He Left and Came Back

Jeremy built a balloon scene at the Twin Falls County Fair again this year. I always miss him when he leaves but I'm always happy when he comes home.

And I'm not the only one. 

 

While he was gone, we had a day or two where we were able to FaceTime with Jeremy. We would still do family prayer and scripture study by phone but it was nice to see his face. 

 

This is what he built at the fair. The signing of the Declaration of Independence with agricultural references. Happy 250th, America.

My favorite part of his sculpture was Ben Franklin. I love his pose with him touching his spectacles.

 

California Fairs

Here are pictures of the balloon sculptures Jeremy made for his two fairs in California. 

 

One fair had more space for him than the other. He preferred having less space than having more than he could possibly fill in the allotted time.

 

Jeremy got back to Utah on July 6, International Kissing Day. Yes, we kissed when he got home. 

Nature Photography Day

June 15 was Nature Photography Day so I took the good camera down to the Provo River and got some pictures of the June suckers. 

It's been a few years since any of us specifically went to see them even though we know the Provo River Delta was specifically made to help those fish.

While I was there, I made sure to get some juggling pics and videos. 

 I also took pictures of birds.

The cliff swallows and house sparrows were nesting under the same bridge. The sparrows were probably using the swallow nests.

 

Later I stopped by the Orem Library and helped take down the balloon triceratops skeleton and pick up the framing materials for it. It was definitely time. 

I had a good chat with the librarian who was taking it down as we worked together. She is also a birder. A few of the librarians at Orem Library are birders. I love it. It makes me smile, which is appropriate since June 15 was Smile Power Day.

You know what also makes people smile? Balloons. 

 

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.

Summer Reading!

The theme for the Summer Reading Programs for both Orem and Provo libraries this year is "Unearth A Story." 

Jeremy designed a Triceratops skeleton for Orem Library and built most of it with some help from us. The day he built it, after building the head,

Lucky, Nichole, Jet, and I came to the library. Nichole blew up balloons, Jet handed balloons to those needing them, Lucky worked on the back vertebrae, Jeremy worked on the frill (and also the back vertebrae), and I worked on the tail.

After a while, I took the kids home, then came back to help Jeremy finish the balloon sculpture. One day build. Woohoo.

Jeremy reminded me to get juggling pictures and videos. That is a cool background, wouldn't you say?  

By the way, Jet and I matched that day. Aren't we adorable?

 During the kickoff event, we made sure to get a family picture. 

The kickoff event for Provo Library was about modern dinosaurs- birds. We got to watch a bird show and I learned some new things I didn't know about certain birds. It was pretty fun.

The presenter showed us a Lanner Falcon, 

Sulfur-crested Cockatoo,

Harris's Hawk,

Eurasian Eagle Owl,

and Siberian Eagle Owl. 

 

There are a lot of paleontology/archeology themed activities and events for the libraries this Summer. I'm not complaining. You know I love dinosaurs... and birds.

 

I love that the day of the bird show was June 1, Dinosaur Day.

It was also Flip a Coin Day so when Jr. Jr. had a decision to make earlier in the day, I flipped a coin for him. It was inside a vehicle so I had to flip it several times before finally catching it right. Have you tried flipping a coin inside a vehicle before? Not as easy as when you have more open space.