HELLO Friends!

Wow!  It has been over SIX months since I last looked at our family blog.  That is crazy.  But...truthfully that is life.

Just to get you caught up on everything that has happened since July the kids started school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, present.  There you go.  Maybe I'll get around to posting pictures, but who knows. :)

Maybe once a month will be good.  What do you think?  I don't know.  It's just so hard to decide.  Since I'm on Facebook and now on Instagram I feel like everyone knows what we're doing.  But I guess there are some things that I don't post on those two that would be fun to share.  Hmmmm.....

There was a reason that prompted me to post today though instead of posting it on social media.  And it's Christmas related!  Just a preface....Ryan and I have never given Christmas presents to our kids specifically from us.  I don't know why exactly.  We just haven't.  But as Christmas was approaching and thoughts of the new year I really wanted to give them something that would last the whole year and  create memories for our kids.  So we gave each of them twelve envelopes with a date with dad and a date with mom.  I think one of the hardest things (among MANY) of being a parent is making the time to spend with each child.  Especially once you have more than two.  So this gift actually makes Ryan and I stop and spend time with each of them.  I didn't know how they would react to the gift of envelopes.  I mean, it's envelopes you know.  But there reaction far surpassed any reaction to a tangible gift.  They loved it!  And Ryan and I have had a great time so far.

Here are the memories we created in January:

Rachel's date with dad: Go to a book store to pick out a new book and then get a treat.  Instead of going to Barnes and Noble Ryan took her to the Tattered Bookcover, a local bookstore here in Denver.  Of course Rach was in heaven!  She picked out The Maze Runner.  She is so excited to read it (and so am I!).  Then they went to a new cupcake shop down the street from us Milk & Cakes.

Rachel's date with mom: Go to the craft store and pick a craft you can do together.  She has been looking at Pinterest for some fun things to accessorize her room and found the cutest calendar/corkboard/organizer thing.  So we went to Hobby Lobby and got the supplies. It has turned out really cute.  We're not quite done with it, but she loves it!

(Pictures coming soon!)

Andrew's date with dad: Go to the movies or have a movie night at home.  Andrew chose to have a movie night at home and picked The Hobbit to watch.  So he and Ryan got some treats and the movie, set up the living room like a theater and had a great time watching a movie just the two of them.

Andrew's date with mom:  Make a dessert you have never made before.  Andrew wanted to make a super colossal ice cream sundae.  So he made his list and he and I went to the store to buy all the ingredients.  We came home and made a very tasty ice cream sundae.

John's date with dad: Build a small project together.  John wanted a triangle table to put by his bed.  So he and Ryan went to Home Depot and bought a few supplies and came home and got to work.  It turned out really cute and functional :).

(Finished product picture coming soon!)

John's date with mom: Go to the movies or have a movie night at home.  John also chose to have a movie night at home and he picked The Magic School bus.  Not technically a movie but that is what he loves right now.  So we watched several episodes and ate popcorn and treats.  He loved it!

Annie doesn't have "official" dates with us this year since she is still little, but we can't wait to include her.  Probably next year.  Instead we are just taking her on little dates like to get an ice cream cone or play in the park that sort of thing.

The kids got to open up February's envelope on the first.  They are excited for another month of fun dates with mom and dad!