Supporting Our Children

I support my children. I go to plays, concerts, take them around places they need to go. I do what I can when I can. My husband is the same way. So when our children say they need to go birding for a school assignment? Well, it's important that we support them.

I mean, our children have won awards in the past for bird pictures they've taken. So, yeah, birding is worth it.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Actually we're open to any excuse to go birding. Nichole had to create a project for her Biology class. She decided to go to a few different places, documenting the birds she saw, and write a paper about it. She chooses birding! I love it.

And it's good bonding time. Jeremy took her twice. I took her once.

End of School Days

Some school things that happened in May:

Lucky did a report and project on the Arctic. He made a diorama showing animals and plants with the Northern Lights in the background.

I took Jr. Jr. and Lucky to say Goodbye to their principal who retired. Coincidence that they all matched the decorations?

 

Jr. and Nichole had their last concert at the school. Nichole composed two pieces that the combined orchestras performed and she conducted. She got a paper plate award for it.

The weather was gorgeous when we got out of the concert.

 

Jr. went to his last official day of classes. It's hard to know when school ends at the high school because it kind of fizzles out every year. But I got a picture of Jr. on his last day of classes.

Nichole had another orchestra festival that day. Busy busy.

 

Nichole had an awards night at the high school.

I went to see Jr. Jr. and Lucky at their dance festival. Good job boys.

 

Because, like I said, chaos, the last day of school came up for the elementary schoolers and I had completely forgotten to help them do anything for their teachers. So last minute, they wrote cards and took apples to their teachers. Sigh.

 The end of school was crazy but we all survived.

Fall Break- A Walk in the Wind

The first full day of Fall Break. Nichole and Jr. had a project to work on so Jeremy and I took the rest of the kids for a scooter ride in the canyon. We told the boys to bring coats just in case. I didn't take one myself thinking it would be warm enough with just a long sleeve shirt. I didn't realize it was going to be that cold and windy. We got out early enough to beat the sun to the trail we were walking. That made it colder. Poor little boys. They made it, though- the two-mile trek from Vivian Park to Bridal Veil Falls. 

Jeremy dropped us off at Vivian Park then went to switch vehicles at Bridal Veil Falls so we'd have the van as soon as we finished our walk. While we were waiting for him we went to look at the water. There was a pumpkin in the water. What?

When Jeremy got back we headed out.

Jr. Jr.'s fingers were too numb to scooter a lot of the time. He kept asking for snacks to warm him up so I took the scooters a lot of the time. I'm sure glad I brought snacks.

At least at one point we found a bridge in the sun. That warmed us up a little. Jet wasn't too miserable. He managed to fall asleep in the stroller.

When we got to Bridal Veil Falls there were not that many people there so I was able to get a picture of the boys with the falls before we hurried to warm up in the van.

"We made it!"

When we got in the van, Jeremy got a text showing a drawing Nichole did on the computer.

Beautiful job, Nichole.

 

Later in the day, the kids made mug cake cookies for each other. Jr. Jr. started it when he made one to make Lucky feel better after accidentally knocking him over. Sweet children.

Note: Since we took our walk in the wind, a fire started that went into Provo Canyon and burned a lot of area in there. So please enjoy the pictures on my blog from before the fire.

Jeremy's Quarantine Project

Way back... I don't remember how long ago but sometime within the last two years, Jeremy and Jr. started on a project together- a platform feeder for the birds. They built it, painted it, including learning new painting styles. It was a long time project that finally got done.

Earlier this year, Jeremy wanted to build a feeder for orioles and tanagers, one where you can stick oranges because they like oranges. That didn't take nearly as long since it was just Jeremy working on it. He has plans for other bird welcoming projects with other children which they'll eventually do. 

