"Les Miseranimals"

July 10 was Teddy Bear Picnic Day. We took teddy bears for a walk in a park (and we didn't step on any bees for Don't Step on a Bee Day) but it was too hot to picnic there so we picnicked in the living room at home instead while watching "Les Miseranimals" on Animaniacs. Then we ate meat pies because it was National Kitten Day. If you're familiar with that episode of Animaniacs, you'll get why it's funny and sad at the same time.

Video Games Day 2021

July 8 was Video Games Day. Nichole and I were the only ones who earned video games. She was the only one who played.

Birthday Macaroni

Like me, Nichole wanted to celebrate her birthday with a trip to nature. So for Father Daughter Take a Walk Day on July 7, Nichole and Jeremy got up early and headed up Nebo Loop. They listened for owls (and heard a few, though they didn't see any) and then took a walk/short hike to a spot where there was a water trough that birds like to come visit. 

Jeremy got one lifer and Nichole got two that day, red crossbills and an American three-toed woodpecker. I've still never seen a crossbill (but I want to) but I got to see a three-toed woodpecker when I went on a birding fieldtrip to Mirror Lake when I was pregnant with Jet.

When we were planning for the day, Jr. pointed out how last year for Father Daughter Take a Walk Day, Jeremy and Nichole walked into the music store to get her a new violin.

Jr.: You should do that again this year except get her a cello and then you should give me that cello on my birthday.

Mom: I think cellos cost more than violins.

Jr.: Yes, because they're better.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. That kid.

 

As it was National Macaroni Day, Nichole requested Jeremy make a macaroni and cheese he makes with polish sausages in it. As it was also World Chocolate Day, she requested chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

And because we were celebrating her Sweet 16, Jeremy and I gave her 16 sweets. She got a kick out of it, when I dumped a bag of 16 candies on her. All the boys wondered if they could have some so we told them when they have their Sweet 16. ;)

Nichole got a drawing book about drawing birds. It was one she had used before and was happy to now own it. Lucky made her a Rito, a bird person from some of The Legend of Zelda games. It was a certain one and Lucky positioned it so it was pointing up like in the game.

We discovered that day that someone else in the family really likes watermelon, which Nichole also requested for her birthday. 

We found him sneaking some that night from the bowl on the table. So cute.

I Love Nature!

Nature's cool, man.

Action Packed 4th of July Weekend

Joshua had Friday and Monday off of UVU Prep for the 4th of July weekend. That meant four days for Jr. to fit in as much family fun as possible. Jeremy had to work all weekend so it was mostly the kids and me but he was around on Sunday.

Friday, July 2. Balloon Fest was happening throughout the weekend. That's where a bunch of hot air balloons are together and they do different activities. It is part of the Freedom Festival in Provo. I got up early to sit outside to see if I could see the balloons from home. I couldn't see anything. I found out later the balloons didn't lift off the ground that day because of the weather. I did get a little wet while I was waiting. Oh, well.

Later that day, I took the kids for a picnic and Provo Story Trail at Rock Canyon Park. After the story, we continued walking around the park and Jr. asked to use the camera. He climbed a hill and brought this picture back to me.

"Crop Circles! Today is World UFO Day." 

"It kind of looks like a face which also goes along with the UFO thing."

We also looked at "mashed potato clouds" while we were there.

That night we drove by Balloon Glow as part of Balloon Fest. They had several hot air balloons on the ground and shined lights on them to go along with music. The kids and I decided that we'd get up and drive by the next morning to see the hot air balloons in the daylight.

 

Saturday, July 3. Surprise. Surprise. When we got out that morning, we could see hot air balloons from home. They were able to lift off! 

We drove anyway and were able to see them much closer. As we got closer to where they were launched, they were all over the place, some even over the road where we were driving. 

We drove to Carterville Park and everyone was able to get out and get a good view. We were even able to see some where they landed in nearby parking lots. That was a fun morning. I love hot air balloons.

 

 

Before we left, we found a little friend who decided to crawl to a place where it would get squished if we closed the door. I tell you, snails are faster than you think. Jr. nicely moved it so it would be okay. Good kid.

That evening to celebrate Eat Beans Day and Chocolate Wafer Day, we had burritos and chocolate wafer cookies.

Definitely click on this picture to see Jet and Lucky's faces.

Sunday, July 4. It was National Caesar Salad Day so we had chicken Caesar salad wraps with 4th of July type food- potato chips, potato salad.

Monday, July 5. The kids and I went to see the giant flag hanging over Grove Creek Canyon. We hadn't gone to see it since we lived in Pleasant Grove. I blogged about it in July of 2017. It's definitely become a bigger thing- not the flag itself, but the event with it flying. There were flags lining the trail up to a spot to get good pictures. There was lots of informational stuff in the parking lot. Yeah, it's become a bigger deal just in the last few years.

That evening, the kids and I went to pick up Jeremy from work and we had Family Home Evening lesson and treat in the van. Then we did our activity at home. As it was National Graham Cracker Day, our treat was graham crackers with frosting in the middle. Homemade frosting. I got the recipe from The Food Nanny. It is frosting they use on brownies but I think it works great on cake (or on graham crackers).

We were also able to see the giant flag from the freeway. Yeah. It's huge.

So that was Jr.'s action packed 4th of July weekend before he went back to UVU Prep to finish out the last couple weeks. I hope he enjoyed it.

Even though Tuesday, July 6, wasn't part of our weekend, it was International Kissing Day. I got lots of kisses from and gave lots of kisses to my baby and I mentioned later to Jeremy how he and I didn't kiss at all that day. Huh.