Sure Love this Guy!

Over the Christmas break someone commented to me that I have so many pictures everywhere in my house, but I don’t have any from my wedding.  I never realized that until she said it.  SOOOO, I’ve been going through pictures trying to get a project done for Valentine’s Day.

It seems like just yesterday that we were married…

I was so in love that day, and I’m even MORE in love today. 

I’m excited for this month of Valentine’s and all my little ideas to show love to my Stever.  I sure love him.  He is so good to me!

Big Girls and Sports

Lots of games on Saturday

Rebecca had three goals in her indoor soccer game.  They ended up winning this indoor session.  It was fun seeing her go off to celebrate with her friends at YoYogurt. (Thanks Elaine!)  She also played really well in her basketball game.

Kaylee was fun to watch in her basketball game.  She is so intense!  The YMCA guy came up to me after the game telling me that he loves watching my daughter play because she is so fast and so tough.  He said that she is one of the best defensive players in this age group, which is ironic because she is one of the shortest.  :)

Kaylee also finished a little winter world cup clinic.  They had to dress up as their country, and Katie’s mom had the perfect idea to make a costume together.

They actually won and got Jamba Juice gift cards.  She’s sad though that the clinic is over.

I know sports play a big role in the social aspect for kids, but I sure think it is a big social aspect for me as well.  I sure enjoy my friends in the kids’ different sports.  How fun it is to sit, watch you child, and chat away with friends!

Couple’s Crush Party

We are having a little Valentine’s party with some couple’s that we work with at church.  My sister, Alesha had such a cute idea for invites that I had to steal it and add my twist to it.

The front side said…

The other side of the card said….

It will be competitive.  Couples against couples with some fun prizes.  Maybe they won’t be friends with us when it’s all over…..

Passions

Kaylee and Nathan were out shooting baskets and then practicing soccer moves until well past dark last night.

Jerrica sits with her stacks of books “reading” them for hours.  If anyone tries to grab a book from any stack she freaks out.

Jacob is always doodling in his sketch pad.  He brought down this drawing for a space contest.  He was on top of it knowing the size requirements, the deadline, and even had printed and filled out the forms for it.  Why can’t he be that way with his homework?!?!  Probably because his homework is  not his passion.  :)

People spend a great deal of time and money on that which is their passion.  I have always loved the quote by Theodore Roosevelt, “You Give your Life, to that which You Give your Time”.  This is so true!  Wherever you are spending your time is basically where you are spending your life. 

I know for me that I am spending a great deal of time on my family.  Sure I get girls’ night outs, basketball time and just basically ME time, BUT the majority is spent on my family, AND I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Kids’ Photo Books

The kids’ photo books arrived this week.  It was fun to sit and look through each of them with Stephen. 

I can’t wait to give them to the kids, but they will have to wait until Valentines Day dinner….

That has been there little gift each Valentines Day for a few years now.  So excited for them to see the books.  Some of these pictures they have never seen of themselves!

Spread my Ankle

Miss Jerrica tripped on the bottom stair.  She came hobbling into me in the laundry room, telling me that she had just “Spread her ankle”.  I smiled and corrected her, telling her that it’s called “Sprain your ankle”.  She wouldn’t have the correction, and informed me that her ankle was “SPREAD” apart.

Later when the kids came home, she proceeded to let them all know that she had “Spread her ankle out”. 

Weekend Games

Saturdays are filled with games and we LOVE it!

Ashley just started basketball.  I feel like teaching her how to shoot is just like teaching phonics and math facts.  It’s hard and takes patience, but how fun it is to see her face when she “gets” it.   This picture makes me smile how she is playing defense, oblivious to where the ball is and the rest of the players.  Yet, she is NOT going to let her player get over TO the ball.

Rebecca’s team is now playing up in the 5th and 6th grade division.  There is always such a height difference when these little 4th grade teams move up. 

Jacob and Kaylee were both awesome in their basketball games.  We made it a family day and had everyone watch everyone’s game. 

Nathan is LOVING the indoor soccer.  He can do a lot more of his footwork on the indoor turf.  I like the next series of pictures.  He received the ball in the air.  Juggled it from his foot to knee.  Bounced it a couple of times on his knee and then over the head of the defensive player to his teammate.  He is just so fun to watch.

Kaylee also had a really fun sleepover on Friday.  She went with Emma’s mom and four of her best friends from school to a hotel.  They got pedicures, went swimming, ordered pizza, watched a movie, played games and ate a ton of munchies.  She had so much fun with her school friends.  I thought that was such a fun idea and need to remember it!

 

Bring It!

So word on the street is that the “only” reason I can beat Nathan at ping pong is because he has a bad, flappy paddle.  I’m NOT taking any excuses.

SO, I had a little surprise waiting for him on his bed this afternoon….

 

(Sure loved Nathan’s huge grin when he came down to “Bring It”)

Quote

I had a talk with one of my kids last night.  We talked about how people get into a rut in various aspects of their lives, and “think” that this just how it’s going to be.  However, there is great power in taking the initiative and changing what we are not happy with.  We just get too comfortable with the monotony of our lives.  Yet, there really is so much more out there that we can be, do, and learn!

 I always feel like my advice for my kids is more for ME!  :)

Randomness

I have so many random photos that I thought I would combine them into one post…

We are loving the fact that we can “Face Time” cousins on ipods.  The girls were so excited to see how pregnant Aunt Kristy looked and to see a tour of their Tennessee home.  I should have taken a picture when Kristy was on the screen, but then I probably wouldn’t have a place to stay in February…..

