Fall Break 2025

When Jeremy is on trips (quite a few this year), he misses a lot (including us and we miss him, too). One thing we've made sure to do as a family, though, is when Jeremy is traveling, he calls in the morning and night for family prayer over the phone. Sometimes he joins in for family scripture study as well. It's important to keep that gospel foundation strong for our family even when we're separated.

 

Since Jeremy was gone so long on this last trip to South Carolina, he also missed Fall Break.

 

Slumber Party!

When our older children were little we had a tradition of having a slumber party the night before Fall Break or Spring Break. We'd watch movies or play video games then all sleep out in the living room together. Over time, we had less people sleep in the living room after our "party" and eventually the tradition kind of fizzled out.

After many years we brought it back this Fall Break with watching a movie and playing MarioKart while eating muffins. Only a few opted to sleep out in the living room but we did have good bonding time while we were up.

October 15 was National Mushroom Day so I wore my pajamas that have mushrooms on them and Jr. Jr. commented: That's why Jet didn't want me to have mush room on the couch. 

P.S. For dinner earlier we made shawarma for Shawarma Day.

 

The next day, we had leftovers for dinner for World Food Day on October 16.

We got some snuggles in before Nichole and I went to a Relief Society activity to paint pumpkins. 

Normally I'm hands on involved in the activities (remember the sourdough?) but this time I was content to just sit and socialize. I also was able to praise Nichole's pumpkin painting. 

 

I got Kiki's Delivery Service vibes from it and not necessarily the movie. Isn't it so cute?

 

Fall Break Fun!

I hiked up Big Springs area with the kiddos. We'd been wanting to for a while and finally got the chance. We even had sun that day. 

A couple times, Jet and I took pictures of each other. This is how they turned out. 

Jr. Jr. pointed out to me how in Jet's picture the first time, Jr. Jr. was standing by me. In the other picture that I took, Jr. Jr. was standing by Jet. Ha Ha. Clever noticing. 

When we got home we had pasta to celebrate... National Pasta Day.

The mountains were gorgeous at sunset.

I love nature and I love living here and I especially love my children. 

 

The two oldest and I had some bonding time watching a movie one evening. While we watched, Jet watched Kiki's Delivery Service in a different room. I think he heard our conversation about Nichole's pumpkin.

 

Jet requested going to the library during Fall Break so on October 20, he and I went together. He was so well behaved. He followed directions. He stayed with me. We did a children's activity in the children's wing with pumpkin emotions. He got to play in the children's area and when it was time to move on to gather books on my list, he didn't put up a stink about it. He was quiet in the quiet areas, even when we had to get a book from the quietest area in the library. He was very good at whispering. We watched construction on the new courtyard/greenhouse area. He helped me check out our books and did a good job. I am so proud of him.

He did not yell, "Tractor!" in the middle of the library. Once we got out to the van, he was able to. "Tractor! Burninating the countryside..." For those that get the reference, he yells, "Trogdor!" but thinks it's "Tractor!" If you listen to Strong Bad from Homestar Runner, it does kind of sound like "Tractor."

Since October 20 was International Sloth Day, Jet requested a book about koalas. Why not?

I love bonding time with my children. And I love how this Fall Break went.

After While, Crocodile

Jeremy left on another even longer trip to South Carolina.

"Bye. I'll miss you."

 

Since it was such a long multiple day drive that he and Marcus were taking, Jeremy kept me updated where they were, which state they were traveling through. I'm so used to the West (Northwest) where you can get through maybe three or four states total in a day of traveling (if that).

 

Jeremy: Meat me in St. Louis.

He sent me this text after I fell asleep one night. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw it and couldn't figure out why he was showing me his snacks while quoting the lyric, "Meet me in St. Louis." So I went back to sleep.

Finally the next morning while we were getting ready for family prayer (Jeremy often calls to join us for family prayer when he's away from home), I finally got it. And I'm the person who notices spelling mistakes. "Meat" me in St. Louis, while holding "meat" sticks. Sigh. 

Because he was in South Carolina for a fair, he got to see new birds. He got very excited his first day seeing a "Fish Crow." I didn't know that was a thing. Like I said, I'm used to the West. 

So cool. He first noticed it because he could hear a different call than the American Crows we get around here.   

Other days he went for walks and got to see some birds we get around here but definitely some we don't- like cardinals!

 

He did do his balloon building as well. He built two scenes for the South Carolina State Fair.

One was a Harvest Scene with a barn, tractor, trailer, produce, etc.

One was a Merry-Grow-Round, a carousel where the middle was a stalk of corn and the "horses" were farm animals. The top and bottom were pieces of watermelon. See what other farm items you can spot in the pictures.

 I really do love my husband's talents. And I love him. And I love when he comes home from trips.

 

Shelftember

I participated in Shelftember again. 

When I did go to the store (which wasn't very often), I stuck to my shopping list. Because I spent less money on bulk snacks at Winco, I was able to spend more on chicken and ground turkey (not super expensive but not the best deals, either).

I took some of that new chicken and my friend, Stephanie, and I got together to make Instant Pot meals again. Honey Garlic Chicken- it's a favorite.

