Valentine's Day Fun

My sweet Valentine planned brunch for us :) 

He arranged for his parents to watch the kiddos so we dropped them off and headed to Lark on the Park. 

 The littles were so excited to bake cookies with Gigi and Papa

Big G rolling out the dough

We picked them up and headed to our friends house for Ryanne's first birthday celebration. 

Hayden had a blast

Kevin with Brady & Chet

And the mama's

After cake we played a little bit longer then headed home for a quick rest before our next party. 

The Haydel's Valentine's party was fun & festive!

We all made flower crowns :) 

I thought Hayden's would love to wear one too (since she loves hats) but she wasn't so sure about it. 

These two got their craft on and made some adorable V-day cards. 

Playing with some Valentine goodies

We didn't spot this adorable backdrop until the end of the night...

Awkward but it was the best we got. lol!

And my boys made me these sweet Valentine's at school! 

Fri-Yay!

Monday morning doctor-ing

This little lady loves playing doctor. Well, really just carrying about the case and emptying it out and then putting it all back in. She checks out each item as if she has never seen it before...

And this goober...

Tuesday afternoon (while Hayden was napping) we played upstairs. It never takes long before he sneaks off and then tip-toes back in with his hands hiding his paci's behind him. Oye...

He said when he turns FOUR he will willingly give them up - so I'm not gonna push it. He knows he only is allowed to have them at night so it's not a huge issue. 

After baths Hayden found Ryan's baseball hat and insisted on wearing it. 

Wednesday morning Hayden and I had her first swimming class (which she wasn't a huge fan of) and then we headed to kindermusik. We tried the next age level and she seemed to really enjoy it! She even sat and listened to the whole book during story time! I am pretty sure neither of the boys ever did that...

The weather has been amazing so we met at a park for playgroup. 

and I just realized that I captured one of their friends going tinkle in the background of this pic! Oops!

This girl was determined to climb (crawl) this tree! She grunted the whole way and of course when I started to video she was done...so I just have this cute pic. 

And then she took Flynn's helmet...

We worked on their class Valentine's. I had originally bought some from Target but when I got them out to write their names on them I just couldn't do it. Oye. I quickly found some free printables and we whipped up some new ones. 

I used these StarWars ones from Tips from your Typical Mom for Ryan:

They are pretty darn cute :)

Luckily I had a stash of glow bracelets to use for the light sabers. 

And for Grayson we went the dinosaur route. 

I also already had these dinosaurs (from Target last year) so when I saw these free printables from Hello Design Meet Life I was sold.  

And so was he.

I may have forgot to write his name on his cards...oops. 

And no worries - that's just chocolate in his teeth. 

And this morning I scrambles to package up some mini cupcakes for their teachers. I used these cute tags from Yellow Bliss Road And Ryan filled out his teachers name and his. I love little kid handwriting...so cute! 

Ryan's class was ready for the Valentine card exchange! 

After school Grayson had a friend over to play. We ate lunch outside and then they played for a few hours! Fun Friday afternoon...

Super Bowl Party

Yesterday we hosted our friends for a Super Bowl party. Lots of kids, yummy food and friends = perfect party. Oh and FOOTBALL! lol Plus the weather was nice so those crazy kids could burn some energy outside. 

All the ladies & two baby girls!

Hayden hanging with Susanne....just like last year :)

Sweet little Caleb and Lindsey

Nat and James photobombed by Colin

Little girlies :)

Little Ryanne loves Bob so much! She has currently has six words and Bob is one of them! lol

These goobers. 

The GAMES:

Squares

As you can see I was the only one who won. How convenient for me. I guess we didn't do a good job getting all the squares bought up...but thats $57 for mwah. I'll take it :)

As for my Prop  bet game - I think I scared all of my guests. So my game was a little more intense than I remember - of course, the last time I played it, I wasn't hosting and it was before kids so there was a lot more time to focus on the game. Results are in:

I threw out the Cam Newton question because I couldn't find the answer. So there were a total of 35 points. (Tie breaker was the Final Score)

Mary: 23 points

Jenni: 21 points

Brady: 19 points

and the rest went like this:

Susanne: 17 points

Nat: 17 points

James: 15 points

Colin: 14 points

Lauren: 14 points

Lindsey: 13 points

Michele: 10 points (ouch)

While I am still a big fan I think I will shorten it quite a bit for next year! I stumbled across ProPartyPlanner's Etsy shop and found these:

The length of that prop bet game seems much more appropriate. And Commercial bingo? Yes, please.  Even the kids could get in on that one! 

