Spring Break

Let's talk about Spring Break... for three of our kids. Last week was Spring Break... for three of our kids. Here are some of the holidays we celebrated (besides what I already mentioned in my April 9, 2026 post).

April 7 was National No Housework Day. I didn't tell the kids that was the holiday and asked them to clean. Bwah ha ha ha. But I celebrated.

 

April 8 was Draw a Picture of a Bird Day. This is what Nichole created.

She's awesome. I love that I could immediately tell it was a red-tailed hawk. Gorgeous.

 

April 10 was National Siblings Day. I encouraged a couple of my kids to wish each other a Happy that holiday but forgot to wish it to any of my own siblings even though I planned to.

It was also National Farm Animals Day. For dinner the night before, I made red beans and rice and hush puppies and garlic parmesan asparagus. On April 10, we had leftovers (including the beans and rice that had Polish sausage made out of what? Farm animals!) and I made more hush puppies.

This exchange happened while I was making them.

 

Jet: What are the dog things you are making called?

Mom: Hush puppies. 

 

He's so adorable.

 

Sunday Sketches

For Sunday Sketches, Jet requested a bat so this is what they came up with:

 

Jeremy

Jr. Jr.

Lucky

Jet 

 I like to see the different styles and techniques.

Catching Up April 2025 part 1

April 6 was National Carbonara Day but because we were having our Conference nachos that day, we celebrated "observed" on Monday, the 7th. 

 

Since April 7 was National Coffee Cake Day, I did make carrot cake coffee cake from a recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I really liked it. Thanks again, Mel.

This was Jeremy's thought about it. "It has that texture of coffee cake but it has that carrot cake flavor in it and it's just a really nice combination. You can quote me on that." 

 

April 8 is Draw a Picture of a Bird Day. Nichole celebrated this of course.

Purple throated mountain gem

 

It was also Library Worker's Day. This is what I said on Instagram and Facebook about the holiday:

I love the library workers at Orem Public Library (both past and present workers because I have many years of interacting with workers at that library and have seen people come and go). From those that are right there when there when you walk in the door to those that help you fin a book to those that invite you to join in on programs to those that feed the tarantula and so many other jobs, I appreciate them.

This is Molly, on of my favorite children's librarians. She always has a bright smile and a friendly "Hello." She's always willing to help whether it's pointing out a book or getting my child started on an activity. Ad I appreciate that she's willing to bend down for a picture with me because I'm so short.

I encourage you to celebrate with me and thank a library worker today. 

Of course right after my picture with Molly, I went up and chatted with another librarian who was able to help me find some books for Lucky for reading challenges at school.

 

April 9 was National Unicorn Day and Name Yourself Day. Jet had a little wand with a unicorn on it. He would wave it and call out, "Magical Unicorn!" then you had to neigh like a unicorn. I got to the point during the day when I was saying, "And I shall call name myself Magical Unicorn."

We also went to the library (said Hi to Molly and thank you to the librarian who suggested books for Lucky who liked what I brought home) and picked up a unicorn book.

 

April 10 was National Siblings Day. I wished Happy Siblings Day to most of my siblings (my mom passed on my wishes to one) and wished my soon to be new sister-in-law Happy Siblings Day. More on that later.

That evening, I took two of my children for a bird walk with Utah County Birders on the West side of the lake. 

Remember what I said about Lucky making silly faces?

 

There weren't as many birds as there could have been because of humans recreating. Oh, well.

Gorgeous evening, though.

 

April 10 was also Encourage a Young Writer Day. You know I do.

 

April 11 was National Submarine Day. I went for a walk along the lake and had this thought: What do you think it would be like to be in a small submarine in a lake?

That afternoon, I helped Jeremy set up Cosmo Cougar that he made out of balloons for BYU's Grad Bash.

We work well together.

 

That night, Nichole and I went to a girls' night. We went to our friend's home theater to watch Sense and Sensibility. Since I read the book this year, I wanted to watch the movie again so we got together with several ladies to watch it. I love the Emma Thompson version. 

Wow. April 11 was busy.

Now It Is Fall!

September 22 was Hobbit Day. Jr. played LEGO Hobbit.

I wore my bow earrings to celebrate my sister's birthday.

The Autumnal Equinox/First Day of Fall was also on September 22. We didn't do anything except mention it.

The next day, however, Jet and I went for a drive up Kyhv Peak Road to see the beautiful Fall colors.

Gorgeous.

That day, September 23, was Great American Pot Pie Day. I made chicken pot pie and for Family Home Evening on National Family Day (also on the 23rd) we played Pictionary drawing by mouse on the computer.

Guess what the word was for this picture:

 

I yelled out, "Trogdor!" then calmly said, "Dragon," to get it right.

Bonding Time

Jet: Can you draw Daddy?

Daddy: Sure.

Jet: I destroy Daddy.

Spring Break 2023

We didn't really have Spring for Spring Break. Our Winter went into April this year so we did mostly indoor things during Spring Break.

 

The kids learned how to play Phase 10.

We had some library time.

We did drive around one day and when we got home there was a spotted towhee in our front yard. Nichole got pictures.

Jr. found a recipe in my Shelf Cooking 101 book and wanted to try it out so we used ingredients we found around the house to make it. Yummm. I want them again.

April 3 was Fish Fingers and Custard Day.

April 6 was National Burrito Day and National Carbonara Day.

April 8 was Draw a Picture of a Bird Day. 

Field Day 2020

Like the virtual dance festival we submitted our video to, the elementary school also had a virtual field day this year. We were sent a slide show with activities we could choose from and after we were done we sent pictures and videos to the school so they could make a compilation of what families did to get moving.

Here's a run down of our field day (with water breaks and other kinds of breaks).

We created our own warm-up activity: copy the baby's movements. The one time he decided not to roll over but just flail his arms and legs. He got a kick out of his brothers wiggling around on the floor with him.

Outside, Jr. Jr. and Lucky played a dance/freeze game where they followed the actions of a song and did some dancing, hopping, and other actions like that until they were told to freeze and hold their position for a bit.

Back inside we "rode" on a roller coaster. Jr. Jr. sat on my lap, Lucky sat on Jr.'s lap, and Jet sat in the bouncer seat. We leaned forward, backward, and sideways with the coaster (then I had the boys do it again so I could get pictures).

Jr. Jr. and Lucky followed a tutorial and drew popsicles.

Lunch Break!
In the afternoon/evening, the boys and I went outside again to do some other activities: drawing with sidewalk chalk, hopscotch, and riding bikes and scooters.

I pushed the baby in the stroller and took pictures of birds (and of the boys, of course).

On a different but somewhat related note because it had to do with the elementary school, Jeremy went to the school to pick up the boys' classroom items. Besides a reading award (certificate) Lucky got, both boys got participation awards that said, "Certificate of Participation Awarded to: ____ May 28th, 2020 For successfully completing homeschooling during the Covid 19 pandemic and all online activities, such as the online dance festival and virtual field day!"

It's been a lot of hard work getting through the end of the school year but we survived. Go, us!