Rebecca enjoyed Medieval day at school.  They had a monastery, dancing in Sherwood Forest, jousting, a feast in the castle, and trading in the market place.

One day I was sitting updating my 2012 calendar.  Jerrica was drawing her own calendar.  I was surprised when she showed it to me.  She had remembered a lot of different holidays and had such cute pictures to represent them.  Of course she wanted it hung up too.

Kaylee made a pretty clay flower in art…

Jerrica also had a hair cut.  I think it looks cute on her with her big eyes and fat cheeks.  I also HAD to post the apron that Aunt Kristy made for her.  Jerrica loves to make treats with me in the afternoon.  She then enjoys the power trip of rationing them out to the kids when they come home from school.

Then a fun picture I snapped of my reader.  She downed “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” and is now consuming “Goose Girl”.  She is definitely her father’s child!

I have a few photo tips, crafts and recipes to share.  I have just been so busy trying to finish my kids’ photo books before Valentines Day.  They are officially done, so now I can get back on track! :)

Air Force Weekend

Last weekend was an Air Force weekend because most of us spent time there.

Nathan went on a Scout camp out.  They went up Friday afternoon and set up camp.  Then they went over to the Air Force hockey game.  Nathan said it was a fun game to watch and it ended in a tie.  The next day they headed out on a 10 mile hike.  Nathan was excited to have two of his good friends with him.  It sounds like they had a blast with each other and the rest of the pack.

I talked with Nathan’s scout leader on Sunday.  He went on and on about what a hard worker Nathan is and how he is such a leader in bringing others into doing what should be done.  I think its because he is so silly that others want to be around him to see what he’s going to do next.

Stephen also took the big girls to the Air Force Academy on a date Saturday.  It was a Daddy/Daughter day at the Air Force.  They first had a dance lesson and then were able to watch the Air Force women’s basketball game.  What they didn’t realize was that the dance they were taught was the half time show.  I really wish that I could have seen them.  Rebecca said it was awesome to perform in front of all the people.  Stephen and Kaylee didn’t exactly agree.  They were given Qdoba gift cards though!  :)

We are lucky to have the beautiful Air Force Academy so close by!

My Fancy Girl

I did Ashley’s hair and went on with my day.  A little while latter she comes down in her black cheetah shirt and green glasses.  I asked her why she changed?

She replied, “Mom, if you are going to give me a boring hair style for the day, then I HAVE to make myself more fancy with my clothes and glasses.”

She keeps telling us that she is going to be a fashion designer when she grows up, and she just might be!

More from My Mom’s

Monday morning the girls headed out to explore.  Water from the greenhouse had been drained out onto the lawn and formed a sheet of ice perfect for ice skating.  Mom turned on music out there and the girls pretended for an hour that they were Olympians skating for gold.

     

We then went inside and mom proceeded to do an “I Love Lucy” marathon of her favorite clips.  I thought that my girls wouldn’t get into it, but they loved it!

 

Then in the afternoon Ashley was determined to do another Spa Party in mom’s sunroom.   We all loved the chocolates, icy drinks, and pampering.

Ashley insisted on painting mom’s nails.  Mom was trying to pose with her fancy silver nails when Ash leaned up to kiss her.  LOVE those next two pictures of them kissing each other!

   

That night we went to the movie and the next day we headed home.  Such a short trip, but it was sure packed with memories. 

The Movie Theater

While the girls and I were at my mom’s, she insisted on taking us to…

We went on Monday night, and as it turns out no one else had the same idea to go to the movie on a Monday.  We had the theater all to ourselves!  The girls thought it was the greatest thing ever to prop their feet up and talk as loud as they wanted.  They ran up and down the stairs before the movie started seeing the view from different seats.

I thought the greatest thing was having my camera in my purse and being able to try taking theater pictures with the low lighting.  I think I started driving my mom crazy because I wouldn’t sit down.  She eventually threatened me that she would go and get the theater security guard if I didn’t sit down after the previews.  My mom WOULD do that, so I quit my experimenting with camera settings.

I like pictures that represent how the situation “really” looked.  I don’t like when the flash is used in a dark setting and everyone in the picture looks surprised and all of the background is lit up.  The flash also adds such a cold color to skin tone for some reason.

ANYWAY, thanks for being patient with me mom AND for taking us!

The movie was really cute.  We all laughed and cried together in different parts of it.  I can’t even imagine trying to run a zoo.  I think that I’m already running a zoo here with all of these kids and all of their needs.

Day in Denver

I should say a day AND a night in Denver.   Stephen and I went on a date to the temple on Friday night.  Saturday morning we went BACK up to Denver to take the kids to the art museum.  I really do like the Denver Art Museum.  It is massive.  I’m not even sure how many different floors there are.

We do have some favorite exhibits that we look for.  Sadly, some of them are gone but new favorites were found.  The word room was awesome.

In the chair room I decided that this wire chair would be perfect for my backyard.

 

The kids always like finding Mr. Vegetable man.  Another favorite is the red room with the foxes.  It really is red overload.

    

You always know that the art museum is nearby when you see the giant red chair with a horse on it.  Who thinks of these things?!?!  The kids would look out the stairwell windows at each level finding the chair. 

We had to finish our day in Denver with Cafe Rio.  We LOVE Cafe Rio!

Sure enjoyed our Day in Denver!