Hello! I'm back and ready to blog. We've got two weeks to catch up on so this may be a little longer than usual. I was going to include a full review of Nashville but I think I'll come back on Tuesday for that rundown. Still, you should grab a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine depending on when you are reading this) and have a seat. Let's go..
1. Valentine's Day. I was so proud of us this year! We actually had the little girls's Valentine cards/gifts ready to go more than a week before their school parties. That NEVER happens around here. We're usually more last-minute type people.
Here they were working on their Valentine cards. The cards were so simple but the girls loved making them. I call that a win-win.

And here is the finished product:

We simply made a small little card and attached it to a small bag of microwave popcorn. Of course I found this idea on Pinterest. It was supposed to be a printable but I would rather the girls take a little more interest than just writing their name. Therefore, they wrote the whole card and glued on the heart. I helped tie the ribbon but that was it. They did the rest themselves and were very proud of their hard work. So fun!
2. Tonight we celebrated Valentine's Day as a family. #1 set the table and she put together a beautiful, coordinated theme. #2, #3, and #4 helped me make the dinner. And the hubby picked up Smallcakes cupcakes for dessert. It was truly a family affair.
Every year I pick up the girls a little something to open. It's usually very small. This year they each received a swimsuit from Target. I knew it was long shot that they would like what I picked out but it was a fun gift to open. And to my surprise, they all loved their suit. Only #1 will have to exchange hers because I purchased a size too small. I am just happy they each got something they need and will use on spring break. That is a win in my book!
For dinner, I made a delicious salad for all of us. The hubby and I ate crab legs and the girls had kung pao chicken meatballs. I even broke out the rolls I had left over from Thanksgiving. (I don't eat them because I can't pronounce any of the ingredients but the kids LOVE them. They are definitely a special treat and rarely eaten around here.)

3. The older three girls each play an instrument. #1 plays the violin and to my sheer delight is going to sign up for orchestra again next year - her sophomore year! #2 plays the piano and #3 plays the guitar. #4 has expressed an interest in the piano but I need to find a teacher for her. I don't want her to go to #2's teacher just yet.
Anyway, I've gotten a little bit hard core about practice time. Here's #3 practicing:

And I have to say, the extra emphasis on practice is really paying off. Who knew?! Ha.
4. As you know - #2 and #3 each play soccer. And I must say, it can get rough! It's hard to see in this picture, but #2 came home from her game on Saturday with a couple serious bruises. Her left knee (right side of the picture) has a bruise that takes up almost her whole kneecap!

She played against one of her most bestest friends on Saturday and was really nervous. Her friend is a forward and #2 is a defender. They "versed" each other quite a bit. But I was so proud of both girls! They each played their hearts out and simply played to their best abilities. They pushed and shoved just like normal but it was all good. I love those girls!
Then after the big game, #2's coach, Lance, shaved his head in honor of his sister - also a mom of one of the girls on our team - who is battling cancer. All the girls took a turn at shaving Lance's head and it was really special to watch. Not only that, they each wore a burgandy headband in honor of Lance's sister. Very special.

5. I set my alarm for 6:10am this morning. I needed to run 10 miles after not running long last weekend. Only guess what? Mother Nature had other ideas. Ugh! Apparently it sprinkled last night and all the streets and sidewalks were covered in a sheet of ice. I opted not to run. That meant two weeks in a row with no long run for me. Not good. I HAVE to get it in next weekend!
6. Yesterday, about 11am, the hubby decided we should go to dinner and a movie. Apparently to celebrate Valentine's Day? Anyway, I told him he was nuts! But he was insistent and I thought it was pretty sweet because he never suggests we go out together. I told him I would only go to a movie if we had reserved seats. That meant our choices were really limited because of course all the "good" movies only had crappy seats left. (I refuse to sit in the first four rows.) He ended up buying tickets to The Hateful Eight. If you're not familiar with the movie, it's a Quentin Tarantino movie. Enough said, right? It was awful. 2 hours and 47 minutes of awful. I drank two beers, peed twice, and left to buy popcorn - any excuse for a break.
I don't carte blanche hate Quentin movies because I LOVE Pulp Fiction and even Kill Bill wasn't bad. But this one? No bueno. The worst part? The movie was at 6:10pm. It was too early to eat dinner before the movie and by 9:30 it was too late to eat dinner afterwards. So we just went home and heated up leftovers. Romantic, aren't we? Oh well, at least we tried and the next movie is my pick!
7. I helped my friend, Carmen, today by organizing her family's coat closet in their entrance from the garage. We installed two new shoe shelves and moved another shelf up higher. We also removed the clothes bar and installed coat hooks, instead. Once she gets it painted and fixed up I'll post a picture. It is going to be awesome!
Also? Carmen picked me up a brand new Project Life Core kit signed by Becky Higgins. I know I am totally a nerd here but I can't wait to use it! It is going to be perfect for 2016 scrapbooking. I have vowed to get caught up this year and the new Core Kit will help me do it. I am so geeked out!
8. You've seen pictures of our cat, Darby, before on the blog. She is seriously naughty. I'm certain she was completely spoiled by her previous owners. She thinks she owns the place! Here she is as I found her after dinner. She sat up there, drinking her milk, as if she didn't have a car in the world!

9. The three little girls did not have school last Thursday or Friday. (#1 only had Friday off.) Of course they all have tomorrow off as well. Anyway, #3 has been a little social butterfly. She had a sleepover at her friend's house on Wednesday night. They had a BLAST! They play so well together and I heard about all the fun games they made up and played.
And then, she had another friend, Addy, sleep over here on Thursday night. #4 was delighted because when #3 has a sleepover #4 gets to reap the benefits as well!

Then the girls played all morning Friday and were majorly bummed when it was time for Addy to go home.
10. Meanwhile, #2 was at a sleepover of her own Thursday night. (Really, we just traded kids. Lizzie went over to Addy's house to hang with Addy's sister and Addy came over here. Works perfectly every time.)

These three girls all had a sleepover Thursday night and went shopping together on Friday. I love this picture because they have been friends since they were little, little, little and it's so adorable to see them together so grown up! Plus, they are all soccer players and it is my hope they will all play together in high school. How cool would that be?!
11. #1 has definitely been busy as well. She went shopping with friends on Friday, too. Unfortunately, she had to cut her shopping a little short due to swim practice Friday night. Poor kid!
12. I have another menu for the week:
Sunday: Apples and Bacon Salad with maple balsamic dressing (delicious!), crab legs, and Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs (so good!)
Monday: Home Fries Skillet + Fruit
Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Quinoa mac-n-cheese + roasted broccoli and brussels sprouts
Wednesday: Beef enchiladas + green beans
Thursday: Crock Pot White Chicken Chili + roasted sweet potatoes + fruits
Friday: Pizza and salad
13. Nashville. In a nutshell, it was SO MUCH FUN! There is nothing like spending time with your bestest friends who have known you for more than half your life. Seriously. Nothing.
Since it is getting late (and my wine is all gone) I will come back on Tuesday to give you the full run down of Nashville. I'll let you know of some fun restaurants, bars, and shopping areas. But let me just say, if you haven't visited Nashville, What are you waiting for?!
Here I am with 5 of the best friends a girl could ask for:

And yes, we are already planning next year's girls trip. I can't wait!
Have a fabulous week!