Palm Sunday

What a beautiful beginning to Holy Week we had on Sunday, March 29.

Sacrament meeting was wonderful with musical numbers and talks. I was brave and did a solo with the choir. One sister played a harp number of "Amazing Grace" that was so beautiful and really brought the Spirit in.

Afterward we had light refreshments and socializing. 

The Primary gave Jet a picture and a bunny box containing thoughts to think about each day this week preparing for Easter. We have been reading those along with other scriptures and Holy week thoughts.

That evening, Nichole and I attended a fireside with Jon and Michelle Schmidt.

I've mentioned before how The Piano Guys music has meant so much to me, how it's helped me when going through some trials. I believe their music is inspired and their talents are from God.

That night's fireside invited the Spirit through music and testimony and I'm grateful, along with Michelle Schmidt, that we have been encouraged lately to recognize Palm Sunday more than in the past.

The chapel was even decorated with palm leaves and there were palm leaves on the floor to walk on. We waved palm leaves during the closing song.

Our Savior is for everyone and I am grateful He is such an important part of my life. 

Appreciate a Dragon Day 2026

January 16 was Appreciate a Dragon Day. While Nichole and I were out running errands that day, we listened to the soundtrack to Pete's Dragon in the van. Of course then we just had to sing the songs even when we weren't in the van. Love it.

That night we watched the live action version of How To Train Your Dragon as a family. Fun family time. 

Nichole got Douglas out (that's the name of this dragon) so we could appreciate him.

I also checked out the soundtrack to the animated version of How To Train Your Dragon from the library that day. Love the music. 

Nichole did some dragon art to celebrate but didn't send me a copy so I can't put it on my blog. Oh well.

Yet More Bonding Time (With a Little Alone Time Thrown In There)

Saturday, I had time to myself in the morning. I was able to go for a walk in the park with the lights. Since I don't have any audiobooks checked out right now (I have two physical books I need to read ASAP), I listened to music as I walked. It's been a while since I've done that. It was quite enjoyable. And it wasn't raining like the last time I went walking there.

That alone time didn't last long. Lucky and I had choir practice and choir brunch later that morning to get ready for our Christmas Program for church the next day. I'm glad he sings with me in choir.

Remember the blue pancakes I made the other day? There was a reason for that. Since the first few episodes of the second season of Percy Jackson came out recently, we've been planning to start watching them but things keep coming up. The day I made blue pancakes was one of the days we were going to but it didn't work out with everyone's schedules.

Saturday evening we finally watched the first episode as a family and ate blue jelly beans and gummy sharks and chocolate wrapped in blue foil. 

Bonding Time

Monday, Nichole and I were able to go watch a movie in the theater that we've been waiting a couple years for. 

Sarah M. Eden is one of my favorite authors. A couple of years ago, a kickstarter was announced for funds to make a movie based on her book, "Seeking Persephone." I love that book. My daughter loves that book. We both got excited about the announcement. I was thrilled to find out that Sarah wrote the screenplay for the movie based on her book.

They quickly earned enough money to promise to make the movie and did filming in Utah. They earned more money later so they could film in England because the story takes place in England during the Regency Era.

I've been excited about this whole thing. I've loved seeing behind the scenes content. I've loved hearing updates from people who were part of creating it. 

I didn't know if there would be the opportunity to see it in the theater. I was happy we were going to get a digital copy of the movie but didn't know if we'd get the chance to see it in the theater, especially since over the last few months they've been having special screenings in select theaters and tickets sell out sooooo fast. But one day, I was quick enough I was able to buy tickets for Nichole and me and after almost a week of anticipation, we got to go to a "Seeking Persephone Early Access Fan Screening." 

Sarah M. Eden was there at our theater (with a few others who were very important to making this movie) and she was so nice to let so many people take selfies with her. I mentioned she's one of my favorite authors, right?

I had heard good things about this movie so my hopes were up pretty high. I was happy that we were able to see it in the theater before watching it at home with all the boys. This type of movie may not be their preferred genre but we do have fun watching lots of different things together as a family.

After having high hopes, the movie exceeded my expectations. This was watching the book come to life on the screen. It was the book. I was watching it thinking I know what's going to happen in this scene and loving every moment of it because it was absolutely true to the book, which I already love. There were a few changes (necessary in filmmaking) which didn't hinder the story at all. After all, it's almost three hours long. It didn't feel too long or two short, though. Goldilocks would be glad to know that in my opinion, it was just right. 

After the movie, Nichole told me she was already looking forward to watching it again. No kidding. It is going to be one I will enjoy watching over and over.

The music was gorgeous. We know that music can make a big difference in a movie and this added to the it beautifully. We already have the soundtrack but I wanted to watch the movie before listening to the soundtrack so now I can. Woohoo.

I have so many good things to say about this movie. Several family members have already heard me talk their ears off but I can't get over how much I loved it.

I really can't write it all. I will say this. I hope they are able to continue making these movies. There are so many wonderful stories in the series and I'd love to see the actors who played certain characters in this movie have their opportunity to show us the story of those characters (because the casting was also great).

Sarah M. Eden is still one of my favorite authors and now she is one of my favorite screenplay writers. Everyone was appropriately laughing and Awwwing throughout the movie. Good writing.

