Something On a Stick Day 2024

Something on a Stick Day, March 28. It is a popular thing to have corn dogs on this day. I didn't want corn dogs. What I decided I did want was chicken kabobs. I haven't made kabobs in a while. 

My sweet most wonderful husband took some time the day before cutting up vegetables for me and... a pineapple. He didn't cut up vegetables for me and a pineapple. He cut up vegetables and a pineapple for me. Sweet husband.

Jet decided to be sweet and a helper in the kitchen again, this time to eat pineapple as Dad cut it up.

Everybody got to choose what they wanted on their skewers from just chicken to the works (chicken, pineapple, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes). Yum. The chicken was cut up and marinated in Yoshida's gourmet sauce that morning. Jr. Jr. helped hand me veggies and fruit while assembling the kabobs so I didn't have to keep washing my hands when I wanted to touch them after touching the raw meat.
Thanks, Jr. Jr. We put the kabobs in a 350 degree oven for about half an hour (give or take) then turned on the broiler for a few minutes at the end.

Simple. Easy. Yummy.

We also had petite pickles on toothpicks. Something on a stick. The boys had fun with that.

And Jr. Jr. and Lucky used the excuse of Something on a Stick to make more cookie candy flowers like they did for Valentine's Day, except this time they had cherry juju hearts that Jeremy found that I couldn't find before Valentine's Day. Thanks, boys. And Jeremy.

The kids were playing a video game. I saw that there was a unicorn so this exchange happened.

Mom: Hey, it's a unicorn. Its horn is like a stick.

Jr.: It's a horse on a stick.

Valentine's Day 2024

I made plans on Valentine's Day since Jeremy had the day off. They were kind of surprise plans for him and the kids helped me out.

At the beginning of the day, I put "10 Things I Love About You" notes around for all the family members. I put them in places they would see them (sticking out of backpacks or scripture bags, sitting on Jeremy's wallet). Since Jeremy saw Nichole that day, he brought her my note and brought her a treat and Valentine. 

The "10 Things I Love About You" notes were printables from Jordan Page at funcheaporfree.com

Lucky created a fun penguin box for his class Valentines out of a cardboard box and balloons (and a little bit of construction paper). Jeremy helped just a little bit to give him instruction and get him started but Lucky did the majority himself.

I made heart shaped pizza dough for the boys to make pizza. Jeremy made me a Valentine.

After the boys got home from school, Jeremy and I headed out on our date (see me wearing my "date" shirt?). We tried a new birding spot- Powell Slough Wildlife Management Area- which is not very far from where we live. We were able to get half the birds needed for that location for this year's UCB challenge. Woohoo.

We skipped going to a crowded restaurant on Valentine's Day but did go to Winco to pick up our traditional date food- salads. Then we found a spot near the lake to park our van and eat. It was too dark to see the water or any birds by the time we got there but it was still nice and we could see city lights. After we ate I pulled out some conversation jelly beans to read and eat together and we also talked a lot. We always have plenty to chat about. I love that about our relationship.

When we got home we found a card that Lucky made us along with a bouquet of cookie flowers the boys made (I asked them to do that as part of the surprise for Jeremy). They also turned on relaxing romantic piano music for ambience.

Then it was Jeremy's turn to surprise me. After I changed my clothes I came out to find a bouquet of actual flowers (roses), an amber necklace to go with my Jurassic Park shirt (amber- Jurassic Park, get it?), and chocolate. He's a sweetheart.

It was a beautiful Valentine's Day. I love my family.

This is an example of the Valentines Lucky gave out to his class (and Nichole). There were three different sayings with the same picture.

 

I am glad the weather was good for birding on Valentine's Day because the next day we got lots of precipitation.

The next day was also National Gumdrop Day. I ate a few gumdrops.

National Gumdrop Day 2021

For National Gumdrop Day this year on February 15, Nichole made more cookie candy flowers (with heart shaped gumdrops left over from Valentine's Day and with gumdrops Jeremy got for this holiday) and put them in a vase for us to enjoy for after school snack.

Thanks, Nichole.

Valentine's Days

Valentine's Day was on a Sunday this year so the kids had Valentines exchanges at school on Friday with the guideline to bring them a couple days early in order to "quarantine" them. So there was a lot of Valentine-ing(?) going on for a few days.

Both Jr. Jr. and Lucky made boxes for their Valentines to go in and brought home quite the haul. Jr. Jr. also brought home a red tissue paper flower he made for me and Lucky brought home a coupon book for Jeremy and me.

Jr. made a pink paper heart in a vase at school (the school library sometimes has activities for the students to do) and brought that home.

 

Valentine morning I brought Jeremy breakfast in bed (eggs in a basket had heart-shaped holes). He had set out gifts for me on a table: Roses. 4 new kinds of Panda Express sauces to try out. A 7 movie pack of all the Tremors movies. Nothing says, "I love you," like giant underground monsters that violently devour people.

Between church classes, Jeremy sang a hymn in Hungarian. It was pleasant to listen to.

My nephew blessed his and my niece's baby and we were able to watch through Zoom.

 

After church and the baby blessing, Jeremy found a heart-shaped note from me in the van when he and I went on a nice drive (with Jet) to go look for birds. The highlight- driving along and there was a barn owl sitting on a fence post right next to the road. We turned around to see it again but unfortunately couldn't get pictures because the camera wouldn't cooperate, there was another car coming, and it flew off. But it was right there and we got a nice close look at it. Beautiful bird. But that was our way of having a little date on a Sunday in the middle of a pandemic.

Another way of having a little date on a Sunday in the middle of a pandemic? When we got home, Jr. Jr. greeted us outside and welcomed us to "The Telfords' Valentine's Diner." He brought us to the door where there was a heart-shaped note saying "we love you," then ushered us inside to a table for two with a candle and a centerpiece made from candy cookie flowers in a vase (and decorations around)

There was a heart-shaped menu written in French with what we would be having for dinner and Nichole serenaded us with the violin while Jr. brought us what we would be eating:

 

Pain: les biscuits

Boisson: le chocolat chava

L'entree: les pates quec boef et confiture

Dessert: le pomme tarte

Jr. was able to use his French vocabulary and Nichole was able to practice her calligraphy.

Later, Nichole and Jr. switched roles and Jr. played cello for us while Nichole brought us another course. Later, they both serenaded us.

We had heart-shaped biscuits, hot chocolate, and for the main course we had spaghetti and meatballs on one plate while Nichole played "Bella Notte" from Lady and the Tramp of course.

For dessert we had slices of apple pie. It was Jr.'s first time making apple pie and he did a good job. Yumm.

 

Those sweet kids. It was a very relaxing evening and it was nice to have that time with Jeremy. It was also nice of Jet to sleep through the whole thing.

I very much enjoyed these Valentine's Days this year. I appreciate the effort the kids put into that special romantic dinner for us and I appreciated the love that was felt around our home.

I love you, my family.