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.

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. 

Left Handed Ballerinas with Birthdays and Anniversaries?

August 13 was International Left Handers Day. I wished my uncle a happy that holiday and had my mom wish it to my brother.

There were also a few birthdays and anniversaries that day. I wished more people happy those. 

Nichole and I did go to an event at the Orem Library that night. It was watching a documentary about a Canadian ballet group doing a ballet of Anne of Green Gables. It was enjoyable. 

National Smile Day

May 31 was National Smile Day.

Do you know what made me smile that day? 

Wishing a Happy 1st Anniversary to my brother and his wife and seeing that they are loving being married to each other. 

Do you know what also made me smile that day?

Seeing these two watering the plants together. 

So sweet to see and I love being married to my husband.

Our Anniversary

Saturday of Screen Free Week, Jeremy and I celebrated our anniversary. This year marked the point where I've been married to my husband longer than I have not. I love being married to him.

On May 9, National Babysitter's Day, we started out early- Jeremy made us omelettes beforehand- and started our drive to go birding up Nebo Loop. As we were driving up, having a really heartfelt conversation and crying a lot (this guy is my favorite), we found out the road was closed past a certain point. 

O.K. Plan B. We turned around, drove all the way back down, and headed to Powell Lake in Lehi, listening to music and singing along as we went.

We weren't sure we'd have time to go to Powell Lake that day so this change worked out. It was great- plenty of birds to see. I loved seeing the pelicans in the water and Forster's Terns flying around. 

Lots of birds.

We made a quick stop at Costco after that- we needed Hawaiian sweet rolls for our anniversary dinner with the kids.

Then since our original picnic spot was not available (up Nebo Loop), we went out to Provo Canyon and picnicked at Vivian Park and watched swallows fly around (and a kestrel chase them at one point).

More heartfelt talking and crying as we drove. We ended up at the Heber Fields and saw lots more birds.

It was a long day already so when we got home we took a nap then got up to finish making dinner. We were smart and made some things the day before and Jeremy cut up my pineapple before we left that morning.

We had our traditional anniversary dinner with the kids and Jeremy had his yearly one piece of pineapple.

Jet was very interested in getting pictures of Jeremy's reaction to eating the pineapple.

I've told people before and I'll continue to say it: My husband hates pineapple. He hates the taste and smell of it. Yet every year for our anniversary dinner, he cuts up a pineapple for me because I love pineapple. That is true love.  

Have I mentioned I love my husband? I'm happy to spend forever with him.

Zelda Muffins

February 20 was National Muffin Day. We made muffins.

February 21 was the 40th Anniversary of the Legend of Zelda. Some family members played Zelda games. We didn't do anything big to celebrate the 40th like we did with the 35th. 

What we did do was Jeremy, Jet, and I went for a walk at Farmington Bay and got to see some birds. 

February 23 was National Rationalization Day and it was National Banana Bread Day. I rationalized making banana bread and I did.

 

February 25 was National Chili Day and National Toast Day so I made chili and we toasted bread and had chili on toast. 

The Next Few Days

The day after our van and we had issues in Southern Utah, we went to church when a sister came up to me before church started and asked, "What's the holiday today?" I love that we're known for that. I let her know that September 21 was the anniversary of when Joseph Smith saw Angel Moroni who told him about the Book of Mormon. And it is also H.G. Wells' birthday. Then we chatted about Fall (since September 22 was the first day of Fall) and the Fall colors.

At home after church, I went around singing, "Do you remember the 21st night of September?" 

Jeremy and I took a big nap after our long day the day before.

Besides being the Autumnal Equinox, September 22 was Hobbit Day so I listened to Hobbit music.

We didn't have time to go out for a drive to look at Fall colors so there was a lot of just hanging out.

 

 Then as you know, I got sick a few days later, so that was the end of celebrating September.

A Little More September Catching Up

We found out September 6 was National Hummingbird Day. How did we not have that on our calendar before now? It has since been added. First Saturday in September.

To celebrate, Nichole created this picture. I do a lot of celebrating with food. She does a lot of celebrating with art. I love it.

September 7 was the anniversary of when the first fully electric TV set was achieved by Philo T. Farnsworth. Now Philo T. Farnsworth was my grandma's cousin so he's kind of a big deal in my family. I have a friend in our ward with the last name of Farnsworth so I finally asked him if he was related to Philo T. Farnsworth. Yes! Me, too. When he found out we were both related he asked if we as kids also all wrote reports about Philo T. Farnsworth for school. Yes! It was funny to find out that my family (including cousins) isn't the only family who did this. Someone I didn't know I was related to did it, too. 

Anyway so this year for the anniversary, I sat down with my friend and we figured out how we were each related to Philo T. Farnsworth and so how we were related to each other. That and Jeremy made a card for him. 

I can't find the card on the computer and I didn't take a picture before I gave it to my friend. Oh well.

 

September 7 was also Grandparents Day. I wished my mom and my sister Happy Grandparents Day.

 

September 8 was the anniversary of the original Star Trek. I wished that happy anniversary to a friend who likes Star Trek.

 

It was also Tim Bergling's birthday so I went around singing an Avicii song.

 

September 9 was Ants on a Log Day. 

 

It was also President Nelson's 101st birthday. I decided not to try to put 101 candles on a cake so we just put one in the middle and Jet got to blow it out. 

Balloon Bonding

Real quick- August 22 was Be an Angel Day. It's become tradition to have angel hair pasta that day with alfredo sauce and chicken. Yumm. 

 

Now to what I really wanted to blog about.

 

Every year, Jeremy volunteers to build a balloon sculpture in the children's section of the Orem Library for the Summer Reading Program. He's been doing it for over 15 years. This year, because of construction, they didn't have him do that. He and Lucky did teach simple balloon animals at the Kid's Art Gala and in August, they built a balloon sculpture to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the children's wing of the library.

I'm very impressed with how Lucky is picking up the balloon sculpting. He built the number 30 and the hat. Way to go both Jeremy and Lucky. I love that Lucky's getting into this and they are getting to have this bonding time together.

Since they were building on Gene Kelly's Birthday on August 23, when I went to deliver some missed items to them (I'm also a helper), I found Lucky dancing around to celebrate.

Later to also celebrate Gene Kelly's Birthday, I wore my bow earrings and pirate ship necklace and we watched "The Pirate" which Gene Kelly was in with Judy Garland.

 

That evening, we went to an end of the Summer neighborhood barbecue. I had a great time socializing. I love our neighborhood.