Much Love

There has been a lot of love going on around here this month.  And a lot of candy.  And a lot of valentines.  Grant and Maren had to, I mean, got to make their valentine holders for school.  They were excited about this.  Me?  Not so much, although I don't know why I am a Valentine's Box Grinch.  Maybe it is because of Pinterest pressure.  Luckily, they both picked very easy ways to decorate their boxes, and did most of it themselves.  Grant's was a basketball court.

 Maren's was an apartment building.  Maren won an award in her class for the most creative box.

On Valentine's Night our special Valentine's Lady visitor arrived. 

 As usual, she left kisses and candy.  And, wouldn't you know it?  I missed her again!  She's a sneaky one, that Valentine's Lady.  She always seems to come when I'm in the bathroom.

 We have a tradition of taking the kids on a date sometime around Valentine's Day.  I take the boys and Dustin takes the girls.  The boys and I went to an all-you-can-eat pizza place and then we came home and made the longest Hot Wheels track ever.  And then we videoed it many many times.  In slow motion.  And then we watched videos of hot wheel's tracks on You Tube.  Perfect date for two little boys.  Dustin took the girls to dinner also, but there were no hot wheels tracks involved.  Tough luck for them!

 This weekend, Dustin and I had a little getaway to Lava Hot Springs.  Lynnette watched our kids and we had a very relaxing time in our tiny little cottage and soaking in the Mineral Hot Springs.  We now should be cured of any ailment we may have had.

 We ate at a yummy pizza place.  Delish.

 It was a very cold night, but that was perfect for extremely hot pools.

 Our cottage was seriously so tiny.

 The next morning we drove up to Rexburg, Idaho and went to the temple.  It was the first time I had ever been to Rexburg.  It was a cute little town.

 We stopped in Idaho Falls on the way home to get gas and check out their temple.  We had a lovely, relaxing getaway together!

Also during this week, Lynnette invited us to go to a Chinese New Year celebration at a local Chinese restaurant.  It was really neat.  The kids loved feeding the dragon.

 And, the kids and I made homemade butter.  Because we love butter.