Cheeseballs

When I wished Jeremy a Happy National Cheeseball Day on April 17, he texted me this picture.

He's a cheeseball.

 

Speaking of cheeseballs: in years past, Nichole has contributed short stories and artwork to UVU's Warp & Weave journal. 

Jeremy and Nichole toyed with the idea of submitting pieces to Warp & Weave together and they did so this year. Jeremy submitted a short story and Nichole submitted a piece of art that went along with his story. They were both accepted so when we went to the event for them to get their copies of the journal, we found out that the picture was placed right after the story. Good job, editors. 

We celebrated Blah Blah Blah Day while we were there.

Speaking of cheeseballs, earlier in the day, Nichole sculpted a cheeseball in the shape of a bat because April 17 is also Bat Appreciation Day. It's become tradition.

She also created this art piece for Bat Appreciation Day and International Haiku Poetry Day, also on the same day. 

I love my girl and her talents. I also love my husband and his talents. I'm also happy to support them. I spent time with Jeremy's short story, helping him edit it (there was a word limit). I also gave them a ride and went to the event with them since I knew how to get there.

Our Vacation, Thy Creations, and Our Relations- Part 9

We had a couple relaxing days in Washington before Go Go Go again.

 

Church, resting, family time.

On July 7, we celebrated National Macaroni Day (with shells pasta, tee hee), World Chocolate Day with birthday cake because we also celebrated Nichole's Birthday, and Father Daughter Take a Walk Day. They got creative with that one. Heh Heh. 

 

On July 8, we celebrated Video Game Day and National Blueberry Day. I forgot to wear my new video game shirt that day so I wore it a few days later.

 

The doll head continued to be found in various places. 

It was nice to chill again.

I'll share more of our wonderful vacation later.

 

Museum Comes to Life Day 2022

While Jeremy and Nichole were at a Father-Daughter campout, 

the boys and I celebrated Museum Comes to Life Day on June 24 by watching the third Night at the Museum movie with popcorn.

Since it was International Fairy Day, Jeremy did read from Nichole's book she is writing. It has fairies in it.

Nichole also did some fairy sketches before they left for the campout.

Nichole's Birthday

We celebrated Nichole's birthday in July! Since we had to wait for a couple presents to come in the mail/UPS, on her birthday Lucky made her a couple sculptures out of LEGOs. Dragons. One had Captain America riding it. One had Spider-man. That is a sweet boy thinking of his sister like that. He made sure she had something to open (he wrapped them in a blanket) besides cards on her birthday.

She played "Happy Birthday" to herself with the full-sized violin she and Jeremy picked up on July 7, Father and Daughter Take a Walk Day. They took a walk from the van into the music store. The 3/4 size violin wasn't cutting it anymore.

When she blew out the candles on her cake, she mentioned how she was able to blow out all but one in one breath where last year she had been able to blow out all of them. There was one more candle this year.

When we got toward the end of the day, it was getting too late to let Nichole stay up and watch a movie, even though it was her birthday still.
Jeremy: Your birthday is almost over. You'll no longer have any leverage.
Lucky: That's right, Nichole. You won't have any loveage {evil laugh}.
Everyone: Ha Ha Ha Ha.

One on One Time

Jeremy and I have been talking about how we haven't had Daddy-daughter or Mommy-daughter or Daddy-son or Mommy-son dates in a while.  It's hard to schedule that kind of one on one time when you have so much going on- work, school, extra-curricular activities, scouts, mutual, Relief Society activities, homework, chores, errands to run, etc. etc. etc.  The list goes on and on and on.  We decided to do something about it this week.  Monday there was no school.  Instead of dragging the kids around birding as we sometimes do when there's no school we decided to have some one on one time away from home. 
First thing in the morning, Jr. and Daddy went to get an oil change in the car together.  It may not sound that exciting but it's kind of their thing.  Jeremy never takes any of the other kids.  It's always Jr. (when he can do it on a day Jr.'s around).  They sit together playing games or watching shows while they wait.  Sometimes they have snacks.  It's their bonding time.

When they got back, Nichole and I headed to the Orem Library.  We had a nice talk on the drive there.  We talked books and things while at the library (she even suggested a book I haven't yet read so I checked it out), chatted with a librarian, checked out some books and movies to celebrate some upcoming holidays, and we sat for a while coloring on one of those mandalas they print out for people to color. 

