No Flowers for me please....

Out of all my favorite holidays. Valentine's is definitely very high on the list. I love that it has not become completely commercialized. At least not for us. I think come February I am always feeling like we need to be a little less indulged and therefore Valentine's is just a day to remember why we love each other so much. I told Darin no flowers. Flowers mean more every other day of the year than they do on this day. It feels like a check mark. I don't mean to make it diffucult for him, but to me they become meaningless on this day. I didn't feel I needed a darn thing from him because he is sooo great at the random and genuine expressions of love every other day of the year. We were able to steal away a couple of hours in the evening, and the day felt like a perfect celebration of all that we love. We always get flowers and small treats for the kids and they love it. Easton woke up early to make us all breakfast. He came in about 5:00 a.m. and asked how to turn the oven on... yikes!! He was disappointed to find the table all set and food ready for him. He wanted to do it for us. I love that boy. This is what I am loving about each of my kids.

Paris: She's becoming a teenager, but always still kisses me and tells me she loves me. She couldn't be a better example to her siblings.

Savvy: For having the biggest heart in the world. She cares for everyone, and is always doing nice things for people.

Easton: For loving Jesus

Madeline: Because I only have a few months before she starts kindergarten, and I am cherishing every moment and trying to play house as often as I can, because soon she will be able to say her "R's"

Ava: For giving me something to hold for some many hours of the day. She reminds me where we all came from.

With the kids on the trail

I have always been interested in  politics, although never so much as now.  Just like a good game, its' so much more interesting when you know something about he players.  So when we heard about the "Romney Rally" coming to town I knew we had to be there.  My kids couldn't have been more excited if it were Hannah Montana.  Here are some pics of the event.  Sorry, no pics of me, the kids and my sister Shauna with the man himself.  He did come up and talk to us and shook all of the kids hands.  My brother was caught with the camera in hand and completely..... "starstruck".  Not to worry my kids won't forget it anyway.  The long rally will also keep it etched in their heads.  As Romney has now "suspended", Paris thinks we should move to Canada.  I think we are the luckiest people on the planet to live in America.  I am reminded of that daily.  God please bless America...

The nice "Grandpa" who held my sweet baby....

Who is he.... I don't know, but there was this strange sense that you had seen many of these people before.  Definitely a large LDS base here!

the kids trying to get a glimpse

Idaho

What a great trip!  We just got back from McCall, Idaho.  What an incredibly beautiful place.  We snowmobiled, went to the hot springs and chatted and chatted.  It was the perfect vacation.  We feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

Reuniting with "old" Friends

I get so busy in the "everyday" and "present", I have to say I am not great at keeping contact with many friends that I love. We had two families we knew from residency in Oklahoma. They really were such an integral part of our lives there. They know so many things about us, other people we know now couldn't imagine. Things like the fact that we used to own an "ice shak" to make an extra buck. I actually made ice in our garage!!! We laughed and cried. It was sooo fun to reconnect. We look forward to doing it again soon. I also learned that Karen really knows how to travel!!