I Learned Some New Skills

Superb Owl Sunday was on February 8. Jeremy, Nichole, Jr. Jr., Lucky, and Jet all contributed to Sunday Sketches. I will post about that later.

Jeremy fed us some Rootinest Tootinest Breakfanootinest Casserole (his own creation- we haven't had it in years, though). 

Since the weather was nice, I wanted to take a nice relaxing drive in the afternoon. Several of us got in the van and went for a drive through Provo Canyon, around Deer Creek Reservoir, up into Midway, around Heber Fields, and back through downtown Heber, around Deer Creek Reservoir, and through Provo Canyon again, where we had a tire blow out after we got out of the canyon.

So I got to learn some new skills and recognize many blessings. If I was on my own (without Jeremy), I would have freaked out. As it was, we were both able to support each other. Jeremy looked up YouTube videos and was able to get the spare tire out of the trunk (and managed to get the old tire off and into the trunk- it was heavy). I was able to crawl down on the ground and figure out where to put the jack. We both took turns lifting the van with the jack. I got to put the spare on and put the lug nuts back on. Jeremy did more tightening than I did. We both got to see that the spare was flat so I called some friends and since we were not too far from home (huge blessing), I was able to get a ride home to get our portable air compressor and drive back with our other vehicle. Then I got the experience of learning how to use the air compressor to fill up the spare tire. Jeremy and I worked well together. That's another blessing.

It was a beautiful night. Kids were well behaved. Nichole took Jet walking up and down the sidewalk because we pulled over off the main road to a road that didn't have much traffic. Jet was well behaved in his cute Seahawks jacket. I put that on him because the Seattle Seahawks were playing in the Super Bowl that day (and won). Jr. Jr. kept himself entertained by juggling.

It ended up not being too late when we got home, too.  

The next day, I was able to get kids to school then drove to get a new tire. I got to read some more of The Hobbit at the tire store while I waited and then found out the tire was still under warranty. Woohoo. Yay for more blessings. 

Jet's Happy Place

I've mentioned my happy place is up Provo Canyon among Fall colors.

I've found Jet's happy place. A graveyard. Or among Halloween decorations.

He LOVES Halloween decorations.

One night he got to go outside after dark and loved seeing the decorations glowing. I got this picture and figured he fit right in with how it turned out. 

Last year we went on a Halloween Drive seeing decorated houses listed by the city of Orem. People were able to submit their house with decorations to add to the list and Orem City put together a route for spectators to follow to see the houses. 

There was also a house down by the South end of the lake we passed a few times that had decorations that Jet kept talking about for months.

This year we went on another Halloween Drive going to a bunch of houses on Orem's list. Some of these houses had a lot of similar features. Giant skeletons coming out of people's yards or roofs was popular. Jet loved it.

 

He LOVES Halloween decorations. 

School Begins

Before school started we picked up final prizes for Jet who was participating in "1000 Books Before Kindergarten." We'd finished 1000 books a while back (that kid likes books like the rest of the family). We just hadn't gotten around to recording them and picking up the last of the prizes. So we did.

He got a bag, certificate, sticker, and book from Orem Library and he picked a flashlight from the treasure box at Provo Library.

 

We went to Back to School Nights for Jr. Jr. and Lucky and Jet, and Kindergarten assessment for Jet.

I saw Jr. Jr.'s schedule and this is the conversation that came from it.

Mom: You're taking Earth and Space Science? How cool is that?

Jr. Jr.: It's out of this world.

-Later-

Jr. Jr.: Earth and Space Science. You can tell you're in the right classroom because it's always vacuumed.

He also had clever things to say after school started.

Jr. Jr.: When I get a homework assignment, I spend the first few days in de-Nile.

Mom: Is that a geography joke?

Jr. Jr.: Yes, because I'm doing geography right now.

Jr. Jr.: What river is labeled 8?

Mom: It's in South America.

Jr. Jr.: The river labeled 8 is where all your packages come from. 

 

What do you do when you have a child who loves school so much they are anxious for the first day of school to start?

Give them a task. Sharpen pencils. That will help when it's time for homework.

 

How does a child who does not like school combat the frustration of it? 

He takes juggling balls with him wherever he goes at school and at home. He impressed quite a few people who didn't know he could juggle, which he couldn't last school year. 

 

I got first day of school pictures for the kids (we had four different first days of school this year), except for Jr. I got first day at his apartment pictures. I had a little Nemo toy that I used to tell everyone, "First day of school. First day of school," that morning.

 

While the middle boys were at their first day of school (less kids in the house), I did something useful. I put together some freezer meals, using recipes that used ingredients we had at home so I didn't have to go shopping for anything. I put directions on the bags so I don't have to look up the recipes when it's time to make them. Go, me! Woohoo.

 

After one of the first days of school, we went to the annual Utah County Birders potluck. So nice to be around other birders. We've been so busy, we haven't been out birding much. Sigh. And the monthly meetings, I usually join online instead of in person. Also sigh.

I must say, though, my kids are awesome. They helped clean up after the potluck, even though they had school the next day. 

 

The first Saturday after school started, I did something for myself. I went to "my spot" by the lake to watch the "sunrise"- which actually means I watched the other direction from where the sun rose. I watched the light come across the lake from the mountains on the other side until it reached me then the sun was to my back when it came up over the mountains. That's how I usually like to watch the sunrise.

After Jr.'s first day of school, we picked him up and went to another BBQ/cookout. 

Jeremy: Do you want to go to this cookout? You don't have to figure out dinner.

I was in favor of that. Jeremy previously made a balloon arch for this cookout so we were able to get some pictures.

 

Another day, before Jet and Nichole started school, they went with me on a drive up Kyhv Peak Road. Nice drive and view.

 

I highly recommend this.

We keep a pocket sized copy of The Book of Mormon in our vehicle.

Now that school has started, that means more sitting around waiting to pick up kids. I get busy some mornings and don't get a chance to read my Book of Mormon. So even though I often have a physical novel in my bag, an audiobook on my phone, I realized I could get something even better out of my wait by reading what is always available to me.

Another Weekend

Another weekend, some more driving around West Mountain to the South side of the lake. Saturday and Sunday.

Beautiful weather.

One side of the lake and the other side of the lake.

Nature's cool, man.

November 23 was Fibonacci Day. We read a poem about the Fibonacci sequence that used the Fibonacci sequence.

It was Wolfenoot. We ate meat.

It was also Doctor Who Day. The kids did not watch the werewolf episode from Series 2 (because you know, Doctor Who and Wolfenoot). They watched the episode before and a few days later watched that episode. 

A Busy Weekend

Let me tell you about a busy weekend we had recently.

We're still trying to work on the UCB challenge so Lucky and I got out Saturday morning to Powell Slough Wildlife Management Area. Every time I go there I hear Virginia Rails. Jeremy saw one once while we were there but I missed it. Lucky and I did hear rails and one gave us a quick glimpse of it. Yippee! 

Can you see it just peeking out in the center of the picture?

 

What was also fun but I wasn't expecting is that there were also soras who were out a bit more than the rails so we got better looks at them. Fun fun fun. I like birds.

Later Lucky and Nichole had a couple appointments, several of us went for a drive around the lake, then we went home and ate biscuits and gravy.

The next morning, Jet decided to be up with me really early in the morning while I put some final touches on my Relief Society lesson I was teaching later. I got a new calling- Relief Society teacher. That day was also the Primary Program and the kids were so cute as usual.

Some of us went for another drive around the lake that afternoon/evening. It was a beautiful evening.

Monday was Veteran's Day.