This Summer, Jeremy put together a bird feeding station with places for various types of feeders, etc. The platform feeder of course, a suet feeder, Nyjer sock, new hummingbird feeders that friends gave us, our bird seed feeder and hummingbird feeder from before, the orange feeder, and a hanging bird bath that Jeremy put together. That's it... so far. The amount and location of these feeders can change at the station since Jeremy set it up with loops and hooks and the stand the platform feeder is on is easy to be moved. I think Jeremy did a good job with it making it all flexible and user friendly.

I realized I never got a picture of the whole thing since Jeremy added the hanging bird bath. Oh, well. I'll have to do that sometime.

Jr. Jr. has found a little spot of Zen out there. Jeremy built a small rock/brick wall to block the sprinklers and Jr. Jr. can sit there with the birds, especially a juvenile Woodhouse's Scrub Jay who is quite bold and will come to eat even with people so close.

It is a nice little area out there. There's still work to be done in the area but it's nice to have a place to feed the birds.

Catching Up- March

Plenty happened in March.

March 1 was National Pig Day. Great excuse for hot dogs with sauerkraut.

It was also Share a Smile Day. And it sure makes me smile when my kids do service.

The kids and I went to a performance at the Orem Library one day. The Woodwind Family Quintet from BYU was showing different woodwind instruments then they did a performance of "Peter and the Wolf." Ah, music.  I love music.
Afterward, the kids and I sat down to some book reading.  Since Jeremy had work during the performance, we brought along "Daddy" so he wouldn't miss it.

Surprise.

For Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2, we had green eggs and ham.

Jeremy and I got out with a friend and headed up to Alta, not for the skiing, but for the birds. They have bird feeders up there that attract different kids of birds. We got to see some birds there that we hadn't seen other places. It was cold and snowy and worth it.

Jr. registered for junior high classes and got an idea of what it would feel like to play the cello.

March 5 was National Cheese Doodle Day.  Mmmmmm. Queasy puffs.

Nichole delighted us at another orchestra concert at the junior high.

I had a girls' night with some friends from our old ward.  It was so nice to see them. Love those gals.  The person hosting suggested we make treats like an English tea.  I contributed cucumber sandwiches.

Of course I forgot to take a picture of our impossible cheeseburger pie that we had for dinner on Pi Day, March 14, until it was almost gone. Oh, well.

The kids helped make dinner on the Ides of March, March 15. Caesar Salad again.

Since the boys' school was going to be no more (combining with another school to become a brand new school next year), they had a big gala to say goodbye.  They had a red carpet with photo op on the way in, we had refreshments, and we got to watch the kids do dances and see presentations of the school over its last 65 years.

Lucky and I got out for a nice walk on the first day of Spring, which was March 20.

Nichole put a lot of work into a National History Day project about the extinction of the passenger pigeon and we were able to go to see her display.

Great job, Nichole. (Click on the picture to see a bigger version of it)

Some friends came to visit during their Spring Break and the kids put on a show for us.

For Harry Houdini's Birthday on March 24, we ate pigs in a straitjacket.

On International Waffle Day, March 25, we ate... waffles.

March 28 was Something on a Stick Day. I put out different foods and let people go at them with toothpicks. Creativity did come out.

Jr. Jr. competed in his first pinewood derby. He put a lot of work into designing it, and sanding it, after dad helped carve it, and painting it all by himself.  He won an award for best paint job.

Jeremy and I got to go on a date to a local play where we supported some friends in our ward, some of whom got their first acting experience in this.  They did a great job.

We started off our Spring Break with a slumber party in the living room (Mom and Dad slept in our own room).

We went to our ward talent show. We thought about putting a juggling routine together but things were so busy we didn't get around to it. We had fun watching everyone else's acts, though.

March 26 was Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. I chose to celebrate some other actual holidays on that day. So I guess you could call it Celebrate Other Holidays Day.
Here's a list of some of those holidays:
Video Games Day is July 8 and National Video Games Day is September 12.

Walk Around Things Day is April 4.

National Oatmeal Muffin Day is December 19.

National Chocolate Pudding Day is June 26.

National Gumdrop Day is February 15.

YES! I did it! I am done catching up with March. On to April.