Celebrating My Birthday

My birthday was in May. A few days before, I got together with some friends who have birthdays in May and June and we had lunch together. That was a nice relaxing afternoon.

Stephanie had these pictures taken with her camera. 

 

On my actual birthday, I was going to take a nap but ended up finishing The Duke's Bargain by Megan Walker. 

I did an online book club with her for Lakeshire Park and Miss Newbury's List where she shared things about her writing of those books and I got to meet her and get a hug from her when she came to Utah in April. 

In May, I was part of a different online book club for The Duke's Bargain. Megan shared a few posts on there about her writing of this book. I love that the two main characters in this book were the antagonists in the first two books. I also love that the main characters from the first books made appearances. It was fun to see the growth of the "villains."

I got to participate in an online live event to finish out the month's book club and got to learn even more from Megan. 

 

Back to talking about my birthday- Jeremy made lots of pizza for me (and the family). I LOVE pizza!

 

We had cake and ice cream. Jeremy put the candles in the shape of a heart. He's so cute.

I opened my birthday present, which was a tea kettle! I wanted one. Since there's been so much herbal tea drinking with all the Seeking Persephone movie watching and Proper Romance book reading, this was perfect. 

 

P.S. Jeremy was so pleased with how this picture turned out- there was still a tiny amount of flame on the candles. Have I mentioned my husband is cute?

 

P.P.S. Jeremy texted me the day before our Southern Utah trip saying he wanted to give me my birthday present early because it would be helpful getting ready for our trip. He had previously told me he debated about giving me my Mother's Day present early because it might be useful while we were out celebrating our anniversary. I like to take selfies when Jeremy and I are out birding together. Ultimately he gave it to me on Mother's Day and you know I've definitely used it since. So he told me he decided to give me my birthday present early and had Nichole bring it to me unwrapped when I got home.

"Dad told me to give you this." As I was opening the box for the portable vacuum cleaner (to help clean out the van), she told me this, "Dad also told me to tell you he'd never give you a vacuum as a birthday present. You'll have a different one on [your birthday]." 

Ha Ha Ha Ha. He really is cute.  

Daddy's Birthday

We celebrated Jeremy's birthday in February. Jet really wanted to wrap a present for him so I helped him wrap a package of Andes mint chocolates/chocolate mints(?) for Jeremy to open.

Jeremy had an appropriate reaction when he opened them.

Have I mentioned I love my family so much?

Jet also helped me make Jeremy's birthday dinner.

Ah, my kitchen helper. 

Jeremy was thrilled about that, too.

I do love my family so much. 

Pizza Face

January 8 was Elvis's birthday. We put on Lilo & Stitch (animated movie).

 

January 9 was my niece's birthday. I mentioned it to the kids. 

Jet wanted to help make pizza with me.

He must have remembered what I said about his cousin's birthday because he insisted on making a face with onions on the pizza then said, "He's excited because it's his birthday tomorrow."

When it was time to cut the pizza, I had to be very careful not to cut the face so we got a little creative with how the pizza was cut. Jet was very good at instructing me where to make the cuts. I love him so much. 

Happy Birthday, Utah!

Yesterday, January 4, was Utah's 130th Birthday.

It was also National Trivia Day and National Spaghetti Day. I asked Jeremy some Utah trivia. Some people ate pasta.

I took a long nap but I made sure to say Happy Birthday to Utah. 

Tick Tock Tick Tock- Time to Talk about Christmas

Since it's Tick Tock Day (December 29), I might as well catch up on the last few days. I said the days around Christmas Eve/Christmas Day were pretty big days so I didn't really blog much because of the busyness then the next few days were kind of chill so I didn't blog then either because I wasn't doing much productive. Today I'm being productive, including blogging so here we go.

 

Jet: My turn!

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Christmas Eve, I got my morning walk in and Jeremy and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and spent a lot of time trying to catch up on last minute things. I didn't get everything done I wanted to both with food and other stuff so we ate late and I just had to scrap some of my ideas.

Jet: My turn! 

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Jr. Jr. and I did manage to finish and wrap juggling balls for everybody in the family so we all got to open those on Christmas morning.

 

Jet: My turn!

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Before bed Christmas Eve, Jet set out cookies for Santa.

We hung our stockings by the fire- the Darth Vader Yule Log this year. 

I got out for a walk Christmas morning because Jeremy needed some sleep that morning so we got a late start with everyone coming out to the living room. 

Some year's past, Jet has been still asleep when it was time to go out or just slow going. This year, though, he was so excited and was the first person to run out to the living room when it was time. He was very excited about everything. He is so cute.

The week before Christmas, Jet came home from school one day after Santa visited and let us know Santa was going to bring him a scooter for Christmas. That's what he told Santa he wanted and wow, that was the first we'd heard about it.

Apparently Santa delivered and he got that scooter for Christmas with a Spider-man helmet. That little boy got several Spider-man things for Christmas or around Christmas. Christmas Eve the kids opened up pajamas from grandparents (Jet's were Spider-man pjs). 

