End of School Year Things

So much happened the end of the school year. Let me try to share some of it. This is not necessarily in order.

 

Field trips! 

Jet went bowling. Lucky went roller skating. The whole school went to watch Paddington at a movie theater. 

When I asked Jet what he liked about bowling, he told me, "I liked knocking down a lot of pins."

 

Reading Hall of Fame! 

Jet and Lucky both did enough reading for the Hall of Fame this year that they got certificates, posters, bookmarks, and a new book each.

Lucky got a special framed certificate and another book for doing the Hall of Fame all the years of elementary school.

 

Student Council Party!

Lucky was the secretary of the Student Council this year and they had a party at the end of the year. When I went to drop him and a friend off for the party, they started heading toward the door then all of a sudden ran the other direction and into the parking lot. A few other kids did the same. I realized, it was because they were helping carry food and things in for the party. No hesitation, these kids immediately went to help. I appreciate seeing this from these students. They are a good example to others (no wonder they were accepted into student council this year). 

Lucky brought home a service award "for outstanding leadership, character, and service."

 

Two of the aides in Jet's class retired this year so we went to a little retirement party held for them at the school and Jet made them cards.

Jr. Jr. also got a bunch of certificates for surviving junior high. He and I went to a celebration. Then we practiced some juggling afterward.

You saw the train he made, right? See my blog post from May 14, 2026. Jr. Jr. brought home a candy dispenser he made, too. 

 

I got to go to an assembly at the elementary school where Lucky was presented with a Hope of America Award. It was awarded to Lucky "who has demonstrated during this school year capacity for leadership, ethical and moral character and outstanding academic accomplishment."

I was talking with a mom of one of Lucky's friends who also got the award about how it was fun to see how several of these students were good friends. It's nice to know that they are good influences on each other. Keep up the good work, kids.

 

I went to the elementary school dance festival to watch Lucky and Jet dance. They both did great. Jet's first and Lucky's last.

What a cool kid.

Woohoo! We survived another school year. 

I Love Reading Challenge Events

On Chocolate Mint Day, February 19, besides eating chocolate mints,

Nichole and I had a lovely mother-daughter date at The Hobbit Book Club Discussion at the Orem Library.

We had great conversation at our table discussing the book and so many other things.

We also got to make pocket-sized Shires. I always love to see how people can have totally different styles when creating things. I also love that, even though we were all book lovers at the event, we could have different interests in books or different favorite and least favorite characters in the same book. 

I loved that event.

Lunar New Year Celebration at the Library

Monday, February 9, was National Pizza Day.

Since I had plans to take family members to the Lunar New Year Celebration at the Orem Library, we had to do quick pizza celebrating.

I managed to get pizzas put together but they needed to be put in the oven. I didn't have time since I was going to pick up Nichole from campus and pick up Lucky from rehearsal before quickly eating and getting to the library.

I figured Nichole would be able to put the pizzas in the oven so this is the conversation I had with Jr. Jr. and Jet.

 

Mom: Nichole will be in charge of putting the pizzas in the oven when I get back.

Jr. Jr.: Got it. Jet will be in charge of putting the pizzas in the oven.

Jet: No. I'll be in charge of taste testing the pizzas.

 

Have I mentioned how much I love my family?

 

I got everybody home, we ate, then Jr. Jr., Jet, and I went to the library for the celebration. 

Jet and I made a Chinese lantern. We trotted like horses because it is going to be the year of the Horse. We did a scavenger hunt and earned fortune cookies. 

Jet took a break to play with things in the main area of the children's section. 

Jr. Jr. took that time to juggle. I love that he likes to continually learn new tricks.

We went back to watch the Lion dancing in the auditorium. 

 Then Jet played some more and we went home.

 Nice night. And we ate pizza.

Other August thins

Jr. Jr. really wants to make juggling balls so he and I have been working on that project- making juggling balls for everyone in the family. It's slow going but we'll get there.

Jet heard us talking about making juggling balls and told us he wanted to make "chocolate balls" so one day we made Oreo mint truffles like we did for St. Patrick's Day, except we didn't bother to make them green this time.

Jet is doing well at school so he's been able to pick something from the treasure box a few times. The first thing he brought home was a little water color paint set so I printed out a picture for him to color. He did a good job. 

I still try out new recipes from time to time, some from A Season of Family Meal Plans by Jordan Page, some from something I see on Instagram by my favorite food bloggers. I made Slow Cooker Loaded Chicken and Potato Casserole from Six Sisters' Stuff and it tasted so good to me. I didn't have whipping cream so I combined some sour cream and milk to get the creaminess (#shelfcooking).  

 

We had an amazing storm one night. I was concerned that my bedroom floor was getting wet. I went outside several times to check the window well. There were pools at the top of the stairs outside and in front of our front door. I checked my bedroom window and realized it was open. Rain was getting in and getting on my floor. Sigh. 

Luckily it dried up quickly after closing the window. I put towels down and kept checking them.

When I went outside in the pouring rain, the lightning and thunder were flashing and booming every few seconds. There was so much of it. 

 

It's amazing how calm the next morning can be after a storm.

 

 

When Nichole was the last one at home before she started school, she and I got to have some bonding time, going to the library and for a drive up the canyon to Bridal Veil Falls this time. 

Summer Reading Tween Scene

Lucky went to a Tween Scene for Orem Library's Summer Reading Program. He had fun doing the Percy Jackson one last year. This year the theme was Wingfeather Saga. He knows plenty about that series so he had a good time again.

There were different activities and a treasure hunt. He decorated a tote. He made a paper dragon to fly.

Summer Reading activities are awesome!

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.