Happy Valentines Day

Valentine's Day growing up was always about my Dad and his girls'.   I LOVED that.  We would get a special little present and handmade card from him.  I wanted to have that same special day for my girls with their Dad.  So we have taken on the tradition.  It's more about them, then Dave and I.  In fact we don't do anything for each other anymore, and I actually like it better this way.  

  For Sophie:

For Aubree:

and in the mailbox...

Needless to say they loved their Valentine from Dad.

Aubree's favorite, the "enrazers" (erasers, that come apart.)

And Sophie's, the tattoos of course.  She was all over getting them on immediately.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Fit for a Princess

Sophie was invited to her first princess party.  Coincidentally she had just received an Ariel princess dress from Grandma.  She was SO EXCITED.  

At the party:  She was a little reserved when Cinderella came.

but slowly edged her way up to the front.

And soon enough was participating.

She was enthralled...

as were the rest of the little girls that came.

Princess shot.

"Silly face" shot.  I just Love that Sophie totally pulled a face.  She is too cute.

They got to decorate their crowns while each girl had a chance to take pictures with Cinderella.

Sophie had so much fun.  So much fun in fact, that Ariel will be coming to her party :)

And of course, my cute friend Natalie had the place dressed up too cute.

First princess party=huge success. 

Birthday Party

Later that night we had a birthday "party" for my sister Kelsey and my brother in law Eric.  In case you were wondering...yes, there was a dance session.  

And it was pretty amazing!

We had fun playing games,

and watching Carlee trap Eric with his new whip!  (From Kelsey and Guy, so he could "tame the dragon" :)

It was a fun night!  And I hope they had fun celebrating their day.  

Fun shopping trips

First shopping trip: 

Smith's, they had a pretty good sale last week so I had to share.  

2 Tony's pizza's $0.94 each

6 Uncle Ben's Rice pouches $0.37 each!!!! (normally close to $3.00 each)

1 Heinz ketchup 40 oz $1.17

2 Kraft salad dressing $0.99 each

6 can Hunts diced tomatoes/tomato paste $0.33 each

Johnsons 2 in 1 shampoo $1.00

2 cans Edge shaving cream $0.94 each

1 can Skintamate shaving cream (not pictured) $0.99 

All laundry detergent $2.50 (normally $4.00)

3 tubes Clean and Clear face wash $2.50 each!!!!!! (normally $6.00 each)

2 boxes Capri Sun $1.00 each (dye free of course)

Second shopping trip:
Old Navy.  I went just to return some things.  Of course I had to walk out with a HUGE bag full of stuff.  But this is why.  As I was standing in line waiting to do my return, a worker came up and dumped this huge pile of random stuff and started marking it down to $0.07!!! SERIOUSLY!!! So I bought IT ALL! It only cost me less than $2.00 and since my return was done at the same time, I don't even feel like I spent any money.  I got some fun stuff...let me show you.

"Happy New Year" headbands.  You know I will use these, especially since the year was not put on.  So....I can torture my guests, or just husband, and make them wear them every year :)  I got 5

These cute little reindeer.  How cute are their little faces?

Int the back there's a little envelope to hold money or a gift card.  I got 3

Gift boxes for Christmas.  They're about the size of jewelry boxes, so they can hold money, gift cards, keys, key chain, earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc...super cute.   I got 11

Christmas tree headbands.  Only one lights up anymore :( but they are still cute.  I'm not sure what I'll do with these yet...but $0.07...I got 3

Reindeer antler headbands.  Both of these still work.  And I already have grand plans for them.  Aubree and Sophie of course.  I have and outfit in mind, with a cute ruffle skirt I'll make...red noses...christmas card...we'll see...

And last, but not least a random angle rubber ducky.  Nicely done.  Sometimes it's the luck of timing, but mostly it's planing, cutting, organizing, and doing!

I Love...

This year for Valentines celebration, we are making a chain.  Every day we add a strip.  Each strip says "I Love                  , and we fill in the blank.  It was Sophie's turn and what did she say she loved ?  Red 40.  What a little weirdo.  

Scripture story and snack

During December I tried something with the girls.  I didn't do very well, in fact I think I only did it twice!  But last month we did awesome.  It's now part of our routine.

One week in Relief Society, my neighbor shared her "secret".  She has 6 kids and always seems on top of things.  Obviously she's not perfect, but she did say she has a secret and wanted to share.  It's simple, not profound.  But it takes DOING to be effective.  She explained that she shares with her kids a scripture story EVERY day.  Just a short story.  In her own words, with pictures.  As she was telling us this, my thought was it sounded so simple.  But I felt the spirit wave up and down my back so strong I knew in that moment I was going to do it with my girls, even if it sounded simple.  She recommended doing it while the kids were eating, so that they're busy with something but available to listen.

We have been doing it at lunch every day (well, with the exception of Sunday.  By the time we get home from church it's nap time and they need to eat FAST, and I figure they just came from a lesson...so they're good for the day :) anyway...it's been AWESOME.  The girls just LOVE it.  They get so excited to hear a new story.  Some times I bear my testimony, sometimes I keep it light.   It has been amazing to watch them learn these stories for the first time.  They want to hear them again and again.  Even when I'm done with the story for the day, they'll ask me to repeat a favorite from a previous day.  Sometimes we have 5 stories a day!  At church they'll recognize names or references and get SO excited.  It's these moments that make me so proud.

So far their favorite stories are: Noah's Ark (part 1 and 2) and Adam and Eve.  All I do is use my gospel art kit.  Every Sunday I get the next 6 stories and review them so I know what I'm talking about. :) Sometimes I edit them if I think they're not age appropriate ie Abraham being asked to sacrifice Isaac..GREAT story to tell and learn, but maybe in a few years.  Joseph refusing Potifer's wife, ya, don't want to get into that yet :) but for the most part I just go in order of the kit.  Apparently it starts in the Bible so they are learning all those stories right now.   I LOVE doing this and can't wait to see what stories we're doing next!

Books

November, December, and January Books

Children Of Hamelin by Danny Lasko

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book.  It's definitely on my favorites list, currently at #1!  I can't wait to read sequels if and when they happen. It's Hunger Games meets fairy tales, meets magic... sort of, that doesn't really do it justice, but it is superb.  I really hope it gets published so the rest of the world can enjoy it as much as I did.

 Troubled Waters  by Dean Hughes

 How Many Roads?  by Dean Hughes

 Take Me Home  by Dean Hughes

 So Much of Life Ahead by Dean Hughes

I read all of these in a row, so they all kind of blend into one story for me...I like his first series better.  I had a hard time picturing characters the right age 'cause I knew all the parents as teens and young adults in the first series.  I wanted to read about the Berlin Wall falling and those effects, I wanted to read about the Vietnam War ending, and I needed more closure along some of the story lines...this is the first time EVER I have skipped pages in a book.  One of the characters story line was SO BORING during book 4, so I basically skipped it.  


Those were the negatives, but there were plenty of positives.  As far as stories go, it still kept me entertained and not wanting to put it down at times.  I related to some characters and wanted to know more about others.  Every time it switched story lines I was sad/excited cause I wanted to know what was going on in everyone's lives.  It's definitely a series I would recommend, you just can't compare it to the first :) I love going on journey's within books, and it's always sad when it ends.  


On the list for February:
Children Of Hamelin (new revised copy) CAN'T WAIT to read this and see what's changed, new, different....I hope I like it! 


Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (I need to read this again because I started Clockwork Prince and realized I was so lost...)


Clockwork Prince by Cassandre Clare 
Also can't wait for this.