Valentine's Boxes

I love projects.

I do not love messes.

I love my girls.

I do not love their mess.

I decided to be a cool mom Friday afternoon, and this is what we made with potato stamps, red, pink, and white paint, cereal boxes, and craft paper:

Turns out it was a success!

Even little Shorty here got into the action even though she couldn't see anything going on above her. But . . . she had important business to attend to.

Lil' Scrumptious.

2011 Catch - Up: Christmas with the Purdys

It was so nice for us this past Christmas to have Nate and April's family in town, and we were able to have most of the cousins together! What fun! (We missed you, Henry and Gunnar.)

We met at Grammy and Grandpa Bear's chapel for church, and then we headed back to their house for our traditional Christmas Day omelets. This tradition dates back to when Grandpa Jerry was mayor of Kaysville, UT, and he would invite everyone in the town, it seems, ( . . . am I getting this story right? Was it when he was the Davis High principal or football coach?. . .) for omelets.

The Purdy boys are master-chefs, and they are always the cooks. The women love this tradition so much, maybe this is why it has lasted for so long! It was so good, but I have to say that the white chocolate-covered Bugles that Kenda brought were a very close second!

This was the best photo we could get.

My lovebug.

Miss Choobies loved her new "American Girl Doll." Santa was so good to her!

At one point in the evening, all was still, and just about everyone in the room was playing on one electronic gadget or another.

Raleigh and Madeline are mastering Angry Birds.

Not sure what Emery is mastering . . .

. . . or Choobers and Calvin.

We also had an afternoon/evening with Nate and April and their kids and my parents at our house. Here's our gingerbread girl getting excited for her guests:

She was so cute that Choobers kept pushing her over. Have you ever seen something so cute that you just want to push it over? Maybe not? Well, that's how Choobers responds. It is not so endearing.

Madeline is everyone's cuddlebug.

I think James and Emery look similar.

See that cute little head right there? It houses the genius brain of Calvin Purdy. I am not kidding when I say that Nate and April's kids are going Ivy League! They are little geniuses. April might beg to differ, arguing that they are "just boys" and play "the way boys do," but this is my blog, so I get the last say! She is WRONG! They are smarty-pants. And not to mention cutie pies.

Choobers and Calvin hit it off and had quite the gigglefest.

And Emery made a new buddy: her Uncle Nate! She kept wanting him to hold her, which was expecially cute because she is a Mama and Daddy's girl, and she's reached the phase of stranger-anxiety. Nate, you are a superstar!

The buddies. More 2011 Catch-Up to come.

Grammy Turns 29 Again!

My mom's birthday always seems to sneak up on us . . . less than a week after Christmas . . . and it never really feels like the real celebration it should be. This year we were lucky enough to have Nate & April and their kids in town, so it felt more like a party! All we did was spend time together, which was memorable and made all of us feel happy.

We roasted marshmallows in the fireplace.

We sat and talked.

We climbed on Nate.

We made new buddies.

We showed off our utter cuteness.

We told fish stories. (His was THIS BIG, I'm sure.)

We cuddled with the birthday girl.

We told more fish stories.

And more.

And we got to sing to and eat pumpkin spice cake with this beautiful lady!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2011 Catch - Up: Raleigh's 9th Birthday

Raleigh's biggest wish for her birthday was to wake up in the morning and come down the stairs to a party all ready and waiting for her.

We made her stay upstairs until about 10 am when we were finally finished making the pancakes from scratch, etc., etc.! She wanted a "rock climbing" theme for her party, so we turned it into a "Raleigh Rocks" party. We even played games with rocks. A little bit goes a long way, and she loved it.

Here is the party in pictures:

We had her cake later in the day, and Grandpa Bear showed up without even knowing it was her birthday! He came right in time for yumminess.

She loved her new bike and her new boots! And we sure love Raleigh. She spices up our lives with her creative energy and pizazz and her fun sense of humor. We love receiving her special notes and watching her grow. She has a great and active mind, and she'll do much good in the world. Happy Birthday, Raleigh!