Noodle, Don't Noodle

We celebrated without Jeremy while he was gone. Here's some of what we celebrated:

 

October 6 was National Noodle Day. We had angel hair pasta and alfredo. I love alfredo.

 

Did you know they changed National Taco Day? I just found out when my mom wished me a Happy National Taco Day on October 7 this year. It used to always be on October 4. Now it's always Taco Tuesday. 

We made homemade tortilla chips which can be used with taco salad. We didn't eat taco salad, though.

 

October 7 was also Chocolate Covered Pretzel Day. Jr. Jr. melted some chocolate chips and we dipped pretzel sticks in them. Mmmm.

 

October 8 was Fluffernutter Day. I had this on the calendar. I planned on making Fluffernutter sandwiches the whole time. The day of, I realized I didn't have marshmallow fluff. I knew we didn't have marshmallow fluff. It didn't occur to me to go shopping for marshmallow fluff even though that is what is needed for Fluffernutter sandwiches. So we got creative and made grilled Fluffernutter sandwiches with peanut butter, and marshmallows when melted become marshmallow fluff.

Woohoo. Creativity!

Consensus: Members of my family are not fans of grilled peanut butter sandwiches. Several would prefer grilled cheese. Good to know. Although we do like waffle cones with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and peanut butter, so it's the grilled sandwich aspect that doesn't work with the peanut butter.

 

Speaking of grilled cheese sandwiches, the next day, October 9, Jr. Jr. and I were eating grilled cheese sandwiches and this conversation happened.

Mom: It's Moldy Cheese Day. Guess how I celebrated.

(Jr. Jr. looks at me blankly)

Mom: It's Moldy Cheese Day. (wiggles sandwich) Guess how I celebrated.

(Jr. Jr. looks down at his grilled cheese sandwich and starts to laugh)

Jr. Jr.: That deserves a hug. (proceeds to give me a hug) 

 

I mentioned I didn't think we even had any moldy cheese in the fridge. I found some a few days later while I was cleaning out the refrigerator. 

I Learn So Much from the Library

I like to get "Daily Fun with Your Little One!" calendars from the Orem Library. Sometimes we do activities. Sometimes we don't. Sometimes I learn about holidays that I don't have on our Calendar of Celebration.

I learned from that calendar that October 8 is World Octopus Day. Jet and I watched some Wild Kratts videos about underwater creatures.

Later we read a story about how Oliver Octopus doesn't like olives on his pizza then looked at the accompanying picture showing Oliver Octopus holding a slice of pizza with olives on it. Sigh.

 

It was also Fluffernutter Day. We had fluffernutter sandwiches and Olloch the Glutton's Caramel Biscuit Bars. Gotta have something from the Fablehaven Cookbook on Fluffernutter Day. Oh, and our fluffernutter sandwiches had actual marshmallow fluff this time because Jeremy had to stop by the grocery story anyway.

We tried once again to look for the Northern Lights at Deer Creek Reservoir. No lights but the stars looked cool.

Fablehaven Feast

Since October 8 was Fluffernutter Day, and since Fluffernutter sandwiches is something characters eat in Fablehaven books, we decided to have a whole Fablehaven dinner with recipes from The Fablehaven Cookbook.

Seth's PB&J Creations (we had fun with the fillings, but I made sure to have a Fluffernutter sandwich myself), Ogre Stew, Muriel's Pretzel Knots, Olloch the Glutton's Caramel Biscuit Bars, S'mores Pizza, and Dale's Fairy Milk.

The recipes in the cookbook are very doable. The whole family got involved in making this feast. 

Grandma Sorensen even made an appearance. Do you get it? 

We also only had to get one ingredient from the store when preparing for this meal. Everything else we had on hand. Like I said, very doable.

I am so glad we got this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes Fablehaven and food.

Nevermore

October 7 was Bathtub Day. Jet had a bath. Boom. Celebrated.

 

October 7 was Chocolate Covered Pretzel Day. We had those for after school snack. Boom. Celebrated.

 

October 7 is the anniversary of when Edgar Allen Poe died. Normally we don't celebrate death dates like we celebrate birthdates but it's Edgar Allen Poe so...

Nichole has been reading a lot of Edgar Allen Poe stories and enjoying them. I told her that evening she should wear all black to celebrate. She took my advice. Of course that was the concert attire for her orchestra concert so... heh heh. Boom. Celebrated.

The next day, October 8, was Fluffernutter Day. We had fluffernutter sandwiches for dinner with something else. I didn't take a picture so I don't remember what it was. That's what happens when I try to catch up on the blog a month later. But we did celebrate.

