February Birthdays...

My sweet Nana (my Mom's mom) turned 8o this last week, so we decided to have a family party. We also had 3 other February birthdays, and my Nana wanted to celebrate them, too. The more the merrier, was her motto.

We had 22 people over to our casa for bbq and birthday cake. Good times!

Happy Birthday Nana, Lindsay, Karis and Joshua!

Joshua celebrating the big #8!

Nana turned 80!

Karis celebrating her 23rd!

And Lindsay celebrating 34!

These sweet people made February even more festive! Love my family, SO!

Valentine's Day 2013...

My Maggie got to have an extra special day at school on Wednesday to celebrate Valentines day with a party. Parents and siblings were invited too, so Sadie and I made a date of it and went. It was a super sweet time to be in her classroom and see her interact with her peers...mingle with other Kinder Mama's and eat some yummy treats. 

When we arrived there was a precious display on her classroom door. Each student had made a heart shaped hand print craft. And Maggie's teacher had given each student a heart, with 8 personalized descriptive words. It warmed my heart to think her teachers thinks of her as obedient, respectful, friendly, giving, loyal, kind and diligent. Soooo proud of our big girl!

Maggie and her classmates...

Mrs. Potter read a great Valentine book...

They enjoyed heart shaped cookies, brownies, sugar cookies, marshmallow trail mix and drinks.

Worked on a floral craft and made heart hats, too.

Have I mentioned how precious her teacher and teachers aid are!!! Simply the best! 

For Math that day, the class had graphed how many students liked hugs best and how many liked kisses best. It's sweet to make learning so fun!

Then the class played a relay race game with conversation heart candy and a spoon. Maggie's team won, woohoo! 

They also had a "guessing/estimate" game, too.

And finally shared valentines with each classmate. Maggie is "nuts and bolts about her classmates", hehehe! She hit the jackpot and came home with candy, a bookmark, bubbles,  a top set and flowers. Such kind peers.

We went ahead and celebrated Valentines day as a family that night, I had to work on the 14th. We had heart shaped pizza...opened Valentine goodies from our sweet Valentine, Todd.

And ended the night with a family movie night of watching Angelina Ballerenia My Special Valentine (Todd definetely took one for the team). Hope you got to spend Valentines day with someone you love!

And just for fun...I found some past Valentine day pics. My oh my, time just keeps on flying by.

Maggie's first Valentine, 2008. 

2009

2010

Sweet sisters...2011

and 2012.

Love to all,

Leah

Fort Worth Stock Show 2013...

February marks an exciting tradition in our grand State of Texas...the Forth Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. My family has participated in it for literally, decades. My brothers and I showed livestock at the show for nearly 17 years all together. Also my dad and brother have served as superintendents for the show for many, many years. It is a great time to really feel like a "Texan"...especially for this "city-fied country girl"!

We put our boots and jeans on and made an afternoon of it. The girls had a blast, and we capped the evening off with some of the yummiest Mexican food on the planet from El Rancho Grande (which is also a restaurant I have been going to since I was in diapers). I am such a nostalgic sentimental smuck. Ha!

The first thing we did was find the pony rides. Maggie is especially a fan of ALL things pony. So she was over the moon...and then they had a pony with hair dyed hot pink. Me-oh-my...her dreams had come true!!! 

Precious Maggie the cowgirl!

Sadie was a little uncertain at first...but warmed up quickly after they started walking.

Then we headed over to the petting zoo, where you could meet goats, bunnies, llamas, wallaby's, chickens and cows.

Goats...

and Wallaby's...

Llama's and Alpaca's...

The animals were soooo friendly.

Hello little cow!

Fun times!

The girls found a brand new, tiny newborn calf...that was probably only hours old. They thought this was pretty awesome. They got to pet it and watch it nurse. Very sweet! I think they may be taking after their mama and love all things "newborn". 

No Stock Show trip would be complete without a stroll through the midway, cotton candy and riding a few rides. The girls rode the carousel twice each, the giant swings and spinning tea cups. They are neither too adventuresome yet...no roller coasters for them.

They are easy to please. Love their little excitable spirits!

First lost tooth...Maggie

How, oh how could it be that my baby girl is big enough to loose teeth already??? 

I still remember her precious gummy grin so vividly as a baby...and then when those sweet little pearly teeth began to peek through. Seems like a minute ago...not 5.5 years.

Maggie was so excited to have a loose tooth. Several of her class mates and friends had lost teeth already. She had told me for months that several of her teeth were loose. But it was just in her imagination. Then one day she was eating her lunch and exclaimed that she had a loose tooth...and it was true! From the day she discovered it being loose, to when it came out was just about 5 days. It happened so fast! She handled it so bravely and confidently. Me, not so much. I cried, I'll admit it. On several different occasions. I try to not be a"drama mama", but seeing that little wiggly tooth---tugged on my heart strings. It was a big, red, flashing sign...saying "YOUR BABY ISN'T A BABY ANYMORE". Sob!

A few last pics of that sweet, sweet perfect little smile!

Her tooth was soooo wiggly, we were afraid she might swallow it in her sleep. So on January 14th, Maggie lost her first tooth. Todd has been declared our official tooth-puller. He is really good at it. I am so thankful for that!

Her nervous giggle...and "Awesome" declaration crack me up!

You can barely see her tee-tiny little tooth in her hand!

Maggie was super excited about the tooth fairy. She told me that night, that she was gonna sleep with one eye open to try and get a glimpse of the tooth fairy. Ha! My sweet bestie, Sarah made her this adorable "Tooth Fairy" pillow...and it even matches her room. Maggie loves it!!!

And then just 10 days later on January 24th, she lost her second tooth! And her little permanent teeth are already immerging. 

Before we know it, it's gonna be make-up and first cars! Ahhhh! Where are those bricks to place on her head???

Christmas morning at home...2012

Together at home...

This year marked an exciting occasion in Todd and I's marriage. It was the first time in almost 10 years of marriage that I did not have to work any of Christmas! It was wonderful to have all those days with no concern of work or having to celebrate on odd days to accommodate my schedule.

We had already celebrated with the Hunt's on the 22nd and the Flynt's on the 24...so Christmas Day was just  for our sweet little family of 4. We started the day off with presents from Santa. The girls both got dream lights and a few small toys from Santa...and then opened the rest of their presents from Todd and I. It was a sweet time of spoiling. They are both at such fun ages and into such fun things. Mags, is in to all things My Little Pony and crafts...and Sadie loves her some Tinkerbell and baby dolls.

We made a big Christmas breakfast, and later that day had snow flurries! It was perfect!

Sweet Maggie Caroline...5.5 years old.

And Sadie Rose...2.5 years old.

Maggie and her loot!

And Sadie and her goodies!

We had a very special time with these two little beauties! Just about nothing cuter, than sweet babes in foot-ey pj's!!!

It was a very MERRY Christmas, indeed.