Valentine's 2012

So you know the tradition right? Fancy fancy fancy fancy. Well this year was the same :) Dating our kids on Valentine's Day is something we all look forward to as a family.

Handsome 4 yr old

Pretty (and slightly toothless) 6 yr old

So cute 8yr old

Dad who is NOT 30 yet

Mom who is 30! (sigh) and who doesn't know how to act like a grown up in front of the camera .... proof below

Me and my valentine. :)

And the following shot is what usually happens at some point when we are trying to do family pictures...

It was, yet again, a great night. Going around the dinner table taking turns naming things we love about each other and God. This year it made me cry.. probably for womanly hormone reasons, but it was still sweet and memorable. :)

These little people will only be under our roof for a short time. They are on loan from God. I hope they feel treasured and loved.

She Turned 6!

Ok so it happened like forever ago.. well not really forever, more like 6 weeks ago. Her birthday falls in that whirlwind time between Christmas and New Year. You know, the time where it is really difficult to pull a party off because all her friends are out of town or busy with Holiday stuff.

We've been on a rotating schedule it seems like with the birthdays. It looks like one year we do a family party, one year we do a big party, repeat. So this year was just us. And it was lots of fun. J's birthday request was to go to Chuck E. Cheese's and to watch a movie. Totally doable.

Valentine's Day 2011

Today is a day we LOVE at our house. Valentine's night means we have a date night with the kiddos. The children picked the menu this year. They requested roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. Daddy requested a cheesecake (which I have always been leery to attempt, but it turned out fantastic!). But our night did not go as planned.

What did go as planned: We got all dressed up, we had dinner together, we went around the table and everyone said why they loved each member of the family - finishing with God and why we love Him.

J dressed up and having her fancy dinner .. (what? you noticed it is a peanut butter and honey sandwich?).

L looking like a little chipmunk with his mouth full of dinner.

M was exhausted and passed out and couldn't be woken up. All our children have been battling colds for over a week - and today it got the best of him. But he is dressed up. :(

Auntie Heather is visiting!!! She and my brother (who will be down later this month) and their family are moving to JAPAN! Sniffle, sniffle. I will miss them so much! But praise God for the Internet.

This handsome little man is my nephew! I am in love with him! He is so stinkin' adorable.

So why did our fancy dinner turn out to be this hearty and delicious (meh) PB and Honey? Because...

The inside of the roasted chicken I prepared was GREEN!! when I cut it open! Seriously... bluck!

And this is love right here. After a failed meal and a wife who was trying not to be grumpy (oh but I was when my chicken was green in the center), this good man did all the dishes and cleaned up. :)

This is my VALENTINE! The love of my life. The father of my children. The spiritual leader of my home. The man who loves me like Christ loved the church. And the man I look forward to growing old with. :0) - mushy mushy - I know but it had to be said!