Winter Solstice Among Other Things

December 21 was the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. When Jr. was going to make pancakes the day before, the smoke detector went off (not from his cooking, from bacon grease and water in the skillet). I told the kids to open windows but to make sure to close them before sundown since the next day was the solstice (it's been tradition this year on the solstices and equinoxes). We ate fluffernutter sandwiches again.

 

The 21st was also Short Girl Appreciation Day. I got a picture with my teenagers who were not standing on their toes nor was I slouching. Throughout the day, Jr. gave me hugs and told me that he appreciated me (not just because I was short, but because I do so much).

Also on the calendar for that day was Yule. Jr. wanted to listen to music. I told him he could only listen to music if it was with a Yule log fire like The Piano Guys or Josh Groban. Jr. found a YouTube video of Link standing by a fire. He put it on the TV then put Breath of the Wild music on the computer. Bwah ha ha ha. Clever boy.

 

The kids took turns doing online crossword puzzles for National Crossword Puzzle Day also on the 21st.

 

For Family Home Evening lesson, we read the nativity story in Luke 2 as we drove to West Mountain. As we drove along we saw sheep. We were like the wise men traveling to see the Christmas star. That day Jupiter and Saturn were the closest to each other in alignment with Earth that they have been in 800 years. Nice and bright... and around Christmas time. That's why it is known as the Christmas star. We drove to the other side of West Mountain with just the hill behind us with no house lights and farmland across the lake at the place we stopped so not a lot of lights there either. There were some other people with vehicles in the same area but it was a big area so no one was too close to each other. 

It was fun to see the planets. Looking closely with the camera, we could sort of see Saturn's rings and some of the moons of those planets. Jet loved seeing the sky with the half moon and stars.

 #LightTheWorld suggested getting as many family members together for a virtual hangout that day. I didn't suggest doing a video call like we did for Thanksgiving but while we were out looking at the Christmas star, my sisters, Mom, and I were all texting about it. Both of my sisters were also out looking at the planets and unfortunately my mom had rain. It was still fun to chat together and see pictures of my sister's view.

Everybody say, "Christmas Star!"

Since I finished reading A Christmas Carol on Saturday, we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol when we got home from seeing the Christmas star since December 21 is National Humbug Day. Every time Scrooge was going to say, "Humbug," in the movie, Nichole would say, "Happy National," before he said it then would say, "Day," after he said it. Heh Heh Heh.

 

It was also National Flashlight Day. We definitely used flashlights while we were out at the lake in the dark.

Celebrations With and Without Pictures

October 5 was Get Funky Day. One of us was in a funk that day. I said it counted.

October 6 was National Noodle Day. My plan was to make stroganoff with egg noodles. I asked Jr. Jr. and Lucky if that would be good for them after their dentist appointment. They didn't think so. They would rather have rice... with chicken cooked in gourmet sauce. 

Well, I gave them what they wanted. And I made stroganoff with egg noodles. It was just one of those days. It is not often I cook multiple entrees.

Ooh, that reminds me of something that happened recently. It was a leftovers for dinner night and I noticed there was spaghetti sauce that needed to be eaten up but no leftover spaghetti. So I cooked up a bunch of spaghetti noodles and... the kids all took the pasta but didn't touch the spaghetti sauce. Sigh. Now I know why there was leftover spaghetti sauce in the fridge but no spaghetti. Actually after I mentioned something, I think Nichole put some sauce on her pasta.

October 8 was Fluffernutter Day. Tee Hee. We did have fluffernutter sandwiches for dinner.

October 11 was International Day of the Girl Child. I put on the menu plan "boys make dinner" so Nichole and I (the girl childs) could have a break. Jeremy wasn't feeling well so he left dinner making to the boys boys. Jr. made Polish sausages with mashed potatoes and cheese. Lucky made hot chocolate. Jr. Jr.... didn't. I tried to do some catching up of my blog while they were and were not making things.

That day was also It's My Party Day so the kids and I sang that song. 

And here's another thing. For Family Home Evening treat one night, Lucky got out pretzel sticks and mini marshmallows and instructed us on how to make certain things and in what order to eat things. I think he enjoyed having that power. 

Ants on a Log?

September 8 is National Ants on a Log Day.
When I offered to make "ants on a log," some of the kids asked what those were. I explained they are pieces of celery with peanut butter spread on them and raisins on top.

Jr.: I would like an ants on a log but instead of celery, could I have bread and instead of raisins, could I have marshmallow cream?
Mom: So you want me to make you a fluffernutter sandwich.
Nichole: I want you to make me actual ants on a log.

So I made both. You're welcome, kids.