We're Thankful For... Jet

"When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way From your first bassinet to your last dying day."

 

As often happens, Jeremy was out of town on Jet's birthday this year.

Hey, at least he skipped out on his out of town convention the year Jet was born.

Jet didn't complain because he got two birthday celebrations again... sort of.

He had the same dinner both times but only did cake and ice cream with blowing out birthday candles the first time. It just didn't work out the second time. He opened cards on his actual birthday and when Dad came home from his trip, Jet opened presents. Then he was so happy with his presents, there wasn't a lot of thought for more cake and ice cream and singing happy birthday and blowing out candles.

He "read" his own cards.

"Dear Jet. I hope you have good luck.

Awww."

I just love that he responded to what he was making up. 

He got a remote controlled gecko which can crawl on the wall but Jet is more interested in it crawling on the floor (which it can also do).

"Its name is Megogecko."

He loves that thing. He's had us do races with it and try to "catch" it. When Jr. Jr. brought home a mousetrap car he made at school, Jet insisted they race "Mouse Car and Megogecko!" 

Jet got to bring balloon animals to school for his birthday for the first time. It's tradition. Since Jeremy was out of town, Lucky and I made the balloons for him to take (with a little "help" from Jet). 

He got a birthday hat at school and loved it so much, he wore it for the rest of the day. Such a cutie.

Jet, you are so much fun. We are so thankful you are a part of our family.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Gingerbread!

I am thankful for finding reasons to celebrate. 

November 21 we had fun celebrating National Gingerbread Cookie Day.

Jet and I were telling each other the story of "The Gingerbread Man" before school. He was even running around calling out, "You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man!"

We made gingerbread men after dinner. Jet devoured them.

That night my husband ready Jet a bedtime book of "The Gingerbread Man" that I checked out from the library for them.

 

Also before school, my other elementary schooler got to be a greeter and said, "Hello," to a lot of people for World Hello Day. 

For dinner we had bruschetta bake to celebrate National Stuffing Day. I couldn't help myself from telling the kids, "I'm putting bruschetta togetta."

I love finding reasons to celebrate.

Bonding Time is Great!

I'm thankful for bonding time with my husband. Things have been so busy with trips and with life that we haven't been able to take much time for just the two of us. So one day my husband made us omelettes, I made us hot chocolate, and we sat down and watched a whole movie together.

I'm thankful for working and chatting in the kitchen together, too. 

There were olives in the fridge and I asked if we should have them in our omelettes. Jeremy said we should. "How many?" I asked. "All of 'em," he replied. So he put "half of 'M'" in my omellete and "the rest of 'M'" in his. He's adorable. 

It was International Men's Day that day on November 19. It was also Have a Bad Day Day. Jeremy, my man, did not have a bad day that day. It's like when I don't feel like screaming on International Moment of Frustration Scream Day. Heh Heh.

 

The next day, November 20 was Universal Children's Day and Absurdity Day. I took my child, Nichole, to a Relief Society dinner with me. I did not get any pictures at the activity. Can you believe it? How absurd.

Bread and Butter and Cider, Oh My

I'm still thankful I know how to bake and cook.

November 17 was Homemade Bread Day as well as National Butter Day. I made homemade wheat bread which we ate with butter (not homemade). I used the recipe I always use for wheat bread from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. "Darcy's Whole Wheat Bread."

I also made homemade alfredo sauce to go with spaghetti. I used the recipe I always use for alfredo sauce from Our Best Bites. "Guiltless Alfredo Sauce." 

A few people had toast for breakfast on homemade bread (Pantry Secrets White Bread recipe).

 

November 18 was Apple Cider Day. Several people had apple cider.

Bonding Time Is Great!

I'm thankful for the "Daily Fun with Your Little One!" calendar I get from the children's section of Orem Public Library.

One day my little one and I sang "Five Little Turkeys" while counting down on our fingers and practicing rhyming.

I'm thankful for bonding time. Bonding time is great! 

He Came Back... Again!

I'm thankful for my husband's incredible talent with balloon sculpting. I miss him when he is on trips but I love to see what he is building and I'm very thankful when he comes home.