A few days before Christmas, each family member came to Mom and Dad and we talked about spiritual gifts and let them know what gifts we saw in them. Then they opened up a present from grandparents- this time, a blanket (Jet's was Spidey and His Amazing Friends, of course).

The day after Christmas, December 26, was Wren Day and it was National Candy Cane Day. Jeremy, Nichole, and I took Jet to the Provo River Delta so he could try out his new scooter on the trail and we could look at birds. I thought Jet would be slow but apparently he picked up on riding a scooter really quick and zoomed along the trail.

I did take a moment to capture a picture that celebrated both holidays. Birding on Wren Day with a candy cane.

Jet was content to go home when it was time. He got hot chocolate with a candy cane in it. 

Saturday was a lazy day and it was so nice. I didn't even go out for a walk.

 

Sunday, December 28, was Stan Lee's Birthday so I wore my bow earrings. It was also National Chocolate Candy Day. We definitely ate chocolate candy. It was also Card Playing Day. Jeremy and I played a card game. 

This morning, I went for a walk in the park again with the lights. It was cold.

And since it's Tick Tock Day, I'll also mention that we celebrated Lucky's birthday earlier in December.

For the balloons for Lucky's class, he decided on penguins, narwhals, but couldn't figure out the last design. Jeremy made his suggestion. Everyone was confused (a rocket?) until he called me over.

Ohhhhh. Missile-toe! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

It was finally decided that the last design would be a mouse with a Santa hat (not the missile-toe). It was a popular design.

 O.K. Enough of blogging.

Happy 100th Birthday, Dick Van Dyke

Did you know that Frank Sinatra and Dick Van Dyke were only 10 years and 1 day apart in age? That's crazy. I have friends that are 10 years older or younger than me. 

I think of Frank Sinatra and Dick Van Dyke as being in two completely different time periods. Part of that might be that I remember hearing about Frank Sinatra's passing when I was a teenager and I watched Dick Van Dyke in a movie that came out when my oldest was a teenager (and he's still alive today). 

On Frank Sinatra's 110th birthday this year on December 12, we were discussing how we want to watch Guys and Dolls again (and singing some songs from it). We didn't have time that day so we'll have to watch it later.

Today, December 13, is Dick Van Dyke's 100th birthday. I thought about watching Mary Poppins but we don't have time for that either. There's only a 9 year difference in when those two movies came out, yet I still don't think of those men being around at the same time (even though they were both making movies at the same time). Isn't it a funny thing? 

Oh, here's another thing that's funny when I think about it. My parents were kids when Guys and Dolls came out and were teenagers when Mary Poppins came out. 

O.K. Even more fun. Looking at IMDB, I see that Dick Van Dyke was in a movie that came out when my parents were teenagers, a movie that came out when I was a teenager, and a movie that came out when my child was a teenager. As well as many many others. Wow. That is a long career. Pretty awesome that he's made it to 100 years old. 

 

And since I don't have pictures of Frank Sinatra or Dick Van Dyke, I'll show a picture of yesterday, 12-12.

Before Sneeze and After Sneeze

The sneeze was fake but it was funny. He was trying to get it as I took the picture but I was too fast for him. He's the kid that likes to do subtle photobombs so it's not surprising for him to try something funny. 

 

And today, I'll show a picture of what I gave to Jet when he asked for apple slices shaped like spider legs. Eh, why not? He was pleased with what I gave him.

We're Thankful For... Jet

"When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way From your first bassinet to your last dying day."

 

As often happens, Jeremy was out of town on Jet's birthday this year.

Hey, at least he skipped out on his out of town convention the year Jet was born.

Jet didn't complain because he got two birthday celebrations again... sort of.

He had the same dinner both times but only did cake and ice cream with blowing out birthday candles the first time. It just didn't work out the second time. He opened cards on his actual birthday and when Dad came home from his trip, Jet opened presents. Then he was so happy with his presents, there wasn't a lot of thought for more cake and ice cream and singing happy birthday and blowing out candles.

He "read" his own cards.

"Dear Jet. I hope you have good luck.

Awww."

I just love that he responded to what he was making up. 

He got a remote controlled gecko which can crawl on the wall but Jet is more interested in it crawling on the floor (which it can also do).

"Its name is Megogecko."

He loves that thing. He's had us do races with it and try to "catch" it. When Jr. Jr. brought home a mousetrap car he made at school, Jet insisted they race "Mouse Car and Megogecko!" 

Jet got to bring balloon animals to school for his birthday for the first time. It's tradition. Since Jeremy was out of town, Lucky and I made the balloons for him to take (with a little "help" from Jet). 

He got a birthday hat at school and loved it so much, he wore it for the rest of the day. Such a cutie.

Jet, you are so much fun. We are so thankful you are a part of our family.

Happy Thanksgiving!