February 15th (46/365)

Well I think the events of yesterday took a tole on the kids! By early evening both kids were asleep. Ethan on the couch and Bella sprawled out on Dad's lap! They were just too cute, heavy eyes, swearing they weren't tired! Yeah we believed them!

February 14th (45/365)

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

We had a great day today, but not your typical Valentines Day dinner dates... NOPE not us...We wen to the Monster Truck show! We went 2 years ago and took Ethan and LOVED IT! This year we thought it would be a special treat for E to get to take a friend... Aksel was the chosen one! =) They had a great time together, no fighting, lots of tickling and giggling (would have sworn they were girls LOL with all of the giggling!)


We had Pit Passes and were able to meet one of the drivers (we didn't want to wait in the super super long lines to meet the others). We took pictures in front of the trucks, on the side of the trucks, truck parts.... just pictures in general. It is impressive the size of the tires and everything else on the truck too!


Here are a few pictures, I still need to edit more of them! (There are plenty, I'm sure I'll just have to link you up to my smugmug account to see the rest of them!)
The above pictures are of Captain's Curse, he was great and most definately got some air, Gravediger litterally was straight up if not leaning a bit backwards, we aren't quite sure how we didn't flip backwards and last but not least; El Toro Loco! He was doing some cookies and well over he went! He was fine, walked about, no flying debris but he did break one of his horns.

Oh almost forgot, I was taking pictures of Monster Mutt's tail sticking straight up and he HUGE floppy ears... and this man asks me what I'm taking a picture of and I try to tell him. Then he sees the kids and we chat for a few minutes... he asks the boys, "So do you like my truck?" How cool was it that we got to meet the owner of Monster Mutt and El toro Loco. It was pretty cool; he asked Ethan which Monster Mutt's he had, how many and was in general a nice guy and a great show!

February 13th (44/365)

I think the kids had a good day at their Valentines Day party.... Of course he came home with way too many goodies. Here is the heart shaped "bag" that Ethan (and his class) made to hold their valentines! Lots of goodies!

Now be forwarned we were bad parents we didn't get the kid anything for Valentines' Day... We did have plans (see Tomorrow's post!)

February 12th (43/365)

So if you know me you know I'm a procratinator...So Ethan and I had high hopes of taking some Valentine photos (holding a big heart, one saying BE MINE (for the girls) and one saying YOU ROCK (for the boys). Well time slipped past us so that didn't happen, but I was able to use a photo I took on Ethan's birthday and used it on a mini scrapbook page (4"x4") and then I glued that onto a box of sweethearts that Ethan had wrote all of the kids' names on. They turned out really cute!

Ethan did really good writing all of the names (there are 22 kids in his class including him & we added a few extra names onto the list).

Now I couldn't help but go back and take a picture of a particular Valentine! It is so cute to watch Ethan secretly go back and draw a heart by her name on her box, and watch how giddy he gets when you even mention "her name". We really do try to NOT tease him, but it is just too sweet! Heck I even emailed Cora's mom the picture of his "heart". I am glad I did because she mentioned how the other day Cora told her about how a recess one day that Ethan helped her out when some boys were chasing her and she didn't like it! It is nice to know that he will "stick up" for others and be watchful over his friends!

I was even able to get a scrapbook page done for these pictures. It has quickly become a favorite. For me I just love how it all ended up coming together... sometimes while you are working on them you wonder how it will look/come together in the end. See Layout Credits HERE.

February 11th (42/365)

Ahhh my fellow bloggers and digi scrappers you either love your computer or hate it (because it is slow or full LOL) so imagine my horror when I went to check email one evening and all I saw was this bright blue screen with lots of words aka A FATAL ERROR. Thankfully all seems well now. Granted I have been copying photos like mad to my EHD (External Hard Drive) and uploading to smugmug when ever possible)

Today's choice of photos was easy... My computer, old scrapbooks, and my beloved card reader!

May she remain in good health! =)

February 10th (41/365)

We woke up to a light layer (dusting if you will) of snow! I was actually very surprised how little reaction I got out of the kids... neither one acted like they could care! Now granted once you got off "the hill" there wasn't much of anything on the ground...a few snow flakes fell thru out the morning, but nothing stayed! =( or maybe =)

February 9th (40/365)

I'm SORRY!

I really do think that Ethan felt bad about how he treated Papa and how he mis-behaved. We had a few talks with him trying to teach/explain that we can NOT act like he did with Grammy & Papa ... at any time! (We have had many a speeches on how it is OKAY to be upset and to cry, but to not act out and throw tantrums and to litterally throw things... Let's just say a work in progress)

Here is Ethan's apology letter:

and to add a little smile... he included a coloring page he did for him!

(His writing and coloring has improved a 100 times over this past year!)

Papa should get his letter and picture by Friday! =)

February 8th (39/365)

We had a great kidless day today, nothing fancy at all! Church by ourselves, grocery shopping by ourselves. Todd watched basketball all day and I backed up photos and read my new HOST book. (Only just started it... a little harder to get into than the Twilight Series was).

