Sweethearts Dance

 Laney and Cole doubled with Andrea and Jillian to go to the Sweethearts Dance!

I found out this was happening exactly 3 days before the dance and with a combination of thrift store grit and and easy to please kid, we found the dress, shoes and earrings in one after school shopping trip. 

Isn't she beautiful?

Some of my favorite pictures!

When the momarazzi shoot was over, they were off to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and then to the dance. I picked them all up and took them to Andrea's house for an after party. I'm so glad Laney has such good friends and they are making these memories together! 

Swing kids

 It's nice to know that it's still fun to go to the park with my pups.

Winnie the Blue

So I guess I'm a bird lady. 

After a month of missing Phoebe, we decided to get another little parrotlet. 

And let me tell you. She's her own little bird. 

She fluffs up when she's sleepy or tired. She loves a good scritch...but only when it's her idea. 

She's wild and curious and busy and loud. She loves eyeglasses and will doggedly attempt to climb on them to investigate how they are held together....and how she might take them apart. 

She will give never ending kisses. 

She will physically move your finger away if she isn't interested in having that finger in her face. It's a clear "No, thank you"

She is a total sass.

She's excited to see her people in the morning and really doesn't ever want to sleep in her cage. 

She is so sweet and snuggly when she gets tired. 

Which is a good thing, because at the end of the day, we're tired too!

Are we feeling the love?

Will this day be romantic?

It will not. 

Will I want to weep from complete exhaustion when I finally climb into my bed tonight?

Yes I will. 

But will we have our HEART SHAPED CINNAMON ROLLS???

You bet your sweet bickies. 

Now, get back to work. 

 

Indian Birthday

I'm 48!

I really love how even that number is. 

I was busy all day working on the girls camp fundraiser...the valentine dinner. 20 lbs of pork barbacoa, triple batch of cilantro lime rice, black beans and tomatillo dressing. 5 chocolate cakes, raspberry sauce as well as all the shopping had me not feeling so celebratory. 

But Mark packed us all up and delivered us to Korma Sutra, one of my favorite places to eat. A couple years ago, taking our kids to eat at an Indian restaurant would've inspired tears and a deafening silent treatment. But we've been making a butter chicken in the pressure cooker and I recently learned how to make garlic naan! They have learned to love Indian spices!

And this place is just special. 

They shower you with fun little treats and extra dishes. 

Mango Lassi, Golub Jamun, Pakora, Papadam, Kulfi and Chai. 

We ordered Butter Chicken, Chicken Goa Curry and Biriyani.

We prepared the kids for how to use the limes to wash their hands when the waitress came around. Not knowing what to do could send any one of our high-anxiety kids running for the door. 

The funny owner brought it home with his birthday shuffle!

We all left with full bellies and smiles on our faces. The waitress handed me a warm chai to go as we walked out the door. Happy Birthday to me.

We went home and Mark surprised me with a slice of carrot cake from J Alexanders. I got to see all my kids at once and everyone sang to me as I accidentally blew the candles out 3 times just from laughing. 

I hadn't planned on celebrating today. But I feel celebrated and loved and so very grateful for my family and making fun memories.

Here's to 48!

February Art

There is art everywhere I turn these days. I love it!

Megan is working on a still life series for her painting class:

She made this awesome piece in sculpture:

A few more drawings that she has sent us in our family chat:

Laney is just as prolific as ever in churning out sacrament meeting illustrations. 

This is the garden people series I clearly inspired when asked that age old question, "What should I draw?"

I particularly love this voluptuous lettuce lady! Isn't she she curvalicious?

This is one Laney just finished for art class...an illustration of everything going on in that creative brain:

And then a "little ditty" the did just for fun (I love the rain):

A little doodle I found on Everly's desk:

And "Deeana", Everly's foot woman. 

She joined us for our bedtime prayers. 

I am surrounded by creative kids! I need to get a photo of AJ's sharpie tattoos and jalepeno heads!