February days

 :: these two best friends ♥♥ + Taylor making a copycat recipe from a fancy restaurant he went to for school ::

  

:: west side story with grandpa! + some Packer girls :: 

 :: Adeline loves her girl cousins ♥ ::

 :: shakes + homemade eclairs ::

:: we aren't totally into football, but we are totally into the food for the superbowl! ::

:: snow!! + celebrating the Chinese New Year (with almost everything, it's all about the food for us) :: 

 :: Valentine mailboxes...Rudger lived for these for 14 days in February ♥♥ ::

 :: I really got into organizing the crayons ::

:: ballet with grandma ♥♥ ::

 :: grandpa telling stories + in n out ::

:: braces!!! + folding laundry while Adeline puts bows in my hair :: 

 :: woke up to beautiful snow ::

:: chocolate waffles :: 

:: target!! :: 

:: blue and gold banquet + star shaped cake pops for the win! :: 

 :: this magic moment + I love watching the big brothers helping out their sister ::

 :: more ballet with grandma + mother may I ::

 :: the love of rice pudding lives on ::

 :: right before I took this picture, the little girl had her head on Rudger's shoulder ♥♥ + breakfast for dinner ::

 :: trying to do mom and me journals again :) + ♥♥♥ ::

Corbin's 15th birthday

He's 15!! This was a huge growing year for Corbin in so many ways. We quite like who he is and the fun he brings to our family! We loved celebrating him this day ♥

I made a goal this year to make a music video for everyone and watch it on their birthday. It includes pictures and videos of that person from the past year. It was a BIG success. I loved watching his face while we watched the video ♥♥ (The two songs I chose for the video were 'I lived' - One Republic and 'Thunder' - Imagine Dragons)

Happy Birthday Corbin!!!

Valentine's Day

This year for Valentine's day Rudger had some big plans for what he wanted to do for his class. He spent the evening before writing out hand written notes for each kid letting them know they are awesome, then he rounded up treats and put them in baggies. Nothing says first grade quite like this. It made my heart so so happy! Then he wrote his teacher a note with hearts all over it and gave her a Utah Truffle. I love this boy ♥♥

Levi made a hot cocoa 'mailbox' that was quite creative. He pulled out all the crafts and did the whole thing himself. Since all the crafts were out, everyone else decided they needed to make something too. :) 

Valentine's day started out great and then I got the worst prank call of my life.

Someone, pretending to be our cities police officer, said that they were so sorry but my husband passed away in a crash on 200 N. They knew my name, and his name. There were siren noises going on in the background. My heart stopped, I kept saying...no, this can't be right, NO!! After several seconds of them saying, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, they said just kidding this is a prank, and hung up.

Who could do this? I called Justin to really make sure he was okay. I called the number back, but of course it was a number that couldn't be reached. I called the police station and let them know. They said it was probably a punk teenager. 

It made for a pretty emotional day. But I am surrounded by such kind, loving people who helped lift my spirits that day. ♥♥

 I was so happy to all be together this night ♥♥♥