Visitors

We love visitors and February included lots of them.  Matt and Carrie came down over President's Day weekend because John had a soccer tournament in Mesquite.  It was fun to watch his games, hang out in Mesquite a bit, and play with cousins.  These four girls are so creative and love to play school, do makeovers, giggle, dance, sing, and be silly.

The boys love to play board games, video and computer games, go outside to shoot hoops, throw frisbees, and hit balls, go out to eat, and watch movies.  We started the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with them but Uncle Matt, Jake and I were the only ones to stay awake through the whole thing.  I love to take pictures of how they all fall asleep.  They look soooo uncomfortable!  But we have so much fun with them!

 Zach and Clark

 McKell, Carlee, and Katelyn (Megan was asleep on the floor in a pile of blankets and cushions)

John, Jacob, and Joe

The Chuggs visited the States for the last two weeks of February from Germany.  They spent some time in Utah, made a special trip to St. George and Las Vegas to visit friends, and then finished off their "holiday" back in Utah before the long flight back.  It was fun to see them and our children re-connected right where they left off two years ago.

 Everyone met at the park after school to let the kids play and get re-acquainted.  

The Chugg family spent lots of time in this park as they lived in this neighborhood.

 

Aspen, Mia, Hanna, Katelyn

 

Clark, Bridger, Jacob, and Carter

The Jakes

 After the park, we headed to Melissa's for pizza and games while the Chuggs visited more friends.  We played Scribblish, Spoons, and Headbandz.  It was a school night so we had to turn in earlier than the kids wanted.  There was lots of groaning and yawning on the way home.

 Jen took Aspen out of school for Thursday and Friday so she and Hanna met Katelyn and Mia at the school for lunch on Friday.  They had a great time seeing old friends and teachers.

Lauren, Sara, Audrey, Mia, Aspen, Summer, Alyssa, Mackenzie, Katelyn, Hanna

 We ran errands with Geneva after lunch (she had to load up on stuff to take back ;)) and then stopped at Missy's for lots of talking before picking our kids up from school.

 That evening the adults went out for dinner at Claim Jumper

(Yes, this picture was taken in the restroom's mirror)

 

The Girls (Jen, Missy, Geneva, Emily, Whitney, Kristen)

 The Guys (Jared, Darin, Kirk, Doug, Casey, Joe)

 We sure have a good time together.

We then went back to the Thorntons where Emily had prepared a special dessert extravaganza.  

She is quite the hostess and entertainer.  Love this girl!

And while the parents were enjoying a quiet evening out, the kids were enjoying a rambunctious night in!

 The older girls slept at Mia's

 The older boys slept at our house

 Wesley, Jacob, Carter, Clark

And the younger kids were spread out between the Swaseys and Whites to keep everybody safe and calm.  We had a wonderful visit with the Chugg family and wish them well on their exciting travels through Europe and the best of luck on their next military stop.  Thanks for taking the time to visit and we hope to see you again soon!

Basketball

Both of our boys played basketball this season.  Clark was on the Phenoms team and did a great job.  He was one of the three shortest players on his team but he held his own and had some great shots and baskets.  He LOVES playing basketball and had so much fun this season.

 

Much to his reluctance, Jake also played basketball.  He had a hard time getting into the season and loving basketball because he is "a soccer player".  I signed him up to play and he wasn't that thrilled.  However, Jacob never quit or had a bad attitude and did end up learning a few things.  At the end-of-season awards, Jacob received the distinguished "Sportsmanship Award" for his team.  That was a great surprise and he was excited.

A Lovely Week

We had a really great week full of celebrations for Valentine's Day.  I absolutely love Valentine's Day because we enjoy it as a whole family.  Joe and I don't really get into it for each other (because every day is Valentine's Day for us :)) but we really enjoy doing "love"ly things with the kids.  And it seems like everyone is extra nice, helpful, and loving to each other.  It is such a fun holiday!

Monday night for Family Home Evening, I thought it would be fun to Heart-Attack each other.  I cut out 150 pink hearts and we all wrote down things and qualities that we love about each other to stick on our bedroom doors and read during the entire month.  

When I was planning FHE that afternoon, Carlee asked why I was cutting out all those hearts and what our lesson was.  I told her that we were going to have a heart attack for Family Home Evening. 

She got a really scared look on her face and said, "I don't want a heart attack!"  

I asked, "Why?  It'll be fun.  You'll love it."  

She said, "No.  It won't.  I don't want it."

I replied, "Carlee, why?  We are doing it all together as a family.  You'll like it."

She answered back with a few tears in her eyes, "No!  They are scary and they hurt."

I then gave her a hug and explained that it was an attack of paper hearts with kind things written on them about why we love each other.  

She then got excited, gave me a squeeze and said, "Oh!  Okay!  That sounds fun.  But I won't tell the kids." (She did end up telling the kids because she can NOT keep secrets!)

When Joe came home from work and asked what we were doing for Family Home Evening, Jake told him that I had planned something about Heart Burn.  These kids are too funny!

These are some of the things that were written on the hearts . . .

