All About Love and Other Important Things

We don't typically do a traditional Valentine celebration in our house. Our anniversary is only 4 days after Valentine's Day so it seems odd to do something twice. This year, the kids were all really excited about Valentine's Day. Even the twins and Nathan were talking about it. So, I decided to get a little more creative than other years. I also see pictures and blogs of other moms going crazy for holidays like this, with red everything and special presents and hoopla. I think it's amazing I just never remember to do it. I had signed up for the missionaries to come over for dinner that night. It was a lone spot on the calendar and I am guessing because most people do a date night. I've been wanting to try a variety of appetizers from Pinterest. But, those are hard to fit into a menu. So we had a dinner of nothing but appetizers! And some very green leafy salad to balance out the fat of course. I really wished I had taken a picture of the table when it was all decorated. I used cloth napkins and our fancy plates and everything. But, again I forgot and all I have is the after picture....

There is no food left because it was all eaten(minus the one breadstick and one wonton). We had mozzarella sticks (made with wonton wrappers), cream cheese and chicken baked wontons, copycat breadsticks from one of my favorite pizza places in Utah and salad. I think one of the Elders had about five breadsticks alone. Then we brought out the box of 6 dozen home made cookies I brought from a cookie exchange party earlier that day. They pretty much ate through all of those too.

Here were my cookies for the party. 6 dozen Chocolate Turtles. OK, seriously the best cookie ever. Chocolate cookie dough rolled in almonds, then caramel filled. I won best looking cookie at the party:) Thank you Pinterest!

Another thank you to Pinterest for all the home made replacement recipes. Here are my Cheeze-its. I would say that as of now we only have two things I have made myself that I'm not too fond of. The yogurt (it is too runny and my kids won't eat it) and the fruit roll ups if you use a seeded fruit. They look funny and kids won't eat them. 

But the graham crackers are truly amazing, as well as the cleaning products. This has become more fun than couponing for sure. Which I still do, but now have eliminated a large chunk of things I was buying. I told Ben I felt like a Pioneer making all these things from scratch. He agreed that the Pioneers probably enjoyed their home made Cheeze its as well...ha ha

In other news, our house work is plugging along. I still need to do the painting post because it has a funny story. We have now cleaned out the garage multiple times and are getting things situated for our family long term. Our kids still ask how long we are going to be in this house, and I guess I can't blame them since we have moved so much. What I have realized about buying a house we need to do work on, is that it is always changing. So I don't need to move to get that itch of change scratched! It's like moving without the packing. 

Saturdays have been beautiful here and we take advantage of them. I really really really really (can you tell how much) love not having sports or anything on Saturdays for the kids. Because this is what we do:

And last but not least, the kids have been taking over some cleaning jobs in the house. Dishes are now a kid job (for the most part). I still have issues with how they load the dishwasher, but they are getting better. 

 Emma LOVES to do dishes and gets upset if she can't. Wouldn't that be a fun punishment:) 

Kate likes to clean the benches too. And I have finally gotten the girls to keep clothes on during the day! Even though those "clothes" are their dress up clothes, it still works right? Baby Steps...