Summer Reading part 1

For the past couple of months we have done a lot of Summer reading and related activities. 

Woohoo! Summer Reading! You know we love it. 

The theme for both Provo and Orem libraries was "Colour Our World." Here are some things we did in no particular order:

 

Story Trails 

Provo Library had a Story Trail along the outside of the library. 

"How the Brazilian Beetles Got Their Gorgeous Coats"

We went to that one on National Trails Day, June 7. It was also Play Outside Day. Both worked to celebrate.

 

Lion's Park

"The Nightingale"

Jr., Nichole, and I found the end of the story first so I walked backward until we reached the beginning of the story. Luckily it was a well known story so there were no surprises reading it back to front. I went another day on a walk there to read it front to back. You know I like going for walks.

 

Lakeview Park

"How the Kangaroo Got Her Pouch" 

We had to dodge sprinklers for our "title page" picture.

 

Kiwanis Park 

"Dotson' Sa, Great Raven, Makes the World" 

Jeremy and Nichole got to read this one while I watched Jet on a playground. I had to come back another day so I could finish it.

 

Quail Orchard Park

"How the Finch Got Her Colors" 

As we were reading this one we were trying to figure out how the finch could be considered really colorful. We're used to house finches, goldfinches. They have colors but not lots of colors like the story was describing. Happily, the story explained that it was a Gouldian finch and we were content. We'd never heard of that finch before. We have now. Look it up. It is a very colorful bird. 

 

Crafts

Jet and I had some fun doing crafts from the Provo Library.

Pumpkin Friend

Wooden Spoon Butterfly  

 

Some of the kids and I made bookmarks. 

 

We spent plenty of time in the libraries. Besides sitting down to read, there are so many different activities and programs at the library. 

I'll talk about more Summer Reading later.

I Won! I Won! I Won!

If Jeremy can do it, I can do it. 

I've written before about Jeremy winning swag from The Odd and Offbeat Podcast (see my blog post from August 17, 2020) and calling out, "I won! I won! I won!"

Recently, I could be heard doing the same thing. "I won! I won! I won!" after winning swag from Sarah M. Eden celebrating the release of her book, Fleur-de-Lis. Stickers and bookmarks!

I'm silly, too.

More About Christmas

Yesterday I did a quick blog post about Christmas. Here's a little more detail. 

For #LightTheWorld we went around the dinner table telling what we love about each other. That was really nice. We did our Christmas Eve program where we recorded ourselves telling about our year, read our last scripture for our advent calendar, and shared our testimonies with each other. Then the kids opened pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa (I opened pajama bottoms from Jeremy) and changed into them to sleep in.

The boys left veggies out for Santa because we didn't make cookies. It's that kind of year. 

Speaking of that kind of year, I tried to get a picture of all of us Christmas Eve. The only picture I got of everyone looking at the camera with a nice look on their face was out of focus. Oh, well. 2020.

The next morning while we opened presents we did a video call with Jeremy's parents so they could "be there" with us. I called my parents later on in the day to wish them a Happy Christmas. It was a relaxing day.

The day after Christmas continued to be relaxing. Jeremy and I did take a quick drive with Jet into Provo Canyon, up South Fork Road, since December 26 is Wren Day. We didn't see any birds (except for one that flitted up the side of the road that I couldn't identify), just some deer.

So there you go.

P.S. Lucky mentioned how he liked how last year the kids decorated their own bookmarks that I then wrapped for them for Christmas. I got out cardstock strips and crayons and let the kids decorate some again this year which made Lucky happy. I did make them rice warmers, though, as well.

Dragonwatch Launch Party!

Brandon Mull's new book, Dragonwatch: Champion of the Titan Games, came out October 13. We attended a virtual launch party for it. I'm sure you know by now we're Brandon Mull fans with book signings and book reports and closing windows on Midsummer's Eve. I've blogged about how we've listened to his books on CD on car trips and we've even done Halloween costumes based on characters from his books.

The launch party was so fun. They showed favorite moments from past launch parties. They had a contest to see who was the biggest fan. They had questions and answers with Brandon Mull. It was fun for our whole family to watch.

And earlier in the day, Jeremy picked up a poster and bookmarks from the Orem Library.

 

End of August/Beginning of September Celebrating

August 31 was National Trail Mix Day. I snacked on trail mix throughout the day.

September 3 was National Skyscraper Day. I watched Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol because it has that scene where Tom Cruise is hanging off the tallest building in Dubai.

Even though our ward is not doing girls camp this year, they still did the tradition of secret sister gifts recently. Nichole used her calligraphy skills and made a couple bookmarks for her girl. She also gave her a packet of gum and a book.

Here she is sealing the envelope with the bookmarks inside. 

I forgot to take pictures of the actual bookmarks.

Nichole's secret sister wrote her a nice note with a picture of a TARDIS she drew. She also made Nichole a TARDIS piggy bank. It was bigger on the inside to hold several goodies.

The young woman who put this together also gave the girls hoodies with a scripture printed on them.
3 Nephi 15:9 "for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life."

It's really good for early morning birding trips.

Mommy, Look

It's a bow constrictor.