Guys Night Out is our Girls Night In!

 A basketball game...at the Palace...to watch the Bulls!  This guy was pretty excited!!!

It it a little un-nerving to watch a movie with girls that are watching my facial expressions and reactions to a movie they had seen and wanted me to see.  "You know...I could have written the script for this movie...really!"  I laughed...and then I did have tears rolling down my face too.  I lived those years with three toddlers in my pj pants and ponytail feeling overwhelmed many times.  I know how important those years were for our children and family...and I am thankful for the opportunity that God gave me to be exactly where He wanted me to be!  "Wait, pause it, I know...I need to swap the laundry...give me a second.  It's a mom thing!  Gotta use the time wisely...I don't want to have to do all the laundry tomorrow!"  Plus I had to burn off all the Doritos I ate.

A Short Week...A Cold Week!

 We enjoyed one less school day this week with President's Day on Monday. 

 

 A treat of fresh flowers to brighten up our table!

 Our silly little girlfriends!  They have been "full of it" the last couple days!

I threw the balls away once they were discarded...smooshed and broken with their added touch of germs.  Giggling while biting plastic balls produces more spit!  True fact!

 Sharing fun activities with co-workers at our monthly meeting.

One of many paper plate crafts that we do during the year.

 This is how we play with snow and icicles when the temperatures are in the negative realm!

 Painting fun...

Puzzle fun in the sunlight!

A very chilly President's Day!

We didn't have school in observance of President's Day.  I saw this satellite picture online today...BRRR!   It was so cold outside...we stayed home all day and took care of school projects, movie watching, music practice, and a couple chores while wearing our pa-jammas!

When the boy is away...

 at Snow Camp for the juniors up at CoBeAc for Friday and Saturday...

 Dad takes his three girls out on a date to Bagger Daves!  They are a Michigan place that is known for making their own beer and soda. 

 We tried the sampler of drinks in order for the girls to decide what they wanted.

 Root beer is the best flavor...and orange cream comes in a close second!

 Yummy burgers and fries...and lots of laughter!

Our Valentine's Date

 We, Mr. and Mrs. Black, were invited to the wedding vow renewal of BillyBob and MaryAnn.  It was a lovely, frigid evening, but our hearts were warm with laughter...or embarrassment...as we embraced our parts!

The reception was to be held in the The Eatin' Room...with so many clever details!

 The guests gathered in the lobby of the church and even got to visit the bride cause she wore her weddin' sheet!  We signed the guestbook and made our way to the bride's side....cause that is what our invitation said.

 It was decorated with simple and DIY style.

 Oh...look...Mr. and Mrs. Pumpkin, Mr. and Mrs. Carnation, and Mr. and Mrs. Winters.

 Cash Card and Dolla made their way down the aisle just as the groom's father and mother appeared...Jan Sue and something Boo.

 Mr. and Mrs. Season, Aunt Dottie, and Mr. and Mrs. Blue sat behind us.

 We shared the row with Mr. and Mrs. White...no grey areas here!

 Then Lucky Chew and MillieMae arrived...parents of the bride. 

 Mr. and Mrs. Summer arrived...a little under dressed...he wore shorts!  Brrrr!  You can see Uncle Moe there in the sound room helping to make the ceremony memorable.

 We waited patiently for all the guests to arrive.

 MaryAnn had to compose herself at one point...maybe while her true love rambled on and on through his vows.

 Mr. Carnation sang a lovely rendition of "Things You Don't Say To Your Wife" as the happy couple re-lit their unity candle and blinking, red heart rings.

 Then...the lights went out and there was some confusion!

 When the preacher figured out what was wrong with the lights...Uncle Moe...was no more.  We filed into the Eatin' room to go through the events of the evening and give our statements as Sheriff Duff tried to figure out what happened exactly.

We ate salad and rolls...then had to re-visit the crime scene.  Poor Mrs. Carnation got a little woozy and swooned in her love's arms.  Sheriff Duff's questioning went on forever...because he always had a chicken leg in his mouth.

 We ate chicken from the Colonel and his lovely wife Sweetie.  Mrs. Rose and Miss Scarlett made sure the mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetable were just right.

 We visited two other crime scenes trying our best to find the link to Uncle Moe's demise.

 A yummy wedding vow renewal cake...was cut and shared.

 So much talk...so  much debate...so much denial...

 sooo much L A U G H T E R!!!

 We finally got to the bottom of this Who Dun It? murder mystery!  Lucky Chew did it...with the wrench...for the insurance money!

Even amidst all the darkness of the evening....love triumphed and the marriage license was signed...again!
***A huge thank you to our church family for a fun-filled evening!  So much work went in to writing the script and planning all the little details!***

Dove into the Happy Valentine's Day treat box!

 And this is one box of treats that I am only sharing with Ted!  Good thing there is a little chart!

While the girls are away...

 we take the boys and play!  We went bowling and then ate supper at Culvers.  "Boys rule and girls drool!"  They invited this mom to tag-a-long with them...even though she was willing to stay home!

 It is fun watching and listening to these kiddos.  They are growing up so fast!  They have all the moves and a sense of humor to match.

 The girls enjoyed Snow Camp with their friends at CoBeAc.  Teddy and Caden are excited...because this weekend...it is their turn to go with the Junior group!

We are so thankful for the adults that go and spend time with our kiddos!  They take great care of them too! 

Two snow days in a row!!!

 We all stayed home on Monday!!!  Ted was up and out snowblowing at 6:15am...because he was going to go to work.  I was hoping to be able to fall back to sleep after all that noise.  He left...and came back after about 45 minutes.  "What happened?"  The ramp to I96 was drifted and hadn't been plowed, yet cars had tried to get up it and were stuck "I don't get paid enough to risk getting stuck in the ditch."  And he climbed back in bed...I think that is the absolute first time ever for that!  We had a lazy-stay-in-your-jammies-all-day kind of snow day!  The guys made sure everything was snowblowed and shoveled off.
Tuesday...my phone went off at 5:21am
"I need you to work this morning."  Grrrr...two days in a row...waking way before it was necessary!  Ted left.  I left a little while later...with my coffee and a Pepsi for later...I wasn't sure what to expect on my first working snow day ever.  We had a small group...and I had several fun snowy-icy ideas.

 We made snowflakes and/or icicles out of beads and chenille stems.  So pretty and sparkly.  Then we made snow dough out of cornstarch and shaving cream.  Fun and messy and good smelling.

 We watched/listened to Snowbuddies and played.

 The kiddos had fun and the grown-ups had just as much fun!

 We painted with water colors on trays of ice.  That was cool...literally...ha! 

 A good amount of snow fell and then drifted...my snow babies played outside after I got home.

Snow days are fun...because it was a change in our schedule...and we all enjoyed it!