"Fun"-due

I am a dork for many reasons...this weekend, I was a dork because we decided to go out for Valentine's Day on Feb 1st.  We got some strange looks when they asked us what the special occasion was.  Scott never disappoints with great gifts for Valentines Day (well, maybe the Valentine Snuggle-Fleece from last year)...

(The girls do love the fleece, though!!)

 This year he truly surprised me with a great purse that is too nice for me to wear with my sweat outfits. My gift to him was wearing my hair down and not wearing my sweat outfits...because that never happens.  We went for fondue which was fun, but I like my fondue recipe better.  Here is a great dinner idea that my kids love:

Fondue

1 1/2 cups milk at least 1%

4 oz Parmesan cheese

2 boxes of cream cheese

1 tsp garlic salt

melt in microwave and stir every minute or so until smooth.

I serve...broccoli, french bread, polish kielbasa dogs to dip

Motherhood

Isn't it funny how one day..." You are the best Mom ever for bringing me lunch at school!!!!"

...and the very next day you turn into..."You are the meanest Mom ever!!!"  Oh, MOTHERHOOD...

Here are photos of the girls on my best Mom ever day...No photos were allowed on the meanest Mom ever day!  

Run for Fast Food

Taylor wanted to run a 5k for her favorite restaurant.  She was hoping they would hand out some free Chic-fil-a sandwiches at the end of the race.

 Carly ran her first 5k and I was impressed.  She would count how many people she would pass.

No free food...just some coupons for free food.  So after the race we went right over for our food.  What type of people run a race then go eat fast food?  ...TEENAGERS!!

California Slopes

We had been planning on skiing in December...but it never happened.  Finally, I decided to have the kids skip school and just go (minus Taylor who would not skip to ski).

 We brought the regulars.  Sydney had some great falls.  She is a great skier and did not fall going down the mountain but fell getting on the ski lift numerous times.

Carly just wanted to keep posting photos of herself on Instagram.. to make all her friends feel bad they had to be in school.  She is proud of herself because next time she gets to use ski poles.  Growing up!!

 Our new addition to the group this year was Brody.

We were sure he would not be able to keep up with us after his lessons and be done for the day complaining he was too cold or give some other reason.

He surprised us all and skied 6 hours.  He was quite the hot dog skiing so fast.  I was so impressed with how great he did.  I love it when my kids surprise me with skills.

 This is me making fun of all the dumb faces that kids make in their photos for Instagram.  They can't just smile.

 People loved watching Brody zoom down the mountain because he was so little and would go so fast.  Look how proud Scott's smile is.

 These are taken near the end of the day and everyone is still going strong.

Finally done!!  He said he wanted to keep skiing but his legs didn't.

My favorite photo of the day.

SISTERS

Some evidence of our ski rookie...

Status...Not Single Anymore

 
No man vinyl sticker on the back of my car.  Couldn't stand the heat!

My man and oldest daughter are back!

I got my new vinyl sticker family for my car...I am no longer a single mother!  No more people can hit on me at the gas station anymore.  It is clear as vinyl...I am taken.  I am loving my new car especially with the freezing weather in the 50's right now.  It has a heated steering wheel!!  I never would have survived these temperatures in my old car.  It really is funny how everyone is freaking out because of the freezing 50's.  My kids have to wear their sweatshirts all day and actually wear spandex pants to their sports practice outside.  My hands are toasty warm on my steering wheel...how is everyone else surviving without this?

Hard to Say Goodbye

Scott says that I am crazy to be so attached to my car.  I have had her since she was a baby with only 18 miles.  Now, she has 144,000 miles on her.  I have known her for 10 years...longer than I have known 2 of my children.  She has never failed me.  The only time she broke down was on a trip...but it was right in front of a hotel.  She has taken the abuse of 4 kids and it shows on the inside.   I know it was time to say goodbye.  I was joking about getting a new car because I needed new vinyl stickers.  I am very practical and cheap and love a paid off car...but it was time.   It was time to put her down.

 I felt like I needed to say goodbye somehow and tell her I loved her and always will.  How do you tell a suburban that?  You take her to the car wash!

It was hard to say goodbye and I did NOT shed any tears...but I do have this photo as my wallpaper on my phone.  I do look for her as I walk out in the parking lots and then I remember she is not there.

Thanks for 10 years!!

Bling in 2013

Santa's gift to Sydney was the gift of getting her ears pierced.  Here she is before--cheesy sooo excited smile.

I kept taking pictures to get some sort of grimace when the piercing happened...but nothing.  Just focus.  

The quote after she looked at herself..."I am so pretty now that I have sparkly ears!!"