Beginning of January 2024

I already talked about New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Now let's talk about other things that happened the beginning of January 2024. 

I got out for a couple more walks then it snowed so I stopped.

Jet and I started doing some activities from Orem Library's "Daily Fun with Your Little One!" One was having a "quiet party." We put on some quiet Bluey music and made Jet's toys dance around quietly to the music.

 

One night Jeremy and Jr. Jr. got out looking for owls. They didn't see any owls but had a good time together.

Jr. Jr.: Thank you for getting me up at 3 in the morning so we could go watch trees in the middle of the night.

Jeremy: And play sounds at them.

Jr. Jr.: Seriously, thank you for taking me owling. It was awesome.

 

Another day, Jr. Jr. and I got together so Jr. Jr. could give me some pointers on Mario Kart.

That's enough talk for now. We started 2024.

Late Night Owling Trip

One of my birding friends invited me to go on a late night owling trip with her and some others. Of course I said yes.

We saw a couple flammulated owls, lifer for me (I did a toned down lifer dance this time- see my posts from April 2 and May 12 this year), and heard a bunch. Every time we stopped, we heard 1-3 flammies calling.

I couldn't get the greatest pictures but they are so cute and little. We also saw a whole bunch of moths (and felt a few in our hair and faces) which is what those owls like to eat.

We also saw elk, heard a male elk bugling, saw a snowshoe hair, and saw the moon shining through the trees. We also heard a common poorwill but it never got in sight for us (also small birds).

It was a great late night trip and I thank my friend for inviting me.

 

P.S. I have now seen 10 different species of owl in the wild in Utah. Whoa.

Bonding Time

July 16 was Ginger Rogers' Birthday. We didn't watch a Ginger Rogers movie that day but the kids were so funny and put on a quick puppet show based on the song, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" from the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie, Shall We Dance? I put the video of them doing it on YouTube.

July 16 was also Personal Chef's Day so we had personal pizzas on tortillas just like last year.

Both Jr. Jr. and Lucky got bonding time with parents that night. Jr. Jr. and Jeremy went owling and ate "chuckles." They didn't see any owls but Jr. Jr. told me when they got home about seeing mice and deer and I could tell he had a great time.

Lucky and I played video games while wearing our bathrobes and Jet looked on. Lucky's choice. By the end I had to take my bathrobe off, though, because it's Summertime and soooo hot. Also by the end, Lucky decided that even though we were on the same team playing Mario Kart, he would try to defeat me. Bwah ha ha ha. Jr. made us all some popcorn to snack on as well. During a pause in the game, Lucky brought out a surprise. He got us each a can of pop (himself and me, not Jet). So cute. Jr. had ginger ale because of Ginger Rogers' birthday. Because Jr. was so helpful, he and Nichole got to watch a show in another room while Lucky and I had our bonding time.

Owling with Jr. Jr.

Written by Jeremy on October 17:

My 9 year old son and I went owling up on Alpine Loop last night. It turned out to be a very successful night! We packed up snacks, took a blanket and a powerful flashlight and headed out. The drive up was fun, we talked about all sorts of things on the drive up Provo Canyon. Once we were on the loop we'd pull off on the side where the road allowed and searched the aspens. My son took ownership of the flashlight, I controlled the phone that had the owl calls on it. I would play a series of hoots while he would turn the flashlight to any sight of movement- real or imagined. We continued through the night. Every time we got out of the car he would snuggle into me for warmth. He would whisper questions and I would whisper back pulling him in tight. We did this for hours enjoying every minute. We saw a racoon as it crossed the road. We saw shooting stars and looked at the tail of the milky way. Soon it got too cold for my son and we turned around and headed back. We talked for a while until, snuggled in his blanked, he fell asleep. We didn't see any owls. We heard one respond faintly in the distance, but none came in. My son thought maybe he saw a pair of eyes reflecting from out of a tree but we weren't sure. We may not have seen any birds but the trip itself was very, very successful.

Fall Break- Definitions

October 16 was National Dictionary Day. Throughout the afternoon, certain words came up in conversation that we looked up in the dictionary so we could give a general definition to those who wanted to know. Here are some of them:

juxtaposition- having things next to each other so you can see/experience the contrast

posterity- descendants of someone

irate- angry

delirious- "Wild with excitement, enthusiasm, etc." 

Jr.: Wild with Etcetera! 

Everybody: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

The kids also had fun with blocks and the blocks box.

That night, Jeremy and Jr. Jr. went out owling. While they were gone, I sent Jr. and Lucky to bed. I was so tired that Nichole took Jet while I slept on the couch. She watched a movie and later Jr. came out and took Jet and got him to sleep. When Jeremy and Jr. Jr. got home, Nichole had gone to bed so Jeremy told Jr. he could watch a movie Nichole had already seen. Jet and I both woke up while he was watching the movie so I took Jet and watched the rest of the movie with Jr.