Orem Reads: Fahrenheit 451

I enjoyed Orem Reads so much last year when we read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I enjoyed the kickoff, the Chat & Snacks, the finale. 

This year I looked forward to participating again. This year's book? Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I had never read it before this program. It's not one I would have just picked up on my own. I'm glad I was able to read it for Orem Reads. It was interesting and definitely made me think.

The kickoff had a presentation by Shannon Hale. Before it started, they were playing music that had to do with fire or books. "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash. "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys. "Paperback Writer" by The Beatles. I got a kick out of that. I also enjoyed what Shannon Hale had to say about book banning.

This year they had something new during Orem Reads. A murder mystery date night. Stephanie Blanchard wrote a murder mystery for the library to use for this event. It was a potluck so Jeremy and I brought rolls and got to enjoy some yummy food while trying to figure out whodunnit. It was my first murder mystery dinner and I enjoyed it.

Before we left, we made sure to feed the boys. What they ate? Dino nuggets because October 16 was National Fossil Day. Teehee. It was also World Food Day so that fit with both chicken nuggets and potluck.

The next day I went to the only Chat & Snack I was able to go to for Fahrenheit 451 because of other commitments. It was another good discussion with mostly librarians and a few others. Since it was a lunchtime Chat & Snack, I brought cucumber sandwiches... and Peppermint Patties because I know Amy Sorenson (in charge of programming) likes them.

Speaking of Amy, she once again did a great job with this program, along with the other librarians who helped. Have I mentioned I love the librarians at Orem Library?

The day I went to the Chat & Snack, October 17, was also National Pasta Day. Nichole made cheeseburger pasta and sent me a picture, then she and I met at the Bean Museum for a UCB meeting about Boreal Owls. Jeremy watched most of it online when he got home from work. 

Nichole drew these while we were there. "If you give Nichole a medium." This medium was... "Inktober"... sort of.

The Orem Reads Finale was a Titles & Treats Gala. It was like trick or treating but with books. Tables were set up with librarians to give recommendations of books. We were also given a little treat bag to get candy at each table. So not just trick or treating with books but with candy, too.

I loved chatting with the librarians (some of it wasn't even book related). Costumes were welcomed so I dressed up as a birder with camera, binoculars, hat, and field guide. 

I also made sure to get a picture with Amy and her fun "book fairy" costume.

Besides the book recommendation tables, there was also a book craft and Fall treats. 

Mmmm, hot chocolate.

I am again grateful I got to participate in Orem Reads this year. I let the kids know this is my October thing and I appreciate them helping with their little brother so I can go to these events.

Once again it was a great program from kickoff to finale and I'm grateful for my participation in it.

Spring Break

For Spring Break this year, Jeremy's parents came to visit. I love them. They told us to plan things we wanted to do so we did. We dragged them out early in the morning to see the sage grouse. It was cold but worth it. It's becoming a fun tradition during Spring Break.

Everybody say, "Sage Grouse."

Jet was very happy when he got to get out and run around. He had so much fun and got upset anytime I tried to put him back in the van. Finally, we had the other side of the van open and he kept pushing me and dragging me until I got in, then he climbed up into the van and over me to get in his seat. Sigh. Toddlers.

Another day of Spring Break we watched a movie with Grandma and Grandpa then had burritos for National Burrito Day on April 7. 

 

Grandpa and Jeremy took the four older kids to Pioneer Book in Provo to get some new (to them) books. While they were there, I told Jeremy to get pictures of the blossoms on Center Street. He did. 

He also brought me a book, The Ultimate Book of Baking, which is huge. We joked that it's thicker than a Brandon Sanderson book. Jr. picked one of those.

Grandpa said the kids were very chatty on the way there but very quiet on the way back because they were all reading.

Jr. Jr. and Lucky made a fort in the living room that day.

The last day before Grandma and Grandpa left we made a long drive out past Delta to U-Dig Fossils Trilobite Quarry. 

We spent 2 hours splitting rocks and collecting fossils to take home. That was so fun. We could have spent longer but we didn't need to and now we have fossils to last us for many years.

At the end of our time, as others were sorting through rocks deciding what to keep and if pieces could be broken off to make a smaller amount to carry, Jet decided it was time to sit down and throw dirt all around and all over himself. Grandma and Grandpa got a big kick out of seeing where his face got wet and muddy looking and enjoyed reminiscing about Jeremy eating dirt when he was little. Ah, family history.