When Nichole and I got back, Jeremy took Jr. Jr. to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point.  He didn't ride on the camel at Vernal Holly Days so Jeremy took him to ride the ponies at Farm Country.  Jr. Jr. also got to feed the ducks.

When they got back, I took Lucky to University Place (I still call it University Mall) to ride on the escalators.  He thought it was so neat when we rode the escalators at the Conference Center on Saturday that he was very much in favor of riding others.  Unfortunately I could only find one set in one store, though it did go up three floors.  We did ride some elevators, though, including one where you could see out as it went up and down.  After walking around the mall for a while, I decided to take Lucky down to the other mall- Provo Towne Center.  It has many more escalators (not just inside stores).  We also rode in an elevator that had mirrors all around inside. 

So we all had fun with our one on one time/parent-child dates.  It was a good use of the kids' day off of school.  No birding, though I kept mentioning birds I saw as Nichole and I were driving and walking to the library.
It was good family time, though divided up between family members.

Nice Day

We had some nice things happen today.
Jeremy and Nichole got to go on a Daddy-Daughter date this morning. 

The boys and I got to go to a baptism.  Two children were getting baptized.  These were two children who I taught when they were Sunbeams.  Now they're 8 years old and baptized.  It was such a nice meeting and baptism.  They both looked so happy.  I loved it.
After the kids went to bed, I did some celebrating.  October 11th is It's My Party Day.  I listened to "It's My Party" by Lesley Gore and danced a bit.  Why not?

It was a nice day.

Quite a Date

We needed a date.  Jeremy and I needed a date.  Jeremy and Nichole needed a Daddy-daughter date.  Jeremy and Jr. needed a Daddy-son date.  Jeremy and Jr. Jr. needed a Daddy-son date.  Nichole and I needed a Mommy-daughter date.  Jr. and I needed a Mommy-son date.  Jr. Jr. and I needed a Mommy-son date.
So we had them.  This evening we had a special Daddy-daughter, Daddy-son, Daddy-son, Daddy-son, Mommy-daughter, Mommy-son, Mommy-son, Mommy-son date (and Mommy-Daddy date).  Lucky wasn't to be left out, even if he wasn't particularly needing a date.
We went to Brick Oven Pizza in Provo.  Haven't been there in years.  We hadn't been there since Jeremy was doing balloons there- way before I was even pregnant with Lucky.  He hasn't done restaurant work in a while.
So we went this evening.  And had pizza.  And root beer.  And a great time.  But no balloons.

It was made so much better by everyone talking about it being a Daddy-daughter, Daddy-son, Daddy-son, Daddy-son, Mommy-daughter, Mommy-son, Mommy-son, Mommy-son date.  Don't you agree that that's just fun?  Try it some time.  Don't go out for a family outing.  Go on a date.  That includes the whole family.  And call it something fun that includes everyone.


It was a fun family date.

Daddy-Daughter Time

This afternoon, Jeremy and Nichole went hiking at Big Springs.  They got see a whole lot during this trip.  They saw several different types of birds, several different types of trees, and a whole lot of animal tracks.  They saw hoof and paw prints, nests, holes in trees from woodpeckers, and more.

At one point, Jeremy got a little too close to take pictures of a squirrel in a tree.  It began chittering at him angrily.

Nichole found a rock that had ridges on it like the ribs of her stegosaurus skeleton toy she got earlier today when the older kids went to a birthday party at Nickel City.

I'm glad Jeremy and Nichole got this time together today.  The kids need this getting out time with a parent every once in a while, and the parents do, too.

Catch of the Day

On their way to a Daddy-Daughter date to watch "Tangled."

Best Friends

The story behind this is:
Nichole found a photo booth at the Pacific Science Center and went inside. She saw that it put her face in a frame and said, "I want my picture taken." So Jeremy pulled out the camera, pointed it at the screen in the booth, and saved $2.50.

Daddy-Daughter Party

Our ward did a Daddy-Daughter Party last month. They had a dinner, dancing, and fun with glow sticks (which began Nichole's love for glow sticks). Before they headed out to the party I made sure to get some pictures of Nichole and Jeremy.