25

I LOVE February.  Mostly because it is my birthday month.  :)  This past Tuesday I turned 25.  I could barely remember how old I was turning.  oops!  Not because I am SO old or anything, just because I feel like the numbers all start to run together after 21.  but thanks to being born in 1990 it is fairly easy for me to calculate my birthday just by looking at what year it is.

2015= 25  By the way wasn't it just 2005... crazy how fast time flies!

This year for my birthday I really tried to expect nothing.  I have tried this before too with little success, but this year I really did expect nothing.  McKay was working, we had just had a fun Valentines Day, he had already given me my present, and we both had church calling duties that night.  So I was planning on it being a VERY normal day, and thankfully I was ok with it!  Normally I am kinda depressed if I feel let down on my big day...

BUT McKay LOVES surprises.  He usually almost always pulls through on special occasions so I shouldn't have doubted.  The only thing about his surprises that drives me crazy is that he keeps it all SO secret.  As in he acts like it isn't even my birthday.  The night before we were talking about our plans and he did not say ONE thing about how he was excited or even acknowledge that it was my birthday!  So I had no idea what to expect... hence the idea to not expect anything.

Well Tuesday morning came and I woke up with the kids like normal.  When I went to make breakfast I found that McKay had already made us a blueberry breakfast cake before he went to work.  All I had to do was cook it and we all loved it!

After joyschool I took the kids to Cafe Rio for lunch.  I love that kids under six eat free there.  It was delicious!

Then late afternoon McKay showed up home early from work!  That NEVER happens since it is an 1 1/2 hour bus ride home from work.  I started getting excited!  Then he revealed that he had planned a surprise date night for us to celebrate my birthday.  He took the kids over to the neighbors house and He and I stayed home and had a fondue night with steak, sausage, and cheese sticks.  It was sweet and very enjoyable just being able to relax and enjoy being together.

 Here we are with the Fondue pot in the background.  :)  

After dinner He surprised me with another gift along with the new coat that he had already given me on Valentines day.  Cute leather earrings that I had had my eye on.  I love them!  He got them from Nickel and Suede. They are super light and I can barely tell that I have them on.

The last stop for the evening was a trip to my favorite cupcake shop for a birthday cupcake.  I love the Cocoa Bean and their cupcakes were the perfect way to end the night. 

Needless to say I was very happy with the way that my birthday turned out.  SO happy to be living the life that I am!  I especially love being these little ones mama!  

3 kids at 25 years old!  Crazy fun!  I recently heard this saying about motherhood to lots of little ones and I think it says my feelings perfectly... "Having 3 kids 3 and under isn't easy but it IS awesome.  Which is not the same thing as easy, but way better."  Happy Sunday everyone!  

  

   

Valentines Day 2015

Valentines day was on Saturday this year.  It made the day extra special since we were able to see each other more then just our usual few hours in the evening.

Instead we were able to start the morning off with a nice family breakfast.  McKay and I switched off cooking food and wrapping our gifts for each other (We are so last minute).  Once we sat down we had a very delicious meal of waffles, whipped cream, fruit smoothie, and bacon.  This meal is a staple around here.  We all love it!

Breakfast was such a sweet and relaxing time with the kids.  They were so excited about the holiday and loved all the wrapped presents and decorations.  When Adalyn saw McKay and I wrapping gifts for each other she decided to wrap some of their toys for Jensen and even made him a cute card to go with it.  They she do love each other!

  

This year I gave McKay some new Nike basketball shorts and he gave me a new coat (the coat was also for my birthday).  We gave Adalyn and Jensen each their first backpack.  They will be used for Church in sacrament meeting.    

Aren't they adorable!  I couldn't resist!  

Valentines evening was pretty hectic, but I was happy that we made the attempt to go on a date.  :)  Jesse and Natalie was in town so we planned a double date with them.  They were in town to clean some family's carpets (including ours) and some of the carpet jobs went a little longer then expected so we left on the date pretty late.  But it was fun none the less!  It reminded us of old times when we all were dating and newly weds.  Now planning fun nights out is a little more complicated with 5 kids involved!  

My sweet Valentine!

Mr. Declin came on our date too!  What a handsome little man!

We carried the Valentine's spirit over into Sunday too and all dressed in our Valentine's red for Church.  I sort of convinced the kids to pose for pictures with me.  Declin was asleep though so he didn't get in on the matching outfit photos...

Adalyn LOVED that her and I were matching (which made it worth it, normally I am not so into identical outfits... especially red outfits...)

I was sad that I didn't have Declin in the pictures so he and I wore matching white shirts after church... 

Sunday night Jesse, Natalie, and kids came over again and we had dinner and let the kids play.  1 bossy little girl and 4 busy boys!  It was so fun having them visit and sleepover!  

  

Valentines is such a fun holiday right in the middle of winter (although this year it felt like spring already).  I LOVE it!  

Family Dance Night

One Friday night in January we were trying to decide what we should do.  My first thought was just the standard friday night family movie with maybe a few treats left over from Christmas.  But then McKay came up with the idea of pretending to go to a ball and have a family dance party in the living room.  His idea was much better then mine.

Adalyn was in heaven with the whole family dressed up like Princess's and Princes.  She dresses up all day, everyday, so this time we decided to join her.  Declin slept through the party so it was just the older ones and mom and dad.  It was nice that we were able to give them our full attention for a change.

Jensen decided to be a princess instead of a prince... really it was Adalyn's idea.

Pretty princess!

Mommy dressed up in Corinne's old high school choir dress and Adalyn picked a tie out for daddy to wear.  We turned on the disney pandora station and danced the night away!  Daddy even set out a table with some snacks and we had a good laugh remembering all our awkward junior high and stake dances.  You know the ones where the boys would just hang around the food table and the girls would just hang around each other and giggle.

By the end we all had had a good workout and the kids were worn out!  A good time was definitely had by all.  Thanks Daddy for the fun night at home!  Of course Adalyn has asked several times since then if mommy would dress up so we may have to do it again someday.  :)   

Here was the final pose of the night!  Not very graceful so mommy did not join in on that one. What a fun daddy these kids have!