We got home too late that night to celebrate National Unicorn Day, April 9, with Unicorn Swirl ice cream so we had some with our at-home potluck the next day.

That next day I walked home from church again. It's just easier when choir is right after church. Of course it was the day I decided to wear short sleeves without a jacket and it was starting to get cold again. But the blossoms in the neighborhood were sure pretty. Nichole and I have been sneezing a lot lately. Ah, Spring. Interestingly, we had snow for the next two days in a row after that.

Our bird feeding station didn't fair so well in the storms.

The day I walked home from church, April 10, was also Encourage a Young Writer Day. Nichole had some writing to do and we encouraged her. She was happy with how it turned out.

 

So that is how Spring Break went for us this year. We enjoyed our time with Jeremy's parents. They were able to watch Jr. give a talk in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday then headed out to spend time with Jeremy's brother and his wife and the newest grandbaby in Idaho. I love family.

January Catch Up

So you want to know what we did in January that I didn't blog about (which was most of the month)?  O.K.  Let's catch up.

We celebrated:
January 7 was Old Rock Day.  A birding friend (yes, there was still a lot of birding) gave us an old rock- stigmaria.  It's a fossilized root.  Did I mention our birding friend is also a paleontologist?

January 8 was Elvis’ Birthday.  We didn’t have any Elvis movies to watch or songs to listen to.  We watched “The Court Jester” for Family Home Evening.  “Long live the king.”  That movie also had Angela Lansbury in it who played Elvis’ mother in a few of his movies.

January 10 was Peculiar People Day.  We celebrate by existing.
January 16 was Appreciate a Dragon Day.  Lucky watched "How to Train Your Dragon."  Nichole wore a dragon necklace.
January 17 was Popeye's birthday.  We had chicken salad with spinach in it.
January 18 was Winnie-the-Pooh Day.  Lucky and I played with “My Friends, Tigger and Pooh” figurines.  Later, Lucky put together a Winnie-the-Pooh puzzle.  We had a honey themed dinner- honey glazed ham, rolls with butter and honey, salad with honey mustard dressing.  Yumm.

January 19 was Brew a Potion Day.  It was also National Popcorn Day.  We watched “Hocus Pocus” while eating popcorn.

January 20 was Cheese (Lover’s) Day.  I think we had something cheesy for dinner.
January 21 was Squirrel Appreciation Day.  We didn’t celebrate that day but Jeremy got some good squirrel pictures a couple days later.

January 23 was Pie Day.  I made impossible cheeseburger pie for dinner and an apple pie for dessert.  We used our new Pi plate.

January 24 was National Compliment Day.  I tried to be nice to my kids all day.
January 25 was a Room of One’s Own Day.  I did spend some time in my room that day reading and watching a movie, but I wasn’t able to spend as much time as would have been nice since Jeremy was working.  Oh well.  I wasn’t going to tell him not to work just so I could celebrate by being lazy.  Also the DVD player I was using to watch my movie kept goofing up so it wasn't as relaxing because of it.  Oh well again.
January 28 was National Kazoo Day.  Jr. shared his talent.

January 29 was National Corn Chip Day.  We had chili and corn chips.  January 29 was also National Puzzle Day.  The kids watched me play some Monkey Island.

January 31 was Backwards Day.  We had dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.  The boys were very happy because they also had dessert before their morning meal.  They didn’t think about wearing their clothes backwards this year.  Oh well.  Jr. did walk backwards when coming to meet me after school.

We did other things:

Jr. Jr. got an award for a school project he did.

 Jeremy and Lucky went to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point one day.

Lucky and I had a teddy bear picnic.  It was too cold to have it outdoors so we picnicked in the back of the van while Daddy was out birding (told you there was birding).

Jeremy and I went on a date to a dinner with other birders.

We dragged the kids out birding with us a few times. 

We also enjoyed a nice drive around the lake one evening.

We met some new birds- blue jay, Northern pygmy owl, and Pacific wren.  There were some others as well.

We found a friend outside the church building on the way to church one morning.  A red-naped sapsucker. 

It was still there when we got out of church and when we went back for choir practice.  When we got out of choir practice it was still there so I was taking pictures when another birder came up behind me with her camera.  She found out from Jeremy about the sapsucker and it was a new life bird for her.
Over the next few days several other birders came to see the sapsucker.
 
And that was January.