Blue and Gold Boy Scout Banquet

 Last Saturday night, we went to Parker's Blue and Gold Banquet for Boy Scouts.  

The large group

Parker with a couple of the boys in his group

We had a nice meal, and all of the boys received their new badges.  We are proud of our Boy Scout!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

Everybody woke up to find heart messages taped to their doors.  Just a few of the reasons why I love all of them!

Brian's little love notes

Even Max had some hearts

 Parker's class had their party at lunchtime and parents weren't really invited.  BUT...

I went anyway for a few minutes since I was just down the hall.  

 I was also able to run over to Claire's party for just a few minutes.

 Her daddy was able to stop by too.

 Nana came over to join us for our Valentine dinner.

Nana's plate

The kids both had some fun candy at their plate too

 

Nana with some sweet little Valentines

This picture is out of order, but it was Parker and Claire's surprise Valentine breakfast.  

 I found the sweetest surprise on my bed.  We had agreed not to buy cards and gifts, but we both broke the rules just a tiny bit.  Brian made me the sweetest card.  The front said, "A Valentine List".  (He said he knows how much I love lists ~ ha!)  On the inside was a list of reasons that he loves me.  

AWWW! 

(Sorry ladies, he's all mine.)

I'm so thankful for all of my precious loves!

I Beg Your Pardon

I'm terribly sorry for my blogging absence, but it's time to catch up!

Parker's Pinewood Derby car, Silver Shark, did pretty well in the races.  He won third in his den.  He didn't place in the large pack races, but still had fun.

Watching the races

Cheering him on!

 Last weekend, Parker and Claire were invited to TWO swimming parties.  On Saturday, they went to Hannah's party.

 Then we had a little more snow! 

 On Sunday, they went to Payton and Molly's party.

 It was a Dipapalooza around here on Sunday night for the Super Bowl.

Spinach Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip
(There was also a cheese dip)

 Brian was F.O.C.U.S.E.D

 This week there's been some bike riding.

One night I made calzones! 

They ended up humongous!

 Purely by coincidence of course, Brian and I shared a calzone at Crazy Tomato on Thursday. 

(I was off because I had a doctor appointment that took forever and a day.  More details coming soon on that.  I know you are on the edge of your seat.  No, I'm not pregnant.) 

 We had a fun dinner out on Friday night with some friends.  Look at this cutie!

 On Saturday, we went to help Aunt Lainie use Facetime with her family in California.  It was a pretty exciting event because they were having a gender reveal party out there for her first great-grandchild.

 Here they are cutting into the cake ~ It's A Girl!

 Sunday was Scout Sunday at church.  Parker and Marisa helped serve by passing out "Sunday papers".

Then they recognized them during the service.

We had lunch with some family after church.

 Brian wanted to measure the kids to see how much they've grown.  

53 inches

59 inches

 After school today, I went out to dinner with the other first grade teachers.  It was fun!

I'm sure I'm leaving some happenings out, but at least this catches us up a little!

(PS The Bachelor ~ Tierra is finally gone.  There are four girls left.  Next week is the hometown dates.  Somebody accidentally told me who the spoilers are saying Sean picks in the end.  I really hate knowing because it takes the fun out of watching.  Oh well!)

The Bachelor: Montana Edition

In the words of Chris Harrison, "Welcome back, ladies".  It looks like we are headed to Montana for tonight's Bachelor.  Montana looks really beautiful from that itty bitty airplane on which Sean is arriving.  Oh my, the plane just landed on the water.

Lindsay just found out she's going on the one-on-one date.  She cried a little.  Of course, all of the other girls are jealous.

Enter helicopter.

Montana is absolutely gorgeous! I need to add that I would be throwing up from fear if I was in that helicopter.

Sean told Lindsay that he likes her because she isn't high maintenance.  For the record, I'm pretty sure that's why Brian Murray fell in love with me too.

Now Sean and Lindsay are in a lovely lodge looking building.  There is a fire.  Quite romantic.  He likes her a lot by the looks of these kisses.  And Lindsay gets the first rose of the night.  She thinks the night is over, but she is wrong.  There is a concert going on down the street just for them.  So they dance in front of everybody.  I don't know which is worse...that helicopter ride or dancing in front of everybody.  She's obviously a cooler cat than I am.

Back at the girl's house, the group date card has just been delivered.  The girls who have their names on the card are relieved because everybody knows they don't want to go on the upcoming two-on-one date where somebody WILL go home.

Group date time! The girls are instructed about a relay race including a canoe race, hay, sawing logs, and milking goats.  You have to be kidding me.  So the competition begins.  Those canoes are all over the place. Oh, bless their hearts.  Now they are milking the goat.  And the goat just kicked over the milk they worked so hard to get.  That would SO be my luck.  And now Desiree is drinking the milk.  Grody!!!

So the blue team are the losers and off they go back to the house.  The red teams wins and gets to hang around with Sean for the evening.  Lucky them.  Apparently, drinking goat milk makes one lucky.

Sean just invited the blue team to come back to the party.  Oh, those red girls are going to be so mad! They just drank goat's milk for crying out loud to win the time with him!!! And now the others get to come back.  Big mistake Sean.

Addendum: Drinking goat's milk does not in fact make one lucky.

Oh, they are mad!

And now, Tierra is headed that way too.  And she wasn't even part of the blue or red team.  What is she doing? That girl is cray cray.  Bless her heart.  If those other girl's see her, she is dead meat.

So now she's questioning why she is having to go on a two-on-one date.  She thinks she deserves all of his time.  But unfortunately, that just isn't what she signed up for!  Lucky for her, none of the other girls saw her. I bet she had some goat's milk before she went over there.

Now, the game of "It's my turn, no it's my turn" begins.  The girls are stealing him away left and right.

My viewing partner, Max, is very asleep right now.  He's totally over all of this drama.

Daniella cries to Sean, but she gets the rose.

Now it's finally time for the date with Tierra and Jackie.  They are going horse back riding.  I'm very afraid that Jackie is going to try to talk to Sean about Tierra.  He doesn't like that kind of thing.  Oh no, I was right.  She's talking.  About Tierra.  To Sean.  I really think that's a mistake.  See: Kacie B.

There is awkward silence at dinner.  Now Tierra is spending some alone time with Sean.  I think he will send Jackie home.  I was right.  Poor Jackie.  Tierra is very happy.  Fireworks.  Of course.

So it's the night of the rose ceremony.  Sean reassures Desiree.  Tierra storms out of the room so she doesn't have to be around the other girls.  She says she wants to fight them all.  Two girls decide to confront her.  This could be bad.  Sean walked by and saw Tierra fussing at Robyn.  So he's going to talk to her.  She tells him she's not a drama person at all and that all of the other girls are attacking her.

Sean asks Lesley for specific information about Tierra.  She tells him the truth without being too ugly.  He really put her in a difficult situation.

Sean is very frustrated.  Time for the roses.  Selma gets a rose.  Katherine, Lesley, AshLee, Sarah, and Desiree all get roses.  Goodbye Robyn.

*It's a two episode week for Bachelor.  More drama tomorrow night.  Bring it on.