Be Mine, Valentine(s)!

We make Valentine's Day special at our house for the entire family.  We have always had our special breakfast with "love presents" and then we go around and around the table telling different things we love and admire about one another.  (Cheesy, but actually fun.)  JD and I will go on a date at some point after basketball season is over.*  That's just our life. 

 



Our beautiful mailbox station:

(It bugged me for a month that those were hung at different levels, but I resisted the urge to fix it.  The kids hung them themselves, and they are in the toy room...)

Our "Preschool Wall" became very lovey this month:

Cate is in to "projects"- I find a picture of something she wants to make and get her the materials, then let her figure it out.  This one is my favorite of the month:

 

Our annual breakfast table:

(Every bit of those decorations/paper products were gifted to us!) 

 Elsa dolls may have been my score of the year at Dirt Cheap: 

($1/each)

 Cate chose the menu this year- muffins, strawberries and smoothies:

 Isaac didn't care about presents, he wanted food:

Again.

 "Cool car.  Now give me the food.":

Halle saved wrapping paper from Christmas and wrote me book for Valentine's day: 

JD got a present too, but the pictures didn't turn out well.  Just believe me when I say that it was the funniest of the day.  :)

 

Halle's school Valentines:

She cut them apart, glued pretty paper to the back, punched a hole in the top and added ribbons.  She said everyone liked them.  (I kinda doubt it.  No candy.) 

 

Past Valentine's Days:

2010

2011

2012

2013

 

 

 

*Thank you, Susan and David!

This makes my kids laugh every. time.

Hugs and Kisses

 

 

**That KU sweatshirt has shown up in Valentine's pictures before!

a (REAL!) snow day

Usually "snow days" in Mississippi mean that either there *might* be snow flurries at some point in the day, or there were snow flurries at some point during the night before.  (ha!)

So today was a fun exception!

 

Isaac's first chance to play:

 After wandering around (falling down) in the snow for a bit, this is all he wanted to do:

 He could not deal with wearing mittens.  He finally just broke down and we had to go inside. 

JD thinks he hates anything that hinders his ability to 'OOT.  (Shoot baskets.)  He's probably right.

 

I didn't get any pictures of the kids "sledding,"  We used a swimming pool baby boat, and it actually worked really well!

 

 

So fun.

And cocoa worthy.

Cate's road trip-

Cate got to travel with JD and the team last week as they traveled to play at Spring Hill (AL) and William Carrey.

It was the longest any of us at home had ever been away from her!!

 We sent and received lots of phone pictures.

On the bus:

"Good Morning, Cate!":

 Shoot Around with Corbin and his (very strange) cat shirt: 

Pre-game:

 Hanging out with the girls' team:

 "Hey, Mommy- send this one to Cate!":

 Showing off the chocolate fountain to her jealous brothers and sister:

 On the bus again: 

 With Assistant Coaches Jermael and Beau:

(haha!)

 Me: "Smile for Cate!"

These are what she got:

 Before the final game:

 On the bus home:

Cate had SO much fun, and JD said she was good to have along as a de-stressor.  She is such an easy kid to take around too- a good listener, game for anything, loves to laugh, and just an all around good girl. 

 

They got home around midnight Saturday night, and I probably squeezed that girl for five full minutes!  The next morning, Isaac's reaction to seeing her was priceless.  He stared, bug-eyed, and started laughing and yelling "CATE! CATE! CATE!"   -I guess he really did miss her!  :)

Kit Kittredge:



January (a visit from the Iowans)

Preschool with Maddie;

and PE with Papa!

 It was a nice change for them to be playing outside in January!  (It is significantly colder up North.) 

 Cate and Nana had some game time in clubhouse: 

We even took a picnic to the park.  In January!  Without coats!  Sometimes Mississippi is wonderful.  :)