Summer Reading

Summer reading programs are in full swing. Jeremy made a couple balloon sculptures for Spanish Fork Library and Nichole and I delivered them. Their theme is "Tales and Tails." Provo Library has the same theme.

Jr. Jr. and Nichole both helped Jeremy build Orem Library's sculpture this year- a fairy lying on a toadstool while reading a book. Their theme is "Once Upon a Library." We brought some extra pieces home for the kids to demolish.

We've been doing lots of reading and activities for both Orem and Provo programs, including Stories in the Park with the Provo Library 

and Provo Story Trails again this year.

So far we've done "The Lion and the Clever Jackals" at Lions Park, "The Husband of the Rat's Daughter" at Riverview Park, and "The King of the Birds & the Roadrunner" at Rock Canyon Park.

We've also taken time for crafts,

picnics (lots and lots of picnics),

outside time,

and other activities. Yes, Minecraft was one of the Summer Reading activities. Jr. pointed out the world had the Provo Library in it.

Oh, and we've thrown in a little reading. A little? Well... a lot of reading then.

We LOVE Summer Reading!

An Unfortunate Dinner

Recently the kids have been reading "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books. They also watched the movie not that long ago. Since Meryl Streep is in that movie, the kids suggested dinner on her birthday (June 22) be "A Series of Unfortunate Events" themed. I love their cleverness.

So for dinner which is "French for the evening meal" we had roast beef which is "the Swedish term for beef that has been roasted." We had pasta with our version of puttanesca sauce. We also had "nice hot soup" chilled cucumber soup. We also had "soda, soda, banana." We didn't have any "kiwi watermelon surprise" so we had orange soda which Jeremy requested for Father's Day but I forgot to get out.

My Husband is Awesome

I love my husband. I love that he is the father of our children. My husband is awesome and the kids didn't even write "my husband is awesome." I did. Sometimes they will randomly write that sentence when I've stepped away from the blog. Most of the time I leave it in unless the sentence doesn't fit with what I'm talking about in that spot in the post.

Here are some of the ways my husband, their father, was awesome on Father's Day this year.

He took us all to church and taught his Primary class.

He requested a salad bar for dinner that day and he cut up a lot of the vegetables himself.

He was pleased with his gift (The Book of Mormon on CDs so he can listen to it in the car) and the many layers of wrapping paper (one layer decorated by each child).

He also liked the flower in vase picture Lucky made for him (like Lucky made for me for Mother's Day except my vase didn't have a mustache on it).

He played Breath of the Wild so the kids could watch him. They love watching him play The Legend of Zelda games.

My husband is awesome.

Did We Celebrate That?

Sometimes I take pictures of our celebrations and sometimes I don't. Then if I don't write anything down about it and I'm too busy to blog until much later, I don't remember if we actually went through with our plans. Oh well. Here are some things in June we may or may not have celebrated.

Saturday, June 5, was Veggie Burger Day. We had plans to make black bean burgers and I think we did because I remember there being cut up lettuce and onion and tomatoes in the fridge. I think it happened on that day. Maybe.

Monday, June 7, was Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Jeremy brought home chocolate ice cream but I don't think we had any that day. I know we had some the next day.

Wednesday, June 9, was Johnny Depp's Birthday. I do know that while the older kids were gone, Jr. Jr. and Lucky got to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Jeremy also gave them treats. Things were too busy that night so the older kids had to wait until later to watch one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Thursday, June 10, was Black Cow Day. The kids had root beer floats and I had ice cream with chocolate syrup in it. I don't know why I did that. I must have had a reason at the time. It was also Egg Roll Day. We had egg rolls a couple times in May/June. I don't remember if that was one of them.

Friday, June 11, was King Kamehameha I Day. We ate Hawaiian haystacks.

Sunday, June 13, was Kitchen Klutzes of America Day. The kids made dinner. They helped each other make sloppy joes and pull-apart bread. Anything else? Apparently Nichole had a root beer float according to the picture. Did other people? Who knows?

Monday, June 14, was Flag Day. It was also Pop Goes the Weasel Day. We drank soda pop and went to the park. I tried to get a picture of the kids with the flag like I did on Memorial Day. I tried.

Tuesday, June 15, was Nature Photography Day. We went to a park. Nichole didn't get as many pictures of birds as she wanted but there were lots of bugs and plants.

Wednesday, June 16, was Captain Picard Day. We decided to have cream soda and ginger ale because we wouldn't have anything to do with Romulan Ale. Lucky accidentally spilled mustard on "Daddy" so I put him through the wash a couple times. His head came out like Captain Picard's. 

Thursday, June 17, was Apple Strudel Day. I was going to make apple strudel. I didn't.

Friday, June 18, was National Splurge Day so we had Winco pizza and I made cherry cheesecake from a box again.

Saturday, June 19, was Garfield the Cat Day. I had good intentions to make lasagna. I didn't. Jeremy reassured me by saying, "It makes more sense that we didn't have lasagna. Garfield would have eaten it all."

We may or may not have celebrated other things.

"Reverence Is More Than Just Quietly Sitting"

We got a package that came in a nice sized box for playing in. 

One night, Lucky decided to play in it but it became time to have family prayer. I reminded him several times that it was time for prayer and I couldn't figure out why he wasn't coming out. He was being so quiet, I knew he could hear me.

I said, "I think you'll be more reverent if you come out of the box." His reply? "I'm folding my arms." Ha Ha Ha Ha. That's why he was so quiet. We explained that it is more reverent actually out of the box.