All in all super fun! Lots of yummy food .... can you be food hungover? Because I think I am. The gym is calling my name!

Three Things: Little Lady H

1. She is a BUSY BUSY lady

She's not much for sitting still and doesn't have a ton of fear. She is really independent and she is always trying to keep up with her brothers. She wants to do everything they are doing...

Loves climbing and sliding

2. She's a NestER

Don't mind the hair - it's her morning look. What we have here is a mama bird and her nest. This little lady loves to gather a bunch of crap and shove it somewhere...sit on top of it and smile. A smile of satisfaction. 

You can't even imagine how thrilled she was when I pulled this bin of legos out - a pre-made nest. She was so happy...Grayson was not. 

Hayden will nest at least once a day - and sometimes....she will nest YOU! I know. It's crazy. You don't even realize it is happening and then BAM. You have a bunch of crap on you and Hayden is trying to climb up too. But she's so darn cute, it doesn't matter. 

3. Hats are her JAM

She LOVES to wear hats. Any kind.

Helmets - huge fan. It's kind of nice because then we don't have to worry about her falling around the house. 

fireman/construction hats, yes please. Every time I pick her up from her moppets room she has one of the little hats on and tries to leave with it. 

There is no discrimination on hats. She loves them all. 

Oh and let this be a lesson...

Don't leave your underwear laying around...it also makes a great hat! (Don't worry, they were clean!)

Super Bowl Party Prep

Our go-to Super Bowl party hosts are Mardi Gras-ing it up down in New Orleans this weekend so we decided to take one for the team and host our crew for the big day. You know me. I just hate parties...just kidding :)

I feel super prepared because A. I know which teams are in the Super Bowl and B. I made this super fun prop bet printable! Ever since Jacob Pearson introduced me to the world of Super Bowl prop bets I've been a huge fan. It really get's me excited for the game. Is that weird? ha! Everyone usually throws in $10 and grading is on your honor. My favorite bets are the ones about the halftime show and commercials. I mean, if I'm being honest, those are really the only parts I watch anyways. #typical

I know it might be a little late but if you want to use this for a party you are headed to tomorrow here is the link to download : Super Bowl Prop Bets 

And what is a Super Bowl party without FOOD. I am doing a couple of the main events and our friends will fill in the rest! yum yum! 

1. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders (Recipe from No More To Go)

2. Kevin and Amanda Party Burgers

Don't these looks amazing? Every recipe I have tried from their blog has been great so I have no doubt these will be delish, plus I can make them ahead of time. Always a plus for me!

3. Pizza Rolls

All the ingredients from Jimmy's Italian Food Store here in Dallas - easy and delish! 

And in case you were missing these sweet faces, here you go!

Chocolate breakfast muffins for the win!

Hope everyone has a great time & Good Luck!

Show and Tell Tuesdays: Winning my Heart

Since it's February - the month of LOVE, this is quite fitting. 

Imagine that...it's like it was planned. 

Today I am linking up with Andrea for Show and Tell Tuesdays. 

So we are in our 8th year of marriage and while winning my heart eight years ago was surely different back then here are a few things that Kevin does now to #winmyheart

1. He (still) makes me laugh

I mean, come on. Who asks their wife to take photos of them lounging by the fire with a glass of whiskey (not pictured) in a tacky Christmas sweater, mustache, and chihuahua at 9am in the morning? This guy :)

