Day of Love

Valentine's Day. What a fun holiday! We made Valentine mailboxes over the weekend. This morning we ate huge heart shaped pink pancakes with strawberries and pink whip cream, bacon and eggs. We checked our "mail" to see who had given us a Valentine. The girls thought this was one of the best mornings EVER! Even though I wouldn't let them eat their candy for breakfast.

Abby had told me last night that she probably wouldn't be able to sleep because she was so excited about Valentine's day. How funny! School is fun on holidays.

Tonight we will have a special Valentine's Day dinner at home . . . prepared by me . . . so it will either be wonderful or disgusting to the girls . . . topped off with more sugary treats afterwards. The sugar feast never ends!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tangles

Attractive, I know . . . a brush full of hair. But Abby had some SERIOUS tangles in her hair this morning . . . and I'm sure almost all of her hair ended up in this brush. I don't think that spray-on de-tangler did anything for her hair today. Lots of tangles can easily put someone in a bad mood. I don't think she has ever shouted at me that much before school! Poor girl!

This morning was NUTS! Getting girls ready is getting harder than is used to be. Which is really weird. When they were smaller, I thought it was hard because I had to do their hair and pick out their clothes (or decide if a costume would be allowed) and find their shoes . . . and probably do other things that I just can't remember. (And keep in mind . . . these things were only done on days they HAD to get ready!)

Now that my two older girls go to school and are capable of picking out their own clothes and brushing their own hair (sometimes) . . . it still gets crazy! Like this morning . . . Abby could not brush out her hair . . . I almost couldn't brush it out! Halle's hair was easy enough, but she was not satisfied with the way her shirt "felt". She had to change her shirt . . . and then we had to talk about whether her new shirt matched the skirt and tights that she already had on. She is in FIRST GRADE! Did I care about clothes in the first grade? Probably . . . sometimes I just feel like my girls are growing up way too fast and that we should not be talking about clothes and hair and fighting about how old they have to be to have their ears pierced, wear makeup, and when they can open up a bank account to start saving for college (Abby's desire . . . which is an AWESOME desire . . . but she's in the 4th grade . . . who thinks about that in the 4th grade? . . . I'm glad she is responsible . . . but . . . anyway)

What is happening! Where is that time freezing device? I need one immediately!

Vegetable Bake

I really thought I had a winner! The vegetable bake tasted pretty good . . . to me.

My girls consistently gag over so many things I make. Usually it is a guarantee they will gag if I make something new . . . especially if it has "vegetables" in it. But, it also seems like many of the dinners I make are unacceptable as well.

We have a "take it or leave it" policy at our house. The ONLY time we make an exception is when Ben and I don't think the food is edible either. So far . . . we have only allowed the exception twice. The girls LOVE the memory of those two nights and I am pretty sure they pray for them to happen more often.

Maybe one day . . . when they are older . . . they will appreciate homemade food? And like more things?

A Weekend of Firsts

You can't really see it through his hair . . . but Austin had his first stitch this last weekend. Ben had taken the kids to his basketball game at the church. Apparently, Austin had climbed up on a table . . . fell . . . and hit his head.

Luckily, one of the guys playing basketball was a doctor and had his kit in his car. He stitched Austin's head right there at the church . . . and yes . . . he only needed one stitch!

Ben was ordained as a high priest this last weekend also. He is now serving in the bishopric of our ward. Thus . . . a weekend of firsts (if "firsts" is even a word)!

The Castle

A little over a month ago this beautiful building, (the Provo Tabernacle . . . picture courtesy of somewhere online) caught on fire and was completely ruined. SO TRAGIC!

Gwen, who is 4, has loved this building along with everyone else familiar with it. She always called it "the castle" and claimed she would get married there.

The other day we were driving in Provo, and she started talking about how sad it was that "the big castle" burned down. Then, with a sigh, she said . . . ,"now I guess I'll just have to get married in the temple."

I tried hard not to laugh out loud.

Piano

I taught my first piano lesson today . . . to a child other than my own! Ben has thought I should try my hand at teaching for awhile . . . I have just been hesitant for various reasons.

I thought it went well! It was so fun! And I realized that I should really be utilizing those 10 years of lessons . . . thanks to mom and dad.

It really was fun!

Our Backyard

Our backyard just opens up to the mountain. I'm really tired of the snow . . . but this has been so fun for the kids to have their own sledding hill . . . where I can still see them outside my kitchen window!