Our Weekend in Pictures . . .

 

Fridays after school are the girls' favorite! Always playing with the neighborhood kids on the way home -

Kate "taught" Bear school and specifically trying to teach him time - 

"so he will know when it's dinner time"

Molly played CYO 5th Grade Basketball and beat St. Ann's to play for #1 in their bracket next weekend!!!! The team was ecstatic and Molly scored again!

I thought the game win and points deserved a bike ride out for ice-cream . . .

A gorgeous Saturday for February!

I started planning my Spring garden . . . 

Getting the soil ready for my Spring veggies bring me so much joy!

100th Day of School!

 

It is a tradition at Cure' of Ars that the 2nd Grade class celebrates the 100th Day of the school year every year by dressing up like they are 100 years old! Kate WAS so excited for this day to get here and picked out what she was going to wear from her closet a week prior. She wore some of my beads and bracelets and thought her fake glasses were perfect! She asked to borrow the walker from one of our kind neighbors. It was a hoot! 

But in all seriousness, we are SO GRATEFUL to our teachers and school administration for making 100 days of in person school possible for these kids!! After having virtual school all last Spring - they will never take school for granted again! They are SO grateful to get to learn and collaborate with their peers everyday and have PE, music and all the other "specials!" No more hot lunches or recess with the whole grade - and of course, they wear masks all day, both inside and outside - but they think it's 100% worth it and so do I! 

Cutest granny I've ever seen! She said, "I'm an active grandma because I don't want to get blood clots. I'm meeting my girlfriends for lunch in Lindsborg today!"

She also was to bring a poster showing 100 of something. She asked me for cotton balls and came up with this on her own! 100 cotton balls makes 100 marshmallows in hot cocoa!

Meeting her friends at school! They were all laughing so hard at one another!

It's COLD!!

Today the forecast is to be above freezing for the first time in over 2 weeks! Not only has it been in the 20's, but it has been in the single digits and negative digits for several days in a row. Kids were home for 5 days straight during this polar vortex so we were very grateful to get to stay home and cuddle together to stay warm. Bear is already the resident "warmer upper" when we want him to sit on us to warm us up. 

 

Cuddle Bear -literally.

Somehow, Bear now has his own Netflix channel. It's filled with lots of dog and animal movies - and even a squirrel show. I think Kate created this for him. ;)

While it was too cold to play outside, I brought the snow inside one day for them to play with food coloring and scoopers and such . . .

We also had some fun with water and balloons and food coloring with the cold temps.

Molly made cupcakes one day . . .

And lots of shows were performed and sister wrestling matches were had . . .

By the end of the days, Bear was more than ready to wait for Dad to get home and waited patiently for him to come in the back door.

Kate on Piano

 

Turn up the volume! I just love this song and Kate loves playing it!

My 47th Spin Around the Sun!

 

I'll never forget this one! Awoke to negative temps outside and snow. Girls school was cancelled and too cold to walk the puppy! A cuddly, snuggly day inside with my girls and Bear!

Bear warms us all up when he lays with us . . . 

The girls put on a fabulous dance show for me!

Kate made the programs while Molly worked on production . . .

First "costume" for the show

Bear was not amused

"Kate McGinnis - Age: Only 8! But she is talented" it says

Mike got home around 6 and brought dinner from our FAVORITE restaurant to enjoy! Maple glazed salmon on our own individual cedar planks, garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus - and lemon cupcakes from my favorite bakery for dessert! It was delicious and we all enjoyed it!

Feeling the love . . .not sure how I got so lucky!

Didn't know he was video'ing - but I'll keep it to remember their sweetness.

After dinner, they wanted me to open their homemade gifts and cards - which were so very thoughtful!

Molly painted this sign for me - and the heart was created from her two thumbprints.

Kate made me this "I LOVE YOU" necklace.

And this sand art inside a cross.

Kate said, "I used a WHOLE sheet of my favorite stickers, Mom!" 

I love the heart eyes on the picture of me. 

These are the days . . .

Level 47!

 

So excited to celebrate Level 47 today!

Family Valentine's Day Dinner

 

I wish Valentine's Day always fell on a Sunday. It was such a cozy day, preparing dinner together and making our home-made Valentines!!

The girls helped to decorate the table . . .

Bear didn't know what all the fuss was about!

Placing our valentines at everyone's place setting . . . 

I'm always so impressed with Mike's . . .

LOVE THEM ALL!

Made with so much love!

Dinner was lasagna with cheesy garlic bread, fresh veggies/dip 

and flourless chocolate cake for dessert!