February

The first weekend in February my parents braved taking our kids for the weekend!  They went to the temple in Twin Falls on a Thursday morning and I met them there with the kids that afternoon and they took them back with them!  Michael and I hardly knew what to do with ourselves having a whole weekend without them! We ate out for dinner almost every night I think we just played around in Idaho Falls and went to places we've wanted to go but didn't want to stop with the kids. It was a very relaxing weekend!  Thank you Mom and Dad!  I met them back in Twin Fall on Monday afternoon.  We met at the new Cafe Rio there for lunch.  We happened to run into my friend and High School Tennis Doubles partner Christy!  It was so fun and random to see here there! After that my parents checked in to a hotel there so they could go to the temple again Tuesday morning and we got to use the pool for a bit before we headed back to IF.

Other than that fabulous weekend our February was pretty ordinary.  We played at the house, celebrated Valentine's Day, etc.

Me being a super awkward dork in downtown IF.  This skateboard bench is right outside a restaurant and people were watching me...so you think I would have been motivated to do a cooler pose, but nope it just made me more awkward!

Two of our favorite places in one building!  The Daylight Donuts was just opening next door so they brought free donuts in to everyone eating at Cafe Rio.  Perfect dessert!

I made these reversible capes for the kids for valentine's day.  Kind of random I know for V-Day, but I was going to make them for Christmas, but decided to wait for V-Day!

I was please with how the logos turned out.  I thought for sure they weren't going to work, but they did!

New sunglasses!  Gotta love the $1 section at Target!

Carter's are especially rad!

Emory tried to hard to stay awake for her friend Lia to come over to play, but passed out on the floor about 5 minutes before they go there!

Just looking cute in her favorite spot to pose for pictures!

Valentine's Day table set for breakfast (cinnamon rolls, they were supposed to be heart shaped, but that didn't work out as planned)!

"Heart Attack!"

Playing in their new capes.

Carter singing his name on all of his Valentine's for preschool.

We made several pinterest projects/treats, but this is the only ones I took pictures of. Multi-colored crayon hearts.  Carter took these for his preschool with notes that said "I hope you have a "colorful" Valentine's Day!"

I just love these pictures of Emory concentrating so hard on her coloring!

Emory being silly with her baby doll carseat.

January...Project Month

As the title suggest, January was project month for me.  We switched the kids bedrooms around and I made a playhouse that goes over our kitchen table, and I tried a few new recipes.  That is only 3 things, but I don't usually do projects so 3 makes for a project month for me! :) 

We looked into moving in November/December because our contract was up and we REALLY want a yard.  We were very close to moving into one that had a basement playroom and a fenced yard and a garage.  All 3 things we don't currently have and would LOVE.  We ultimately decided we should stay put. When I was sitting there filling out the application Michael got a call to meet with the Stake Presidency and got called into the Elder's Quorum.  That also played a major role in our deciding to stay here. Kind of a big sign when we wondered if we should stay or go.  Especially when we will probably/hopefully only be here for one more year.  Anyway this all has a point.  After deciding not to move I was really bummed about not having that playroom.  One morning while I was getting ready it dawned on me that we should put the kids in one room and make the other room a playroom!  BEST IDEA EVER!  I can't explain to you (2 readers :) how much better our lives are because of this simple change.  For the previous 2-3 months prior to this change Carter was coming into our room almost nightly.  That stopped with this change too. Here are some pictures of the new room set-ups and the other projects and fun things we did in January.

One angle of the new playroom. Everything has a place so the kids are good about cleaning up and putting things away. I LOVE that I can get things done while they play in their playroom for hours.

The closet in the playroom.

Carter looks thrilled in this picture I know.  The reading area and little project table of the playroom.

Emory's side of the new shared room. This was her room before.  The playroom was Carter's.

Carter's side of the shared bedroom.

The Bedroom closet.  I was SO happy that the changing tables fit in the closet.  The closets in our place are fabulous . If we have to be in an apartment for now at least all the rooms have walk-in closets!

