Cheese and Pickle Sandwiches

I am thankful for cheese and pickle sandwiches and how easy they are to make. I'm also thankful for homemade bread with which to make the sandwiches.

November 14 was National Pickle Day. It was also American Teddy Bear Day. I wanted to look for a teddy bear to put in a picture with a cheese and pickle sandwich to celebrate both holidays. One of my children mentioned Winnie-the-Pooh but I noted that Winnie-the-Pooh is a British teddy bear. I grabbed a care bear, which is an American teddy bear. 

Phew. Holidays celebrated. 

 

November 15 was Steve Irwin Day. I kept my eye out for wildlife as I was out running errands. First thing I noticed when I left the house was hearing birds in the morning. Not surprising. You know I love birds.

I am thankful for Steve Irwin's family and what they have continued to teach us about wildlife conservation even though Steve is no longer around. The Crocodile Hunter was a very important part of my childhood growing up as it was with a lot of people my age.

It was also Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day so we had leftovers. 

 

P.S. My friend sent me the Lucille Ball wearing the pickle costume video again like she did last year. 

November 15

November 15 was Steve Irwin Day. Jet and I saw some living fish. I remembered to call them "gorgeous." I also thought about how their species have been around for millions of years.

November 15 was Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. We ate leftovers.

 

November 15 was Raisin Bran Cereal Day. Jet and I made muffins from The Fiction Kitchen Trio Cookbook. I love my baking buddy.

 

That was November 15.

Halloween 2024

October 30 was Haunted Refrigerated Night. We had leftovers for dinner then headed to the ward/neighborhood Trunk or Treat. Jeremy brought the sugar skulls and a balloon puppet home from Thanksgiving Point's Dia de Muertos Celebration and suggested I use those to decorate our trunk for the festivities. It worked well.

When I asked Jet a week or two before Halloween what he wanted to be for Halloween, he told me a dinosaur. Perfect. He had green clothes, pteranodon wings, and Jeremy the night before the Trunk or Treat made him a balloon pteranodon hat to wear on his head. Perfect. (Again, we are using the word dinosaur as a general term for prehistoric creatures, including flying reptiles)

So as we were getting ready for the Trunk or Treat, Jet told me he was a vampire bat. O.K. Great. He was a vampire bat that some people would mistake for a pteranodon (and a lot of other things as that is how costumes go).

 

Lucky was Flowey, a character from the video game, "Undertale."

Jr. Jr. went as himself but with an "inflated ego." Ha Ha Ha Ha. Jeremy's idea.

Jr.'s Halloween costume was Death from Terry Pratchett's "Discworld." He had a Rat Death on his shoulder. Loved it.

Jeremy put together most of the costumes for the boys. I used to be more helpful but not lately (at least with Halloween costumes).

Halloween, October 31, was also National Knock Knock Joke Day but I couldn't think of any knock knock jokes that day. Weird and sad.

Jet and I went to see Lucky in his Halloween Parade at the elementary school. Like last year, they had the band from the high school playing for them as they walked outside.

After the parade, Jet and I drove up to Bridal Veil Falls to say Goodbye for the next 6 months.

That evening, Jet, Lucky, Jr. Jr., and I went around the neighborhood trick or treating. Jr. stayed home to work on college applications. He stayed in the van at Trunk or Treat to do the same. Poor kid. Lots of stress for him lately.

After we trick or treated in our neighborhood, we went to trick or treat and visit my sister. Nice chatting and good end to the evening.

Some September Holidays

September 3 was Skyscraper Day. I made a couple skyscrapers out of mini jalapeno popper egg rolls. So good.

September 4 was National Wildlife Day. Jet and I saw some scrub jays on our morning walk.

Since Nichole went back to school and I've been getting Jet up when I take boys to school or buses, we've been going on walks often. It's nice bonding time.

Later we made a balloon delivery to Jeremy who was working on something special (more on that later).

That evening with our dinner we had two desserts since it was Eat an Extra Dessert Day. To go along with Shelftember, we had salad bar so we could use up spinach before it got too old and we got out salad fixins which haven't been used in a while. Our desserts were homemade cookies and otter pops.

 

Speaking of Shelftember, Jeremy was given food while working on the balloon build, so he brought me home leftovers which worked well for lunch. Yumm.

September 5 was Cheese Pizza Day and Be Late for Something Day. They boys were helping make pizza dough but were late taking the dough out of the Bosch. Tee Hee.

Besides our morning walk, Jet and I went in the evening for another walk, this time to Bridal Veil Falls. Jet enjoyed being in the stroller but did not want to get out when it was time to head home so we were late getting home. I guess he was just trying to celebrate the holiday.

He just wanted to play in the stroller. "I'm wearing a hat."

So You Want to Know Even More About August, Huh?

August 19 was International Bow Day. Jet and I did some coloring on a Minnie's Bow-Toons coloring page. We may have watched a little bit of the cartoon later (I can't remember).

Ah, bonding time.

It was also National Potato Day. Continuing with using A Season of Family Meal Plans by Jordan Page, I learned how to make "baked" potatoes in the Instant Pot. I like doing it that way. Along with the potatoes we had Sheet Pan Bell Pepper Chicken but I cooked it on the stove instead of in the oven. I can do that. I'm a shelf cooker.

It was also Mr. Snuffleupagus' Birthday. Our kids don't know who Mr. Snuffleupagus is. They didn't grow up with Sesame Street. Jeremy and I had to explain to them who he is.

August 20 was National Lemonade Day (it used to be in May). We made a pitcher of lemonade to go with our Tex-Mex Bowls (using leftover fajita filling) and spanish rice. I made Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 3. The recipe in there is simpler than the recipe I've used in the past to make cilantro lime dressing. I liked it better after it had been refrigerated for at least a day. Mmmm.

Jet was my little kitchen helper again. He decided to help spin lettuce this time. He didn't bother waiting for me to cut it up first. That's fine. I'm so glad he likes to help me make food. I hope it continues.

August 22 was Be an Angel Day. Dinner was angel hair pasta (of course) with leftovers. Jet was an angel and ate better than any of the other kids when it came to dinner. He got first choice of cupcakes for dessert.

After dinner, Nichole and I went to a Relief Society activity, a sourdough class. It was cool to again see a demonstration but it reminded me that I am not in the season of my life to make sourdough. It is a long complicated process. I did enjoy the samples and socializing, though. I do like to eat sourdough. I just can't commit to it right now.

August 23 was National Cuban Sandwich Day. I tried out some new techniques with cooking (I am constantly learning) and made Cuban Sandwiches (even if they weren't authentic).

August 24 was National Waffle Day. We made a whole bunch of waffles with the intent to freeze some of them for easy breakfasts. Ha. They didn't last long enough to be frozen. 

That day, Nichole, Jeremy, and I went on a UCB field trip to Jordanelle Reservoir- Rock Cliff area. That felt good.

Jeremy also decided to try out a new look that day. Look closely.

August 26 was National Toilet Paper Day. I used some to wipe up tears while I was crying.

August 27 was Banana Lovers Day. After our Cajun Green Beans & Pork Bites and roasted potatoes (both from that same cookbook listed above), we had Frozen Banana Bites (also from that same cookbook). 

August 28 was National Bow Tie Day. We had bowtie pasta along with macaroni with our dinner. We also had Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps, apples, and carrots.