Happy Birthday MOM~
Me, Ethan, Lincoln and Lindsay decorated her house while Tess "distracted" her. She was SUPPOSED to be at work, but they let her go home WAY early so we had to improvise... it was a lot of fun. That night we had a girls night complete with Cafe Rio, PB cup ice cream and crafts. Love you mom!

Happy Valentines Day!!
I am loving Valentines day more and more each year because I get to share the fun with not only Jason, but with my kids. I love all the prep..
picking out the perfect Valentines and addressing each one...
making festive treats...
Katelyn picking out her cutest pink and red outfit...

I just thought this was funny... Katelyn made a valentine for herself... she loves herself!! (and why shouldn't she).

Here is the loot she brought home. When I was a kid... (I am getting old...) we had little valentines with those horribly crappy envelopes. There was no candy, except for a couple times when my mom would buy a big bag of conversation hearts, and we could put two in each envelope. It was rare for me to receive any candy, and if we did open an envelope with a conversation heart in it we were thrilled. My... how things have changed....
I LITERALLY NEVER buy candy for my kids for holidays. I never have to. We start with the Valentines candy which lasts until....
Easter candy which lasts until....
July (ish)...
lull in the candy
Halloween candy lasts until....
Christmas candy lasts until....
Valentines...
WOW

Just a little drama:
I got a call from Katelyn's school at 3:30 a couple of days ago. School lets out at 3:15 so I was a little nervous when I answered thinking Katelyn might me hurt or something. It was Katelyn on the phone. She was quite upset and wanted me to come get her. I asked her why. She said that she was "SOOO lonely" and didn't think she could walk home by herself. We live 1 block away from the school. I can literally see the doors from my front porch. I told her, as sweetly as I could, that she needed to walk home. I went outside and met her part way and she was in tears... so upset!!! She asked my why I couldn't come get her. "Was I busy doing something else?" I tried to explain that we live really close and she truly will be OKAY for that 1 block walk home. We did arrange for her to walk home with a neighbor shortly after that to avoid the lonely walk home.
Ohhh... won't the teenage years be interesting with her..

I went to a training for "Change Anything" at Jason's work. Periodically they allow friends and family to go through a training so the trainers can "practice" and the "friends and family" can enjoy a little perk of their loved one working at Vital Smarts. Jason is so awesome! He signs me up for the trainings and offers to stay home and watch the kids all day (ummm.... AMAZING!) Who doesn't want a break every now and again; plus the trainings are GREAT!!!! Well... before I left for the day I left a paper with instructions on it. Jason is an amazing father and doesn't really need "instructions," but I thought some info would be helpful like when to put Linc down for a nap, who would be taking Katelyn to school, etc. It was a very BRIEF list of instructions. When I came home Katelyn had written HER instructions on the back (and no, she was not trying to be funny... she is dead serious).
This is what it said:

Open garage at 3:10 (so she could come in after school)
Get out afternoon snack at 2:50 (2:50? I guess she wanted it ready and WAITING for her)
Let Lincoln watch a movie.
Make sure Ethan is a good listener (??)
Try to be quiet while Lincoln is asleep.
Try to get Lincoln to take a longer nap.
Make sure Ethan doesn't bam Lincoln on the floor (good tip).
Make sure Ethan has quiet time.
Help him get a treat.
Make sure Ethan and Lincoln don't get hurt.
Make sure Ethan gets playtime.
Try to make Lincoln cry not so often.
Read books to Lincoln.
Play some goldfish games with Lincoln.
Give Lincoln at least 2 naps.

I don't know what I am doing at home... it sounds like she has all the important points covered. She makes me laugh and amazes me at the same time.

When I got home I was handed the following 2 lists (by Katelyn)

BAD LIST FOR MOM!!! (Big frowny face drawn next to title)

1. Dad, Lincoln and Ethan were sleeping when I got home.
2. I forgot my beaver picture
3. I got no afternoon snack
4. Netflix won't turn on
5. Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve is on my book list
6. Stains got on my good list
7. I have good news I don't get to tell you.
8. You could make everything better if you were here

Now, #8 kinda broke my heart, but.. in my own defense, I hardly EVER leave the house. It was an 8 hour day away that happens MAYBE once a year. There is more than a little drama at our house. Poor girl!

Here is the
GOOD LIST FOR MOM (followed by a big happy face)

1. For reading stamina I got 25!
2. I got all the way ready!
3. Junie B Jones is on my book list!
4. A book about Lincoln is on my book list!
5. People gave me the ball at airball!
6. We got 5 minute music!
7. No head on our desks!
8. The garage was opened!
9. I know how to get an afternoon snack!
10. What could be better than 10 good things?! (my favorite "good thing")
11. I started level M (reading level)
12. only 8 bad things and 12 good things

She has an active mind, if you can't tell... ALWAYS GOING! I thought that it was very sweet and mature that she was able to think of 12 good things to counteract her 8 bad things.

So... I tried to spruce up my blog a bit. It is always fun... like rearranging furniture.

Last Saturday it started to snow/rain... Ethan begged all day to go outside and play, but there wasn't even enough to cover the grass. I finally relented and went out with him. It was so fun to see his excitement. The first thing he did was open his mouth and try and catch snowflakes on his tongue... it's funny to me how we all want to do this for some reason... it's almost intuitive. I love the innocence I see in my children. It reminds me of what is important.

He looked up at the sky like he was seeing a miracle... it is a miracle that we just see as a weather phenomenon.

My favorite Christmas memory this year:
We went to Grandpa and Grandma Reynolds' house for the annual BINGO game. I was in the adjacent room, later on in the evening, taking care of Lincoln. There are times, when we are at family gatherings, that I feel little left out because I am in the other room taking care of a baby, but this time was different. Lincoln was totally relaxed and I was totally relaxed. I sat and held him as I listened to the joyful chatter in the next room. I felt like everything was complete. Every time Ethan would open a BINGO present there was a little squeal of delight:
"Wow... a towel!"...
"Look... a big tootsie roll!"
He was just happy to be part of the action and get ANYTHING! It was so sweet to listen to. Then I had the thought :
"This (meaning Christmas) all began with a baby."
I was so happy to have my sweet baby in my arms to to be surrounded by that joyful noise.

I remembered Christ and thought about the peace and sweetness Mary must have felt as she held him on that first Christmas night. The holidays get too busy sometimes for me to slow down and remember what I'm really supposed to be doing. That moment brought everything together for me.