Exhausted and Enchanted

Today, we decided to take advantage of the fact that Elle didn't have school, (Thank you presidents?) and the weather being so nice and we headed to Enchanted Rock State Park. We've been wanting to go for a while, but have always had a too-small baby or pregnancy. So today was the day! We were all very excited. We headed out around 8:30 this morning and had a wonderful time! All I kept saying to myself as we climbed and my lungs screamed for air and my legs burned with pain was "Tough Mudder-12 miles-get over yourself." Yes, I'm doing this course in October and yes, I've lost my mind. But it has definitely put pain in a different perspective for me! Anyway, the kids did AMAZING as in did not complain or act tired one time. I was astonished! The wind at the top was crazy! It felt like we were in the middle of a very cold hurricane! The weather could not have been better; sunny and cool. It was a lovely road trip and a very happy memory for our family. Oh and my husband rocked the hike like nobody's business. I carried Levi for 1/50th of the hike and he carried him the rest of the way..on his shoulders...as if it was nothing!

If you look closely at the dots on the top of the rock, that's PEOPLE!!!

I wish I could say that I stayed back from the rest of the family to get cool shots like this, but in reality, I just could not keep up with them!!!
At the top! And this is what happens when a nonphotographer takes your picture...you get your feet cut off, but I guess beggers can't be choosers.
A 360 degree view of the world!

Push Biggie Boy!!!

Strong kids...whatever you do, don't put your hands down!

The reward for not whining on the way up or down--playing in the water.

I found the perfect heart rock while they were playing in the water. :)

On the way home we stopped at an eagle's nest that seems to be somewhat of a tourist stop. There were quite a few people stopped and taking pictures of the eagles.

one tired boy

Valentine's Family Date Night

Shawn and I decided that we wanted to do more to incorporate our kids into some part of Valentine's day now that they are getting old enough to understand fun things like this. So after thinking for 2.3 seconds we came up with the idea to take them to the pottery place and all paint something together. We ended up having to reschedule our date and the only time we could do it was on the 9th, which is a Thursday. That happens to be "Ladies Night" at the pottery place. Shawn wasn't too sure about that. But, what that meant was that if we followed whatever the theme was for that night, we'd get our studio fee waved...which was going to be around $25 bucks altogether. So we were just downright lucky that the theme for that night was "appetizers." Really! We were lucky because the next week's theme was going to be diva. That would have been hilarious! Anyway, we decided to buy a pizza, breadsticks, and dessert sticks all for a whopping $10 and take that as our appetizer...which we ate as our dinner too! Oh how I love working things so that I get an amazing deal. :) Anyway, we found a platter quickly, and got to work fast! The kids did okay, but definitely got rowdy when their part was finished. Thank goodness a few other women came that night and brought yummy finger foods and that occupied my kids for a good deal of the time. We had a lot of fun and I'm thankful that I now have a keepsake of our sweet Valentine's Date.

melts.my.heart.

Finished and pre-fired

The finished product. Ava did the top left, then shawn, levi, me, and Elle on the top right :) Everyone signed their name on the back of the plate.

Happy Valentine's Day

Our annual Valentine's Card...and I'm looking for a way to display these year after year as I add a new one every year...any links or ideas of how to do this? I'd put it up in February and take it back down after the 14th.

Three Things

First, I was out window shopping the other day. Okay, actually I was beginning the hunt for Easter outfits...yes, in February. It's been balmy here so I'm thinking of spring. Anyway, I went into Old Navy and found this green jacket. I immediately snatched it off the rack and it became mine. I have been looking for something like this for a few years now. Of course I love love love this color plus, as a photographer, I loved the color for fall/winter/spring photographs instead of the usual black or dark brown color I have for jackets. Anyway, totally worth the money I spent! The other night for dinner, the girls wanted pink milk so Shawn stirred in some of the strawberry flavoring and before Elle took a drink, she noticed that the bubbles had formed a heart. Love is in the air and the bubbles in our house!

Lastly, the public library here was having their Valentines parties this week and on the spur of the moment, I decided to take Levi and Ava yesterday. They ask that you bring treats to share. I was trying to get by with whatever I had around the house. I happened to have a package of cheese sticks that no one was eating, some address labels and exactly 21 toothpicks. Voila! I was so proud of what I came up with from what I already had! Didn't spend a single penny and it was healthy and a cute Valentine pun.

Cupid's Chase 5K

My athletic hubby ran his first 5K today! I gathered up the kids early this morning and scrambled, with donut holes and sippy cups of milk in hand, to watch him and some of our friends start and finish their first 5K. It was a wonderful experience and we are all so proud of daddy! :) Can't wait for his next one....and who knows...maybe I'll run one soon with him!

Mesmerized by the whole thing

Love this picture of him as he neared the finish line

So his official time according to his "chip" was 27 min 46 seconds! That's an 8:54/mile pace!!!

The after shot....a little more tired and a lot more accomplished!

Love is in the Air

Here's a sneak peak around my house as we celebrate our love for each other. I had decided that this year, I'd begin to make a bigger deal out of Valetines for my kids. I want them to always know just how very very much I love every single one of them!

Pinterest inspired and hangs on my pantry door. Love how it turned out! Total cost $6.50.
It's not Valentines without these little hearts...my dentist probably doesn't appreciate these.
F.Y.I. the yellow ones are my favorite and the white ones are my least favorite.
Tablecloth from Walmart. Love it and it makes the whole room look more Valentiny.

Sitting on my kitchen windowsill. Total cost $5. Got the bottles at IKEA for $1 and the flowers in a bunch for half off :) (the tag is from a past Valentine's and a very talented woman at church who makes these kinds of tags with little gifts for every holiday and every child at church!!!)

Another pinterest inspiration. LOVE how it turned out also and was quite easy to paint! The sides are painted black with white polka dots.

My favorite pinterest inspired creation. Valentine mailboxes for the kids. They are loving this a lot. They get so excited when they see the flag up. My rule is, the boxes start on February 1st, and you get one Valentine per day. For the first 7 days, it's mainly just notes with sweet things written to each of them. Then for the 2nd week, I've gotten them little gifts from the Target $1 area and I'll attach little notes to them also. This whole project was a whopping $6 altogether. $1 per mailbox at Target and $1 for each candlestick holder at the thrift store that I just sanded and spray painted a flat black.