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.

Anniversary and Mother's Day

We celebrated our anniversary and Mother's Day during Screen Free Week.

On our actual anniversary, we had our traditional anniversary dinner with the kids. This time we decided to eat outside because the weather has been nice for that. 

On May 10, Babysitter's Day, the kids took care of Jet so Jeremy and I could go out to celebrate our anniversary. Jeremy and I went out birding in the morning.

We went out to eat in the afternoon.

We stopped by the movie theater to get a picture with A Minecraft Movie poster to joke to the kids that we went to see a movie during Screen Free Week. We didn't. 

We got ourselves Winco salads and ate them late at night at a park where we could watch some of the city lights. We were tired by the end of the day.

I think Jeremy did this face on purpose to be funny. We do love to spend time together and are very happy to have been married for so many years so far. 

 

When Jeremy asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day dinner, I told him I wanted the kids to make dinner for me. The kids. Not Jeremy. Jeremy ended up helping as well as contributing and it was probably more work for him than if he had just made dinner for me by himself but I appreciated it. 

Nichole made cheeseburger pasta, Jr. made Reese's bread, Jr. Jr. made scones, Lucky provided sparkling apple-grape, Jeremy contributed a veggie platter, and Jet (with Jeremy's help) made a chocolate cake with strawberry frosting and hot chocolate powder sprinkled on top. 

Lucky made a napkin flower for me.

At church Jet stayed with us during Sacrament Meeting, had no problem when Jeremy took him to Primary (often he wants me to take him), I was able to have brunch during Relief Society with other sisters (and Nichole), and after church, Jet played a little ukulele/guitar toy and made up a Happy Mother's Day song. I also got to spend some time outside with a book.

 And that is the end of blogging about Screen Free Week. Yay. Finally.