Valentine's party weekend

We threw a Valentine's party at our Loveless Nest this weekend.

It was fun.  

Like, really really fun.  

I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time.

 Upon arrival, all couples posed under the true love arch.

We had lots of yummy food and played "The Couple Connection."

{a million thanks to the Christopher's for passing along the game!!}

Mckinlay knew we were planning our "adult party" so she took it upon herself to plan her very own "kid party."  She's been talking about it for weeks.  

She wanted pizza and cupcake decorating.

She's becoming quite the little party planner.

What can I say:

{photo posed and taken by Mckinlay}

Happy Valentine's everyone!

XXXOOO

Holy Cow! He's 60!

Since my Dad's heart surgery last year, my Mom has become a little obsessed with cows --

and for good reason.  

Dad's replacement valve was is a "Bovine Valve."

Today is his 60th Birthday, in addition expressions like "Cowabunga!" "Holy Cow" and being "put out to pasture," Mom hung 60 pictures of Dad around the kitchen. 

{like mother like daughter.  we can't resist a good number themed party.}

Naturally she had to add some cow pictures to the mix.  These two are my favorite.

Wish we were there to join the party!!

And your birthday wouldn't be complete without a rousing round of:

"Daddy!  

How I love ya How I love ya!  

My dear ol' Daddy!"

31 on the 31st!

We had a 31 flavors ice cream party for Ty's 31st birthday!

I can take photos before a party, but I rarely ever manage to get any during.  This time I snapped one -- just before blowing out the candles.

Looking good babe!  Even at the ripe old age of 31.

{says his younger  wife, you know, the wife that's going gray!}

Happy birthday Ty!

We sure love ya!

SO much!

Thanks to everyone who came!  

Glad we got ice cream in before the freezing cold, giant snow storm, right!?

Dan Sloan Benefit Concert

Attention Utah friends!!

My cousin Dan had brain surgery last week.  He is doing well, although it looks as though he will need radiation in the future.  

Surgery is really expensive, so my fabulous cousin Cassi organized a benefit concert in his honor.  It will be Friday, February 4th at 7:00 at The Waterford School in Sandy.  It's going to be a fabulous show!  I really, really wish I could be there for it!  

{Have you seen Jason Hewlitt before?  He looks pretty darn funny.}

Check out the website for more info:

http://dansloanconcert.com/

 Tickets can be purchased through the website or at the door.  Donations are also accepted through the website.

Any thought and prayers would be appreciated.  Feel free to help spread the word too!

Were rooting for a speedy recovery Dan!!  

Lots of love!

Butterfly Birthday

I’m turning 4

hip hip hooray!

Come on over  &

celebrate my big day!

We’ll eat cake, play games & wear butterfly wings

& laugh and have fun doing

party-ish things.

The birthday girl's party requests included:

nail painting 

& for cousin Addy to come to her party.

{Thanks B and Alli for coming up for the weekend!  We love having you so close!!}

I think the party was a success!

 I could have watched these kiddos play all day long.    

4 years old today

Four things I love about this girl:

1.  Her imagination.  

I'm telling ya, she comes up with some pretty awesome things.

2.  That she doesn't walk, but dances everywhere she goes.

3.  That every morning she wakes up, comes into our room and says "Hi mom!  I slept really good!  Now can I snuggle you for a little bit?"

4.  When we're all together as a family and she breaks out in "We are a family!  And we love each other!"

{it's melts your heart, let me tell ya.}  

Happy, happy birthday little big girl!!

 {photos by sarah b.}

2010 in review

January:

Damage control on Mckinlay’s hair.  Liza’s baby blessing, Mckinlay turned fancy & 3.  Started Resoluationary Challenge.  Melynn, Madelyn and Becky came to visit.  Ty turned 30.

February:

Got way too much snow.  Did things to keep us from going crazy.  Got the best valentines bouquet ever.

 

March:

We {heart} art.  Boston road trip!  More things to keep us sane, but losing our sanity while doing them.

April:

Laura and I won the RC.  Got a tire swing.  Started unthawing.  Went to KY to see cousins and Mary Poppins.  Arm Fire pit.  Eggshell land.  Sewed ruffles on everything.

May:

California/Disneyland/Utah.  Liza’s ½ birthday.  Awful baby hair regrowth {argh.}

{but I promised I wouldn't tell this story.}

June:

1 year in Ohio.  Photos with Em.  Grandpa Passey passed away.  Pool opened.  Cousins week.

July:

1^st year ended!  Celebrated the 4^th with the Mckins. Damage control.  1^st dance class.  Visit from Maddle & Happy Jo visit.

August:

Family photos with Sarah B.  6^th wedding anniversary.  Preschool.

September:

Labor day with the Mckins.  The car kafuffle.  Megs turned 28.  Midge swarm fest 2010.  Became pirates for the 4^th year in a row.

October:

Fell in love with Cleveland Fall again.  Tested our palates.  Had the cutest little lions, ever.  Went Hall-oweening.

November:

First snow fall of the season.  Liza-lou turned 1.  Loved {and giggled through} Mckinlay’s dance recital.  Thanksgiving with friends.