That reminds me, she also wrote the screenplay to a movie based on another one of her books, "The Sheriffs of Savage Wells." They filmed that this year and because it's an 1800s Western, they were able to film it all in Utah. That one I didn't know about until I heard they started filming it and I got very excited about it because I also like that book. Nichole hasn't read it yet. 

I am thrilled there are going to be at least two movies based on her books and I hope there will be many more.  

Star Party!

I am thankful for the Star Party some of us went to one night because of my son's Earth and Space Science class.

Members of the community brought telescopes so we could see different galaxies and stars, Saturn with its rings and one of its moons, and our moon when it finally made an appearance.

There were hot chocolate and donuts.

My sons had friends to talk to.

I got bad pictures with my phone because I was not going to use my flash at an event that requires darkness.

I did get decent (enough) pictures of the moon with our good camera.

 

When we got home that night, Jeremy and Jet were trying out some lights that would "dance" to music. Jeremy needed them for yet another balloon build out of state. He didn't need them to dance to music for the build but that was one of the modes of the lights. Jet sure enjoyed it.

 

Planned Power Outage That We Didn't Know Was Planned Adventure

We've had adventures with unplanned power outages before. We've had adventures with planned power outages before.

In July we had an adventure with what was a planned power outage but we didn't know it was planned. I looked up on our neighborhood Facebook page after the power went out. Someone mentioned a planned power outage was scheduled in the neighborhood. We did not know this. That's okay, though. 

We still had an adventure.

It was the middle of the day so there was enough light coming in my bedroom window that people congregated in there.

Jr. brought in his guitar to serenade us. Jet brought his kazoo to join in.

I showed Jr. Jr. how he could juggle lying down.

I started reading Anne of Green Gables.

According to what people said on Facebook, the power outage could have lasted for several hours but it didn't last that long. I guess the power company got taken care of what they needed to get taken care of quickly. Woohoo. We still got our adventure.

Legend of Zelda... with a Kazoo

Way back in 2009, I blogged about our kids (then only two of them) play acting Majora's Mask with balloons. See my blog post from August 21, 2009.

Two of the balloons they had were a Cucco (chicken) mask and an ocarina to play a certain tune for animals to follow them. That's how it is in the game.

Nowadays my kids play the actual Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask game. Jet watches and has learned the tune to make animals follow him. He has gotten into playing it on the kazoo and expects family members to follow him. He's so cute.

I love this family.

It's Graduation Day!

May 23 was World Turtle Day. This is what Nichole drew for the holiday. That's my girl.

It was also the last day of school and the day of Jr.'s high school graduation. When I woke Jr., I acted like Frozen.

"It's graduation day? It's graduation day! The window is open, so's that door. I didn't know they did that anymore..." 

This was Jr.'s third and last time playing with the orchestra for graduation. The first time was for Nichole's graduation, the last was for his. That's my boy.

I also made sure to get pictures of the other boys before school because we were not around when they got out. 

We all enjoyed wishing Jr. well and watching him open graduation presents. Then he and Jet played music together. So cute.

My sweet husband stayed up late to take Jr. to grad night and pick him up because I was too tired to do so and slept that night.

Once Jr. got home in the middle of the night, he helped Jeremy with a combined anniversary, Mother's Day, and birthday surprise for me. 

I woke up the next morning to go for a quick walk at Bridal Veil Falls. And I had one of my morning musings: Are the colors in your dreams muted or are they vibrant?

As I was headed out, I noticed my surprise and felt loved. My husband had started a garden for me. He knew I wanted one. Earlier in May, Jr. had been volunteering at the high school's greenhouse for their greenhouse sale. He helped Jeremy pick out some plant starts for me. Since he couldn't find everything he wanted, he did go to a store to get some others.

 

Later the day of my surprise, Jeremy and Jet and I went shopping for some more potting soil and some more plants as well as picking up some starts from someone in our ward. He also gave us pickles that he had canned himself. Mmmm, pickles. 

Jet has become a big helper with the plants with watering them and he even got to pick a tomato one day. That's my boy. 

It's been a while since May. This is what our garden looked like toward the end of June. It's grown even more since then.

Jeremy and I went out to eat to celebrate my birthday then the next day we had cake and ice cream. Jet helped with the cake and the candles.

Another day a friend and I, who both have May birthdays, went out for lunch and a little walk around Bridal Veil Falls to celebrate our birthdays. 

 

May 25 was Towel Day. I did take a towel in my bag to church. 

 

And because this post was supposed to be about Jr.'s graduation...

I am proud of Jr. He worked plenty hard through high school and did some pretty cool things. Way to go, Jr. I think you are terrific.

Here's Some More Catching Up

May 13 was Leprechaun Day, Crouton Day, Fruit Cocktail Day, and Apple Pie Day. Guess what. We celebrated.

Ah, homemade croutons and homemade apple pie. Mmmmmm.

Besides given ourselves "gold" coins for Leprechaun Day, we also turned on Irish music and had some fun moving to the music. 

Lucky decided to use his fruit to make a kebab. Why not? 

 

May 14 was Dance Like a Chicken Day and Buttermilk Biscuit Day. We made Biscuits and "Gragy" from Shelf Cooking 101 by Jordan Page.

Of course we danced like chickens.

 

May 15 was Dinosaur Day, National Chocolate Chip Day, and International Day of Families. We had Dino nuggets and chocolate chip pancakes with our family.

 I also got out for a walk that morning with a friend I haven't been able to do anything with for a while.