 

Jeremy came back from his Twin Falls fair with ripe bananas so of course I made chocolate chip banana muffins. Then I pulled corn tortillas, rotisserie chicken, cheese, and spices out and made taquitos. Shelftember! 

 

I baked a lot of bread during the month, including sourdough. I think I'm making progress on figuring out how to do it successfully.

 

I did have to send Jeremy to grab some bread at the store one night because I didn't have any bread to make sandwiches for a trip we were taking. It was better for me to sleep that night than to try to bake bread and let it cool and cut it. I had to get up really early the next morning in order to drive down to Southern Utah (more on that adventure later). Safety is most important. I was too tired to drive home so Jeremy did have to stop at a gas station to get a caffeinated drink and something to eat. But again, we had saved money on other groceries during the month so in order for him to be safe while driving, while I kept dozing off in the passenger seat, it was worth the money.

 

As I mentioned before, I got sick the end of September so we ended up spending more money on groceries than I would have liked the end of the month because Jeremy had to get pizza a couple of times for me as I was getting my appetite back and didn't have energy to make meals. Before I got sick, I was also getting what sounded good for Jr. because he was sick before me.

Oh well. It started out as a good Shelftember. 

More Balloon Building

We sent Jeremy off to another fair over Labor Day Weekend, this one was in Twin Falls, Idaho. I love my husband and miss him when he is gone but love to see where his creative talents take him.

This time he built bugs... again. Bugs have been a popular theme lately. I love it. 

Quick Cousins Trip

Jeremy decided on his way back from his fair in Wyoming to stop by and visit our cousins in Wyoming.

I wanted to visit our cousins, too, so without his knowledge, I made plans to visit the same day so we could meet him there and have some nice family time. He was pleasantly surprised. We had lunch together and talked sooooo much and later Nichole rode the rest of the way home with Jeremy.

Have I mentioned I love my family?

It was also Play Outside Day so Jet had fun playing outside with our cousins' dog. 

Farewell Summer Reading

At the end of July, we finished up our Summer Reading Programs at Orem Public Library and Provo City Library. So the beginning of August, Nichole, Jr., Lucky, Jet, and I went to the closing event for Orem's held at Scera Park. Jr. Jr. didn't feel like going and Jeremy was gone at another fair, this time in Wyoming and this time without a hurt back.

Lucky, Jet, and I got to ride on the Orem Express train that drove around the park. We got there early enough to miss the long line waiting for it.

We played some games then spent a lot of time on the playground. Lucky was a big helper with Jet.

After we finally left, we made a quick stop at the Orem Library then went home and had ice cream.

Summer reading fun!

July Holidays 2025

July was busy and crazy. Life is crazy. We skipped a lot of holidays the last couple of months but we did celebrate some. I won't remember them all (you know, pics or it didn't happen), but here are some.

Independence Day was on... the 4th of July. We actually didn't do anything to celebrate. It was that kind of month. I didn't get any pictures with the American flag and we heard fireworks through the window but didn't go out to look at them. 

International Kissing Day was July 6 and Jeremy was at his fair during that time so we didn't celebrate.

This was not meant to be a what holidays we didn't celebrate post. Sigh.

We did celebrate Teddy Bear Picnic Day on July 10. 

Gummi Worm Day was July 15. I bought gummi worms in advance of this holiday. I forgot about it. Jet has had some gummi worms from time to time since then but no celebrating on the holiday or even "observed."

Yellow Pigs Day was July 17. Mustard and li'l smokies.

Stick Out Your Tongue Day was July 19. I confused the kids a few times while sticking my tongue out at them that day.

Moon Day was July 20. Astronaut sandwiches.

National Junk Food Day was July 21. We got dino nuggets and french fries out of the freezer to celebrate.

I wished my mom and my sister Happy Gorgeous Grandma Day on July 23. 

Pioneer Day was July 24. We had green jello and sourdough bread (both things you expect from Utah, though the green jello doesn't really fit in with pioneer times). We also had chicken and potatoes and baby carrots so I didn't have to put carrot shavings in the jello.

I also go a picture with the flag that day. 

I like to celebrate National Sleepyhead Day, the Finnish holiday, on July 27, but we missed it this year even though I was thinking about it in the days leading up to it. Did I mention things have been crazy so we didn't celebrate as much as we often do? 

National Chili Dog Day was July 31. I made homemade turkey chili to put on our hot dogs and homemade buns. 

Yeah, not a lot of holiday celebrating this July. That's okay, though. That's life. We're not completely missing out not celebrating here and there. We still celebrate more holidays than the average family. 

 

 

On a completely different note- 

Jet: Can I help you with your blog post? 

5582582518718518441587481284955555556556145136 

42651451478518717459114697714552578154853.6

 

63725184517485654918417155754187787745787575481571147815871514548184745487587175484

47844848484845444747487444844445445444544817817848184818484187428115841741451747544

541

506571252152115215185127517517545745712415451454125124511211112212454454541452241

4245212214145451451454111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111116+6++33

.26592598651540