Flowers

Justin was gone last Saturday from sun-up to sun-down testing some bulls. I called him on his way home and asked if he could pick up some milk for Sunday. He agreed and came home with these beautiful flowers as well:) The next morning this conversation ensued:
Gracie: Mom, where did these flowers come from?
Maggie: Dad got them for me. Isn't that nice?
Gracie: Well, where did he get them from?
Maggie: From the store.
Gracie: But MOM, he's a boy. How did he even know where the store was?

LOL. I guess you can tell who the shopper is in the family:) As a disclaimer, I should let you all know that I really enjoy shopping (even for groceries), and Justin really doesn't enjoy shopping. Anyway, I was very grateful and excited for flowers but Gracie was 10 times more excited than even I was. She said, "Mom, you better give Dad a big hug and a kiss for giving you such nice flowers". I love little girls. I guess the obsession with romance starts young. :)

Vday

 We saw this cute Valentine idea on Pinterest and copied away .It was really fun. We meant to get packages off to Grandparents, but didn't quite get that far...yet:)

 This is a tradition we started last year. We made a valentine out of fabric. I would love to do this each year while the kids are little and then make a cute little Valentine's day throw.

The Breakfast of Champions

Justin had a couple of days of inspirational training at school. I think they were having current students do some team building and evaluate the program to make it better. We were all very excited to have our "famous" husband and father on the front of a cereal box. 14 months left...but who's counting:)

Maisy the mischief maker

CHD Awareness Month

Maisy- the poster girl for congenital heart disease awareness.

I took this picture this week. 15 months old and 10 months after open heart surgery for her VSD repair.  Before Maisy was born, I never realized that heart disease was the #1 birth defect. Maisy's specific heart disease (a ventricular septal defect) is the most common of all, which is maybe why the surgery was only a 1% risk. 

Anyway, I just wanted to put in a plug for congenital heart disease awareness and encourage people to be aware and helpful.  My heart was touched by the many hospital volunteers who had made special blankets, hats, and goodies, and by those who volunteered time at the hospital. This is for all of those heart babies.

*Did you know there are 1.8 million people living with CHD in the United States

School Daze

We just registered for Kindergarten this week. How did that happen? I shouldn't act too much like it has come too soon, as Gracie DID turn 5 back in October. It has been hard for her to wait for Kindergarten when many of her good friends and favorite cousins already started this year. But, we are excited and ready for this new stage of life...we think.

Cute and Smart

We were driving Gracie to school the other day, when Gunner loudly proclaimed, "MOM, There's our church". I said, "Yep, there's the church". Unsatisfied with my lack of enthusiasm, he said more emphatically, "MOM, we just passed the church. It's behind us." To which I replied, "Good job, Gunner. You are so smart." Gunner then said in an offended and disgusted voice, "My not SMART, MY CUTE."

I told him that it IS possible to be smart AND cute. That's the goal, right?