Today we woke up to snow.  Allison made us all waffles, from scratch, by herself.  And then kids suited up with smiles to head outside and make snow igloos and snow angels.  They are in snow heaven out there and I am just feeling super content in life.  There really isn't much snow and the roads have already melted but our kids have been missing their winter.  Robyn is singing Christmas songs at the top of her voice and everyone is too happy to even mutter a "shut up Robyn" when they think I can't hear.
My good mood might be in part to last night.  Jeremy planned a special date for Valentine's Day and took me up to the Tree Room at Sundance and then we stopped at our local sticky feet cheap seat theater to watch Mission Impossible 3.  Since our movie was a bit spontaneous we ended up getting tickets not next to each other, our first time ever.  But it was just a great evening to remember that we actually do like spending time together.

Valentine's Day this week meant a little sugar high was going on.  Robyn helped me with Allison's class party and she was in heaven.  Face painting, decorating valentine card bags, going on a treasure hunt, hitting pinatas, decorating cupcakes and making root beer.  Throw in Robyn's class party that morning, random treats appearing with little love notes all day and dance classes with treats and our girls were quite happy.  Spencer thought the fact that junior high just does regular school work and test on Valentine's day a little bit unfair.  And then Jeremy surprised me that night by a bathroom with a big bath bath drawn, candles, chocolates, one of my favorite new TV shows on his ipad and the promise to lock the door and put all the kids to bed - is that true love or what?!

Our kids' school does a mail system where kids can send letters to each other and they have mailmen that help deliver notes to each class's mailbox.  What I love is finding out this week that our kids have been sending letters to each other.  Robyn's usually involves a princess picture and a "Hi Spencer, I love you Robyn."  But then Spencer will write back how much he likes her letter and how good she is doing at school.  One of these days I will take a photo of these letters as Spencer makes sure Robyn hides them as he doesn't want me to see any mushiness.  Nice to know that some good things go on in our household that I don't know about.

On Wednesday Jason and Kelly took our three kids to an ice hockey game.  We were all going to go but it ended up being our ward temple night for ward conference.  So Taylor stayed home with a very nice beehive doing her homework while he slept.  Our three other kids thought it was great.  The girls couldn't understand why people were cheering on the fights but Spencer recounted each fight with gusto.  A late night for a school night so they were all a half hour late for school the next day as we let them sleep in a little.  A small price to pay for a great time.

Taylor has had a good week, except for yesterday when he was out of it all day.  But the rest of the time he has been walking around and making his bass happy sounds - all day and all night.  At 2 in the morning it doesn't fill me with quite as much gratitude to see him coming back to normality.

On Friday night we had a cousin night at our house along with a friend of Allison's came over.  Jeremy and I were just laughing as we put pizza in the oven and heard this all in the space of a few minutes: Allison, "my friend doesn't eat anything that comes from animals, has sugar, artificial stuff or salt" (what?!  we really had to think about what she could eat for dinner as the rest of us unhealthy people had pizza and salad), Kayla, "I had a really sick stomach today so I had to say home from school.  I don't know if I need a throw-up bucket" Garion, "she isn't sick, she is just grounded because she wouldn't go to school so she can't watch the movie or have dessert", Brynn, "I don't eat salad, my mom never makes me eat vegetables" (followed by an hour and a half of screaming and trying to hide her salad).  Can I just say that it pays to have a sense of humor when you are a parent?

Speaking of humor, I need to record our car conversations.  On the way to clean the office and cheer on Allison's basketball game these were the questions we faced back to back: "how many people follow Satan?  if 1/3 followed Satan does that mean Robyn is going with Satan and Spencer and Allison aren't?  Where is the Bermuda triangle and why do people vanish there?  What happened to Amelia Earheart".  This is why parents get in traffic accidents.

As part of the Valentine week festivities the kids had crazy hair day this week.
Spencer has been having some pretty stylish hair lately.  A month ago Wednesday Jeremy bet Spencer $10 that he couldn't remember to do his hair with a comb and gel every single day.  It has been great!  I couldn't decide if its good parenting technique to bribe our kids for personal hygiene habits but it works.

And the topper of the week is that I had my dentist appointment, and NO cavities.  I now live in dread when I go to the dentist that another root canal or crown is in the works as it was for so long.  But I must be living in the in between golden years.  Half my mouth is fake and the other half has yet to go.

Kids are now coming in for hot chocolate and to get ready for church.  Must be that time.  My favorite quote of the week was from Robyn in a very little prissy, bossy voice, "Dad, which is more important taking off you shoes or giving your daughter a hug?"
Love, heather