Jeremy got back this last weekend from the fair convention he does every year (this year it was in Montana). He was able to use those lights he and Jet were playing with the night of the Star Party and it added a fun element. It's hard to see from the pictures but he used different light up objects in different parts of the balloon display. It's fun to see him experimenting. The globe on the pedestal also rotated. Cool.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

I'm thankful for Jordan Page and the things I've learned from her.

The other day I followed a block schedule and had a really productive day because I devoted certain things to certain blocks and wasn't trying to get everything on my to do list done all at once.

When my youngest wanted chocolate chip muffins, I knew I could pull out Shelf Cooking 101 and go to the Build-Your-Own Recipe section for Muffins and use what I had on hand instead of finding a specific "chocolate chip muffins" recipe.

I'm also thankful my youngest helped me make the muffins. He helped get out ingredients, he helped count the cups and teaspoons, he put cupcake liners in the muffin tins, and he helped me eat the muffins (I think there's a "Little Red Hen" lesson in here somewhere). 

Cheese and Pickle Sandwiches

I am thankful for cheese and pickle sandwiches and how easy they are to make. I'm also thankful for homemade bread with which to make the sandwiches.

November 14 was National Pickle Day. It was also American Teddy Bear Day. I wanted to look for a teddy bear to put in a picture with a cheese and pickle sandwich to celebrate both holidays. One of my children mentioned Winnie-the-Pooh but I noted that Winnie-the-Pooh is a British teddy bear. I grabbed a care bear, which is an American teddy bear. 

Phew. Holidays celebrated. 

 

November 15 was Steve Irwin Day. I kept my eye out for wildlife as I was out running errands. First thing I noticed when I left the house was hearing birds in the morning. Not surprising. You know I love birds.

I am thankful for Steve Irwin's family and what they have continued to teach us about wildlife conservation even though Steve is no longer around. The Crocodile Hunter was a very important part of my childhood growing up as it was with a lot of people my age.

It was also Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day so we had leftovers. 

 

P.S. My friend sent me the Lucille Ball wearing the pickle costume video again like she did last year. 

Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day 2025

I am thankful for pizza. I'm also thankful for excuses to make pizza.

November 12 was Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day.

I had a big helper who volunteered to help and he did a great job. I'm thankful for him. 

 

The day before, November 11, was Veteran's Day. 

I spent some time thinking about family members who served in the military in the past. I am thankful for them.

The day after, November 13, was World Kindness Day. We tried to be kind that day. I am thankful for kindness.

Group Hug!

I am thankful for spontaneous silliness and group hugs.

Group hugs have been happening more frequently in our home and I am thankful for that. Sometimes it's a small group hug and sometimes we may have up to five or six people all huddled together. 

I obviously don't get a picture every time and that's okay.

I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Baking and Cooking

I'm thankful I know how to bake and cook. Sometimes the things I bake and cook are simple, sometimes they're more complex.

I'm also thankful for food bloggers and cookbook creators and for the recipes they produce.

French bread rolls from Mel's Kitchen Cafe are my go to rolls for making sliders.

 

I love A Season of Family Meal Plans (all four volumes) by Jordan Page where I got the recipe for Cheesy Chicken Sliders (in volume 4- Fall).

I'm thankful I've gotten better at learning substitutions in cooking or learning I can just leave things out. Only one pan of the sliders had cheese (based on family preference) and that's okay.

I'm also thankful I don't always have to follow a recipe when throwing dinner together. Spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad is something everybody in my family will eat.

I made sure to use the garlic and onion spaghetti sauce since November 8 was Bram Stoker's Birthday and Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day. It's tradition to cook with garlic that day. 

Early November Holidays (with and without pictures)

I am thankful we can celebrate even if we don't get pictures.

November 2 was Plan Your Epitaph Day. I said several times during the day things like, "Here lies Jr. Jr. He wouldn't go to bed when his mom told him to."

November 3 was Sandwich Day. I told everyone to feed themselves sandwiches. I also quoted Lilo & Stitch.

November 4 was King Tut Day. Kids watched Batman: the Animated Series. Nichole and I had a discussion about the old Adam West series with King Tut as one of the villains.

November 5 was Stress Awareness Day. I was aware of stress. I took a picture of me aware of stress.

November 6 was Men Make Dinner Day. Jeremy took time the day before to make lecso (Hungarian food). It's good reheated. I enjoyed it for dinner on the holiday.