2 weeks later

Apparently, when you are busy taking care of "everything" at home... you ignore things like blogging.  Alas, I have decided to repent.  Though I would have most likely recorded things in more detail if I did it as I went... I feel like a short summary of events is better than nothing.  So, here we go:

Once upon a time there was a National Pancake Day... and we celebrated it!

Then there was an extremely early release... and even though we don't go to a public school, some of our "long lost friends" do, so we celebrated that as well.  We met friends Madison and McKenna at Red Mountain Park.  I'm so glad I thought to bring bread with us to feed the ducks, because they have ruined this park for little kids.  There is literally NOTHING for the littler children to do at the park.  I'm so disappointed with the City of Mesa. 

 Once upon a time, we made valentines for our friends (I let the girls make the paper pretty by doing marble art.  Then I cut hearts out for them, and let the girls stamp "You are just WRITE for me" on them.  Then we hole punched and the girls attached a pencil.  It was fun!)

And then we made Valentines for our family (Daddy, and the grandparents).

Finally, Valentines Day Eve came, and we did a LOT of celebrating.  Melanie had a party at school (they had a field trip to the post office to mail out Valentines to their parents.  Melanie sent one to me AND her daddy!  And then they went back to school and exchanged their own Valentines).  After lunch, we went to the park and had a Valentine Cookie Party!  It was a blast!

 On Valentines Day, we had a lot of fun!  I heart attacked the hallway.  We had a special Valentines breakfast of waffles with fresh fruit and whipped topping.  We heart attacked our friends' houses.  We went to story time and gave the librarian a valentine.  Then we had a special lunch with sandwiches cut in heart...  and finally, we had a special special dinner.

 

 Mom was exhausted by the end of the day. 

The following picture is one that I just took because Noelle is just too cute.  Seriously!  Okay, moving on...

Oliver learned how to eat a pizza like a big boy...

 The library had a new Barbie movie for us to borrow.  It's the Princess and the Pop Star.  Can you tell who wants to be who?  Silly Girls!

 Friday, we went to the Museum of Natural History, where Oliver met Cousin Blake...  I think they are going to be good friends!

It was the first time Morgan, Ethan, and Liz had met us there... and apparently their first time going.  I think they had fun, once we got away from the Dinosaurs (I don't think Morgan was found of them).

 But digging for Dinosaurs is always a hit!

 On Saturday, we went to our friend (Madison)'s 6th birthday party!  Her birthday party was at the movie theater, where they had a whole theater rented out for a movie.  We saw "Escape from Planet Earth" (which I had known nothing about, but really enjoyed despite the fact that Melanie ended up sitting on my lap and crying through the majority of the movie).  The girls really enjoyed being movie stars for the day and had a blast.

When we got home, Oliver decided he wanted special glasses as well.

 Today, I let the girls count the money in their piggy banks.  For the last year, I have been paying them a small allowance for them to do their chores in an effort to teach them how to pay their tithing.  But, until now, they had never spent any of their money.  It dawned on me that the money would be more rewarding to them if they understood it better.  So, they counted it, saved a portion of it, and were able to spend a portion of it.

I think they made out!  (And they were and are definitely HAPPY GIRLS!)

Apparently a little money can buy a little happiness after all!

 

There is the short of the long of our last few weeks.  :)