Hot Chocolate Without the Brussels Sprouts

January 31 was both Eat Brussels Sprouts Day and National Hot Chocolate Day.

We didn't have any Brussels Sprouts so I made Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies (from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 1) with other vegetables instead. Yumm. Good with Brussels Sprouts. Good without.

Later on, I went to sleep while others in the family had hot chocolate. I obviously didn't get pictures because I was asleep. 

My friend, Stephanie, sent me Hot Chocolate Day greetings and a picture of hot chocolate she enjoyed that day. She knows how to celebrate, too. 

 

Earlier in the day, Lucky went to a friend's birthday party. He helped Jeremy build a balloon sculpture for his friend. His friend had a really good, "Whoah!" reaction when Lucky got to the party. Heh Heh. 

 

The End of 2025

Yesterday, December 30, was Mercer Mayer's Birthday. We read some Mercer Mayer books. 

For dinner we had carbonara for Bacon Day.

Sweet Jeremy brought roses home for me.

Today, I got out for my last morning walk of the year because... today is New Year's Eve.

Later I was "making guacamole. Making guacamole" for our New Year's nachos. 

Jeremy got some writing in and had hot chocolate in the composition mug. How fun.

Now I'm too tired to write anymore myself so I'll see you next year. Or you'll see me next year since this is my blog.

Happy New Year! 

More Bonding Time

Tuesday I got more bonding time.

In the morning, my friend Stephanie came over to help wrap presents and sign her book, "Timmy Termite It Was This Big." She wrote and illustrated it. We had hot chocolate with peppermint ice cream in it and watched the movie, "Stalking Santa." 

That evening, Nichole and I went caroling with some friends in the neighborhood then had more hot chocolate and cookies and had a great time chatting. We talked about all sorts of things including it being Jane Austen's 250th birthday, December 16. 

Good bonding time with friends and family.

 

Service and Burnout

We did so much that first week of December. I wanted to get things in before the tradition of being sick during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Actually, nobody was sick for that this year. Yay. We did enjoy watching it together.

In Sacrament Meeting that morning, our bishop talked about doing simple acts of service, which as you know I've been thinking about and trying to do lately. He shared an experience where he offered to throw away somebody's trash for them because it looked like they were done eating. Simple acts of service. I offered to take someone's cart back for them in the Costco parking lot. I was already taking mine back and he had one arm already full. Simple acts of service. At church, I complimented a couple men on their ties because the Christmas season brings out some awesome festive ties. Simple acts of service.

I also took some time Sunday afternoon to make paper bag puppets with Jet. He loved it. 

So I tried to do service. I tried celebrating. Then Monday and the burnout came. I had my nice little breakdown, feeling the overwhelm. I managed to clean and vacuum the living room. I did not manage to catch up on dishes. Did you know baking uses a lot of dishes? I still haven't caught up on the dishes. I'll just admit that right now. And I want to do more baking (read that with a whiny voice).

I still managed to do service when a couple people asked me to help with things. I mean, when someone needs a balloon blown up and you have access to balloon pumps... 

Monday evening, I dragged the kids (a couple were grumpy and didn't want to go- everyone's feeling the burnout and overwhelm) over to the mall for something new. 

They had a live nativity. Students from one of the local high schools were the performers. I knelt down with Jet to explain who the different people represented. When we get to the different groups (shepherds, wise men, etc.) in our family scripture study, I'll be able to remind him of what we saw. 

We also got hot chocolate and brownies there which we were excited about because December 8 was National Brownie Day.

Jet wanted to go inside the big Christmas tree while we were there. It is so cool looking inside.

 

We enjoyed the holiday lights (including the lights of the fountain). 

Here's a funny story. We sat down by the fountain to let Jet eat his brownie because he was just carrying it around for a while. While we were sitting there, Lucky handed me his napkin which he had shaped like a flower and said, "Here's a pretty flower for the lady." Awwww. When Jet finished his brownie, he handed me his crumb covered napkin and said, "Here's a napkin for when you finish your brownie." Ha Ha Ha Ha. I think he did it in a similar voice to what Lucky was using which is what made it hilarious. Have I mentioned I love my kids?

 

We got to see live animals as we walked back to our van, including a camel.

The weather was so good that day. We were really fortunate. I think the student performers were also really fortunate because when Nichole went to the mall just a couple days before that, it was so cold.

The grumpy kids didn't stay grumpy very long which I am grateful for and Jet was very well behaved.

We talked about how many years ago (November 2017), most of us got to ride a camel, so when we got home, Jet got on his brother's back and told us, "I'm riding a camel."

Since it was also Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, we had "fish fingers and custard" at home.

Huh. I guess going to a live nativity also works for that holiday because we went back more than 2000 years to when Jesus came to Earth as a little baby.

