Love Day

Michael:

makes us all so happy! He took me on a date Saturday to a restaurant on our bucket list -- it's a remodeled schoolhouse from the late 1800s/early 1900s on the way to Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park. We took Camden with us because I knew then I wouldn't be stressed about taking our time. He was an angel an he never interrupts our dinner conversation :) We love all our kids very much. But Camden is the only one that made it on the Valentines date this year. On our way home from there we stopped at Sprouts to buy some buckwheat flour for another bon appetite recipe. (We made them today and Michael thought they were too rich, which means you automatically know I loved them. What is too rich?) He played t-ball with the boys today, and we went on a little walk/bike ride. He's still a vegetarian this month and doesn't even miss meat much if it all. We spend our nights catching up on Modern Family right now and it makes us laugh so much.

Maddie:

I'm upping my cross stitch time again, and I still am just amused at the randomness and instant enjoyment of that hobby. It just didn't exist and then existed and I really like it. I loved being on a date with Michael (and Camden) so much. Valentines Day was super fun this week because Westin just LOVES holiday food fun as he gets older. We focused on showing each other and some friends some extra love that day and I just really like that holiday. Michael brought me a beautiful purple live orchid. I love that buying dead flowers is just so sad to him. Anniversaries and valentines means another live plant moving into our bathroom :) 

Westin:

was so happy on Valentines Day. From making valentines for his class that week (the easy store bought kind that come with a sticker -- did NOT know class Valentines was yet another extravagant Pinterested activity now but zero regrets about our easy way out on that one), to planning some fun valentine food, and drawing some valentines for his teachers and for Hadley, Annie and Winnie. We made CSE chocolate waffles that morning with raspberries, and he kept asking if it was time to go to school because he was so excited about his Valentines party. I signed the boys up for T-Ball this spring and they'll be on the same team. I told Westin that and he said, "What?? Bennett doesn't know how to play!" But his face was happy and excited and he said it in disbelief, and it was so cute. I'm excited they get to do that together since they'll both be in the 3-5 division.

Bennett:

is so funny. My favorite moment with him this week was when we introduced the boys to how to play 20 Questions. He just observed the three of us playing for a while, watching how I'd count questions on my fingers and listening to the way our conversation went. After a while he wanted a turn and we were all laughing trying to guess what Bennett was thinking, then when it was someone else's turn again he'd count his guesses on his fingers while throwing out his cute words. Elephant? (Voo?) Dog? (Heh-heh?) Potty? (Potty? He says some words spot on, haha). Cow? (Moo). Tree? (Tee?) Each time putting a little finger up. He also loves to fly down the hill on our bike path that goes into a little tunnel and it's so cute and funny.

Camden:

Is so HAPPY and so BOUNCY and has had a few foods without screaming but without much swallowing either. So far he's had somewhat good luck with applesauce, raspberries, egg crepes, hummus, and some roasted cauliflower soup. It's so funny to watch him bounce in his monkey chair. He grabs my hair so so much lately. He was an angel on our date. He loves when he gets attention from Westin or Bennett. He's so content in the car, mostly content on walks, loves naps and bedtime, wakes up 1-2 times a night, has to get his second flu shot this week, and still looks so much like Westin to me. He'll hit 7 months this week and it just makes me sad. I want him to stay so small! And I really love this stage. 

Making Caterpillar Valentines

Just chatting together

Mr. T came out! Lots of dirt on his shell, he must have been hibernating somewhere again for a while.
We gave him a Valentines strawberry and he loved it.

I made some CSE wheat bread which was very fast and easy,
though it doesn't look attractive at all.
Next time I'll score after it raises rather than before,
and I'll remember to put the olive oil in that the recipe calls for.
We'll see if those help :)

Roasted cauliflower soup and honey wheat bread.
Some healthy foods taste like you're trying to be healthy,
but others are a completely easy trade.
This soup was one of the great trades -- we seriously loved it as much as any potato soup.

Valentine's morning!
Some treats from dad, books from mom,
and some books from Grandma and Grandpa Daetwyler.

First time with Reddi Whip for those CSE chocolate protein waffles.
They LOVED them.

Grandma Daetwyler sent the cutest books -- two of us made us laugh out loud and one made me cry.

Making valentines for Emily's girls

I took the opposite approach of Halloween and let them eat whatever their belly wanted on Valentines Day...

Then we made these...

And then Bennett threw up into that bowl of chocolate he's licking after strawberry dipping.
Ew.
I guess that's how "eat what you feel like" goes for him still,
but Westin has figured it out really well. Bennett will get there.

I was so excited to show these boys that snake skin,
then Westin asked me if it was a rope.
It's a rope.

Clean little cutie

School photos from the restaurant we went to

School house remodeled into the dining room

They make every single thing on the menu from scratch, down to the ketchup and all sauces/dressings.
We ordered their signature dishes -- grilled brie, meatloaf (they spend 4 days preparing it, which I don't even know what those 4 days would entail but there you go), grilled pork loin, pear bread pudding.
There were zero vegetarian options on their menu, so.... sorry, Michael.

Then we stopped at Sprouts on our way home. Even a grocery store is fun on date night.

Everyone has their own style of transportation on our walks.

Valentine's Morning!

I LOVE watching them read books.

We're reading more and more to try and help Benny boy and his speech,

and I think it's helping. Westin especially loves listening to chapter books lately.

Cruising so fast on this walk!

We started walking to this incline through a bike trail tunnel,

but we won't come back without bike helmets -- they are too fast on these little balance bikes now to not need a helmet for even those. Sunday walks are so fun.