Timpanogos Storytelling Festival

Jeremy's big balloon build was for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival at Thanksgiving Point. This year was the 35th anniversary. Jeremy and Debbie were asked to do a balloon scene based on James Christensen's, "Tales Beneath Timp," the artwork that represents the storytelling festival.

I love how it turned out.

We as a family were able to go to the storytelling festival. I spent most of my time at the "family tent," which is not a surprise. Children's stories, puppet shows. 

That tent was also near the Secret Garden where they were holding Dungeons and Dragons games. They had a dragon outside that Jet absolutely loved and wanted to keep going back to see. So cute.

We celebrated Play Outside Day and World Beard Day at the festival on Saturday, September 7.

Since it was Shelftember, we packed meals and snacks for the day.

Nichole and I dropped the boys and Jeremy off at home before coming back for a little bit more storytelling fun. The boys had salami sandwiches for dinner at home for Salami Day.

While I was listening to more stories, Nichole took some time for hand sculpted pottery.

Jeremy went up with some other birders to see some Flammulated Owls that night.

Kokanee Salmon

This year we wanted to see kokanee salmon at the fish trap at Strawberry Reservoir since we missed them last year (we did get to see a few last year at Jordanelle Reservoir but not as many as we usually see at Strawberry). 

We figured September 4 was a good day since it was also National Wildlife Day and Turkey Vulture Day. We definitely saw some turkey vultures while we were out. Here is a list of other wildlife we saw: osprey, red-tailed hawk, grasshopper, a fuzzy caterpillar who fell off a ledge while Jr. was trying to get a picture of it. It's okay. It fell to the grass below. The timing was just funny. We also saw elk crossing signs but I don't think those count as wildlife.

Unfortunately there weren't too many salmon. Not many in the stream going up to the fish trap. Only a few above the fish steps/ladder and we didn't see any swimming into the fish house. Some years we've seen a lot. This year the water level was so low in the stream- who knows? We did have fun spending time as a family, though.

After we saw a few in the fish trap, we went farther downstream and did see a few more (still not a lot, though).

It was also World Beard Day. I didn't get a specific picture of Jeremy showing off his beard even though we talked about it. Oh well.
When we got home we ate fish sticks because... fish.

Cheese Pizza Day 2020

September 5 was National Cheese Pizza Day. I took corn tortillas and made them into mini pizzas.
Some of the kids didn't like the idea of corn tortillas for pizza crust so they made pizza dough and made meat pizza for everyone.

September 5 was also World Beard Day.
Jeremy took the two oldest up Nebo Loop for some birding. The day before as I was heading up to Nebo Loop I pulled over and texted this to Jeremy:

This is me, thinking about my husband.

When he was out with Nichole and Jr. he texted this to me:

This is me thinking of my sweet wife.

I love my bearded... guy.

Where Did It Go?

Jeremy got rid of his beard. When Jet saw him, he was a little concerned. I don't think he's ever seen him without a beard. After a while of hearing Dad's voice coming out of this beardless face, it looked as if Jet was looking for the missing beard, touching Dad's face and looking around for it.
Where did it go?

Eventually he got distracted by a button on Dad's shirt and seemed to accept Jeremy. He's still Daddy, no matter what facial hair he has.