Candy Land

The kids and I played a fun...and a little intense... game of Candy Land today. I had the day off for President's Day and we just thoroughly enjoyed being together. Daddy had to go to work to make up for a snow day, so we were disappointed about that.
Our game of Candy Land was fun, but was not without tears. G is still learning how to be happy for whoever wins. She was sad throughout the game because she kept getting a card that made her move backwards, bless her heart. B is learning the rules of the game and I was teaching him how to find his color and move his man to that spot. He did pretty well.

I hope that there are many more games of Candy Land in our near future! And maybe without tears...

Snow Day #2 and Valentine's Day!

I got my weather alert call last night that school was closed again today and J got his call early this morning. Hot dog! 4 days in a row of family time! (And 2 days tacked onto the end of the school year.) We were going to hang out in p.j.'s again all day, but B 's congestion worsened overnight and he started holding his face when he sneezed. We were concerned about a possible sinus infection, so we made a dr appt and I took him in while J painted and G rested. Thank goodness he didn't have any infections, but our dr gave us some Singulair to dry up B's congestion so that it doesn't turn into an infection. I hate when my kiddos are sick and thank God, they are rarely sick. Minus well baby check-ups/shots they have probably visited Dr. H 5 times combined...if that.
The kids got some valentine goodies from us and from Nana and Papa today. They weren't fond of the chocolates I chose for them... B spit his out and G took one bite and put the lid back on her valentine heart. Ha. Next year I will choose something else....or maybe I won't....more chocolate for J and I. ;)

The kids did enjoy their new valentine books tonight that Daddy read to them. Sometimes I get sad during book time because I think about all the kids that don't have books and don't have parents that make reading a priority in their home. They are missing out on so much. Anyhow- We love the author Sandra Boynton who wrote the book we got for B called "Snuggle Puppy." Her books "Pajama Time" and "Belly Button Book" were our favorites when the kids were babies/toddlers.



Back to school tomorrow! It will be a day of catching up with a valentine party mixed in....teaching 5 and 6 year olds is the best!

Snow Day

We had a much needed snow day today. My husband's school and my school were both out. It was so nice to be home together as a family. I was hoping for just one snow day this Winter for the kids to play and build a snowman (snow days are tacked onto the end of the school year, so more than a day, while nice at the time, becomes torture in May!)

Unfortunately the one snow day I was hoping for, for the kids' sake, came at the wrong time. They are both sick. G has been sick for almost two weeks with a horrible cold/cough and B started getting sick Friday night with fever and congestion. They weren't able to play in it. I feel horrible, but we were able to spend time with them and love on them all day.

G made a snowman measuring stick at school several weeks ago, so she did get to go outside with dad to see how many inches of snow we had- 3 inches!

This is what we did most of our snow day- hung out in our p.j.'s! I fixed french toast for breakfast and the kids watched cartoons and played. Dad started painting in our upstairs theatre room while the kids napped and I just piddled. I didn't do a load of laundry or clean a thing (other than normal cleaning up after everyone) and it was so nice.

While the snow came at the wrong time for the kids, it came at the right time for our family. We needed time together. God is good.

Valentine Crafts

We made handprint hearts today for the grandparents. I saw it on another blog and thought it was too cute and too easy not to make. G was totally excited about making them. B was the complete opposite. I had to turn it into a tickling game as I was painting his hands with the paint brush. They turned out super cute and the grandparents LOVE them.


I put together G's valentines for her preschool friends today. I found a picture online of something very similar and knew the kiddos would love teddy grahams!

I feel so bad that G doesn't get to partake in the valentine party fun. She only goes to preschool Mondays and Fridays and the party is on Tuesday, so I will drop off her valentines Tues morning and pick up her loot Tues afternoon. Valentines day is so much fun for kids (and mommies!).

Sock Monkeys!

G and B got valentine sock monkeys from Yaya and Pop. The kids and I stopped by their house Wednesday night after getting B's haircut and we stayed for dinner. That was a treat! I planned to warm up chili left overs for us!



I have been so tired, trying to keep up with work, kids, cooking, cleaning, G's school, and G has been sick for several days. J is gone more than he is home. Basketball season has definitely been worse than football season because there's a lot more games and he has to go to all of them. I have learned that house work can wait because I don't have enough time in the day! I was excited that basketball season was coming to a close until I learned he has to be at the baseball and softball games as well. :/
The kids love their sock monkeys. They want to sleep with them, carry them around, and play with them. I was putting laundry away in G's room today and found her sock monkey dressed up with angel wings. :)

Superbowl Sunday

We had a Superbowl party/birthday party for our friend Kris tonight. We grilled burgers and hot dogs and had several chips and dips and just way too much food! I also made peanut butter pie and these yummy brownies in muffin cups that were baked with rolos inside. I saw the recipe on pinterest and I will be making them again!
We had such a fun time visiting- us girls stayed in the kitchen talking most of the night and the guys actually watched the game. The kiddos had a ball running back and forth between the playroom and g's room. They played dress up and just had so much fun together. Dawn and Kris will be adding baby #4 to our group in August and we are so excited!!
I love this girl! We have been best friends since high school and even though we don't get to hang out as much as we would like, we always pick up where we left off when we see each other again. She has such a sweet heart, will do anything for anyone and her personality is the same no matter what kind of day she has had. I really look for that trait in friends- I don't like having to walk on egg shells because they may be in a bad mood....that really makes a friendship tough. It makes my heart happy that our children are growing up together and are friends.

Little Writer

G has become the best writer. One of her favorite things to do is get her journal and write. A few times a week we will sit down together and I will give her random sentences to write. She spells her words phonetically and is learning the spelling of many sight words. I will correct any misspelled words and we talk about the rules of spellings of words and how some words are just tricky.

One day I used her journal to jot down some information for myself. Well, she saw that I had written in it and she thought she would be funny and leave me a message.


"This is Grasen's."

"You are not allowed to write in my book."

We may just have to skip kindergarten and put that girl in first grade! ;)