour tortillas. I spent a lot less than I normally would at Costco. #shelftember

With the flour tortillas I bought at Costco, I made fajitas with...

green bell peppers and yellow banana peppers from our garden, onions from the shelf, chicken from the freezer, fajita seasoning from the pantry, and sour cream from the fridge for those who wanted sour cream. 

Another errand I went on was to the library to check out a bunch of Terry Pratchett books that all reference a certain card game that some family members wanted to play. It helped for our literacy activity that night. Still going strong following Shadow Mountain Publishing adult and children's calendars for National Literacy Month.

 

September 14 Ready poetry or essays

Have a family reading night

 

Jeremy read us a passage from one of the books that talks about the game, Cripple Mr. Onion, then we played it.  

That was our Family Home Evening activity. Our treat was ice cream. Jet is so independent... sometimes (sometimes when I don't want him to be). He wanted to dish out the ice cream. Cute.

National Literacy Month

We've been continuing with the Shadow Mountain Publishing calendars for National Literacy Month. 

Here are some more literacy activities we've done with the adult and children's calendars (in that order):

 

September 9 Visit the library (Bonus: look for a Shadow Mountain book)

Visit the library (Bonus: look for a Shadow Mountain book)

 

September 10 Unplug and read before bed

Read a rhyming book

 

September 11 Reflect on a book that changed your life

Count how many books you read this week  

 

September 12 Read a Shadow Mountain Publishing book

Read a Shadow Mountain Publishing book 

 

September 13 Post your current read

Ask your child what happens next before turning the page

International Literacy Day

September 8 was International Literacy Day. #LiteracyAtEveryAge

The Shadow Mountain Publishing National Literacy Month adult and children's calendars had these literacy activities listed:

 

Read for 45 minutes

Read an extra book together 

 

September 8 was also the 60th Anniversary of Star Trek. I have friends who are big Star Trek fans who had a whole weekend of it. I let them know I was thinking of them that day. 

Quick Visit

Remember how I was so late for something, we didn't make it? That event was celebrating my Dad's birthday- big family reunion with people I hadn't seen for years.

I had seen my parents at my niece's wedding and reception the month before but I was looking forward to this big event. I was so sad.

Since we missed the event, my parents stopped by Monday morning for a quick visit. I love my parents so much. 

That day, September 7, was Labor Day. 

It was also the anniversary of when the first fully electric television set was achieved by Philo T. Farnsworth. I remembered to mention it to my Farnsworth friend (and distant relative) at church the day before.

 

Jet and I continued on with literacy activities from Shadow Mountain Publishing's adult and children's calendars for National Literacy Month. #LiteracyAtEveryAge

 

September 7 Start a new book

Draw your child's favorite character

His response was, "I love it, Mom!" 

Read a Book Day

September 6 was someone special's birthday so I wore my bow earrings.

It was also National Read a Book Day. All of the National Literacy Month calendars from Shadow Mountain Publishing (as well as the "Daily Fun With Your Little One!" calendar from Orem Library) said Read Outside for the literacy activity.

We couldn't read just a book, however. 

#LiteracyAtEveryAge

Seeking Persephone, the Book

Let's talk about Seeking Persephone. I've mentioned over and over that I love the movie. Before I loved the movie, I loved the book.

I read it for the first time many years ago before the concept of a movie for it was even a thing. 

It is, as Sarah Eden describes it, the story of Hades and Persephone set in Regency England. It's got a little bit of Beauty and the Beast vibes, and that happens to be my favorite fairy tale.

It's the story of a woman, Persephone Lancaster, who marries Adam, the Duke of Kielder, to save her family from financial ruin. The duke of Kielder needs a bride to keep his distant relative from inheriting his estate. As the two navigate this new situation that is their marriage, they learn more about one another and learn to love each other wholeheartedly.

I love the sweet clean love story that it is. I love how the two main characters learn to complement each other as they meet different adversities together. I do love supporting characters in the book, who make appearances throughout other books in the series (and related series), sometimes having their own stories.

I definitely recommend this book and of course the movie that follows the book so well. 

Favorite Book I've Read This Year

 

Every once in a while, I come across a book that I love so much that as soon as I finish it, I immediately want to start reading it again. A Lady's Guide to Love and Pirates by Jennifer Moore was such a book for me.

I've read plenty of wonderful books this year, but this has been my favorite. So much excitement, adventure, danger, a claustrophobic scene that I felt along with the character, and of course a sweet love story.

I absolutely would recommend this book and I have a few times already.

Thanks, Jenny, for writing this. I love many of your books but this one is my favorite. 

National Literacy Month

September is National Literacy Month. You know I usually don't keep track of whole month celebrations. I do Shelftember every year, though, and I guess I try to Light the World in December. O.K. So sometimes I do whole month celebrations, even though throughout most of the rest of the year I stick to one day celebrations at a time. Sigh. Whatever. Consistent. Not consistent. Who cares?

The point is this year I found out Shadow Mountain Publishing has calendars of literacy activities for National Literacy Month. There's an adult calendar, a YA calendar, a middle-grade calendar, and a children's calendar. We've got the spread in our family so I printed the calendars out and made them available for my family members. I do like reading challenges. 

I personally have been doing the literacy activities for the adult calendar and doing the literacy activities with Jet for the children's calendar. The other kids can do what they want. I have them available should they wish to use them. #LiteracyAtEveryAge

This is what Jet and I did the first few days of September (in order of adult calendar and children's calendar):

 

September 1 Set a reading goal for September 

Enter children's book giveaway

September 2 Read for 20 minutes

Let your child pick tonight's story

September 3 Read a chapter with a friend

Read a book about animals

This also works for Orem Library's September book club.

September 4 Read a chapter from a new genre

Make funny voices for every character

 

September 5 Share a favorite book recommendation

Read together for 10 minutes