I felt it was fitting today's photo was a picture of the Hwy on the way to Papa & Grammy's house... As nice as our day was, well Grammy & Papa Jim had a little rougher day! Ethan was just honery! At the going away party they all went to, he was flipping light switches, not listening, then to top things off...HE BIT PAPA, I mean enough to draw blood! I think Jim got really mad, I mean mad not just upset... Later Grammy said how Papa said he was going to take him home. They didn't but they were outside for a long time! I guess the topper of the night was when he THREW his Nintendo DS! That was the last straw! NO DS for a month (a little bit of a hit for him...he was just getting to where he could play some of the games, they were finally clicking for him) and no Wii for this week, maybe more! He will be writing Papa an apology letter too! (Could be tomorrow photo of the day!) =)

I'm not sure if it was an attention thing for Ethan... he wasn't getting it all, maybe he was tired. I am not sure, but just hoping he can tone it down some! Not good behavior!

February 7th (38/365)

Tonight was Ethan's school auction! This was the kindergarten project...the item I wanted, but definately couldn't afford the going price of $575! Yeah for the school bad for my pocket book!

All of the kids drew their hands and were painted... I think it turned out great! (I would love to try something like this with the kids at home! Maybe someday!)

We didn't leave empty handed... Todd won a Clyde Drexler autographed basketball, I won an evening with a sheriff (Ethan will get to ride in the police car and then he will take him to ice cream!) We thought Ethan would really enjoy it! Oh and in the silent auction we won a great picture frame (already has pictures in it....Todd is hanging tomorrow night) and 2 large cool vases! (Still need to get something to put in the one, the other has a "lid") =)

It was a great night! We got to have a nice dinner, hang out with friends, make some new friends and all around had a great night!

February 6th (37/365)

Sometimes it can be amazing how quickly time passes. It was 3 years ago today we flew home from Korea as a family of 4. It was 3 years ago today that she was placed into our arms forever. It was 3 years ago today that she changed our lives forever! Being a week day we didn't get to do a ton of extras. We had a nice quiet dinner in (instead of getting take out) and then we headed to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream dessert. A little out of the norm for us and everyone had a good time. Ethan was soo cute telling her over and over that today was her FAMILY DAY and trying to explain what that meant. In the next few years she will slowly learn and understand more of what it all means to her and to us! To us it is a very special day...days in our lives that we will never forget!

A couple pictures from Bella's 3rd Family Day!

(gotta love camera timers)

To show how much she has changed in three years... This is Bella with mom and dad on the first day we met her!

Leaving Seoul South Korea:

In the San Fransisco Airport (in her coming home outfit...don't you just think that is the most perfect onesie?)

On the way home from the airport:

This is Bella two weeks after coming home!

WE LOVE YOU BABY GIRL!

February 5th (36/365)

I am constantly amazed at Ethan and how one minute he is crying and throwing a tantrum saying we are doing all kinds of stuff to him (not playing with him, ignoring him...you get the idea) all not true! To the next minute reading out of his Sunday Missal with Dad. Heck I'm not even sure why he went and grabbed it off the counter (he hasn't even taken it to church the last few Sunday's) but the next thing I know he is telling Dad about how the Stations are in the back of the book. Dad read one and then Ethan read the next station. Me ... I quickly grabbed my camera! We hope you continue to have good moments like this!

We both love seeing him learn more and more about his faith on a daily basis!

February 4th (35/365)

Bedtime routines have gotten easier (maybe we give in a little bit more too), but we are slowly getting the whole bathroom routine down and then story time. Since we already have a reader on our hands; some nights we read to him and some nights he reads to us! Tonight he was reading Johnny Appleseed - My Story. Ethan didn't want to stop so I told him it was okay to read for a few more minutes then he needed to shut off the light and go to sleep.

I was able to snap this picture of him thru the cracked door with out him even knowing it! We hope he always enjoys reading!

February 3rd (34/365)

I soo plan on being better about decorating for the Holidays and just in general. When Ethan and I shopped for his birthday party stuff we found this great little heart to hang on the door. Not sure ethan was super excited about it, but he did help me choose it over the other one we were looking at! Hmm maybe some nice red candles on entry way table would be a nice touch too? Soon!
Someday it will all come together nicely!

February 2nd (33/365)

Well I haven't "got" the picture for today yet (and I've tried a couple times). Like a lot of people the "economy" has hit us at work too. We have all cut our hours to 32hrs a week. While all of the "boys" are taking one day off during the week (rotating the day every week). We decided for me it was best for the company (and secretly me) that I get off early every day to make up the 8hrs.

So the 3:30 represents my new hours I'm working. What a huge (and I mean huge) difference it makes in our day! I am home shortly after Ethan is out of school, I'm able to get dinner started, Bella picked up from daycare. We are eating dinner now about the same time I was getting home before! Now as much as I want our work to pick up the pace to where we were last year at this time (doing better every month), but I can't help but admit that I am loving the new quitting time for me!!! Now if you have any great ideas on how I can convince my bosses to let me keep these hours... I am open to suggestions!

February 1st (32/365)

Ahh we are recovered from at least 13 little kids running around our house and today is the SUPERBOWL. I will admit that I like watching sports, but the superbowl is more for the commercials and half time show. Granted it was a great great game!

Now I'm not a big Boss (Bruce Springsteen) fan, but I will admit I watched the whole thing (even when he slid on his knees into the camera man!) LOL

But I did LOVE the commercials! It was a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon!