Grandma and Grandpa Come For a Visit

Jeremy's parents came for a visit... finally. They wanted to come a year ago March for Jet's baby blessing, but it wasn't safe then. Now things are calming down and people are getting vaccinated and they were able to make the trip in May. Yay. I love Jeremy's parents.

They were here to congratulate Nichole for getting her driver's permit.

Before and After

 

They were here to go to Jr.'s last orchestra concert of the year and afterward when we had pie to celebrate for National Apple Pie Day on May 13. 

We didn't have any ice cream to go with our apple pie so Jr. drank some milk with his pie.

"It's like having pie and ice cream but sadder." 

May 13 was also National Fruit Cocktail Day but we had some of that with dinner the next night. We also had buttermilk biscuits with dinner since May 14 was National Buttermilk Biscuit Day.

Jr. let me know that Friday, May 14, was Fintastic Friday a.k.a. Give Sharks a Voice Day. How appropriate that Jet was wearing a shark outfit that Grandma and Grandpa gave him.

May 15 was International Day of Families. We certainly got family time in. Grandma and Grandpa took a drive up Provo Canyon to look at Bridal Veil Falls with the kids and me while Jeremy had his virtual writing group with the Provo Library.

After that they went with us to the Tulip Festival at Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point.

We gave Nichole the camera for most of the time and were not disappointed.

Grandma and Grandpa spent time with us after church on Sunday when the kids made dinner. Lucky made BBQ pizza because May 16 was BBQ Day. Jr. prepared carrots. Jr. Jr. prepared bananas with honey. Since it was World Baking Day and National Sea Monkey Day, Nichole made Monkey Bread.

We had a really great time when Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. I'm so glad it worked out. I'm also glad they finally had a chance to meet Jet. He had fun with them as did the rest of us.

Some April Catch Up

So much catching up to do. Wish me luck.

 

After all the birding fun we had that one weekend, we stayed closer to home after that... at least for a few days.

 

Tuesday, April 20, was Cheddar Fries Day. I made a cheddar cheese sauce and put it on fries. Jet preferred cheddar cheese and fries. But mostly the cheese.

 

Wednesday, April 21, I went to visit Jeremy as he was building balloon sculptures for Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival. He and I also got to present in a Zoom meeting with a friend from our former ward. She had us talk about balloon sculpting, how we got started, what challenges and rewards there are, etc. It was nice.

Thursday, April 22, was Earth Day. We compared Nichole and Jr. in their shirts they won last year in the Earth Day contest at the junior high- last year and this year. 

The kids had some running around time outside... including Jet. Nichole had the camera out to take pictures of birds and ended up taking more pictures of Jet.

April 22 was also Jelly Bean Day. We had some fun and used jelly beans as playing pieces for a "Sorry!" type game. Anytime someone's piece got knocked off, they got to eat it. Then they got a new jelly bean on the board. That was pretty fun. I also feel somewhat proud of myself for putting plastic wrap on the board since we were putting "food" on it.

Friday, April 23, was National Picnic Day. While preparing, I told everyone to get a bag of chips to go in their bag for dinner. Jr. Jr. came out with this bag of "chips."

Then he came out with a huge bag of tortilla chips. Yep, he's definitely our child.

The weather wasn't as cold this time so the kids and I went to a park and had a decent picnic then had fun running around for a while playing frisbee and with a ball.

April 23 was also Cherry Cheesecake Day but I didn't get around to making cheesecake, even though I bought a mix from a box. I made it the next day, though, so we celebrated Cherry Cheesecake Day Observed. 

We also celebrated Pigs in a Blanket Day Saturday because that holiday was actually on April 24.

Sunday, April 25, was Telephone Day so we called Jeremy's parents. It was also World Penguin Day so we ate more fish sticks.

Catching Up- May

May is always crazy anyway with the end of school. This year, with the boys' school closing and combining with another, there was a week toward the end of the school year where they got out early every day so their teachers could pack up their classrooms and have everything moved to the new school building.
But for now I'm going to start with earlier in the month.

Let's talk about May the 4th. I mentioned about how in April, Jeremy did balloon sculptures for the Tulip Festival. For the Tulip Festival in May, Jeremy was asked to do something May the 4th related. This is how it turned out.  I love it.

Throughout the year, Orem is celebrating its Centennial. We celebrated the kickoff party in January. May 4th was the birthday celebration. Even though it was really close to where we live, I was having a day and didn't feel up to taking the kids over there.  We did, however, watch the fireworks that night.

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a new enchiladas recipe. Everybody liked it and we've had requests for it since then.

This year was the Museum of Natural Curiosity's 5th Anniversary. Jeremy made an arch with their monsters on them. I like how it turned out.

Our family joined in our ward campout and had a nice time.  The kids had been wanting to go camping since we didn't go camping last year. We all helped set up the tent, even the two youngest, until they got distracted with an earthworm.

The kids made me breakfast in bed for Mother's Day on May 12. Jr. was in charge and directed everyone as they helped. Jr. Jr. gave me a card he made at school.

The day after, Jeremy sent me off on a birding field trip with Utah County Birders.  It's a long day trip. I love it. It's a great Mother's Day gift. He did the same for me last year.

Nichole had another orchestra concert.  This time it took place on May 14 which is Dance Like a Chicken Day. We kept telling her she should get up in the middle and start dancing like a chicken but for some reason she didn't do it.

We were invited to an author's tea in Jr. Jr.'s classroom.  Each of the children wrote a book about an animal and was able to read it in front of the class and parents. The books were even hard bound and the children were able to bring them home. Jr. Jr. did a great job reading his book about seals. His voice was very clear.

Lucky and I took some time to play at the Museum of Natural Curiosity. Lucky went on all the rope bridges in the jungle by himself. I was there to meet him at the end. Great job, Lucky.

Jr. did a report about Switzerland. He had a lot of interesting information and afterward, he was able to share Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolate with his class. And us.

Just like at their old school in PG, Jr. and Jr. Jr. had a dance festival at their school here in Orem. They did a good job. Way to go, boys. You've got good rhythm.

Jeremy and I went on a few dates to celebrate special occasions in May.  We went to see Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame and Jeremy took me out to eat for my birthday.

We also spent an evening out birding, just the two of us. That was relaxing.

For my birthday, the boys helped me make cupcakes.  I wanted to combine my cake with scripture study (from The Friend, May 2019, "Family Night Fun"). The boys wanted to help frost the cupcakes.  It was fun to see how they decorated them.

I couldn't find enough candles for my age so I just blew out a scented candle. Then Jr. played "Happy Birthday" for me on his ukulele.

My ministering sister brought me flowers and fudge for my birthday.

We made a new friend in our yard.  A racing pigeon.  It showed up a couple times in our backyard and just casually walked around. It got close enough were able to get a good look at its band and report it to the American Racing Pigeon Union (AU).

For Memorial Day on May 27, we went up to visit Grandpa Telford's grave. We took time to talk to the kids about their great grandfather and a little about their heritage and namesakes.

At the end of the school year, there was an awards assembly at the elementary school.  Jr. received a few awards then participated in his 6th grade graduation. Great job, Jr.  Great job.

The kids went to their last day of school (I have pictures of the first day of school in my post on November 30, 2018) and the rest of that day we spent getting Nichole ready because the next day, her grandparents came to pick her up to take her on a trip with her two cousins her age to Oregon.

Farewell, Nichole.  We'll blog about you more in June... along with other things that happened.