Family Weekend

Some things couldn't go better if they were planned.

We told the kids we had gift cards to Cafe Rio so we were all going to go out to eat. When we got to the area, Jeremy parked near the movie theater and got out to "see where the restaurant was." Oh, it was within walking distance so the kids and I got out and started walking with him. As we were walking, I saw the movie poster outside for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. I just "happened" to be wearing my Mario shirt that day, so I made everyone get in a picture with me with the poster. Isn't that fun?

As we walked past the doors to the theater, Jeremy went inside briefly and told everyone there was a bigger poster right inside so I made everyone go inside for another picture because I was wearing my Mario shirt and it would be fun.

Then Jeremy spotted an even bigger poster by the podium where they check tickets, so I convinced the kids who were already outside again that we just had to get another picture together with that one. I was wearing my Mario shirt after all.

Then Jeremy continued on to the podium and we all followed, where he showed our tickets for... you guessed it... The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. We kept following him to the auditorium and our seats. 

Once we were inside, Jet kept asking if we were getting our food. The kids knew about the restaurant but not the movie. This was Jet's first time watching a movie at a movie theater so I had to explain that we were going to watch a movie first. We figured this would be a good one since he likes The Super Mario Bros. Movie and he's getting better at events. He used to try to wander around during orchestra concerts. He's been learning, though, and he did well watching Lucky's play. He did well with this movie and there were enough other little kids making noises that it was fine if he made noises or asked questions, too.

We all enjoyed it. It was a fun movie. It was a good one to watch as a family since we all like the first movie and Mario video games. It was a good surprise for the kids.

Jeremy and I didn't know about all the posters so that just added to the surprise because the kids really didn't know what was going on until that last poster. We've been known to take pictures with posters without going to see the movie before.

 

Afterward, we did go to Cafe Rio to eat and that was fun, too.

We went home for bathroom breaks then since we still had time in the day, most of us went to the library for a bit. People had movies and books to get and Jet got to do a library activity and earn a sticker. 

Then we went to a park because it was off and on kite flying weather. Nichole brought her kite she made in high school.

 

I got a walk around the park. Jet (and kids) played on the playground. It was a lovely evening. 

 

The next morning we got up early to drive to Idaho because our newest niece was getting blessed by her daddy, Jeremy's brother, so we wanted to go to support them. 

Jet was happy to shout out, "Road Trip!" every time I got a picture of us in the van.

We made good time and it was so nice to see family again. Jeremy's parents were also visiting for the baby blessing, so I made (asked nicely) my father-in-law take pictures of us since we don't have any family pictures yet this year (besides selfies- as you see from this post). Jet learned from someone at school I think to do the peace symbol in pictures, so that's what he was doing in all the pictures this weekend, until we made him stop briefly to get a nice family picture. I didn't think it counted if your fingers are in front of your face for all of the pictures. He's such a ham. I love it.

On the drive home, we went through a dust storm. Low visibility. Before we even got to the low visibility point, it was windy enough that tumbleweeds were tumbling across the road. So when it was low visibility and high wind...

Some of the kids were playing video games in the back and I commented how I was playing my own video game- dodging tumbleweeds. I got to the point where I slowed way down and put on my hazard lights so I could adjust my driving based on the tumbleweeds. Apparently I didn't dodge them all because I found this the next day.

We did make it home safely. The dust storm we were driving through only lasted a little while. I could see the headlights of the vehicle behind me so I knew they could see my hazard lights. I couldn't see the vehicle in front of me even though I knew it was there, but if they didn't slow down as much as me, then there was even more space between us. It was crazy but not too scary. We've been in scarier driving situations. I think it wasn't as scary because the traction on the road was fine- different than icy/snowy roads. We did comment how if we saw flying cows (get that reference?), then it would be more of a problem. I didn't want things flying at our van, though there were a few tumbleweeds that flew across the road instead of rolling. It turned out all right.

  

It was a wonderful family weekend.

Lucky showing his balancing talents in a moving vehicle.

Other August thins

Jr. Jr. really wants to make juggling balls so he and I have been working on that project- making juggling balls for everyone in the family. It's slow going but we'll get there.

Jet heard us talking about making juggling balls and told us he wanted to make "chocolate balls" so one day we made Oreo mint truffles like we did for St. Patrick's Day, except we didn't bother to make them green this time.

Jet is doing well at school so he's been able to pick something from the treasure box a few times. The first thing he brought home was a little water color paint set so I printed out a picture for him to color. He did a good job. 

I still try out new recipes from time to time, some from A Season of Family Meal Plans by Jordan Page, some from something I see on Instagram by my favorite food bloggers. I made Slow Cooker Loaded Chicken and Potato Casserole from Six Sisters' Stuff and it tasted so good to me. I didn't have whipping cream so I combined some sour cream and milk to get the creaminess (#shelfcooking).  

 

We had an amazing storm one night. I was concerned that my bedroom floor was getting wet. I went outside several times to check the window well. There were pools at the top of the stairs outside and in front of our front door. I checked my bedroom window and realized it was open. Rain was getting in and getting on my floor. Sigh. 

