Valentine's drawer and love notes!

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about when Tommy was this age...

It was about 5 or 6 years ago when Tommy was about 5. After filling out valentine's cards for his classmates, Tommy decided to give the leftover valentines to Mark. I can't fully recall all the details, but I'm guessing that after seeing Mark's excitement for those cards, Tommy began drawing pictures for him. He asked Mark where to put them and I believe Mark told him to put them in a special place. Tommy found a drawer in our bathroom that wasn't being used at that time and he designated it as the "Valentine Drawer." For the few months, Tommy continued making cards, and after showing them to Mark, he would put them in the "Valentine drawer." The drawer filled up quickly with Tommy's creations. This went on for months until one day it stopped and the drawer was rarely opened.

I've done a lot of spring cleaning in my house over the years, cleaning out closets and drawers, but that drawer remains untouched. There's no way I would think of emptying out that drawer.

I opened it today to take some pictures.

Here are the original valentines

And there were a lot of drawings.

This envelope was still taped closed

So I opened it and found this

There was even a paper from Rachel
It seems like yesterday that Tommy was putting those papers in that drawer, and it makes me sad to do this post and realize it really was a long time ago, time is taking my little kids away from me! At that time Megan was only a little baby, not even one.

And that brings me to the reason I have been thinking a lot about when Tommy was five. Megan is now that age.
and now she is the one making the "love notes." She is making love notes for me and Mark from sun up till sun down.

Her little craft table is always a mess with papers, crayons and scissors.

There are cards and notes everywhere I turn! In my car...

in my books...
on my fridge, and all over my counters...EVERYWHERE!
A couple weeks ago, I was tired having cards all over the place and I knew I couldn't throw them out or it would kill Megan so we designated a "Valentine's Folder."
It is FULL of LOVE!
And there is not a chance in the world that I will ever clear out that folder!
These notes are priceless!
Who ever said Valentine's Day only has to last for one day!

Today

We had a fun day together. The kids had the day off from school (Founder's Day) and Mark had the day off too.
We went to Town Square.
We shopped, played at the park, ate lunch and saw a movie.
The boys saw The Lightening Thief.
The girls and I saw Tooth Fairy.
We were the only ones in the Theater.
Didn't have my camera, but we took SILLY pictures in the photo booth.


I sure LOVE family time! I wish we had more of it!

Field Trip

When Jessica told her brothers where she was going on her field trip, they laughed. She told them that she was going to the library and the grocery store. They said, "Who goes to a grocery store for a field trip?" Well, I've been to plenty of field trips and this one was probably my favorite for a few reasons.

The lady who read the books was amazing! She was so good with the kids and they had such a great time.

What kid doesn't love the library?

And the GROCERY STORE!!!! It was perfect! First of all it was inside so it wasn't too hot or too cold like a lot of field trips.

It was all about food so it kept all the kids interested.

There were samples....LOTS of samples. They had wheat bread, chocolate milk, turkey and a cup of fresh cut up fruit.

The kids didn't have to stay in one place too long. There was a lot of walking and moving from one place to the other.

The kids got a bag full of snacks and other things to take home.

Later that day, my friend who still has three kids at home told me, "Oh, you're such a good mom to go on the field trip." I'm sure she said that because we have been friends for a long time and she knows that I haven't always been the mom on most of the field trips for my older kids. I have missed out on field trips because I've had younger kids at home. But that is no longer the case. I think I've been on every one of Jessica's field trips. Not because I'm trying to be a good mom, but because that's what I do now. She is my last and I'm enjoying every second of being with her and experiencing mothering a young child. I know I'm going to miss it someday. Even thinking about it makes me miss it!

This weekend...

Cousins were here again (different cousins). While we were at Tom's basketball game with the boys, Rachel and her two girl cousins dressed up Megan and Jessica, did their hair, make-up and nails.
and then did a photo shoot. I came home to find all these pictures on my camera.

I think they did a great job!

Last night we played the "penny on the flour" game.

Rachel lost....she had to get the penny out with her teeth.
Everyone was jealous, they wanted to stuff their faces in the flour. And that's when the madness started!





Tommy went a little overboard. He LOVED covering his face in the flour. He said it felt good. A flour facial, I guess.
And then we were all cracking up as he posed for us.
But getting it off wasn't as easy as he thought it would be.
Next time we will try a game that is less messy!

Cougars (in Vegas)

I know, it seems like I'm always posting basketball pictures. But, it's the only sport the boys are wanting to play right now so they play in different leagues almost all year. Each season I fall in love with the team and don't want to forget them. Well, it's almost the end of the season on the Cougar's team. And I REALLY love this team!

His coach has been amazing! He has helped every boy progress so much this season. He builds them up, but he expects A LOT! He is exactly what the back of his shirt says, a COMPETITOR! He wants to win!

He has really turned Tommy into a COMPETITOR! Tommy has become so much more aggressive this year! He REALLY wants the ball!



I think he got his dad's speed


and especially his jumps
One more game and then the Tournament.... Good luck Cougars!

Mating Socks...

one of the things I dislike most. I don't have a problem with them in the summertime because Mark is the only one who wears socks the rest of us wear flip-flops. But in the winter, there's just too many socks. A few months ago, the socks started piling up (I threw them in a basket after they came out of the dryer) and I gave up. When anyone wanted a pair of socks they had to dig through the basket. (I know, such a terrible wife/mom!) Last week Mark got tired of it and took it upon himself to mate the socks.
I don't think he had any idea of what he got himself into when he started. I can't even tell you how many socks there were! But it wasn't all bad....he got to watch the BYU game while doing it!
It must have taken him the whole game to go through that basket.
But, I do have to report that I have tried to be better. I have kept the basket empty since that time (and that has been about 3 or four laundry days). Now, if I could just keep up on the ironing I would make my mom so proud! I don't know how she did it with 10 kids!