Dad:
Kind * Awesome * I love you * Supportive * Play with us * Brilliant * Money-maker *Make up and do fun activities and games * Protect our family * Make deals with us * You have good jokes and make me smile * Teach me * You love to eat good food * Are so in love with me no matter what * Fun * Love sports * Hard worker * Get money and work so that we have what we have * Dedicated to our family * Forever mine

Mom:
Love me * Raise me * Teach the family * Organized * Clean for us * Best mom ever *Beautiful, kind, and amazing * Eternal companion * Role model and leader * Wonderful mom * Caring * Great teacher * Understanding wife * Protect the family * Give us food * Clean, drive me places, and more * I like how you go shopping * You do all the work * Take care of us * Always stop to help me * Make our lives awesome

Clark:
Kind * Caring * Epic * Teach me * Give me "Fabu" ideas * Teach me about sports * Protect me * Love sports and theater * Have good style * Make good cookies * Smart * Good example to follow * Play with me * Great sense of humor * Confident * Worthy priesthood holder * Good speaker * You have cool stuff * Good actor

Katelyn:
Intense * Peacemaker * Good reader * Worthy example * Beautiful * Caring * Sensitive to others' feelings * Play with me * Best helper * Pretty * Loving * Good singer * Help us get all the work done * Make yummy food * Play with me and my friends even though we are little * Responsible and Dependable * Help me with things * Good actress * Kind * Good friend * Smart * Solve problems * You let me sleep with you * Crazy, silly giggle

Jacob:
Athletic * Help me read * Rocks at math * Habe nis clos (Have nice clothes) * Epic * Leader * Smart * Sweet and cuddly * Fun energy * Handsome like your Dad * Play with me * Wrestle good * Love the Angels * Make me smile * Responsible * aer nise (are nice) * Smart * Thoughtful * Best sound effects ever * Secretly a good singer and dancer * Loves slap-stick comedy * Sense of humor

Carlee:
Always yourself * Hang out with me * Fun * Beautiful * Love when you read with me * Cute * You like the Angels, Ravens, and BYU because I do * Willing to lend a helping hand * Cool little sister * Play good and are fair * Smart * Fun * Awesome * Draw pictures for me * Sense of style is sweet like syrup * My buddy * Creative and Imaginative * Independent * Say cute and funny things * Great helper * Loving * Many talents

On Tuesday, I had to run some errands so Carlee and I picked up some Valentine cookies while I was at Wal-mart and then Carlee had the brilliant idea of buying Slurpees while we were at the post office in the 7-11.  We surprised the kids with this treat when they got home from school.  And they loved it!

When homework, piano and guitar lessons were done, the kids started making Valentines for their classmates.  Carlee chose to make butterfly suckers for the girls and glowstick light-saber Lego guys for the boys.  Jake gave everybody in his class two Kool-Aid packets, and Katelyn was the over-achiever in making iPod Touches.

Clark was a sweetheart helping Carlee get hers together since he is too old for this now.

On Valentine's Day, the kids awoke to a surprise in their mailboxes and delicious pink heart pancakes with strawberries, chocolate chips, and whipping cream for breakfast.  Happy Valentine's Day!

The girls got a cute charm necklace and the boys got Nerf FireVision bouncy balls.  Everyone got chocolates and candy and notes in their mailboxes.  Joe was out of town all week for fellowship interviews but I slipped a box of chocolates in his suitcase before he left.  And another funny story about this with Carlee . . .

While we were shopping at Target the same day as the Slurpees and cookies (it was a long afternoon of errands), Carlee picked up a box of chocolates and said, "You should get this for Dad for Valentine's Day.  He really loves chocolate."  I told her that I had already got him something.  She looked at me in surprise, "You did?  Wow!  You are a good mom to Dad.  Well . . . you are to me too.  And the rest of the kids.  And our whole family." 

That afternoon, Carlee had playgroup with her carpool friends so I went into Katelyn's class for their Valentine's party.  Since I am Mrs. Montgomery's "room mom/party planner", I decided to do Valentine's Minute-to-Win-It games.  And they were a hit.  So easy to plan, purchase, and execute.  The kids loved it!

Candy Corn Stick-Up: Bite off ends of candy corn and stand them up around the edge of paper plate.

Heart-A-Stack: Stack conversations hearts in a tower

Alyssa won for her group

Mrs. Montgomery is the "official timer" and explained the rules for the Heart-a-Stack

Katelyn and Malina were concentrating hard.  Jessen was excited when his tower fell.

Toss Your Hearts: Toss big heart marshmallows into paper cups

 

 

M&M Suck-up: Suck M&M's to end of straw and transfer them to a cup

McKay, Summer, and Mia

Heart Pick-up: Pick up gummy hearts with chopsticks and transfer them to a bowl

Love Note in a Balloon:  All the kids wrote a love note to someone and placed it in the balloon.  Then they delivered the balloon to that special someone.

And Katelyn and Sara got a hold of my camera on the drive home . . .

For dinner I ordered heart-shaped pizzas (they accidentally brought me two!) to go along with our strawberry-banana heart kabobs, roasted potatoes, sugar cookies, and Shirley Temple drinks.  It was a yummy Valentine's Day dinner.

I very rarely make sugar cookies because they always over-cook or look deformed.  I tried a new recipe and a couple of tips from friends that are sugar cookie pros and they actually turned out all right!  I was so excited.  And they were yummy too!  I think that I will make these more often.

Happy Valentine's Day!!