Catching up . . . Snow, Snow and more SNOW!

Everyday I think about blogging and then something else pops up for me to do. Here's a quick recap of the last few days:

Valentine's Day: Henry and Evie loved passing out cards to their friends this year and I had a blast at Henry's little school party. Kids were excited for their treats on Saturday. Evie got a pink computer courtesy of the clearance rack at Michael's. It was cheap and will probably break in less than a week but she loves it.  We also got her a tooth fairy pillow since that tooth is getting more wiggly by the day. Henry got some magna tiles and a little turtle. He loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Carl took the kids out for a bit which was better for me than two dozen roses and jewelry. 

Mardi Gras: Our small group celebrated Mardi Gras on Saturday night. Carl and I made a jambalya and it turned out delicious. We will make that again for sure - easy and feeds a ton of people. Everyone brought something yummy and we met up at Emilee and Tim's house. It was a fun night and the guys got off easy for Valentine's Day! All the kids played, the dads hung out at the bonfire and the moms chatted in the kitchen.

Snow: It's been a snowy few days in Nashville - icy and snowy! School has been out all week - that is five snow days which is a lot for TN. It has been fine being stuck at home. We have been keeping busy with movies, baking, playing games, playing in the snow and hanging out with neighbors. Both kids had a little bug yesterday but recovered quickly.  Henry even took a nap in his crib - SHOCKING! He never does that and it will likely be his last crib nap since we are planning to move him into his big boy beds next month. We really have enjoyed the week together even being homebound. It has been just fine but I am ready to get back on schedule but guess what is in the forecast: MORE SNOW!!!

Wednesday: Carl had a big convention this week at the Music City Center and invited me to go out with him on Wednesday night to hang with the wife of his customer. It was so nice to get out of the house and get dressed up for dinner. I loved being with all those North Carolina people - those accents are the best. Nothing like being with a bunch of good ole' boys all dressed up talking about transportation and maintenance. I was thrilled Carl asked me to come - it was a nice break from the snow and fun to meet some people who think highly of my sweet husband.

Reading: I have read a ton of books this week while we have been home. My favorites are Calling me Home and Never Knowing. There is nothing like cuddling up with a good book and a nice cup of tea or coffee. 

Daddy Daughter Dance!

Evie and Carl went to the Daddy-Daughter dance on Friday night. They both had a ball! Evie was over the moon excited to go to a dance with her Daddy. 

Carl said it was wild and another parent described it to me as an unorganized playdate. I sure would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. The evening started with dinner in the cafeteria but it did not look like the cafeteria. Fancy tables. balloons, and decorations turned the cafeteria into a pink paradise.

Carl and Evie had been practicing their dancing for weeks. The music was a little different than they had anticipated. I reminded Carl that we are not in North Carolina and shag music is not exactly the norm. He described it as "prom music." One of my neighbors mentioned there were fun dads and cool dads at the dance. I was proud to hear that Carl was a fun dad dancing with his daughter rather than standing in the corner on his phone with the cool dads. 

I am thrilled they had a special evening together! Evie sure is a lucky girl.


* Our weekend was so busy but it seems silly to post about it now. Two birthday parties for the kids, a date night and church. I was thrilled to see Monday morning when everything got back on schedule. 

Wonderful Weekend: Puppet Shows, Friends and Brunch!

It was a wonderful weekend! Busier than usual but so nice.

Friday: We enjoyed our weekly pizza dinner and put the kids to bed early before watching a movie. I cannot remember the movie so it was not that great! I finished a fabulous book - The Story Hour. Highly recommend that book! 

Saturday: We woke up later than usual and whipped up a delicious breakfast of biscuits, eggs, bacon and fruit. Evie still loves to play waitress and happily passed everything out for us. After breakfast, Evie worked on her Valentines for her friends. Then, we decided to check out the puppet show at the Nashville Public Library - Hansel and Gretel. One of my favorite fairy tales but the puppet show did not blow me away. Most of their shows are AMAZING but this was not my favorite. Henry and Evie both liked it a lot. We stopped at Edley's Barbecue on the way home which is always a treat. It was a nice relaxing afternoon. Evie and Henry played, watched a movie and helped me straighten a bit. I started a new book and Carl relaxed a bit. We had some friends over for dinner and it was so fun. I have been inspired by Erin at Blue-Eyed Bride to open our home more to others and build community with our friends. I used to do this a lot - not sure why I stopped! Evie and Henry loved having their friends over to play. It was a fabulous night with lots of laughter and good conversation. Best of all I was completely stress-free about hosting an extra family. It just all came together!  It was a late night though and we all passed out early.

Sunday: Everyone slept late since we were up late. Henry is coughing badly again and wheezing a little. He has just a tiny touch of asthma that flares up occasionally so we did his breathing treatment and let him rest a bit. My small-group from church hosted a baby shower for our sweet friend Emilee this morning at Brick Top's. It's her third baby - a little boy so we brought her a few little things. Mostly diapers!  I got her a little hat too because who can resist a baby boy in a precious hat! Brunch was delicious! We had deviled eggs and millionaires bacon plus little doughnuts. I ordered waffles and bacon for my meal and of course we had mimosas. Brunch is my very favorite meal - it feels so fun and grown-up. I adore these friends and feel so fortunate to have them and their families in my life. Carl held down the fort at home. It was a nice, lazy afternoon at home. Rainy days are perfect days for staying inside. Carl and I created a little Super Bowl party for our family - nothing fancy but it was fun to celebrate with my favorite team. We had wings, cheese dip, fruit and veggies and ice-cream sundaes for dessert. Bedtime is next on the agenda!

Hope you had an amazing weekend filled with people and plans that make you happy!