Bigfoot?

October 20 was the anniversary of when that famous Bigfoot film was supposed to have been taken by Patterson and Gimlin in 1967. I watched the Studio C episode with special guest, Pete Holmes, where in one sketch people kept mistaking him for Bigfoot.

It was also International Sloth Day and I had a hard time getting some kids up for school. First day back from Fall Break. Sigh.  

 

I don't have pictures of celebrating those but I did take 

pictures of Bigfoot who roams the Oregonian trees. I have had many experiences with Bigfoot but the one I most remember was when he saved me. Thousands of years ago when I was younger I was camping with my family. We were going on a hike and I accidentally got lost. As I was trying to find my siblings I noticed that a branch snapped behind me. I looked back and there was a black bear walking across the trail with a cub. It noticed me and roared in anger. It started running at me when a large hairy creature leapt out and tackled the bear. The bear fought ferociously but in the end the creature won. It looked back at me and I noticed that it was humanoid and was about eight feet tall. I knew immediately that it must have been Bigfoot. When you grow up in Oregon, you hear a lot about Bigfoot. Anyway, he slowly walked towards me and then picked me up. He held me close to him and then started running along the trail. After a little while he stopped and set me down motioning for me to keep going. I started walking forward but when I looked back, nothing was there. As I continued along the trail I finally found my family and I told them what had happened. They of course didn't believe me but I know in my heart that Bigfoot saved me that day and that he is very much real.

 

 

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! I love my family. My kids are a hoot. Apparently Lucky got to my blog while I was off doing other things and "helped" with that big section about my Bigfoot encounter, which never actually happened by the way. 

But it reminds me of a book I read this Summer. The book is You Had Me at Bigfoot and was written by Nancy Campbell Allen. It was a fun read. It's a contemporary mystery, the first in a new series of Daphne Drew mysteries. The main character's name is Daphne Drew, obviously. This is because of Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. This is how I described the book while I was reading it:

"It's Nancy Drew meets Scooby Doo meets Sasquatch. What's not to love?"
 

I do in fact have a picture to go along with this. I don't know why I didn't think about it before. 

Have I mentioned I love books? 

Fall Break 2025

When Jeremy is on trips (quite a few this year), he misses a lot (including us and we miss him, too). One thing we've made sure to do as a family, though, is when Jeremy is traveling, he calls in the morning and night for family prayer over the phone. Sometimes he joins in for family scripture study as well. It's important to keep that gospel foundation strong for our family even when we're separated.

 

Since Jeremy was gone so long on this last trip to South Carolina, he also missed Fall Break.

 

Slumber Party!

When our older children were little we had a tradition of having a slumber party the night before Fall Break or Spring Break. We'd watch movies or play video games then all sleep out in the living room together. Over time, we had less people sleep in the living room after our "party" and eventually the tradition kind of fizzled out.

After many years we brought it back this Fall Break with watching a movie and playing MarioKart while eating muffins. Only a few opted to sleep out in the living room but we did have good bonding time while we were up.

October 15 was National Mushroom Day so I wore my pajamas that have mushrooms on them and Jr. Jr. commented: That's why Jet didn't want me to have mush room on the couch. 

P.S. For dinner earlier we made shawarma for Shawarma Day.

 

The next day, we had leftovers for dinner for World Food Day on October 16.

We got some snuggles in before Nichole and I went to a Relief Society activity to paint pumpkins. 

Normally I'm hands on involved in the activities (remember the sourdough?) but this time I was content to just sit and socialize. I also was able to praise Nichole's pumpkin painting. 

 

I got Kiki's Delivery Service vibes from it and not necessarily the movie. Isn't it so cute?

 

Fall Break Fun!

I hiked up Big Springs area with the kiddos. We'd been wanting to for a while and finally got the chance. We even had sun that day. 

A couple times, Jet and I took pictures of each other. This is how they turned out. 

Jr. Jr. pointed out to me how in Jet's picture the first time, Jr. Jr. was standing by me. In the other picture that I took, Jr. Jr. was standing by Jet. Ha Ha. Clever noticing. 

When we got home we had pasta to celebrate... National Pasta Day.

The mountains were gorgeous at sunset.

I love nature and I love living here and I especially love my children. 

 

The two oldest and I had some bonding time watching a movie one evening. While we watched, Jet watched Kiki's Delivery Service in a different room. I think he heard our conversation about Nichole's pumpkin.

 

Jet requested going to the library during Fall Break so on October 20, he and I went together. He was so well behaved. He followed directions. He stayed with me. We did a children's activity in the children's wing with pumpkin emotions. He got to play in the children's area and when it was time to move on to gather books on my list, he didn't put up a stink about it. He was quiet in the quiet areas, even when we had to get a book from the quietest area in the library. He was very good at whispering. We watched construction on the new courtyard/greenhouse area. He helped me check out our books and did a good job. I am so proud of him.

He did not yell, "Tractor!" in the middle of the library. Once we got out to the van, he was able to. "Tractor! Burninating the countryside..." For those that get the reference, he yells, "Trogdor!" but thinks it's "Tractor!" If you listen to Strong Bad from Homestar Runner, it does kind of sound like "Tractor."

Since October 20 was International Sloth Day, Jet requested a book about koalas. Why not?

I love bonding time with my children. And I love how this Fall Break went.

Crush a Can, Save a Sloth

September 27 was Crush a Can Day.

I learned from Hogle Zoo's Instagram page the "correct" way to crush a can. 

I also learned from them that recycling helps to save sloth habitats.

So...

Crush a Can

Save a Sloth

But only if you recycle it as well.

Mommy, Look

I'm a sloth.