Here is the playhouse I made to fit over our table.  I was rather pleased with how it turned out.  I got the idea from my friend Miriam.  Here's is much cuter and has some fun things on the inside too, but I am pleased with how this project turned out.  Especially since I just started sewing not too long ago.

This is the garden, but I hadn't made vegetables yet. There are carrots, potatoes, etc. that go in  little pockets in the brown section at the bottom in this picture. The apples velcro on an off so they can "pick" the apples.

I made a mail slot.  I think that is oddly enough the kids' favorite part.  The flowers all velcro too.

So, this is super random, but funny.  Carter wrote this and brought it too me one day.  It says obviously phonetically "Who tooted? Emory Carter"

These 2 pictures I took of the kids and sent them to my Mom via text with the message "2 kids, generally sweet and always cute available for pick-up or delivery."  We were in desperate need of a little break from our kids.  Previous to this we had only spent one night away from our kids and that was when we came to look for our apartment here.  So not the most relaxing night away.  The pictures worked though!  My Mom said sure!  So a couple weeks later we met in Twin Falls on a Thursday evening and dropped them off.  We met back up on Monday to switch them back.  It was so great.  THANKS GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!  Carter has asked "remember that time Emory and I went to Boise Grandma and Grandpa's without you.  Can we do that again?"  He's also asked if I could drop them off with Texas Grandma and Grandpa for a few days and then come and pick them back up....that sadly isn't nearly as convenient!

This picture just cracks me up!  She put her headband on herself and then started making funny faces and this is what I captured. I seriously laugh right out loud every time I see it!

I told you this winter was mild!  We even got to feed the ducks a few times in January and February!

Emory sadly fell asleep on the way there.  She was pretty bummed...so we had to go back the next day when she was awake.

My first ever homemade pizza.  It was pretty good.  Not worth the hassle though really when we can get Little Caesar's  for $5 and there is no work involved.  It was fun though and we have made it again...just not going to put it in as a permanent replacement for our pizza nights. (I am the only one who likes olives on my pizza...that's why they aren't covering the whole pizza...just fyi.)

Just a random picture of Carter, but when I saw it he just looked so grown up to me!

Holidays in Boise

We headed over to Boise for the holidays.  We were planning to be there Friday-Friday, but we ended up staying through Sunday because we all got sick and didn't get to do much for a few days.  We all got coughs and pink eye....lovely.  I told you before someone or all of us were sick it seemed from October-February. We had Christmas Eve at my brother Gregg's house.  Great food and a nice little Christmas Program. Sunday we went to Church at my parents ward and then my other siblings and their families came over to open their presents and enjoy the afternoon.  During the week we just mostly rested since we were sick. Then we all went back out to Gregg's for New Year's Eve for fondue and basketball in the barn! 

This is where it all began.  Ever since this moment Carter has been obsessed with snakes!  He pulled Michael in with him and I will probably be the not so proud owner of a pet snake in the next month.  They are kind of cool to look at, but I'm still not loving holding them too much. I have been fighting it...but I think I've finally surrendered. Anyway, this is Brock's pet bull snake he found on their property and took it in.

The Christmas program with the cousins.  Kami does does such a great job with this program. It is the perfect mix of fun and the real meaning of Christmas.  

Each of her kids play the piano so well and did little numbers. 

Emory and I enjoying the show.

Two of my sister Emily's boys played their violins too.

Carter felt left out so Kami was kind enough to help him play a song and then he wanted to play on his own too.  Silly boy.

After the program we had quite a treat bar! I LOVED how happy Mack was about all he picked out. 

Christmas morning.

Emory had to put on her dress right then.

My Dad got he and my Mom some Nerf guns because at Gregg's house they have TONS of  Nerf guns and he thought they should be prepared to defend themselves. 

Carter and Emory liked playing with Grandpa's Christmas Train.

Emory's first real pigtails.

This was a fun surprise on my phone. Grandpa and Emory must have been playing with it.