Luckily it dried up quickly after closing the window. I put towels down and kept checking them.

When I went outside in the pouring rain, the lightning and thunder were flashing and booming every few seconds. There was so much of it. 

 

It's amazing how calm the next morning can be after a storm.

 

 

When Nichole was the last one at home before she started school, she and I got to have some bonding time, going to the library and for a drive up the canyon to Bridal Veil Falls this time. 

Twisters

We saw that the movie, Twisters, was playing at our local theater so Jeremy and I decided to watch it on the big screen. We of course rewatched the original Twister movie before going to watch this one. 

It just so happened that there was another big storm the day we went to see the new movie. How appropriate, right? No tornadoes in our area, though.

However, when we got out of the theater, it was much calmer. Phew.

I did like the new movie. I will definitely watch it again when it comes to DVD. Like the first one, you do have to "suspend your disbelief." It's not meant to be completely believable. It's meant to be exciting. Remember the "cows" in the first movie? I will let my older children watch this one, too.

School Lovers Love School

A few days before school started, a couple people from the junior high came by to drop stuff off for Jr. Jr. and let him know they were excited about having him back for the school year.

Then we had back to school nights/meet the teachers. Teachers asking Jr. Jr. how he feels about school starting. Mixed feelings. Teachers asking Lucky how he feels about school starting. He would rather be at school than at home. Sigh. 

Speaking of back to school nights... the high school and junior high had overlapping schedules for that night so Jr. Jr. had to come with us to the high school to meet Jr.'s teachers. And it just so happened there was a big rainstorm. Like big. We luckily didn't get flooded and missed the flooding that was on State Street. We did get soaked just going from the high school front entrance to the van and we did get to see rainbows on the road as we were driving. We were able to drop Jr. off then head to the junior high and luckily it had stopped raining because we had farther to walk to the school from the van. It poured down again while we were in the school.

Jeremy unfortunately had an outdoor show in the rain. Sigh.

When we got home, this was the view from one direction and from another. So different.

 

At the elementary school back to school night, the students were given a punch card to make sure they took care of certain things (find out where your class lines up, make sure your student info is up to date, visit your teacher) then got a prize for completing it. One of the punches was to take a back to school selfie so Lucky took my phone and got his selfie.

 

The boys didn't have rain on the first day of school. I did get pictures before school. Yippee!

 

When I dropped Jr. Jr. off at the bus, he and I had this conversation-

Me: You good for the day?

Jr. Jr.: Just a sec.

(Comes to my door and gives me a hug)

Jr. Jr.: Now I'm good for the day.

Me: Awww.

Besides the snuggles I got from Jet while the boys were at school, I also baked bread because nobody had bread to make sandwiches. Sigh. See how organized and put together I am?

When Nichole started classes a few weeks later, she remembered to send me a first day of school picture. Yay! That's my girl.

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Goofing off on National Goof Off Day? I think not. On March 22, Jet decided to be a big helper and helped me make dinner.

I was making Green Goddess Pitas from "A Season of Family Meal Plans" volume 1. He saw me putting together the cabbage filling, saw the spinach that I was going to use for the dressing, and decided to help by putting bits of spinach in with the cabbage. So we had whole pieces of spinach in with it. That's fine.

Since we did need the spinach in the dressing, I gave Jet a measuring cup and he filled it with spinach himself to put in the blender. He started to do more in the measuring cup so we had a bit more than just the cup of spinach it called for which is fine.

I love that he chooses to help in the kitchen. You know he's my baking buddy. He's also my cooking buddy. He likes when I hand him the measuring spoons and cups to dump ingredients into something. He wanted to help cut onions with a plastic knife but we put a stop to that once he started rubbing his eyes. Poor kid. I did give him pieces of cucumber which he was able to cut with a plastic knife.

Sometimes he really is a big helper. And sometimes... I mean he did help clean the wall the day before... after he took a pencil and ran it back and forth along the wall multiple times.

This is why I refuse to read my children the book, "Harold and the Purple Crayon", which is one I read in my childhood. It's a fun book but I don't want to give them ideas (especially Jet).

The pitas turned out well. It was my turn to make hummus to go with it and we had some left over for Chip and Dip Day on March 23. I also made tzatziki with sour cream (so good) for Chip and Dip Day. I used the recipe from the beginning of the year when we made pitas before. Some people had salsa with their chips.

Earlier that day, Jeremy, Nichole, Lucky, and I went on a Utah County Birders field trip. Unfortunately it was getting ready to storm so there wasn't a lot to see in the way of birds but it was still nice to be around my birding peeps (see what I did there, birding peeps? 'Cause small sandpipers are called peeps? Tee Hee).

We got a thunderstorm and hail later that day and the next day we got snow.

Ah, Spring.

The next day after that, March 25, was International Waffle Day. Jet decided to be my helper in the kitchen again and helped stir the waffle mix before I put it in the waffle iron. Then he was happy to help eat the waffles. Tee Hee.