Ollie was excited to make valentines for his friends this year at school. I was looking for something other than candy to give so we settled on these bracelets!
We had so many sick kids at school that we ended up postponing our party to next week, so no photos of that.
We told Oliver that he could pick a special place to go out to eat for his birthday and, of course, he chose Texas Roadhouse or as he calls it, the peanut place.
Grandma and Grandpa were visiting so they were able to join us.
Winter has seemed to drag on forever and we are definitely ready for spring! Here are some snapshots of us trying to make the best of cold weather and find fun things to do indoors.
Ollie helping Yama sew during our Christmas visit.
We've tried to get outside whenever we can, even if it means bundling up and making a quick trip to the park. Cousin Kaylee joined us in Horton.
Donuts are good anytime of year, but this particular day Paisley chose to only eat the chocolate frosting off the top. This is why we just get regular glazed donuts, daddy.
A bathtub full of cute cousins!
Ollie got his first bike last Christmas from his cousin, Hudson, but he is still too small for it. The bike he won from The Night of Lights is the perfect size for him. We haven't got many bike rides in because of the cold temperatures, but this photo is from his very first bike ride. 2 miles!
Paisley is always a willing helper when it comes to baking.
Much of January has been spent on the basement remodel. Riley and his dad did lots of sheet rocking. Riley and I did lots of painting. New closet spaces were built, barn doors were built, new flooring has been put in. We've still got lots to do, but we are starting to see some progress.
All of this work in the basement meant many, many trips to Menards.
Ollie got to try his hand with real paint while Pais had to stick to her special floor paint (water).
Not only have we been busy with the basement, but Riley has been really busy at work. This particular day I had mentioned picking up some fifty cent corn dogs from Sonic as we were both exhausted. Riley had a great day at work making some impressive sales so he decided we could go out for Mexican instead. We must have been pretty distracted with our food and the kids because we didn't even notice his manager come in and pay for our food as well as send us some yummy fried ice cream. It was a total surprise and a really nice one at that.
We've been through every indoor activity I can think of including coloring, playing with beans in buckets, play-doh, and kinetic sand. Although messy at times, kinetic sand is a favorite.
Dinner and playtime with Allie and Nate is always enjoyable. We smartened up and decided that taking 4 kids to a restaurant isn't that enjoyable, so we trade off going to each other's houses.
We celebrated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl with letting the kids eat in the living room in front of the tv, which is a big treat. They, of course, were not interested in the game and went to bed so Riley and I had to watch the Chiefs win while they snoozed away.
