Catching Up August 2025 part I'm not even going to number them this time

August 6 was Wiggle Your Toes Day. I wiggled my toes. Luckily that is an easy one to celebrate because August was crazy and like July, we skipped a lot of things we normally celebrate.

Jeremy and I took a walk around the local farmer's market and saw how crowded it was.

We're still cute. 

Afterward we went home and had root beer floats for Root Beer Float Day.

August 8 was Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbors' Porch Night. I really wanted to celebrate this with zucchini from our garden. The timing didn't work out. Bummer. One was close but it didn't work out.

What I did do that night was go to a Girls Gather activity. Spa Night.

Nichole, Stephanie, and I got together for a relaxing evening. We soaked our feet. We did some meditation. We ate snacks. We played games. We talked and talked.

Oh, I love Stephanie. She is such a good friend and good example. She taught me the following: How do you thrive through trials? Embrace a spa. S=Scriptures P=Prayers A=Affirmations. 

I needed that night and I'm grateful for taking the opportunity to breathe and relax.

 

Like Nichole and Jr. did in July, Lucky took swim lessons in August.

August 10 was Lazy Day. I wasn't that lazy but I did have a moment of resting that day. Jr. came and joined me in my room showing me on his phone what Lucky was doing in VR Golf. I got to watch with Jr. as Lucky made an impossible shot, bouncing off the railing of some stairs down into the area it was supposed to be, maybe even into the hole. I don't remember exactly. It was awesome, though.

Another day we played VR Golf for Family Home Evening. It was my first time ever doing VR. Obviously other family members have done it. Kind of crazy the first time. Lots of "Whoah."

 

August 11 was Play in the Sand Day. I chose not to because of the algal bloom in the lake. I did look at the sand, though, and got a nice morning picture in my spot that I like. 

 

August 13 was Alfred Hitchcock's Birthday. We watched two Alfred Hitchcock movies that day. I slept through one of them.

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.

A Fun Saturday

Remember how I mentioned we were getting ready for a trip? Well... in the midst of it all, I kind of took a Saturday off. It was only going to be a morning then spontaneity hit.

That Saturday before our trip, Jeremy, several of the kids, and I went out looking for bobolinks. We didn't find any. We found plenty of other birds including a lot of snipes so we got some new good snipe pictures. I never see snipes when I go on a snipe hunt but when I don't go looking for them...

We also saw quite a few marmots as we often do in that area.

The sandhill cranes were pretty photogenic as well.

 

After we got back, Jeremy and Jr. went out to help friends move. While they were gone, I got a text from my friend, Stephanie, inviting me last minute to go see a play that her friend was in. Jeremy was okay with it so off I went and didn't do as much getting ready for the trip. But I had a blast.

Three of us drove up to Salt Lake together and met another there to watch the play, The Importance of Being Earnest at Parker Theatre. When my oldest two heard which play I was going to, they absolutely encouraged me to go. They've both read the play. 

I love the theatre. It was such a fun production. We chatted with Stephanie's friend afterward who was in the play. She was so fun to watch in it. So expressive in a humorous way, which the part called for.

After the play, the four of us spectators (audience members?) went up the street to Salt Lake Chinatown (did you know Salt Lake City had a Chinatown?) to try some new foods and had a great time getting to know each other better.

That afternoon/evening was just what I needed.

And I still eventually got ready for our trip. Tee Hee.

 

P.S. That night I spent a bit of time outside taking photos of the Strawberry Moon.

More Traditions

March 6 was National Frozen Food Day. For dinner we had chicken cordon bleu casserole that we had frozen a few months ago. I took some pinto beans from the freezer and made them into refried beans. We had lil' smokies in the freezer. We heated those up with BBQ sauce.. We steamed frozen broccoli. We drank ice water.

Yes, we know how to celebrate.

Earlier a few family members had root beer floats with ice cream that came from the freezer.

We love finding reasons to celebrate.

March 6 was also the birthday of the Oreo cookie. Early in the day, Lucky and I listened to Weird Al's "The White Stuff." Jeremy bought some more Oreos (we already had birthday cake Oreos at home) but we didn't eat them until the next day.

We had Oreos and I made rice crispy treats which we ate on National Cereal Day, March 7.

Then as is tradition for Cereal Day, Jeremy and the boys made cheese and pickle sandwiches. 

I went to a Relief Society Birthday Fiesta with a group of gals where we listened to Reyna Aburto speak then had dinner and entertainment by Somos Bolivia Group.

That was a fun time with those gals. (draw your own conclusions why...)

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What really happened

(yet another one of Lucky's conclusions)

(based on a true story)

 Once we made it to "Birthday Fiesta" the real partying happened. We grabbed a handful of peach cobbler and threw it at Reyna Aburto. Then Reyna threw it at someone else and then on and on. Once the food fight was over we took out a pinata and smacked it with a baseball bat that someone provided once the pinata broke out spilled little house elves that cleaned up the whole stake center. After the house elves cleaned up the stake center they announced it was the end and to exit out specific doors. When walking through those doors the house elves cleaned you up and made sure there was no sign of anything happening other than a nice quiet evening.

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Ladies' Night

It's been a few years since Girls' Night with my group of friends from my old ward/neighborhood. Some I've seen since then for different reasons. Jeremy and Jet recently ran into one with her daughter at Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point. But it's been a while since we ladies gathered as a group to spend time together.

Recently one friend invited us to Ladies' Night at her house to decorate potion bottles for Halloween decorations.

That was fun. 

We had fun creating but we also had fun socializing. So much socializing

When I got home, Jr. Jr. was still up (too late), and when he saw what I brought home, he started analyzing my "potions" and going into detail about the differences between potions and elixirs and what different materials would make different things look like. That kid is quite a thinker.

Now let me share two of the things I love about Girls' Night with these friends:

1. It's not always the same group. A few of us have been there from the beginning going to most of the activities. Some friends have moved away too far to just drive back for a night. Some people have joined and have become a permanent part of the "group." I love that whether someone comes for one night or for ten, they are welcome. 

2. It's a safe space. We've had some discussions that have gotten pretty deep. There's been vulnerability shown. Honestly, there's also a lot of light discussions. There is definitely a lot of laughing. But it's not a place to start gossip or continue gossip. We can talk about things without worrying about it being blabbed elsewhere. I love that it can be comfortable with these friends even if I haven't seen them in a few years.

I LOVE GIRLS' NIGHT/LADIES' NIGHT!