Happy Valentine's Day!

We have been non stop over here with valentines stuff. (We started off with heart shaped bacon)

To be honest, I really didnt have high hopes about valentines day. I mean, I thought it would be fun to do the actual valentines, and I like it and all, but Jeff and I dont do much and I just didnt feel that into it.  I was ready for the usual meltdowns after the candy high and not wanting to function after it all wore off, but since I kept the sugar going pretty much all day, it never got too bad.  (My parenting skills are out of this world, I know.)  And it ended up being one of my favorite holidays this year! (I mean, it has been really the only one besides MLK day, but still, top two til at least fourth of july.)

First Isla sent us these fantastic badges that we all wear and ben sleeps in.  Then we hung up some garland from aves' heart party to get a little festive.  Then on wednesday we had Ben and Sassy's school parties and they were just so cute.  They made love potions, passed out candy, sang Jesus loves me, made flowers;  it was just adorable. Then we all got to go to Avery's on thursday and that was just as fun.  They made homemade cotton candy and sno cones! And crafts! (Oh my!)

I didnt know if my kids would be valentinesed out after school, but they were so great and just on it.  Aves is just so fun to make stuff with and she gets so into it right along with me.  I just love it.

We labeled these tins that I got at michael's for a dollar with everyone's names on them and then filled out little notes about what we love about each other (My favorite thing to do with you is _____, etc)

And they loved it.  We read them after dinner and avery made us go around and read all of ours twice.  And she is my child who doesnt care too much for words.  She doesnt like attention of any kind (unless she is performing on a stage) and does not like words of affirmation much.  But this she just loved.  She would read what each person wrote and then go hug them after each one.  And when we read ours and got to ones she had written, she would hug us after we read it.  Just melted my heart.  and my tear ducts. SO much fun.
Then she spent the whole entire night texting everyone she loves (grandparents, uncles and aunts) and was just beside herself. She texted them all happy valentines day and when they texted her back she would run over and show me.  Or wait with baited breath for them to respond.  It was so sweet.  I am so thankful for an amazing family who texted back nonstop and just made her night.  Love you guys.
Jeff and I ended the night with recorded revenge and community. I'd say it was a hit. 

Ella and McKenna's class Valentines

Kristen (aka the Valentine creative genius) came up with another fantastic idea for a Valentine and I jumped on it! My girls love to wear sunglasses so it was just perfect. I ordered the glasses from Amazon and they are great quality at a great price. Here is a link to the animal print ones I ordered for McKenna's class and here is a link to the ones for Ella's class. If you are a prime member you could get them by the 13th, just in time for Valentines!

I just made two slits on the sides of their face and poked the glasses through. 

Hope your futures so bright, you gotta wear shades.

Music Monday

Just a little of my music that I am listening to this morning.

1. Alabama Shakes- Hold on.  

2.  Up Up Up- The Givers

3.  A Team- Ed Sheeran

4.  Cowboy Boots- Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (and anything by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.  Love all of it.)

5.  This too shall pass- OK GO

6.  Colours- Group Love

7.  Head full of Doubt- Avett Brothers

8.  I will wait- Mumford

9.  Man on Fire- Edward Sharpe

10. I love the rain the most- Joe Purdy

11.  Cups- Anna Kendrick

12.  Promises, Promises- Incubus

Bubbles and the best burger ever!

Bubbles is one of those things I go on phases with. I do the same thing with play-doh and puzzles. Cleaning up sticky bubbles, dried out pieces of play-doh and searching everywhere for that dang puzzle piece. I get so tired of it that I refuse to buy or make more of all the above. Well, I'm back on the bubble phase and loving it. 

I saw a pin on pinterest that said "industrial strength, un-popable."  It sounded too good to be true. And it was. Definitely not un-popable, not even close actually. But, it was better than the store bought kind. The bubbles did seem to be stronger which made bubble blowing much easier for McKenna. She usually blows too hard that the bubble pops before it is even formed. 

The recipe is 

6 cups of water, 

1 cup corn syrup,

 2 cups regular strength Joy dish soap. 

We started with bubble wands but then wanted the bubbles to be bigger. I goggled how to make a big bubble wand and after two attempts with string and straws, I gave up. 

I was searching through the house for something that might work and grabbed a mason jar lid to test out. 

It ended up being the perfect bubble wand. 

Just when I thought my love for mason jars couldn't get any bigger.

Now onto the best burger ever. For real. 

I made these for the super bowl and they are now a family favorite. The recipe is of course from Our Best Bites. 

Ella's DIY purse!

After seeing Kristen teach Avery how to sew with a needle and thread, Ella and I were inspired. Ella has always said she wants to sew with my machine but I don't think we are to that level yet. A dull embroidery needle sounded much more doable. 

Ella sewed two pieces of fabric together like a pro. She wanted to keep her hand directly under the spot the needle would come through so I had her lay it on the couch and push the needle through the fabric and couch. Maybe not the best way to teach, but it was a great solution to not poking herself every time. 

She then sewed on a handle and wa-la! A new purse!

She was so proud!

She has carried it out a few times and it is still in one piece. Way to go Ella!