Classic Skating

For auntie Lacey's (that's what she likes the girls to call her) birthday we went to Classic Skating. It was Lacey's choice of activity. The kids loved it. At the beginning it took a little bit for Brett and Whytli to get the hang of it but they got it real fast. Adelie didn't like the roller skates as much so she chose to ride a scooter. Mallory was enjoying the scooter at first too. She was going around the ring forever and not paying any attention if she was going the opposite way as everyone else. She was enjoying herself too much to care what was going on around her. After a while she decided she wanted to be pushed around in a stroller since Nash wasn't too excited to be pushed in it. Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures of her doing this. A great time was had by all. I did not choose to roller skate this time because I had a bad day due to my grandpa but I definitely hope we plan to go again as a family activity. In fact, the kids loved it so much that is where they chose to go for their birthdays.

Classic Skating hasn't changed a bit since I was a kid. It used to be my favorite thing to do on a Friday night with my friends when I was in 5th and 6th grade. I remember we would get ourselves all dressed up and looking cute (at least we thought) and ready to roller skate with some cute boy that would ask us during the boys choice songs. It was always great to come home bragging with each other how many different boys you skated with and whose names and numbers you got. Good times, good times at good old Classic Skating!

Sorry for the poor quality of all these pictures. I am a horrible picture taker and do not hold the camera still very often. Plus, it didn't help that a lot of these pictures are action shots.

Brett did really well for only being his second time roller skating. He roller skated for the first time a few years ago at Bear Lake.

Adelie in the zone.

Joel and LeeAnn watch as everyone roller skated. They chose not to join in on the fun.

Whytli loved skating with Kellen around the ring.

Colten and Gwyn joining in on the fun.

The birthday girl Lacey and her hubby Kellen. Aren't they such a cute couple?

He's Walking....

At almost 11 months the little terror Nashy is officially walking. He has taken a few steps here and there for about a month now but hasn't officially done it full time. He thinks he is so big and cool now. I am terrified of what is to come with his new walking skills - this little boy is into EVERYTHING! Oh well, he is still a cutie and because of his cuteness it is very hard to get mad at him. My sisters weren't kidding when they said boys are SO different from girls. We are experiencing it first hand with this little guy. I am sure I will have awesome posts of his naughtiness to come in the future.

Here is a little video of him walking.

Grandpa Cope's Famous Eyebrow Trick

This is my Grandpa's famous eyebrow trick that he has always done. As long as any of us can remember, anytime you look at my grandpa he would give you his cute little smile and do this eyebrow trick. As kids we always thought it was great and could not ever figure out how to do it ourselves. I still cannot do it and don't think many of us can. Rich got this on video a couple of weeks ago and his wife Angela put it on YouTube to share with all his grandchildren. I know that this is a favorite amongst many of his grandchildren and we will forever remember the cute little eyebrow trick that our grandpa does. I am so glad that Rich and Angela got this on video. Thanks guys!

My First Dozen Roses

That's right - this is my first dozen roses from my husband in our 10 years of marriage. When I woke up Valentine's Day morning I came downstairs to find this sitting on our kitchen counter. I was very surprised. I have always told Brett that I have wanted a dozen roses or flowers of any kind but he cannot see the point in wasting money for something that is going to die soon anyway. A few times he has gotten me one long stem red rose for Valentine's but never a dozen. Anytime I ask when I am going to get flowers from him he says, "Well, now I can't get them anytime soon because you asked for them. I was probably going to be getting them soon, too." Uh huh! It was definitely a surprise. I didn't expect in a million years to be getting roses on the one day of the year that they are more expensive (I don't think he realized that). But it was very sweet and I enjoyed it very much. He also printed out a card of his own with Troy (from High School Musical) on front that said Happy Valentines Day. I thought it was a little strange that the card had a picture of Troy (I felt like a teenager who was in love with Troy) but then inside he said a lot of sweet things and then told me that for my Valentines Day gift I could choose either one of two things. I thought to myself, isn't the roses enough? But, hey I am not going to complain. Anyway, he let me choose between the High School Musical 3 DVD or another thing that I have wanted for awhile. I obviously didn't choose High School Musical 3 on DVD. Brett was a little disappointed - he was hoping for High School Musical 3 because it was a lot cheaper.

I just want Brett to know that I love him very much and I think he is a wonderful husband and father. He is such a great example to me and the kids and I do not know what I would do without him. And thanks for the wonderful dozen roses. It was great.

My first dozen roses and I forgot to take a good

picture of them. They were very pretty.

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day this year I decided to do 14 Days of Valentine's for my kids. So, starting February 1st, I hid a heart with the #14 written on it and put a fun little treat or present with a little saying to go along with it. Each morning my kids would wake up and search for the heart and get their surprise. They then would put the hearts on the coat closet door and we had our own little Valentine's Day count down. They thought it was great each morning to go hunting for their heart and see what their surprise was. On Valentine's Day day I decided that this year we were going to do our own little thing instead of getting together with my whole family like we usually do. In the morning, the kids had their surprise waiting for them and Brett made them heart pancakes. They loved that. Then for dinner that night I made meatloaf in a heart shaped pan (my family loves meatloaf) and we had pink smoothies. Then we played some games with the kids. They had a great time.

Mallory wasn't too happy that morning - throwing a little fit.

Nash was enjoying his breakfast.

We had a candlelight dinner. And, we sat at our kitchen table

which we NEVER do so that was a special treat itself.

Whytli and Adelie rocking out to a song that they love

(Kiss Off by The Violent Femmes) - they had to sing it for us.

I dominated at this game - I was so much better than Brett.

We had to try to get as many heart candies in our own bowl with chopsticks.

Valentine's Day at School

This year for Valentine's Day I had the kids wear something red or pink. Then I painted their nails pink & red. In Whytli's lunch box I put an extra treat with a little note telling her that I loved her. They were so excited that morning to go to school and pass out and get Valentines. They were thrilled to have their nails painted pink & red too. Whytli said, "This is the best Valentine's Day ever!" I love the simple things in life that excite kids. After school they were very excited to show all their Valentines that they got from everyone at school and to tell me all about the parties that they had.

These are pictures of them with their bags that they decorated at school with their Valentines in them.

Mallory's Preschool Valentine's Party

I help my mom out with her preschool on Mondays and Wednesdays. We had their Valentine's Day party on the Wednesday before Valentine's. My mom had a lot of things planned and not enough time to do it but they had a great time. They decorated cupcakes, tied red material around a wire heart for a Valentine decoration, painted a wood heart to make a necklace for their moms, painted some baby food jars red and filled them with candy, decorated their own Valentine bags, ate pizza and passed out their Valentines. They had a great time. Mallory loved all the fun Valentines she got that day.

Making Valentines

This year I decided to have the kids make their own Valentines for the kids in their classes and their friends. So we got together with my wonderful, crafty friend Shannon and did them. She came up with the cute idea. Of course, I do not have a close up but they turned out so cute. Whytli & Abbi especially enjoyed making them. We decided to give the kids pencils this year instead of candy. We figured they already get enough candy and what kid doesn't like a new pencil? On the card we put a little saying that said, "Your friendship makes my heart happy!" Adelie did not help out as much because she wasn't feeling well and Mallory and Hallie didn't even care what we were doing - they were too busy playing dress ups.