Valentine's Day 2011

I had a busy valentines day yesterday, but we had so much fun! I made fruit smoothies for the kids for breakfast, which is their favorite breakfast (they all agree on something)! As I made the lunches for the school aged kids, I cut their sandwiches in hearts. Then for dinner we had heart and flower shaped pancakes and bacon (they all also love having breakfast for dinner).

After the older kids went to school, the younger two and I went and delivered some Valentines to some friends. Andrew and Mady wanted to do Valentines like their brothers, so we filled out some and gave them to friends. Then we went and met Paul for lunch. Andrew had filled out some of the valentines for people that work with him, so we had to hand deliver them. Andrew chose a hamburger joint for lunch....one of those that you sit in your car to eat. We had a wagon in the back for our later plans. He sat in the wagon and ate his lunch (yep, he is goofy).

Andrew decided that he wanted to just sign the From: section of the rest of the cards and hand them out where ever we go that day. Our plans were to go to the zoo after lunch for a while. We knew we didn't have time to stay long (Caleb gets home at 2:30), but I was planning on getting our annual pass, so we planned on going back again this week.

We got to the zoo and as I stood at the entrance filling out our information for the annual pass, Andrew stood next to me armed with an envelope of valentines. He chased to give them to the people coming in, and he gave one to the lady at the ticket window. They went on and on about how sweet he was to give a stranger a valentine card. We did have one older lady who kept trying to give it back. She didn't understand what he was trying to do, and he was very insistent that she take it. She finally said "But Mady won't have a card" (the Hello Kitty valentines had Mads name on them, Toy Story had AJ's name). I explained that he had planned the day before to take all of his valentines and hand them out to everyone he came across. You could see the sternness in her face melt and she came around the counter to give him a hug and thank him.

The first half of the short visit consisted of Andrew literally chasing people down to give them cards. He was not so much interested in the animals as he was giving away his cards. When he would give them to little kids (Mads age and younger) he wanted to give them kisses. He snuck one in before I could stop him (actually I HAD stopped him, but he got away and kissed the baby anyway). After apologizing for him entering the babies personal space, we moved on. Needless to say, he was a hit at the zoo yesterday!

Mady LOVED the zoo. This was the first time she has been and really understood what she was looking at. We ended up not taking the wagon in because we were going to be there such a short amount of time. They did great without it! Mady was so excited about the animals that she would hold my hand until she saw a new animal, take off to see it and then come back and grab my hand when it was time to walk again. There was no complaining, just lots of squealing and laughing.

She especially liked the "Big Ducks" (aka the emu's). Paul and I figure it was because they remind her of Big Bird. But, she saw them, didn't even care about the zebras that were with them, and started laughing, saying "big duck" and quacking over and over. She also kept saying the big tiger was a "Beaux Beaux" (which means dog) and would not go near him. He was lying down most of the time. When he lifted his head (even though he was looking away), Mady's mouth dropped and she started slowly taking steps backwards.

She also liked the elephants. They were standing just on the other side of the big ditch that seperates them from the fence we were behind. She did not want to go near the fence, but was very excited to watch from further back. One of the elephants kept talking and swinging his trunk and she thought that was pretty funny!

We are going back today. Our weather is so awesome right now (70s and sunny) that we want to be outside. After seeing how excited they were, and the fact that Mads slept until after 7 this morning (and she was woken up then), I think it is a good thing to do (and it is free now). Our zoo actually lets you bring in food and drinks, so we are going to take a picnic lunch with us. Andrew and Mady are both excited about going back.

My Perfectly Imperfect Life

On my favorite radio station, they have a contest every year where listeners submit their love story and artist Matthew West writes a love song for the winner. While our love story was not submitted, I could swear this song was written for us. Here are the lyrics:

I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING
By MATTHEW WEST

HAD A PICTURE IN MY HEAD
OF HOW I THOUGHT IT OUGHTTA GO
BUT LOOK WHO SHOWED UP INSTEAD
TURNS OUT YOU NEVER KNOW
LOVE WILL STEAL YOU BY SURPRISE
TAKE YOUR HEART JUST LIKE A THIEF
LOVE CAN BRING A STUBBORN MAN
DOWN TO ONE KNEE

I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING
IT’S PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
SO CRAZY BUT IT’S WORTH IT
I’M WRAPPED AROUND YOU LIKE THIS RING
AND SOMETHING TELLS ME EVEN IF I COULD
I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING


LOVE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU LACK
LOVE WILL LAUGH AT ALL YOUR PLANS
AND IF YOUR HEART WON’T GIVE IT BACK
LOVE WILL SLIP RIGHT THROUGH YOUR HANDS
HEAVEN KNOWS WE’VE HAD OUR SHARE
OF DAYS WE’D RATHER LEAVE BEHIND
BUT LOVE DON’T REALLY SEEM TO CARE
IT MAKES THE WRONG TURNS TURN RIGHT

I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING
IT’S PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
SO CRAZY BUT IT’S WORTH IT
I’M WRAPPED AROUND YOU LIKE THIS RING
AND SOMETHING TELLS ME EVEN IF I COULD
I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING

I’M TRULY, DEEPLY, MADLY, COMPLETELY
DEVOTED EVERY MOMENT UNTIL MY LAST BREATH I’M YOURS

I GOT A PICTURE IN MY HEAD
A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW
ALL OUR LINES HAVE ALL BEEN READ
AND WE’RE BOTH UP THERE LOOKING DOWN

Our perfectly imperfect life together started over 15 years ago. We were in high school together. We spent endless hours when we were dating talking about how our life would be together and the family we would build. Of course, when people create these pictures, they are always "picture perfect." My picture perfect life was me and him being in love forever with our own family. The thing noone ever tells you about planning your picture perfect life is that this "picture" you have can't show what is around all of the corners of the windy road that gets you where you want to be. That windy road is not always an easy road, and it hasn't always been for us.

at our prom


But, I can still say that I have my picture perfect life. I have a wonderful husband who treats me like a princess on a daily basis. I NEVER wonder how he feels about me because he tells me constantly. If he could give me everything in the world, I have no doubt he would. Not because he thinks that is the only way I know he loves me, but because he would do anything to put a smile on my face. He makes me laugh until I cry. He is my best friend and I have no problem or complaint about spending all of my time with him. Fifteen years later, I am more certain now than I was then that he is THE ONE I want to be with for the rest of my life. I can definitely see us growing old together and it makes me excited about what is to come in our lives together.

