Happy Valentines Day!

We had a fun Valentines this year. 

We started it off with friends at a party at the Branch in the primary room.

I didn't have to do much for the party except get there a little early and email everyone and make sure things were signed up for. It was so great how everyone jumped in to make it fun! 

For instance, 2 hours before the party was to start the girl who was going to be the door greeter with balloon hats for each child, called in sick, so another girl who was gonna bring cupcakes said she'd come without frosting the cupcakes so kids could do it for fun. She came early and helped set up the room. We've got a cool bunch of mom's out here.

We hadn't done this before, but we invited some mom's from the 1st ward (since we see them at kidstitute each week and have got to know them better, I got their emails down and several of them came and were involved with the activities for the kiddos too).

Here are the kiddos at the beginning, decorating cupcakes.

 

 Here's the group! 17 mom's and 31 kids! I think it's our biggest group yet!

(I really don't like that the wide angle lens stretched my already large body...)

 After the picture, we transitioned into a Valentine story, read by Jen from the Ward.

 Then the mom's passed out their Valentines while the kiddos sang songs with Sierra.

Then, I put my camera down and forgot all about it while I ate yummy food and treats.

Duane was able to get off work early (around 3:00) so he text to let me know he was coming home and wanted to drive up to Saratoga Springs (a 45 minute drive) so the kids could go to the Bounce Land that we have a pass to (they have several locations within 30 minutes to 2 hours from us).

I asked that we go out to eat so I didn't have to make dinner so we found a coupon and went to Chilis halfway to Saratoga Springs.

It was nice. William slept through dinner and the boys were not wild.

 It was cute. In the middle of dinner, Tristen leaned over and gave Duane a kiss.

 

Tristen wanted to try the lemon...

 

Little William gave us his first smile for the camera last night too (my phone camera, that is). 

He's a sweetie!

This year, we sent out Valentines of the boys. We had fun making them. I turned up the music and let the boys dance around on my bed as I took pictures of them with PVC pipes (that would eventually become the sticks of suckers for their Valentine Cards).

From start to finish, here is what it looked like...

 After taking the pictures of Kalvin and Tristen I thought that William should be included as well so that evening, I took pictures of him too holding one of the suckers.

Tristen wanted a picture with our new little friend too.

 Then they all wanted in.

Then Kalvin really wanted to put the camera on a tripod and get a shot of all of us. I wasn't too excited for it for myself, but seeing pictures of myself like this helps motivate me to get thinner. 

(and I'm working on it now...)

 And it kind of motivates me to want to put makeup on every day too... 

(just in case my 4 year old wants family pictures)

Then, more pictures of them...

 I've got some silly boys. I love them!

After a little photoshoping, here is what the Cards looked like.

 And then we glued suckers on them to look like this:

The card idea came from a magazine.