Mommy, Look

Oh no. Look what happened to our sister.

 

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.

Groundhog Day 2024

Okay. The last three posts? I couldn't help it. We were quoting the Bill Murray movie throughout the day on Groundhog Day. Jeremy and I listened to "I Got You Babe" by Sonny and Cher.

It all started Thursday, February 1, when Jeremy sent me a link to a commercial with Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned in the movie Groundhog Day.

Happy Groundhog Lay's.

As February 2 was also Tater Tot Day, Jeremy went to look for Tater Tots on his way home from work Thursday. He walked in our door and said, "Tater tots were not a good price. But these were on sale and I thought, 'Groundhog Lay's,'" and set down a bag of Lay's potato chips. He then went outside and came back in with another package of Lay's potato chips and said the same thing. Then he went outside again and came in with one more package saying the same words. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. We all got a kick out of it. 

So on Friday, February 2, we ate a bag of those chips. Then Saturday, February 3, we ate another bag since it was "Groundhog Day" again. See previous three posts.

Friday morning I also mentioned it was World Wetlands Day. I'd have loved to go to a wetlands area but it was raining so I was driving on wet lands.

That evening was a funeral or celebration of life for my aunt who passed away recently. Jeremy, Nichole, and I went. It was so good to see so many relatives- so many cousins. I haven't seen most of them in years. Even though we don't get together as often as when we were kids (yearly family reunions at Grandma's), the love in our family is still there and always will be. 

My sister brought one of her kids so we got to represent my parents' family since the weather was not such that my parents could travel from Oregon.

I am grateful that my aunt doesn't have to worry about any of her health troubles any more. She is missed but she gets to be with her parents, one of her daughters, and two of her brothers again. I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation. Life continues after death and we do get to see loved ones again.

March Went Out Like a Ferocious Lamb

The last day of March we had a little bit of snow but my sister farther North had many many inches of snow. She was still able to make it down to UVU for a concert my niece was in. You know that niece.

Great performances by all the students. I also got to see both my sisters and we got a picture together. The last time we got a sisters picture with all three of us was right before my nephew left for his mission February of 2020.

I've gotten pictures with each of my sisters since but it was so nice that we were all together again that night.

I love my sisters.

Raspberries 'n Cream Day 2022

August 7 was Raspberries 'n Cream Day.

I figured frozen mixed berries have raspberries so that would work with whipped topping. Then I made cupcakes so we could have a sort of strawberry shortcake with mixed berries.

Sigh. I seriously thought we had mixed berries in the freezer. I found multiple bags of blueberries and strawberries but nothing with raspberries.

So we celebrated Raspberries 'n Cream Day with strawberry/blueberry shortcake.

Later that night, Jeremy blew a raspberry at me... you know... to celebrate.

 

That day was also National Sisters Day so I wished a Happy National Sisters Day to my sisters.

Lucky's Birthday

We celebrated Lucky's birthday recently.

 

My sister used her skills to decorate a device case for Lucky which also held a game which the boys were not opposed to playing that night. 

This is the same sister who decorated Jeremy's Polar Express conductor hat. I love to see the things she does. See her website, Finding Time to Create. She does tutorials and teaches classes on crafty things.

Let's talk more about Lucky, though.

We were actually able to have Lucky's birthday dinner and cake and ice cream and present unwrapping and card reading on his actual birthday. Not many people in this family did that this year.

 

Jr. Jr. did service and started reading "The Magician's Nephew" from "The Chronicles of Narnia" to him.

I think Lucky enjoyed his birthday and I was surprised how quickly he blew out his candles. One quick puff and they were out. Way to go, Lucky.

He also got to take balloon animals to his school class. He took penguins, presents, and snowmen. He and Jr. Jr. drew faces on the snowmen. He was so pleased and they looked good.

Bison Day 2021

Mom (when someone pointed out there was a spray bottle in the van): Why is the spray bottle in here anyway?

Jr.: To fill up the Great Salt Lake.

National Bison Day was November 6 this year and like last year, we celebrated it on Antelope Island.

 

Before we got there, we stopped by my sister's house so I could chat with her and her daughter and give them homemade french bread. I love my sister. And my niece. And the rest of my sister's family of course. I didn't mean to exclude them. It's just that my niece and my sister were the ones I interacted with the most this trip. Tee Hee.

 

On Antelope Island, we took pictures with the bison statues again.

We really wanted to get into Bison Day this year not just with the real animals but with other bison-related items. That meant clothing and toys. But I totally forgot to bring the "buffalo ranch" Pringles. Sigh.

It wasn't as windy as last year so we had a pleasant time outside the van at Garr Ranch and especially in the bird area. 

What does the sheep say? Baa Baa.

 

Nichole decided to practice field sketching a great horned owl there as well as taking some photos of it.

At one point while driving around, the boys had their devices, Nichole watched them play, and Jeremy and Jet slept so I parked in a pullout area and just relaxed watching the bison for a while. It was nice.

I love nature!

 

Since November 6 was also Nachos Day, that's what we had for dinner when we got home.

 

It was another great Bison Day and I'm so glad we celebrated.