Spring Break

I can't say that our spring break was terribly exciting, but a break it definitely was.

The kids got precious time spent with both sets of grandparents and several of their cousins. Beau got in a K-State baseball game. Bren got in a few hours jumping at Pump It Up. Both kids got to go the movies. No homework. Sleeping in. Staying up late. Chilling. Yes. That is what we did. No complaints there.

So tomorrow starts our schedule again. Baseball is in full effect with Beau's first game Friday night. Beau enters his last 9 weeks of 5th grade. Bren her last 9 weeks of Kindergarten. I just submitted pictures for her K5 Graduation ceremony.  Wow. 

The movie we saw. Mr. Peabody and Sherman. 

 I got Courtney a job working at Target. Kidding. We were killing time while Makayla was trying on clothes. She is silly.

 Making pinecone bird feeders with PaPa.

Hanging the feeders up.

And my handsome nephew, Carter.

 The boys playing basketball.

"Tractor" rides with PaPa.

Beau is driving the tractor??? Help us all!!

Basketball is finally over

I forgot my camera at home a lot this basketball season. I guess between last year (took a lot of pictures) and this year (only shot at a few games), it all balances out. 

Anyway, so proud of my son. So very proud of him and how he played every game. His sportsmanship, his knowledge of the game, and of course his skills.....all improving from season to season and game to game. 

My husband did a great job helping coach this season.  He yelled at the boys today. Called timeout and came off the bench hollering. He never does that, but it was well timed and intentioned and the boys pulled their heads out after that. The yelling thing can be overused, but I guess he saved it all up for one last game, because he typically only yells at the refs, but no T for him this season. So proud.  So very proud.

Our Nephews

I guess after Valentines Day I just shut down?!? Not sure what happened between then and now. I think a lot happened, but I certainly didn't document it. I know we played some basketball games. I know I traveled.  And in between…..we wrestled with the cold and snow from this long winter. But….guess nothing worth documenting with photos.  Except…….

Our twin nephews turned 3! And of course I forgot my camera and we had to leave early because of the pending storm. Sigh. 

But Mama Laurie did manage to send us cute pics of Brandon dressing up in his new play clothes. I guess Tyler isn't sure about them yet, but Brandon is all in!

And Sister made both boys two rubber band bracelets. She worked all week on them and was so excited to give them their Denver Bronco colored bracelets! 

And then here is our "almost" 3 year old nephew Ryan catching a fish. Pure joy on that sweet face!

And here he is being a Cowboy and singing. This boy..... Has my heart. 

And here he is just singing loud and proud. Our Ryan James.

Love these cute boys. Blessed to know them and live in their world.

Valentine's Day - ahhh…..I love this "holiday"

Pretty sure if I went back and read old Valentine's Day posts, I probably say this every time, but I love (no pun intended) Valentines Day. I don't know why. I just do. I love to show love to my loved ones.  I post love notes on both of the kids bedroom doors for the 14 days of February until V-Day!  I tell them what I love about them.  They look forward to reading them each morning.  Hard for me to take them down each year.  I hope they always know how much I love them and why.  Why?  Because they are perfect and they are mine.

So I start thinking about Valentines Day right after the new year, as I don't do store bought when it comes to Valentines, so the planner that I am….I begin planning.

This year, Beau wanted a new Valentine box for school so we found this on Pinterest and put our own spin on it. I think it turned out great. He loved it and was so appreciative so it was totally worth it. 

And here were the Valentines he passed out to his friends. 

Sis used the same box as last year (thank goodness), but she decided she needs a new one for next year in the 1st grade. I won't go into the long dissertation she gave me about why 1st graders need new boxes, but rest assured, she had one. Here are her Valentines she passed out to classmates.  "Valentine, you are a Super Star" and she gave out star shaped sunglasses with them.

And here she is with last year's box but this year's Valentine outfit. The box surprisingly held up well from last year, and I actually found it in the closet! Score!

Here is her classmates singing a Valentine's song.  

And then my husband and I had a date night Friday night. Much needed grown up dinner out, followed by a little shopping, and then ice cream. Great night.  He gave me a new wallet, and three bouquets of flowers  - all in sports drink bottles because he couldn't find the vases -  which I really think we are only down to one anyway. I thought it was a great idea, and I just loved the flowers.  He had got up Friday morning early to buy them at Wal-Mart and he brought home donuts for me and the kids for breakfast.  What a good man.

So all in all, it was a great Valentine's Day.  

And two last little input's on Miss B's birthday.  Now that the sun is shining again and the snow has melted, MeMa and PaPa came up to celebrate B's birthday with her.  They brought her a pretty wreath for her bedroom door, which she can bedazzle up with her gems, and PaPa built her a real doghouse for her pretend puppies. This picture doesn't do it justice.  It is amazing. So perfect. My Dad has such great skills.  He has built my kids some of the most beautiful pieces that will be in their lives forever.  This evening since the boys are at baseball practice, she has been in her own world playing with her puppies and their new doghouse.  What an imagination.

Also, two other things I forgot to mention in her birthday post.  I did want to make note that this girl LOVES her some ketchup, ranch, and cheese balls - and yes, consumed altogether. She mixes the ranch and ketchup together and dips the cheese balls in them.  So minus the colossal bottle of ketchup, we did score these finds at Sam's Club this weekend.  That made for one happy girl.

 


Secondly, her taste in music has grown up recently. She loves POP music.  She likes Roar by Katy Perry, Timber by Pitbull and Kesha, and her real favorite is Monster by Rihanna and Eminem. Now, those of you that know these songs know that they are not the most appropriate pieces for a 6 year old, as here is what she belts out in the car (by belts I mean, yells) to the beat of course….

"I'm friends with the monster under my bed,
Get along with the voices inside of my head,
You're trying to save me, stop holding your breath,
And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy."

She knows the chorus by heart. I'm not proud, but I am proud. ha ha
This child, well, this child is awesome.

Happy Heart Day every day!

Bren's Tea Party

Before I collapse, I thought I better just sit down and download pictures and blog about Bren's Birthday Tea & Dress Up Party we just had.  I think everyone had a good time.  The 5 girls (Tinley, Caroline, Dale, Emma, and Kaitlyn), and Brenley seemed so excited and all the Mom's told me their daughters could not wait for 2:00 to get here so they could go to the dress up party!

We started the party with crafts while we listened to Sofia the First soundtrack. At one point, the girls didn't even realize they were singing along.  We painted tea cups and tea pots, we decorated foam tiara's and foam teapots, all while we snacked and sipped caffeine free soda (not tea!).

Then we blew out candles, opened presents, and free play dress up downstairs began!  I was going to be happy if I kept them in organized activities for an hour and 15 minutes, and I almost made it to an hour and a half, so it worked out pretty well.

So while it took me quite a while to decorate, it took no time to take it all down. Isn't that always the case….you work, work, work, and then poof, it's over!  But my baby seems happy, which makes it all worth it.

The pictures kind of posted from end to beginning, but I am too tired to care. Enjoy!