Mean Mama

Let's just say that the sewing gene has obviously skipped a couple of generations.

*Ryan would like me to add a disclaimer in order to prevent CPS from showing up at our doorstep; she got herself into this mess. My part only consisted of snapping endless photos instead of an immediate rescue. :) Sheesh, I'm not THAT evil!

Ode To Nana & Pops

Living near my parents, naturally Briggs & Hadley associate quite a lot with Gaga & Pawpaw ...which we know can be hard for Allan & Nancy who are missing their little pipsqueaks growing up. :) It's no one's fault. It's not fair. It's just what it is for now. However...

We took the kiddos up to Frazier Park the other week to get some more use out our snow clothes and had a blast. With his first step onto the snow, Briggs' eyes widened with glee and he started sqealing. "Yaaaayyyy, it's snowing! Where are Nana & Pops? NANA & POPS!!!! Where are you?" It just about broke my heart explaining to him that they couldn't come play in the snow with us that day. Apparantly snow = Nana & Pops. Their first memories of snow have effectively and permanently been burned in their little hearts and minds. We love you Nana & Pops!

Briggs was too busy for photos and all over the place. We bribed him to go down the hill on his own which was hillarious. He rode down screaming for chocolate.

Hadley spent much of her day like this...

... not because she was cold, but because she was ticked that she had to wait her turn on the big hill. Crazy girl! She nursed her wounds by eating snow as usual. :)

Tradition

Rewind a week....

So I have a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day. On one hand it seems silly that one is 'expected' to show affection on this one particular "Halmarkish-heightened-expectations" day. And on the other, the Sleepless in Seattle in me has always loved any romantic notion... and all that those twitterpated days of dating had to offer on such a holiday.

But when I thought about it more, my affinity for the day really came back to simple childhood pleasures ... the days of paper hearts ... traditions of classroom Valentines ... awaiting the yearly oversized package of MnMs in the mail from my grandparents, the inevitable heart-shaped earings, red socks and occasional flowers from my mom in the morning.... and a candy shaped box of chocolates from my dad when he got home from work that night. The day didn't need to be romantic (although I did love seeing that between my parents too, and think that is just as important to model for our kids). It was just about showing the people you loved how important they were. And I loved that.

This Valentines Gaga stopped by to continue her spoiling tradition... she always has and always will love giving little goodies on pretty much every holiday known to man. Fortunately Ryan and I apparantly aren't too old for the spoiling either. Woohooo! Thanks Mom & Dad! (And that is some serious bedhead on Briggs!)

After hearing Katie's family tradition of having a heart-shaped meatloaf every year on Valentine's day, I decided I HAVE to make/bake something heartish each year too! Not that I have anything against meatloaf, but I think I'll keep my options open :). I was considering lazy cookie cutter grilled cheese hearts, but instead we opted to accept a dinner invitation for a Valentine's Papa Murphy's special with the Gehrings this time around. So fun!

And just for kicks, I totally ripped off this cute, crafty idea... pink hot cocoa from World Market in little mini mugs (aka espresso cups)! Too cute, right? Well, they ran out of cocoa :( so I had to improvise. Strangely enough, Briggs & Hadley were ridiculously excited about their food-coloring-spiked regular old milk. Ha!

So... Ryan and I have decided that Valentine's is a day for our entire family. We'll leave the candlelit dinner for our anniversary and celebrate together. We'll make Valentines for eachother, bake something heart-y and simply enjoy that people that God has given us to love. That's the kind of tradition I want to pass on to Briggs and Hadley on silly little days like this. Family love.

And the three dozen tulips that arrived unexpected were pretty wonderful too! :)

Christmas in Washington

Okay, so here's a quick Christmas run through in pictures, as promised. Only one month behind! That's pretty good for me :).
We spent the week in Port Townsend, Washington with the Vances, hit up the snow, saw Nancy & Allan's home in progress (aka our future summer vacation hotel), and explored these crazy, creepy bunkers at the fort where we were staying... no joke, it was something straight out of LOST! Definitely worth the post. Enjoy!