 

Yesterday, December 9, was National Llama Day so my mom said I could share a couple pictures she took of her neighborhood llamas. She shared some llama thoughts with me as well. I love that my mom helps me celebrate. 

Polar Express Party!

Last night we had our annual Polar Express Party.

My husband wore his Polar Express conductor hat (with foil decal by my sister) and read the book to us. This year everyone was assigned a sound to make when Jeremy pointed at them, from a train whistle "woo woo" to "Oh no" when the hole was found in the pocket. Lucky even got out his harmonica to make sounds. It was a blast.

Afterward we watched the movie and drank hot chocolate. 
I fell asleep, of course, as is my tradition. They paused the movie so we could do our Countdown to Christmas scripture study before I went back to my room. I was so tired that when Jet brought me my mint M&M somehow I didn't put it in my mouth and later they found it sitting on the couch. Jeremy put it in a bag for me to eat later.

This is a fun tradition to do as a family every year (though not necessarily the falling asleep part). 

P.S. We also had Chex Mix to munch on during the movie. Mmmm. My favorite holiday treat. It doesn't last long when we make it because everybody else in the family also likes it. 

P.P.S. Another thing I think is cute. Jet saw that Daddy's Polar Express cup was out on its saucer (so I could get that picture). I got Christmas mugs out of our Christmas crate to use for this event. Jet grabbed one of the mugs and a tiny plate and set out the mug on the plate, just like Daddy's cup and saucer. I love my children so much.

 

Bonding Time is Great!

I'm thankful for bonding time with my husband. Things have been so busy with trips and with life that we haven't been able to take much time for just the two of us. So one day my husband made us omelettes, I made us hot chocolate, and we sat down and watched a whole movie together.

I'm thankful for working and chatting in the kitchen together, too. 

There were olives in the fridge and I asked if we should have them in our omelettes. Jeremy said we should. "How many?" I asked. "All of 'em," he replied. So he put "half of 'M'" in my omellete and "the rest of 'M'" in his. He's adorable. 

It was International Men's Day that day on November 19. It was also Have a Bad Day Day. Jeremy, my man, did not have a bad day that day. It's like when I don't feel like screaming on International Moment of Frustration Scream Day. Heh Heh.

 

The next day, November 20 was Universal Children's Day and Absurdity Day. I took my child, Nichole, to a Relief Society dinner with me. I did not get any pictures at the activity. Can you believe it? How absurd.

Raking Leaves Fun

See what a difference a week can make?

 

Since the leaves of this tree decided to dump themselves all at once, Jet and I decided to rake leaves. I got everything ready to go. Gardening gloves for Jet and for me, bags to put the leaves in. I was prepared. We got the rake, brought it to the front and got ready to put on our gloves.

Now tell me... what is wrong with this picture?

That's right. They are both left gloves. That wasn't going to work. I couldn't find any more small gardening gloves, so I dug out some Winter gloves and Jet was happy with that. We weren't going to be doing anything too tough and halfway through he took off his gloves anyway, which was fine.

We did have some fun with the leaves for a while until eventually, Jet was ready to go in for some hot chocolate. We did mostly fill a couple bags (they are big bags and I filled a couple more later) and I'd say we earned that hot chocolate.

I appreciate my big helper and that bonding time.

More October Holidays

October 15 was National Grouch Day. I couldn't get the words right to Oscar the Grouch's song, "I Love Trash." This is how I sang it. "Oh, I love trash. Anything dirty or dusty or dingy. Anything rotten or rusty or ringy." Those are not the words.

It was also P.G. Wodehouse's Birthday. We made stroganoff using Worcestershire sauce. Jr. commented that ingredient is Jeeves speaking with a lisp. "Wooster, sir." "Wooster, shir."

 

October 22 was National Color Day. We had an at-home potluck of different colors.

 

October 26 was National Pumpkin Day. I told author Joanna Barker that I would read her book, Miss Adeline's Match, when I got some pumpkin spice hot chocolate. The book takes place in the Fall. That's why it works. I used to get Stephen's pumpkin spice hot cocoa mix every Fall. We couldn't find any this year. We couldn't find any pumpkin spice hot cocoa mix in the stores. My husband got creative. He bought me a pumpkin spice frosty and I put some in my hot chocolate. It totally worked. So, I drank my pumpkin spice hot chocolate and read her book. Although, now that I've read the book, I would recommend drinking spiced apple cider while reading it because there is a whole apple harvesting section in the book. So if you're looking for a way to celebrate Fall (you know... next Fall because it's practically Winter here now, although there is also a scene in a snowstorm so I guess it fits both), I recommend reading Miss Adeline's Match and drinking apple cider. But then take a break and read later in the book with hot chocolate (it doesn't have to be pumpkin spice) during the part with the snowstorm. There. That's how to celebrate. Of course I also used my Provo City Library cocoa mug. Very appropriate.

October 27 was National Breadstick Day.