And, I have a beautiful family! I have five wonderful and gorgeous kids. It can be a very frustrating job sometimes, but all of the other moments make all of the work worth it! I have the best job in the world and my hubby works extra hard so that I can stay home and be with them.

Sure, there are days we don't want to remember, but the days we do want to remember far outweigh and overshadow those. I am very lucky to have met the man I want to be with forever at an early age. Our life together will never be "perfect", but I can honestly say that I would not change anything we have gone through in the past. Those hardships are what got us where we are today. Each hardship made our love for each other stronger. Our love is perfectly imperfect and I wouldn't have it any other way!

First Valentine's Dance

Last night Caleb and I went to the Mother/Son, Father/Daughter Valentines Day Dance at school. I was not really sure what I was getting myself in to, but it was a good night! It started off with us going to the car to leave. When I walked outside, Caleb opened my door for me. He even let me get ALL THE WAY IN the car before he shut the door (I was kinda nervous for my foot/leg). When we got to the dance and we were getting out, I opened my door and he lectured me that HE was supposed to do that!

I never would have guessed how emotional it would be for me. I know, I sound crazy. But, other than Caleb's band concert the middle of December, this is the first time I have really seen him in the school setting since he started middle school. I caught myself by surprise. First off, we walk in and I see all of these Dads slow dancing with their daughters. That is enough sweetness to get anyone feeling sentimental! He just seemed so much older when we were in that room full of kids his age.



We walked around the dance for a few minutes, just checking things out. Then he went and fixed me a plate of fruit. As I am standing there eating my fruit, I really start looking at everyone there. The dance was "Sunday best" attire. Most of the boys and the parents were in their Sunday best, but I was pretty shocked by what the girls wear to church. It was looking a lot more like prom than a middle school dance! There are girls at all stages of development wearing strapless dresses, dresses that barely cover their bottoms, dresses that looked like second skin, etc. And some of the dancing going on....I wanted to throw my coat over my sons eyes and lead him out of the dance!

Okay, maybe it wasn't THAT bad! But it DID look more like prom and the girls were spending a lot of time pulling their strapless dresses back up where they are supposed to be! The dancing would not have been bad if the dresses were more bouncing friendly (they were REALLY short dresses). As a girl, I can understand the girls excitement of dressing up for a dance. It was funny listening to the girls complain about how uncomfortable their heels were! GET USED TO IT GIRLS!

The funniest part was seeing the MOM's that were in THEIR formal gowns! There were only a couple, but you had to wonder if they were living vicariously through their children or if this is really what they wore to church. Maybe all of these people wear formals to church every Sunday. If it is what they wear to church, I might want to visit their church from time to time. It would give me a reason to dress up!

Caleb spent over half of the dance by my side. He left several times and came back with cookies or cake or drinks or some kind of goodies for me. He didn't even get himself anything most of those times, he just got stuff for me. I kept telling him if he wanted to go find his friends he could (by this time most of the parents are on the sidelines and the kids are with their friends). He kept saying that was okay. After the third or fourth time of me telling him I didn't mind if he found his friends he says "This is a mother/son, father/daughter dance, not a friend dance." I got a HUGE smile, gave him a hug and didn't mention it again. After a while longer though, he took off. He would come back every now and again and check on me and see if I wanted anything.

He mentioned dancing on songs like "Whip My Hair" and the Cuban Shuffle. I sat those out and told him I would go for more of the slow dances. He wasn't around for most of those ;) He came up at the last song with a handful of M&M's. The song was "Butterfly Kisses". EVERYONE was dancing with their kids. I commented that he should be dancing with me, so he popped some candy in his mouth, put his arms around me (my arms and everything) and started swaying so hard that I almost fell over (with no hands available to catch myself with). Then he stopped, popped a few M&M's in his mouth, grabbed me the same way and "danced" the same way. He did this throughout the entire song.

When the dance was over and we left he said he was going to race me to the car and took off. He beat me to the car, but as he started to open his door he said "OH YEAH!" and ran to my door. On the way home he thanked me for coming with him and I thanked him for inviting me. Then he asked me if I would go with him next year :D

It really was fun to spend the evening with him. While him being in middle school is MUCH more real for me, as is the fact that he is growing up, I was reminded that teenagers today are still a lot like teenagers when I was one. It is still about being with your friends and having fun.

I am feeling better about when he starts to date, which he says will be NO later than the eighth grade (although he said he will have girlfriends before then). I was very impressed with his attentiveness and manners while we were out. I can only hope if he HAS to go out with girls, he treats them as well as he treated me last night! I felt proud that he has such a great father that treats me so well and teaches his children, by example, how to treat girls (and how to expect to be treated by boys in Mads case).

Hiking Pictures

Upside of Having Big Brothers....

When you get tired of hiking, someone will be willing to give you a ride. Sometimes, they will even CRAWL THROUGH THE WOODS with you on their back! Yes, having big brothers is great (just remember that when they are stealing your girlfriends and running off your boyfriends!)