2. He makes work trips "day trips" instead of "overnights"

I have always disliked staying home alone and Kevin does his best to make sure that he can be home and in bed with me at night. Whether it be leaving on a six am flight and returning at midnight he will do whatever it takes to make it happen. 
3. He deals with all of my organizing ideas/projects/crafting
Guys, I am the queen of projects. Crafting, home improvement, organization, decorating, party planning, etc. I always have a project going on and although so many of them are unfinished Kevin is game for what I have in mind (well, 95% of the time). And that's another reason he wins my heart.
4. He loves my cooking
Every night he comes home from work he always acts so impressed with what I am preparing. Seriously, I might be heating up leftovers or attempting a new recipe but he always acts like I have created a culinary masterpiece. I know it helps that he is not picky at all, but he is even impressed by the simplest meals. He often will say "this is just as good, if not better" than anything we could get at 'x' fancy restaurant. He really believes in me - and thinks that I make magic happen. lol.  I am no chef/cook, I just love cooking for my family! I love having him rate our meals. Every once in a while I get a "Top 5" meal and it makes me giggle!
5. He's the best father to our three kiddos
Three kids five and under is a challenge in itself but seeing how much he loves them makes my heart smile. After being at work all day he is always ready and excited to "take over". Sometimes it drives me nuts when he takes them upstairs to bath them (another way to my heart) but instead he gets them all rilled up by playing monster games. It makes the bedtime routine longer but I know these are the little things the kiddos will remember.  
6. He keeps me grounded and I love this about him. 
Kevin has always preached (perhaps not the best word?? - he isn't real preachy) to be happy with what you have and that less is more. Sometimes we disagree on certain things but I love that he really helps me focus on what is important.  We compromise on a lot and I think that is what makes us great together - he tends to want less, and I want more...we always meet in the middle with the perfect amount. Or at least what works for us and our family. Family and friends are what matter most and we are grateful for all that we have. 

I am hoping to participate in these Show and Tell Tuesday's - it should help me get back into blogging! Plus I love reading everyone else's posts too!

February Goals

Happy February!

I love February - it's short and oh so sweet! Just like this crew :)

The boys Darth Vader "I am your Valentine" shirts are from Neverland Crew and they are so soft and adorable! I was also impressed by how fast they arrived once I ordered them! 

And I realized I never finished my January Goals post - but here they are. 

And here's how I did

1. Work out 5x's a week - complete. I have been going to pilates for a while now, and I love it, but I feel like I need to add something else to my workout routine. My plan was to do pilates 3-4x's a week and fill in the extra with cardio. For the first three weeks I used my beach body workouts to supplement my pilates workouts. During the last week in January we joined the Y and I tried a few of the group classes out - which I loved! The childcare is amazing so I plan on going here whenever our schedule allows!

2. Volunteer 2x's at church - complete. Almost weekly I get an email asking for volunteers for Sunday school. Kevin and I are trying to volunteer more and I am hoping that we can continue to do this 2x's a month. One time in Grayson's class and one time in Ryan's. The boys love it when we "teach" their class. 

3. Finish one house project: complete

Mudroom mini makeover. 

- Painted wall of bookcases teal

- Made a bench cushion 

- Added additional hooks to wall

- Created command center

Pics to come!

4. One date night a week - Unfortunately this didn't happen every week - January is LONG! :( but we did sneak a few date nights in! We were able to get out to a movie, a dinner with friends (no kids), and a a yummy dinner at Gemma that was just the two of us. 

5. Keep car clean. And this didn't quite happen either. I swear my kids are purposely trying to sabotage this one...they drag all sorts of crap into the car and just leave it. I am really trying to hold them accountable for their stuff...it is a work in progress :) 

1. Continue to work out 5x's a week - can you tell I am kind of addicted to working out now? I really love it and I feel so much better so this goal is stayin!

2. Volunteer with the boys - I have been wanting to volunteer with the boys for a while and it just hasn't happened. I was looking for an activity for us to do on Presidents Day (since they are off) and the monthly Wee Volunteer email came in - perfect timing. There were openings for the Meals on Big Wheels program so I signed us up. We are going to deliver meals to homebound elderly and disabled clients. Afterwards there is a tour of the kitchen where the meals are made and learn more about the VNA meals on wheels program. I think this will be the perfect introduction into volunteering and I can't wait to take them. I would love to continue to volunteer with the boys so hopefully we can make this more of a priority.
3. Blog 2x's a week - I am totally slacking on my blogging and hoping setting a goal will make me more accountable. So here we go...starting slow with just updates 2x a week.
4. Answer my phone - So I often get in trouble with Kevin for now answering my phone. I don't do it on purpose but my phone is typically on silent or vibrate or just not on me at the moment. Anyhow, he gets really annoyed (as he should) so I am really working on keeping it on me...and answering it!
5. Read two books - simple, but instead of watching tv before bed I want to read more! The only problem is that when I get into a book it's hard for me to put it down and go to bed....so I get less sleep! Oye!