December:

Lots of snow play.  Santa.  Wreath making.  Saint Lucia.  Made 7  Snuggies {+ one for a stuffed dog. don't mock}.  Went to Utah.  Got a "dog with a dog house".  Rang in the new year {2 hours early}with friends.  

And counted our blessings.  

Happy 2011 everyone.

Did your Christmas look like this?

Ours did.
{Minute to win it games, Christmas style}


Here's what else our Christmas looked like:

Christmas Sunday just before hopping on a plane to Utah

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Breakfast with Boston friends.

Cousin birthday tea party

Lots of beautiful scenery

Faux Christmas morning.
Santa left our presents in Cleveland so we wouldn't have to lug everything there and back with us.  We got home, put on jammies and started unwrapping.  Someone was eagerly anticipated her dog house.
I'll post a picture soon.  All I can say is I have a pretty crafty elf husband.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Story

{I love that is says "based on a true story" at the end!}

Merry, merry Christmas!

Saint Lucia Day

This morning we celebrated Saint Lucia Day -- one of my very favorite Christmas traditions.

When I was about 7 I read about Saint Lucia Day in one of my American Girl Doll Books.  Since my family is Swedish, I asked my Mom if we could celebrate it too.  

So we did.  

And we have ever since.  

Maddle and I use to switch off every year dressing as St. Lucia.  We'd wake up early in the morning and make cinnamon rolls.  Then wake up each family member by saying "Saint Lucia invited you to breakfast."  After breakfast we'd open a Christmas present from "Jultomten" (Swedish Santa).  Every year he brings us our Christmas ornament for the year, but Jultomten is tricky.  He writes a poem about each ornament so we can guess what is inside.

This is Mckinlay's first year dressing up as Saint Lucia.  

She has been counting down the days!  She helped pick out everyone's ornaments and even helped me make her crown (Thanks Ginny for the DARLING pattern!).  

I just about cried several time this morning seeing her in her sweet little dress and how excited she was about everything.  I so see myself in her and it just makes me happy to be establishing family traditions.

Here are Jultomten's poems for us this year:
{Mom-- this is for you}


Ty-
Our dad is really sweet & nice,

{not only because he wears Old Spice},

But to be a real man you need a grill.

Flipping burgers & grilling steaks – what a thrill.

With a fire pit and a grill to use whenever he can,

He is now officially a man, man.

Megs-
Cookies, brownie & cakes – Oh my!

Homemade, of course, she wouldn’t think to buy!

Baking went to a new level with her Kitchen Aid,

 Now everyone wants a treat that “Meghan made.”

It makes her happy to be in the kitchen,

Especially when little helpers pitch in.

Mckinlay:   
Our little girl loves to dance,

& will do so whenever she gets the chance.

Pirotte, plie, strike a pose,

Then twirl around on her tippy-toes.

This year Mckinlay started taking dance class,

& moves and groves with lots of sass.

Eliza:
You reach & grab & touch & take,

Leaving a trail of rubble in your wake.

To find an ornament for little Lizy-Lou,

It must be one she can touch & chew.

A soft Christmas doll was just the ticket!

When Mama saw it, she knew to pick it.

Here are our ornaments:

Remember it's like, 7:30am?  

No photo of Liza's ornament {I can't find where I hid it!}, but this is what she was doing while I read her poem to her:  

Need I say more?


Saint Lucia Day is actually supposed to be on December 13, but the weekend works out easier for us.  So there is still time if you want to celebrate too!


Happy Saint Lucia Day!!

Visit to Santa

 Yesterday I took the girls to see Santa with a group of our friends.  

It was fun.  

Like, really really fun.

I didn't tell Mckinlay we were going until an hour before, because I knew that is all she'd be talking about in anticipation {"Is it time to see Santa NOW?...How about NOW?"}.  As it was, the hour was filled with "Are the reindeer going to be there?"  "Are we going to the North Pole?"  "Why is he here and not in the North Pole making toys?"    While asking all sorts of questions, she made a bracelet to take to the big man in red.  

We pulled up to the community center and she said 

"Uh, Mom?  This doesn't really look like some kind of a workshop."

Cute to see the ideas she gets in her head about what we're doing.  Of course Santa would be in a workshop if we were going to see him, right?

While waiting to see him, she also colored him a picture.

Santa was cute.  

Really, really cute.

He was so darling about the bracelet and put it right on thanking her for thinking of him.  He made her feel pretty darn special.

She asked for a dog with a dog house and a pogo stick.

Seriously?  A pogo stick?  Where does she come up with these things?

Liza was pretty enchanted by him too.

They did free photos.  Here is ours:

{Notice the bracelet.}

Afterwards we had friends over to decorate Christmas cookies and even got in a little mommy chatting time.  Always a bonus.

Christmas time is so fun.

Speaking of fun things, we had a fabulous Relief Society wreath making activity this past week.  Thanks everyone who helped for all your hard work.

{I had to bring a little bit of Boston tradition with me to good old Cleveland  

And for the record, I made my bow all by myself this year!  First year I didn't coerce ask someone to do it for me.}