Valentine's Day 2013

We had a very Happy Heart Day this year!  I know that Valentine's day is a "Halmark Holiday," but I love it.  I really do.  I think it is so fun to think of ways to show my 4 guys that I love them. 

Apparently, I may have gone a bit too far over the last few years in my attempt to make Valentine's Day into a grand occasion...  This year, Clayton was shocked that it wasn't treated as a real holiday.  He said things like, "I have homeschool work on Valentine's Day???  But, it's a holiday.   I have piano on Valentine's Day???  But, it's a holiday.  I have basketball practice on Valentine's Day???  But, it's a holiday."  Ha!  I guess that he thought the world should stop for the day of love.  ;)

We started the day off with heart shaped donuts & a red velvet cake donut for Daddy.  Yum!

That evening, while the boys were at Clayton's basketball practice, I set the table for our "fancy" dinner.  This is the only meal of the year that we eat on china and drink from our stemware.  Only the best for my little gentlemen.  :)

Each boy got a card and a few small treats.  I found some fun placemats at the Target dollar spot for them to work on between dinner and dessert.

Valentine's fell on a Thursday this year, which is the busiest day of the week for our family.  Between preschool, homeschool work, piano lessons, and basketball practice - we are on the go for much of the day.  I was worried about our menu when my bestie suggested a Papa Murphy's heartbreaker pizza.  Brilliant!  Heart shaped food just tastes better, right?  Add a salad and dinner was done.  :)

All of my Valentines at the same table.  

 

 After the big boys had enough of my picture taking, this little ham stood there saying, "Cheese?  Cheese?"  Ha!

 Mama stole some kisses from her baby

 My original Valentine & Me - photo at Clayton's request  ;)

 We finished off the evening with chocolate fondue.  It was a big hit!

I enjoyed every minute of the evening with my loves.  :)

Valentine's Day Parties

Clayton & Drew had their Valentine parties this week, and I got to attend both of them.  It was such a treat!  My cousin-in-law (and friend!) watched the little boys so that I could go to Clayton's party.  It was fun to get to focus all of my attention on my big boy.  :)

The kids ate lunch and then played some games.  I volunteered to plan the games, and found some cute ones on Pinterest (from this site).  We played Guesstimation (the kids guessed how many pieces of candy were in each jar and the winner got to keep the candy, Tower of Hearts (they tried to build a tower with the large conversation hearts), and Chopstick Pick Up (they had to transfer conversation hearts to a bowl using only chopsticks).  The kids got really into the games, and I think that they all had fun at their party.

 Love my sweet boy!

Next up was Drew's party.  His teachers are so. much. fun!  They have been teaching together in the Ducks class for 10+ years, and they are very best friends.  Drew has had an awesome first year of preschool, and I owe that 100% to them.  They have set the bar high for all of Drew's future teachers!

Drew's party was a breakfast party right at drop off.  First, Mrs. Christi read The Day It Rained Hearts to the kiddos.

 Mrs. Christi & Mrs. Shanna have a "Duckie tradition" of squirting whipped cream in all of the kids' mouths.  Ha!  They demonstrated how it is done to the kids.

Many of the kids declined to carry on the tradition.  Not my Drew!  He tilted his head back and went for it.  That's my boy!

I think that my little buddy enjoyed his party!

Fun parties for my fun boys!  :)

Fort Worth Stock Show

On Friday, January 25th, we loaded up our little buckaroos and headed to the Fort Worth Stock Show.  Yee-haw!

My stair stepped cowboys were lookin' mighty fine!

Owie was having a particularly good hair day.  Love that boy's curls...  

I'm going to cry buckets when we cut them.  Like, full on ugly cry.  It will be bad.  :(

Gracious.  This boy is just too much.  He has my heart.

A sweet high school girl was walking her pig that she was about to show.  She was kind to stop and let the boys see it up close and personal.  No, Clayton didn't grow an extra set of arms.  That would be my terrified Drew hiding behind his big bro.  ;)

Not O!  He was all about getting as close as possible to that little piggy.  :)

The FFA Children's Barnyard was a big hit with our crew.  They loved seeing the baby animals.  Owen loved watching the chicks under the warming lamp with their little ferris wheel.

Clayton was enamored with the baby chicks.  The FFA kids were sweet to answer all of his questions about their life cycle and such.  When he saw that little chick with its beak pecking through, he wanted to sit there and watch it hatch all the way (which we were told would take several hours).  He loves animals so much...

Clayton asked me to take his picture with this calf.  I'm thinking that my city boy may need to start a chapter of the FFA at his school.  Ha!

Drew was very concerned about the 770 on this cow's leg.  Bless his heart.

Checking out the cow wash...

My bestie's family is really involved in the Stock Show - as in, her Mama was running the office while her Dad and brother were in a Superintendent meeting.  They are all so humble, that I didn't realize they were the head honchos.  I had no idea that they were Stock Show royalty!  ;)

Mama Ginger & Me

We were walking through one of the arenas and Drew said, "Mama, Mama!  I see a zebra!"  I kind of dismissed him and told him that it was probably a horse before turning around to see that he was right!  They were pretty excited.

Clayton is reading Black Beauty in school right now, so he had a soft spot for the horses. 

The boys loved the bull auction, too.  Wade took Clayton & Drew up to the front row - they were seriously impressed by the massive animals. 

We had such a fun morning at the Stock Show!  I definitely want to make that an annual tradition for our little family of 5.  :)