International Day of Friendship 2026

July 30 was National Chili Dog Day. The boys had chili dogs while Nichole and I went over to our friend Stephanie's house for International Day of Friendship. 

She was getting some of her art gals together to watch a movie. When I picked up Nichole earlier that week from their regular art time, she gave me my signed copy of the second Timmy Termite book. Then she invited me to come to their movie night on Paperback Book Day, July 30. I didn't mind being included.

We had pizza and other treats. Nichole brought zucchini bread that I baked with zucchini from our garden. We watched The Princess and the Frog and talked about how that was the first movie Nichole ever saw in the theater when she was just a little girl. I blogged about it on March 6, 2010.

It's been a few years since I watched that movie. I enjoyed watching it that night.

Since that day was also National Father-in-Law Day, I texted a happy holiday to my father-in-law. 

Nice time with friends. 

Watercolor Evening

July 16 was Ginger Rogers' Birthday. I fell asleep during a movie with Ginger Rogers in it.

I also fell asleep before I remembered to tell anyone to use spinach with their lettuce for taco salad. It was Fresh Spinach Day. I didn't have any myself because I fell asleep. Luckily other family members put the leftovers away because I didn't.

I was tired because we did all this after Nichole and I got back from an evening Relief Society activity where we made watercolor cards.

I am not the artist Nichole is and don't know what I'm doing with watercolors. That's okay, though. I still enjoyed socializing and eating snacks. 

I based my watercolor picture on the rainbow we saw in Oregon last month. 

Nichole based hers on this picture she took at Cape Arago on our Shore Acres day in Oregon. 

I like that our Relief Society has been doing such a variety of skills and activities. I still wear my charm bracelet on most Sundays to church and have been keeping my sourdough starter alive for over a year.

Nichole's Birthday

We celebrated Nichole's Birthday in July.

For her birthday dinner she requested the really good mac and cheese that Jeremy makes. Since we weren't going to make him do that right after he got home from work on her birthday, she got two birthday dinners. One simple on her actual birthday and her requested birthday dinner later. It feels like this has become a thing.

So on her actual birthday she asked for alfredo pizza (we put fresh basil from our garden on it)

and when we celebrated her birthday with Dad around, we had that good mac and cheese, tater tot casserole (which she requested after Grandpa made it in Oregon and gave me the recipe), watermelon, and carrots.

And cake and ice cream, of course.

Jet insisted on helping wrap her presents. He's so cute. 

She got art books... of course.  

 

Happy Birthday, Nichole. 

Jr. Got Artsy

While we were in the Pacific Northwest, Jr. got artsy with photography. 

 

 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 3

June 19 was Garfield the Cat Day. We were so busy that day, we celebrated it observed the next day with lasagna.  

 

Later that evening, we made s'mores on the last day of Spring.

Goodbye, Spring. Hello, Summer.

After toasting marshmallows over coals, the fire was used to burn some other things so the flames grew. 

Jet: Whoa. There's fire in there now. 

 

Jr. and Nichole had fun taking some artistic pictures. 

Jr. calls this his Balrog picture:

Do you see it?

It's fun to see shapes in things. 

Celebrating 20 Years of Fablehaven

I have made no secret that we are fans of Brandon Mull and especially the Fablehaven series. From listening to audiobooks on trips to Halloween costumes to recipes (you know I love my Fablehaven cookbook) and even book reports, we love to celebrate Brandon Mull and Fablehaven.

Last Monday, some of us were able to celebrate at an event at Provo City Library for the new illustrated edition of Fablehaven. Brandon Dorman, who did the original covers for the Fablehaven series, did the full color illustrations for this book. It was great to hear him and Brandon Mull talking about it, as well as hearing a little update on how things are going with the Fablehaven film. Yes, they're making a film!

We got our new book signed, got a commemorative pin to go with it, enjoyed seeing artwork by Brandon Dorman, and enjoyed activities and games while we were not in the signing line. We got a Fablehaven activity book and chocolate milk to drink. If you don't know what "Drink the Milk" means, read the book.

I'm glad we went to this. Thanks to all who put work into this event. My kids couldn't stop reading the illustrated edition that night. 

Summer Reading Update

We've been doing some Summer Reading activities so I'll mention a few of them.

I did another Story Trail, this time by myself. I've been so busy I haven't gotten out for my morning walks so I made myself on this day. This one was "The Husband of the Rat's Daughter," at Lions Park. A few of us read this one back in 2021. 

Jet and I watched a video about dinosaurs of the Cretaceous Period. 

He and I also did sun art prints, where we took leaves and taped them to construction paper then left them out in the sun for a few hours. Since we started later in the afternoon, we had to move the paper as the sun moved.

When we took the tape and leaves off (and rocks so they wouldn't blow away), our prints looked like this.

Jet's is the darker paper. Mine is the lighter paper. 

 

I also did some quick trips to the libraries to drop off and pick up things.

I got my completion prize for Provo Library because I read enough minutes (and listened- go, audiobooks). 

A 25th anniversary water bottle!

 

At Orem Library I saw that the triceratops skeleton was still up. 

It has shrunk quite a bit but is still mostly intact so the stands are being pulled toward the middle now. Look at my tail. Ha Ha. 

 Ah, Summer Reading is great.