Happy Valentines Sunday!

So EVERYONE knows that I'm a holiday NUT! I had Valentines decorations out only a few days after we'd put the Christmas decorations away. I just love the feel the holidays bring! We am up and have something else to look forward to. The plates, the holiday candies, wall decos, plate mats and napkins. So there has been decorations in our home that just sprays, "LOVE IS IN THE AIR" all over!

Ashley and Austin had been patiently waiting to opent he special Valentines that Daddy sent them. We waited till Valentines Day to do so! This was their big chance!

Grandma made her famous Valentines Day cake like she did for us when we were little. Devils food cake mix, marshmallow fluff, and tons of sprinkes.

The Valentines...ready to go to church

Sharing the LOVe

There had to be some choloate nibbled at 8:30am. They candy kisses and heart boxes were dug into first.

Thanks Dad for the sweet Valentines!!!

Austin's more into eating chocolate than for posing for luvy duvy pictures

This one loved the holiday. The hearts, pink, red, chocolate, flowers, this is something that Ash could get used to.

MY HERSHY KISS!

Happy Valentines Day to all of you! Even without your spouse around it's still a beautiful, lovely Day! JD did hook me up though. Of course.

Think of all the people you love...and all the chocolate you can eat.

We even did a little activity the next night for Family Home Evening which was on "Loveing One Another" We cut out our own hearts and wrote down something that we loved about another member in our family. We've kept the little hearts on the table and they're so special. Austin said on Daddy's heart, "HE's the best Dad in the whole universe. He protects us and loves us" Ashley had on my heart, "when mommy sings its beautiful." There were so many things that came out in this "loving" session when we were all paying on another compliments that really made all of us feel great. Love love love!

Blizzard of 2010

Wegmans was packed. Food missing from shelves. Was it because of the blizzard ready to hit or because of Super Bowl Sunday? Probably both. This snow storm brought us 28 inches of snow in about a day and a half. If it snows one more inch this winter, (more than 46 inches) we'll beat a record in Washington DC since 1872 of the most snowfall!

I dug out the heavy wet snow for about 4hours yesterday. Nothing a little heat, stretching and Nyquil couldn't take care of.

Mom's Here!

Mom came to visit at the beginning of February. Then she realized the storm was going to hit and wanted to stay longer so I wouldn't be braving the snow alone! What a great Mom. While here, she does wonderful things moms do. She helps out, we chat at night, sleep in the same bed, she's helped me with all my recipe books, she just gets stuff done! It's wonderful having her here.

Fish lips! The kids love Grandma so much. In all of Ashley's prayers, she says, 'please don't let Grandma go back to Florida.' Although I think Pop is fending by himself okay. Pop has said the dog is now sleeping on the bed and he's been eating chicken wings and pizza.

So Grandma just might stay another couple of weeks. Mom and Dad were going to come out and visit the beginning of March anyways, so I told her to stick around a few more weeks! I love my new 'roomie'!!

Uncle Rocco

Uncle Rocco. We love him! It's actually Uncle Aaron. He now lives in New York. He got a job at JP Morgan bank in Manhattan and lives right there in the big apple. Reghan will move there in May after her teaching contract ends. They are wonderful.

Aaron loves to play with the kids. They are so lucky they have such great Uncles and Aunts. Aaron living so close hops on the bolt bus now and visits all the time. It's wonderful having our entire family on the east coast! Congrats Aaron on the new promotion and we love having you here. See you next month!

Cabin Fever

Uncle Cheeto (Uncle Grant) gave the kids this super cool Frito Lay chair! Thanks Cheeto.

So we've had sooo many snow days this winter. We've made cookies, watched TV, hid in closets, played wii and the best thing is that we've been together and had family visit! Pop and Grandma from Florida have come to hang out in this cold. And yes, it makes them love Florida so much more. It's been wonderful having them!

What a Wonderful World

I see trees of green..

Red Roses too..

I see them bloom

For me and for you

And I think to myself...

What a Wonderful World.

This week has been wonderful.

Why?

I danced in the rain and splashed in puddles with my daughter.

I ran outside for the first time in 6 months.

I got to go to the Temple.

I have great friends.

I have an amazing tight family.

My family and I have been blessed with health.

I have stuck with my New Year's resolutions.

I have a great relationship with my Heavenly Father.

My family is coming to visit tomorrow.

With all the hardship going on around the world, friends with personal hardships, a nephew who just had surgery today, and of course the hardships in Haiti. I feel like the more I put others needs above my own, my life is better. And I can concentrate more on the wonderful things. Instead of focusing on the bad. Because life is hard. Including my own life. Very hard. I am blessed for the wonderful things in my life.

Dance Recital

Ashley had her Little Gym "Giggle Toes" dance class recital this week. Tap, ballet and gymnastics routines were all performed by our little Star! She was so proud up there with her memorized dances. She kept glancing at me to make sure I was looking and what my reactions were. It was so much fun getting ready for the recital too! I let her put on her own "makeup". She was so proud marching into her class, standing with all the other girls and dancing. I'm so happy for our little performer! Way to go Ash!

Ash was definitely fearless. She was the one who ran right into the gymnastics routine without hesitating at all!

Ta-Da!!!

She does Arabesque's all around our home all the time. Sometimes on the ledges of couches, but she's practicing everyday.

The tap dance routine was called the "Mambo Combo". It was adorable!

I've had a wonderful time attending these Little Gym classes with Ash. It's been part of our lives for years.

Austin this week has been a ham. I caught him picking his nose and asked what he was doig ad he told me his finger was visiting a magic place.

Also, he got his CTR ring at church on Sunday. He will not take it off and tells me that it helps him choose the right. Good for him! Although it's only been one day..

I played Bunko last week and won something! Go Bunko. I have so much fun doing my monthly Bunko game. Every girl needs a girls night out.

Baptism Preview

Austin with his best Buddy Cameron! Already Austin is preparing to make one of the biggest choices of his life--to become baptized at the age of 8 (next November). On Saturday our Stake had a wonderful interactive activity for the children to see what its like on your Baptism day. They played games to realize the importance of repentance, memorizing the articles of faith and what they can do now to prepare themselves. It was wonderful! They got their own Baptism bag full of games and popped a balloon with a scripture in it. (Those were Austin's highlights.) Im so glad he's getting so excited about his Baptism. 8 is right around the corner.

This week we finally celebrated Austin's Winter Party at school. It was wonderful!! Holiday Bingo, pass the snowball, a craft and cookie decorating, a sing-a-long and book exchange. The kids had their party post-poned since before the Christmas break and this was a wonderful way to come back to school their first week back.

I love you

Happy 2010!

We had a wonderful New Year's Eve at our friends the Johnson's home. We celebrated the new decade with friends, games, good food and Dick Clark.

In the past decade, many things have happened. We got married (2000), had our two kids (2002 and 2005) and lived in Africa for 2 years (2003-2005), Austin's major stomach surgery (2007), all my brothers got married, lots of fun vacations, and great times with friends and family. The kids have started school, now they're in preschool and 1st grade (CTR 5 and CTR8 at church!). The past decade has been really good to us.

We look forward to new adventures and in 2010 and this next decade of our lives. We're so thankful for our health and happiness.