Playing in the Snow!!

Saturday after Andrew was off we had a quick lunch and then went to my parents to play in the snow. It had snowed all morning so there was some fresh stuff, it wasn't very wet snow though so it was hard to build a snowman. My mom had some girl snow clothes for Ella. Andrew and I have snow pants we bought like 6 years ago we never had used, mine still had the tags on them! The kids had so much fun! I don't know why we haven't done this more this winter. Since the day we got here in December the ground has been covered in snow, so we haven't seen the grass in two months! We really should have done it more because my kids and I are really feeling cooped up! We are used to spending time outside all year long in Memphis, with the exception of a few days! We are ready to spend more time outside again! Easton can see the playground in our neighborhood from his changing table and asks daily if we can go slide!

 I told them to get dad and it then backfired on me as the next few pictures show, they all attacked me and knocked me to the ground! It was so much fun and just what we all needed to get all our energy out!

Tent and Tunnel

We got this tent/tunnel thing for free with some Kohls cash from Christmas and got it out the other day. It was Andrew's day off so he had a blast playing in it as well! :) The kids love it and I love that it can be taken down and made small to store again! Ella wanted to pretend to be asleep in these I guess, she actually did have a nap in it later in the day which was so much fun for her she was so excited!

 And then Andrew thought he would be the cool guy and crawl through the tunnel and get stuck, it was funny!

Silly kids

Sometimes trying to get out the door is such a challenge. Last week I was trying to get to the grocery store before the end of the morning but no one was working with me! Easton just wanted to sit in this crate and eat cheerios and Ella just wanted to be a princess! Just getting shoes on can be annoying! But we eventually make it to the car and we get on our way!

 This is a typical Easton face!

She insisted on wearing her dress to the store with the headband and it wasn't a battle I chose to fight so to the store we went with all of it! Of course the headband was in my bag before we even walked in the store because she was done with it!

Valentine's Day!!!

 Our Valentine's Day was relaxing and fun. It was Andrew's day off which was great! We started off by going to my Grandma's to heart attack her and to pick up our chocolates from the day before. I of course forgot the hearts from us but my sister had enough plus my grandma came home right as we got there. I just love this picture of the kids with her!

I really wanted to do the candy trail again with a little something at the end and to heart attack their door but I was so tired the night before from dipping chocolates and just didn't have it together so it didn't happen but I still wanted to do something so while they were eating dinner I just cut a few out and taped them to their beds with a two books and a box of sweethearts. It was perfect and they loved it! I still want to keep my other tradition going but if I can't this will work!

For dinner we got a heart shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's. It was perfect for us. We were glad to not fight crowds and it is all we needed just to spend time together. We watched Hotel Transylvania with the kids while we ate our dinner! I just love my little family and love telling them each day what they mean to me!

We also made and delivered Valentine's to Grandma and Grandpa Pond and hope to deliver Grandma and Grandpa Brown's this week when they are in town! Earlier in the week we made sugar cookies together and delivered them to our siblings. It was such a fun week!

Making Chocolates

My Grandma asked us a while back if we wanted to learn how to make and dip chocolates. We decided we wanted to learn and decided Valentine's would be a great time to make some for our husbands. The day before Valentine's Day we went over to my Grandma's for the adventure. It isn't easy to do with a 3, 2, and 1 year old! We got to work but not before my grandma took my kids out to play in the snow. She had a ton of snow since she lives on the bench, she had over a foot still! The kids loved it! Sadly we hadn't really played in it at all this winter, we just don't have the right clothes yet. She found them some gloves and they had so much fun. We had to force them inside for lunch! They warmed up with some yummy broccoli cheese soup, Ella had 2 bowls, I guess I will be making it soon!

 Jack wasn't happy that he couldn't go outside with the cousins!

 Before and while we ate lunch we all learned how to make different fondants and flavor and color them how we would like. We then got to work wrapping the cherries in it and then dipping everything else! We made chocolate cherries, orange creams, and mint creams! They turned out yummy and not to bad looking for first timers!

 

My grandma told us we just have to get our hands in it and get messy! It was fun to learn and I am grateful she would take a whole day to show us and teach us!

 Orange Creams

 Chocolate Cherries - Ella loves these when we give her one she always wants another! She wanted them for breakfast every morning because she could see them so we hid them so they aren't a temptation for breakfast anymore! Easton just wants the cherry!

Valentine's Activities

I had big plans for February. I had a list of fun crafts and activities to do with the kids. It started out great but then I got sick and was out of commission for almost a week and so we had two days in all that we did something. We did this craft, I cut out a big heart and then had ripped up some pink and red card stock and put some glue all over their hearts and let them at it. They really like doing this so we might have to do it for other holidays or just for fun!

 When they got done with that they wanted markers, so I found my dry erase markers and some coloring pages that were laminated and let them color. They did really good and didn't get any marker on themselves just on the counter, but thankfully it comes off!

Easton

The other day I hear Easton and he says bye mom and I hear him walking to the door. I go look and he had gone and found a pair of my heals and was ready to leave with them on. This will be funny to look at 12 years from now!

Super Bowl

We had my family over for the Super Bowl. We made lots of yummy food. We had Spinach Queso dip, Bacon wrapped little smokies (to die for, seriously so good!), regular little smokies, Fruit, veggie tray, and lots of treats! We were all so full but it all tasted so good! It was fun to have family over and the guys enjoyed the game!

The kids were being so cute eating their cookies!

 

 Ella is into this take my picture with you in it thing, she is a sweetheart!

Last week we went to my Grandma's house again. We love spending time with her and it is nice to not be at our house for a change! I love that my kids can get to know my grandma and that she gets to know my kids! We had an enjoyable day and the kids played great, except the few times Easton and Jack get in the same room together and go at it with each other! 

I love this picture of them! They do like each other most of the time!

 

My Grandma and Ella making bread! Ella loves to go and help her, and she loves that she lets her make her own little loaf!

 

She made us scones again for us for lunch! They are so yummy!

 

The kids had fun eating on the gingerbread house again! It was hilarious to watch all three of them trying to eat it! Then Jack decided he had had enough and knocked it over and it was toast!