Winter Nationals '26...

This is the second year in a row that Roen's winter national golf tournament conflicted with Remi's robotics meet... which also happened to all fall on Valentine's Day. Last minute, Remi's meet got moved to a different weekend- our week of snow and ice had extracurricular school schedules rearranged every which way. I decided to stay home with Remi anyways, so that he could spend Valentine's Day with Elle and I wouldn't have to figure out last minute arrangements for the dogs. 

I really hated missing out and maybe one of these years, I'll get to join in on the winter Florida golf fun again, but dividing and conquering just comes with the territory of having kiddos close in age. 

Roen got to spend a lot of time with a childhood golf buddy and I think they had the best time! His golf had a lot of potential, as he sat in 2nd place for most of day one. However, with a triple on 18, he went into day 2 at 14th place. He never did find that sweet spot momentum on Sunday, and so ended worse than hoped. All in all, they had a lot of fun and I think it was a great little change of scenery for them both!

Day One: 76

Day Two: 86

Super Bowl Sunday...

We ended up with a full house to watch the Seahawks and Patriots battle it out! Lots of kiddos and good friends! It was a fun little evening and icing on the cake, no school the next day! I love getting a good sleep-in after a late night!

Will You Be My Valentine? {Part Two}

If you have been around these parts for much time at all, you know the difference between Remi and Roen is literally night and day!

One is a thinker, deeply intense, and lives life with a passion that can have him storming like a volcano or loving like Shakespeare! 

The other, well, he is something else all together! There is not a thing in the world that will rock his little boat. In fact, he has probably already jumped off his boat, hopped into a hot air balloon and floated off into his own world! Oh this boy, so easy to love and so easy to be around! He is happy, and doesn't make a fuss about much. So, when I sent three ideas to him and Remi for Valentine posters, he picked the one he liked, and just like that, easy peasy, check that box, done!

After one of Roen's basketball games, we headed over to watch Brynlee play and win her very first varsity softball game. After the game, he held up the poster, asked her to be his Valentine, she said yes, they hugged and then he walked her to her car.... it was simply sweet, no fluff needed, Roen's smile could have melted a million hearts! 

RoPie, I love that your happiness is so inherent, so simply you... never change, sweet boy!

Will You Be My Valentine? {Part One}

The whole Valentine, Be Mine Proposal is rather new to me, but hey, thinking up a creative way to make these sweet girls feel extra special.... sign me up! Any girl who adds to the happiness of my boys and helps them be their best selves, will always have this momma going above and beyond!

We will start with Elle because Remi did his Valentine asking first! 

Remi really didn't want to do just a simple poster. He wanted to come up with something unique and special. I joked that by the time it was all said and done, he would have me importing flamingos from Africa. When it comes to Elle, nothing ordinary will do and he likes everything to be his idea!

There were no flamingos, no imports from Africa, but he did come up with an idea that required a special trip to Hobby Lobby, which always ends up being a treat for me too! I mean, is there ever a quick trip to HL where one doesn't fill up their basket with all the seasonal things... that's a hard no for this gal! Anyways, I found exactly what he needed and one Saturday morning, he picked her up, and very creatively asked her to be his Valentine!

The pictures will do the explaining, so enjoy... fair warning, you will just melt over the sweetness....

A Little Get-Out-Of-Town-Away....

Since Micah and I weren't going to get to be together on Valentine's Day, we snuck away the weekend before. It was just a quick little Saturday night, a little dose of fun with good friends, not far from home. We decided to check out Choctaw for a little slot playing and dinner. I think I was the only one who walked away without any winnings, but I prefer to watch to be honest! I guess that stems from my childhood where I would spend hours watching Brian dominate on Mortal Kombat and Mario Bros. Oh, how easily I am entertained! 

And yes, I do indeed, feel very lucky in love! At 22, I was one smart, little cookie, because my forever Valentine is the best (as Remi would say)!

A Wrap on January...

Y'all, where did January go?! It was basically non-existent! 

January was getting  back in the swing of things, just in time for a week long snow break, followed by getting ready for our week long winter break in February! By the time winter break has come and gone, we will all be gearing up for spring break! Second semester is just zipping on by!

This month had Remi working late into the night on his FFA smoker project, a beautiful sunset emerging as I read a book about eliminating hurry, something about the way the steam from my hot tea meeting the sunset being magical, a rare nap for Roen after church, an afternoon that brought out Remi's best smile, a Christmas present painting from a very dear friend, youth group softball, Remi doing his very first oil change on his truck, both boys having their girlfriends in the pew with them on Sunday morning, my little chef cooking up a scrumptious batch of Belgian waffles, Benny not quite ready to end nap time, Remi working on a broken go-kart that he bought so that he could have something to work on, Scout on watch duty, and maybe the best picture of all, late night Dexter with Remi, Scout, and my spa headband!

A Week of Snow....

What a treat we had at the end of January!

A winter storm blew through on Friday evening and we ended up having early release that Friday and the entire following week out of school!

It was a week that blurred together in a jumble of ski clothes, sledding, playing, staying up late, sleeping in, cabin fever for some of us, Elle-fever for others.... magical, cozy, winter bliss for others!

You are getting all my pictures at once! No need to explain, it was either pure chaos or an embarrassing level of lazy...

*please notice I even got out Little Anne's old winter wear to dress Lady up... I mean, a tiny, toot of a poodle, in a pink coat, prancing in the snow.... sign me up every single time!