250th Birthday of the USA

We made it back from the Pacific Northwest in time for 4th of July weekend.

Friday the 3rd of July, I watched hot air balloons even driving to a nearby park to see them closer and to get juggling videos and pictures. 

Jet, Nichole, and I went to do a story trail at the new Delta Gateway Park. "How the Beaver Got His Tail" is one we read back in 2023.

Then we went to the library (libraries?) and picked up some Summer Reading prizes. 

Jet earned a trilobite fossil.

 

That day was Chocolate Wafer Day. Jr. Jr. told me, "We're having them after scripture study to remind us to never wafer in our faith."

Have I mentioned I love that kid?

The kids watched Pooh's Heffalump Movie to celebrate Drop a Rock Day and Eat Beans Day because rocks drop on the trap to catch the heffalump and Pooh ate jelly beans. 

 

Saturday, the 4th of July, was the 250th birthday of the USA and our celebration of it was kind of chill.

We were still recovering from vacation so there were some naps going on.

I did look at the hot air balloons from our front lawn first thing in the morning.

We played with bubbles and shadow puppets while waiting for a jet flyover. 

We watched jets with Jet like we did in 2020.

Then it was time for sidewalk chalk before going in and relaxing.

It was Play Outside Day. 

I did have a drink with a red, white, and blue straw.

For dinner we had hot dogs and salad with Caesar dressing because it was Caesar Salad Day.

For dessert we had red, white, and blue ice cream.

The funny thing is a different day we needed to get ice cream for Nichole's birthday and ice cream was on sale so one of the types of ice cream we got was red, white, and blue ice cream. It was so good.

On Independence Day we heard no fireworks, no sirens, and no dogs barking. This year there was a fireworks ban because of too many fires.

We were planning on more activities, but I'm okay that it was kind of laid back.

 

Sunday, the 5th of July, the kids and I went out for an evening drive and saw the giant flag flying in Grove Creek Canyon. They used a different flag this year. This year it was a Betsy Ross flag, which you can't really tell in the pictures Nichole took as I was driving. Oh well.

Our Vacations, Thy Creations, and Our Relations- Part 6

I'm all for traditions. One tradition we have when we visit Oregon, even if we don't do anything else except chill, is going to a nature trail near where my parents live. The first time Jeremy and I went, we saw turkeys in the trees and a green heron, which was exciting as I had never seen one before (that I knew of). Since then, it's been tradition to look for green herons there and we see them every time.

Last year I took all the kids out to the nature trail. Some of them had more fun than others. This year Jeremy, Nichole, my brother, and I went. 

We saw several green herons, of course. We also got a new to us bird. I hadn't even heard of this bird before- wrentit. They have the fluffiness of a bushtit and a tail like a wren.

I really do love getting out in nature and enjoying God's creations.

There was one point where Nichole and I had to head back for something we dropped and we saw a turtle walking along the path like us. It was so fun to see. By the time we came across it again, it had turned around and was headed through the bushes back toward the water. Heh heh.

We saw plenty of turtles and we even saw a muskrat who decided to get out of the water.

I love morning birding (and nature watching in general). I also love celebrating. We celebrated Drop a Rock Day and Eat Beans Day on July 3.

I'll share more of our wonderful vacation later.

The Day They Came Home

I had to get up early in the morning to pick up the boys from FSY the day they finished. We came home by way of the windmills in Spanish Fork. It was Global Wind Day and National Electricity Day, June 15. While I was gone, Lucky and Daddy took some bonding time together and went rock hounding on Nature Photography Day. They took choco rocks with them. They did not get the obsidian and chocolate mixed up.

I learned there are different kinds of obsidian. Besides regular they also found mahogany, and snowflake.

When we all got back, Jeremy and I had our own bonding time celebrating National Megalodon Day by watching Meg 2: The Trench. 

It was also Smile Power Day. You can't tell me these smiles don't have power.

3rd and 4th of July 2023

Let's start catching up on July by talking about the 3rd and 4th of July since not much celebrating happened the first two days.

Balloon Fest happens for a few days around the 4th of July, so Monday, July 3rd, Nichole and I went for a drive to see the hot air balloons and to drive under some of them.

That evening we celebrated Eat Beans Day and Drop a Rock Day by having with our dinner jelly beans and chocolate rocks that we dropped onto our plates.

Tuesday, July 4th, Jr. Jr. and Jr. went to help set up flags in the neighborhood. Jr. Jr. and I ended up with a selfie that day like on Memorial Day and Flag Day this year. I think it might turn into a running theme. Selfies with the American Flag instead of pictures of the kids with them.

We ate Caesar salad because it was also Caesar Salad Day.

That night, some of us watched fireworks with neighbors and Jeremy made balloon animals for kids (and adults) who were out watching fireworks. It was a pleasant night.