Valentine's Day

Our valentines day wasn't at all what I had hoped it would be.  But at the end of the day, I knew we had spent time together just being a family and that in itself, is a blessing that I will cherish forever.  Chad had an all day work meeting at our house, so my "job" was to make and serve them all lunch.  And I loved it!!  I made chicken ceasar pasta salad, garlic toast and strawberry pretzel salad.  And for dessert I made brownie cupcakes and lemon pound cake.  It was so fun to have a large group of people at our house all day, set the table all fancy and serve them lunch!  It was almost as good as having a party!!  Only it wasn't "my guests" I chose, it was my husbands co-workers but I didn't care- I just loved it all! 
Then I put H down for a nap, read my nook for a while and then ran off to V's school valentine party... all by myself!  (Chad was still home to watch H while she napped- yet another perk of having Chad's meeting at our house!)  Then, on our way home we had to stop and buy milk and since it's just a little grocery store I park near the front and let V run in by herself.  Sometimes she likes to buy me a treat and surprise me and yesterday was no exception!  She bought me a pink rose for Valentine's day.  Sweet girl!!!  After that we came home, got H up from her nap and the 3 of us hung out waiting for Chad to be done.  After a dinner of leftovers (sad to say but I had just made a big lunch!!), we watched the movie "The Help" that V bought me for Christmas.  What a wonderful Valentines Day we had together!
Here is V and Chad making her Valentine box for her school party.  This year they are making an Ipad!

Here she is gluing on the "apps"- conversation

candy hearts!  Chad thought of that... brilliant!

Isn't that just the cutest valentine box ever?!?

This is the back of the Ipad!

I thought it would be so fun to show pics of

the last time they made her valentine box...

in 3rd grade and they made Wall-E!!

Hmm, I wonder who is doing most of the work here!

Isn't that just the cutest thing ever?!?!?

And here they are with the finished product

in 6th grade! 

I'd say it looks pretty much like the real one!!

Valentine's Day morning getting ready to go

to school.  Notice the posters on the back wall?

That's where Chad and his co-workers spent the day!

And here is my other little Valentine

watching Mickey Mouse who refused to look at me!

Here is V at her school party checking

through her valentines!!

After V and I got home from school, our wonderful

neighbor brought over treats for the girls.

"Hmmm, I wonder what this is!"

H is opening up the little valentine treats we bought her.

Mickey mouse and stickers....

the way to this girl's heart!

Now it is V's turn to open her valentine

treats and has her sister to help her!

Be still my beating heart.

I am so thankful for my family-  my 3 valentines!!

I hope you had a blessed and love filled Valentine's Day!!

Our first annual Christmas lights in pj's trip

I know it's the new year and Christmas was last year!  But just pretend with me that it's just before Christmas and we are eagerly awaiting to celebrate it. 
Every year I try to continue our family traditions and also try to add a new one here and there.  This year, we added one- going to look at Christmas lights in our pj's!  Actually, the girls were in their pj's and Chad and I were in our robes (with our clothes undereath!).  He was a little hesitant at first, but got into it once we were out and we had so much fun! 

We have a place near our house that has a drive thru lights

display and it is so beautiful and fun to see!  So that's where

we started.

Candy cane time!

After leaving Sherwood Forest, we drove aroud

looking at decorated houses.  V knew of a place

that was all "decked out" so we went there next!

This place was awesome!

There wasn't a spot on the front lawn that

wasn't covered and they even had a path

through the middle of their lawn to walk through!

Chad was a little hesitant (again) about

leaving our truck to walk around the house

but as you can see, he quickly got over that! 

What a good daddy!

We even met Santa there!

Now we're off to Chik-Fil-A for

chicken nuggets and peppermint shakes!

We thought about going inside to order but I was

the one who chickened out and picked the drive-thru!

Mission complete!
Now it's off to home to watch 2 of my favorite

Christmas movies- Elf and Christmas with the Kranks!

We had such a great time we

can't wait to do it again next year!

Gingerbread houses!

This morning we went to our library to make gingerbread houses and meet Santa.  Our precious H doesn't have a very good record of meeting Santa and sitting on his lap.  Last year this is what she did:

Check out that face!

And the year before:

Ooops, surprise!

I couldn't find the pic of her with Santa and

I am so bummed!!!  So I thought I would

include this pic of her and V before they met him.

Note the somewhat happy face.  After was not such a happy face!

And here we are in 2011- she would only

go near him if I was holding her.  That's

ok- at least she let me get a picture

of her and V with Santa!  And notice

she is smiling- because I am holding her.  :)

Here he is asking her what she wants for Christmas.

And of course, she is sucking her thumb and not replying.

Oh well, at least we got a pic!

I was so excited for the girls to go to

this event at the library.  I will have to

let you all in on my "secret".  I bought

a gingerbread house kit, oh let's say, about

4 years ago. I had great intentions of us

making it as a family. And every year it went

back in the Christmas totes, unmade, with high hopes

of making it the next year.  And so after 3 years of

doing this, I figured that the candy/icing probably

wasn't very good anymore and I threw it out

last year!  So, when I saw the library was doing this,

you better believe I jumped at the chance to do this!  :)

I can't believe I just told you that. 

Anyhoo, all that aside.... we FINALLY made

gingerbread houses as a "family!"  :)  At the library!

At first, we were all helping H make her house. 

Then I think the creative bug bit V and she wanted

her own to decorate!  :)

I just love watching her decorate her house!

Go V!!

Voila!!  The finished product...

a gingerbread house with 2 gummy bears sitting

on marshmallow stools warming themselves

beside a warm fire in the fireplace.  :)

You can see all that can't you!?!

Now for the update on Hannah's house:

While V was taking her sweet precous time

creating her beautiful house.....

H decided to "deconstruct" the house she just made!

Note how many walls are gone and the candy back in the

cups from whence they came!

Oh yes, we musn't forget all the gumdrops

that ended up in her mouth too!  :)

I'd say that was a very fun and memorable gingerbread

making morning!  Complete with a little visit with santa!! 

Hope you are having a blessed Christmas season as well!