~Day 59: Snowmen in Arizona

 

I was at work today when BrookLynn got on FB and sent me a message.  The picture shows all she said, with some visual aids.  But it melted my heart.  I needed to hear this at just the moment it came.  I have very loving and adorable children.

~Day 58: Bunco! (Mardi Gras)

That time again! We all earned our beads.  No.... The clothes stayed on.

 So fun. Especially when I win for most points. Starbucks hot chocolate is mine. 

All mine. 

~Day 57: One little Indian

Crazy-haired little indian... for some reason she put on her Thanksgiving Day indian shirt she got from school... She wears whatever she wants a lot of the time.  And that's ok!

~Day 56: Scouts

Blue and Gold Banquet tonight. Ashton received a few awards. Proud of our little man!!

~Day 55: Puzzle... the easy one.

Awhile ago I started an awesome puzzle.  It was hard.  Very hard.  I didn't give up on it... i just put it aside while I did an easy and cute one haha  I think it turned out pretty good and it was fun and relaxing instead of stressful because I only put together 10 pieces in 2 hours.... this one was better!  Now on to the hard one again...wish me luck!

~Day 54: The Destructors

We watched Cars last night, so the girls took it upon themselves to bring out all the cars and make our living room into Radiator Springs.  Oh, and they have some Angry Birds characters mixed in.  They are goofy girls... and you can tell they haven't been in front of the camera much at all... the posers. 

~Day 53: Busy Day!

 

These kids should sleep well tonight!  We started the day by volunteering to help "Feed My Starving Children."  This organization provides meals to children who need it.  Today we mainly helped those in the Philippines.  We helped package over 176,000 meals!! The girls and I put expiration labels on the packages, while Ashton helped to weigh the bags.  It was a good experience for the kids to help someone else besides themselves.  

For their hard work this morning, we went to lunch at their favorite place... McDonald's.  NEVER bring up this place because they will become your best friend till you take them there. 

Then we went to the Arizona Science Center since it was across the street from where we volunteered downtown. We spent an enjoyable afternoon watching a 3D Imax movie about coral reefs, exploring many scientific things, and having fun being together.

To top off the day... Brookie pulled out another tooth and now is very limited on the front ones.  She was so proud!  

I am very proud of my kids.  They were great helps today and it was fun spending time with them.  They truly are good kids and I love being their mom.  Now I am ready for bed...it was a very full day!

~Day 52: And so it begins...

Look closely.  We have BFFs, hearts, and Xs all showing up on the class picture.  Notice the heart and X.  Yes.  It begins.  BrookLynn is seven....

~Day 51: Mom? Can I read with you?

BrookLynn loves to read.  She asked if she could read with me tonight.  She is such a good reader and I love to listen to her.  Love that she enjoys books so much!

~Day 50: Clint Black!!

He was amazing!!! Sounds awesome live and I can't believe I have waited over 20 years to see him!!! Absolutely wonderful!!!!

~Day 49: Petshops and Broccoli

We had broccoli with dinner tonight.  Cailee saw the cut up product and called them trees, as usual.  She left the kitchen and came back with her hoards of Petshops.  She eventually had them all spread over the counter amongst the trees....leaving little trails of 'leaves' all over.  I should have taken a picture of all the little sprouts she left all over.  :)  I love to see her imagination at work!

~Day 48: Daddy's Little Helper

Brookie is helping Daddy change her bike tire.  She was so excited he was helping her tire wasn't flat any more!

~Day 47: Plugged in

We went to Nick's sister' house for dinner tonight. We spent the time with their mom who was in town visiting from Idaho, and some friends who came over. The adults played an adult game while the kids plugged in to Minecraft. They were perfectly content to entertain themselves, which is nice.

~Day 46: Grown Up Girls

It's done.  Both girls now have their ears pierced.  The earings make them look older than they are and I'm not sure I'm ready for them to grow up so fast.  I think they are both excited to have them done.  I love when they have smiles on their faces.

~Day 45: Valentine's Shmalentine's

I really don't like Valentine's Day.  I think it's overrated.  Nick and I talked about not doing anything for each other this year, but he still surprised me with beautiful flowers and sweet words he probably won't admit to saying ;)  I love him more than words can express.   He keeps life fun :)

~Day 44: What is missing from this picture??

After looking at this picture for a minute, did you find what was missing?  

A child. Yeah.  Cailee needed a box decorated for her Valentine's party tomorrow.  After about half way through decorating said box, she asks me when she can go to bed.  (we left the box to the last minute, of course.  it was way past her bedtime)  So she told me where she wanted things on her box and I finished it for her.  You are welcome my tired child.  It was so much fun to finish alone..... 

~Day 43: Small Arsenal

Poor sick kiddos.  Lucky we have modern medicine. I'm sure one of my kids would have had a very difficult time had we been born in a different era.  We are doing so much better this week!  All the kids are feeling so much better.

~Day 42: Behold..... the... Zebra??

The girls love to put blankets out on the floor and play on them.  And Cailee usually has her butt in the air somehow...

~Day 41: Hard at work

Ashton is working on a school project.  He's not so excited to do, but he is doing a good job!

~Day 40: Artist at work

Nick is busy doing some Corporate photo shoots in his make-shift studio.  This is our bedroom... or part of it.  I think about half of the room is full of his equipment :)  Proud of the work he does!

~Day 39: Books!!!

Our family knows us so well :)  For Christmas, the kids were given a gift card to use at a bookstore, and we went to use it today.  They were SO excited to be able to pick out any book in the store.  Cailee kept telling me thank you for bringing her today.  Reading is so important and I'm so glad that our kids have developed such a great love of books!!

~Day 38: Long day

I worked late today (got home after 8PM) and this is the sight that greeted me when I got home.  Poor Beans was so tired, she fell asleep watching a movie with the rest of the family.

~Day 37: MEE

Cailee was asked to write a story at school.  In case you can't see it, she sounded out all the words on her own:
"I in payen wif mi fes at the pok bkos shie let mee."
Translation:  "I am playing with my friends at the park because she let me."
I love watching their little minds learn and work.  

(my favorite is the word 'MEE.'  she spelled it that way because her name is spelled CailEE.)

~Day 36: All by myself

My kids have been so sick this week that they have started taking their own temperatures to see how they are doing.  Cute huh? :)

~Day 35: One-on-One Time

Brookie was stuck home from school today because she was still sick.  It was fun to spend time with her, sad for the circumstance, but enjoyable to be with her.

~Day 34: Little Poser

Cailee is quite the little poser when it comes to pictures.  I brought home the Snoopy MetLife dog from my training today, and she latched onto it.  This was the look I received when I pulled out the camera. 

~Day 33: Superbowl Party

This was our Superbowl Party.... We watched Iron Man 3.  I think we made the better choice.

~Day 32: Poor Little Man

Ashton got the flu.  The poor kid usually NEVER gets sick.  This is him this morning about 9:30.  He was still so tired he fell asleep sitting up.  He seemed to improve as the day wore on, but he is still not quite himself. He didn't want to stay up and read tonight... what???  That is so not like him :(  I hope he feels better soon!!  Love this little guy!