A day full of LOVE!

We love Valentine's Day!!!  It's such a happy holiday, full of hugs and kisses!  We celebrated all day (really we've been celebrating for the last several weeks).

Abby & Mrs. Dorothy brought treats to her friends in the church nursery on Monday.

Ellie's class Valentine card & treat bag

Ellie gave her teachers a chocolate dipped fortune cookie, wrapped up in a pretty box.

After Ellie's class party,  Papa & Granna joined us on the porch for gift exchanging.  The girls received adorable dresses and fun books.  So cute!

Then the girls and I prepared a surprise dinner for Daddy!!  We dined on the porch in the same exact spot where Tim proposed to me 9 years ago! 

   Ellie set the table all by herself -- Miss Manners would be proud! We served crepes filled with asparagus and chicken, steamed broccoli and fresh rolls. 

And followed with a dessert of red velvet cupcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries.  Abby was super excited about dessert!

After supper, the girls opened gifts from Mommy and Daddy -- rain coats, doll clothes and paper dolls.

Abby realllllyyy wanted it to start raining so she could try out her new jacket.

It was definitely a LOVEly, special day!!

Ellie's Class Valentine's Day Party

Monday, Ellie's class celebrated Valentine's Day with a sweet party!

Olivia's mom went all out with a chocolate fondue buffet.  The children could skewer grapes, marshmallows, pretzels, strawberries or pringles and dip them in the melty chocolate.  Sooo yummy!!!!

Treat bags full of precious Valentines!

Mmmmmm!!!!!! 



Future students of Mrs. Cox -- Dylan's little brother, Jason Michael's little brother & Ellie's little sister.  They already consider themselves part of Mrs. Cox's class since they attend all the parties and activities!



Ellie & Josie

After the delicious treats, the children went outside for a very entertaining balloon relay race.

They had to run up and sit on their balloon, trying to pop it!  It was hilarious (and loud!).

Even Mrs. Cox got into the action

Abby had a little trouble popping hers.

Hooray for a special class party, full of love and happy wishes!  Ellie loves her class and precious Mrs. Cox.

Hearts!

Last week, the girls helped me make clay hearts for an art project in Ellie's class.

Drying and ready for firing into bisque.

Last Friday, we brought the bisque hearts to Ellie's class for them to paint.  The children drew their designs in pencil and then filled them in with pretty colors.  I explained that when the paint dried, it would look chalky and pale but once I put it in a big giant oven called a kiln, they would be shiny and bright.  Ellie passed around a sample of a fired/glazed heart so they could feel the difference in the rough bisque and glazed pottery.

Abby painted one, too!

And here are the finished hearts, hot out of the kiln!!  They did such a beautiful job.  Little artists!!
Ellie and I finished them off with pretty ribbon and brought them back to her classmates on Monday.

The Karate Kid

Ashton is the son of one of Tim's childhood buddies.  Every year, he has the most creative parties!  One year, it was pony rides at the AG Museum, once he had a Scooby Doo party and this year, it was Karate!  Ashton's mom made his cool cake and check out the take-out box goody bags.  So unique!

After a few group warm up exercises with Ashton's karate instructor, they worked on a few new skills. . .   leaping over foam blocks.. . .

{adoring audience}

. . . jumping over the spinning rope

. . . and balancing on a beam while trying to knock down your opponent.   Ellie-san did super well with all the activities!
For the grand finale, Ashton broke a board in two pieces with his bare hand.  His party guests were very impressed!

Abby worked on her ice cream eating skills!

Mamaw's 93rd Birthday

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Mamaw, Tim's paternal grandmother, turned 94 this month.  She's currently on bed rest, recovering from a fractured hip (poor Mamaw!) so she had to celebrate in bed.  Abby was sick, so Tim and Ellie visited her at the nursing home, bringing flowers and sweet hand-drawn cards.

Tim's cousin, Scott, bought Mamaw a pair of flamingos for outside her window.  Ellie thought they were sooo funny and had to take a photo.

After their birthday visit, Tim and Ellie headed over to Mamaw & Papaw's land in Copiah County to enjoy the pretty day.  They hiked through the pastures, down to the little creek.  Tim spent many childhood summers roaming around on Mamaw & Papaw's land and has the best memories of his adventures in the woods.

Ellie insisted on having a walking stick.

Nana & Foo foo hung out on Mamaw & Papaw's porch while Ellie and Tim explored.



The view from their porch, looking across at Uncle Phil's pond and barn. 
Such a special father-daughter Sunday afternoon!



It was sooo cold!

We have had several coooollllddddd weeks!  Brrr!!!  Several times we thought it might snow, but it was only a dusting. 

So we've been doing a lot of this. . .

and this. . .

and this. . .

{thank you Aunt Jenny & Julia for the fun lacing cards!}

And Tim's mastered the art of all natural stove-top popcorn!  YUMMY!!!

Ice, Ice, Baby.

We're in the middle of an unusual Southern ice storm.  Brrrrr!!!!!!!! 

Staying inside where it's warm!  Smart girls!

Abby's funny game!

The other night, I had to fold clothes (yay!) and Tim and Ellie were in the kitchen playing Farkle, a 'big girl' game.  Abby was left to entertain herself for a few minutes so she came up with her own silly game.  She went back and forth between the kitchen and our bedroom, asking for more accessories.  It was hilarious to see what she'd have on when she came in my room.  I'd add another layer and send her back in the kitchen (and listen for the giggles from Tim and Ellie!).  In the end, she had two scarves, a tee shirt, pink mink stole, dish towel cape, rubber oven mitts, an apron, a spatula stuck in her belt, one of Tim's ties, Ellie's shoes, a baseball cap, ski hat, wool gloves and more!  Funny game!