Sunday Evening Decorating Valentine Cookies
Happy Valentines Day!
My day started out with a great run with my friend at 5 am. I almost tried to think of an idea to cancel. It didn't help that the night before I stayed up until about 1am playing the cash flow game with my Dad and Aunt/step mom Kathy and Wade. We had a ball playing! I was the only one who didn't make it out of the rat race! :( But I has happy that everyone else did. I NEVER stay up that late! We all learned a lot from the game.
Saturday was great because we were all at the ranch with Dad and Kathy loading up hay. I have such great memories at the ranch with my dad. But my kids need more experiences like that. Soon after we get there the kids act a little lost not knowing what to do. They start to whine and complain. "I have nothing to do!" "What should we do?" We say just figure it out. Us your imagination. Play around on the hay stacks and figure it out! And they did!! They were covered in hay inside and out. Kids need to learn how to just be and entertain themselves sometimes. The last 8 years I have been either pregnant or nursing or having to watch a toddler and haven't been able to...cowgirl up? So I was standing there watching dad move hay around (which in the past I would be helping) Kathy was holding Bella and he said to me, "Bring that tractor over here and put the bucket down and I'll fill it up." I was a little stunned and felt a dashavoo to my childhood.
"Me?"
"yes"
"okay but I haven't driven this tractor before."
"well, hop up there and I'll show you."
I was pretty excited. Usually I just watch Wade or Dad drive the tractor while I hold one of my children. It was really natural driving the tractor and helping out. I only did it for a little bit because Kathy couldn't hold Bell forever! I reflected a lot about working with my dad on the ranch. The way he had me work with him during almost every time I saw him made me feel strong and capable as a woman. When he would come up to visit me it was always at the ranch working and riding horses. Sometimes I thought, "Oh I don't want to work all weekend at the ranch!" Imagine that a child not wanting to work! Well I was always happy during my visits, learned great work ethic, built great memories and was always sad to say goodbye.
Yesterday at church my dad and Kathy came to sacrament meeting with us. When we said goodbye in the lobby and they left Andrea was having some sort of melt down and pulling on me to come with her to the bathroom. She was crying as we walked and I kept saying what is the matter!? We got in the bathroom and she said that she was so sad that Grandpa was leaving. She was crying pretty hard and said how she didn't get enough time with him and that we don't see him enough. "I just miss Grandpa!" In that moment my heart melted and I remembered all the times that I cried after saying goodbye to my dad. Sad that I never got "enough" time since I didn't live with him. When we got home she started crying AGAIN about missing Grandpa and wanted to call him. A little bit later she was sitting on the counter and started tearing up again and said to me, "lets not talk about Grandpa anymore." I thought we had stopped talking about him, but she must have continued thinking about him. I really was surprised at how she missed him and cried about it being the Grandchild. I didn't know she was so fond of him. My kids really love Kathy too. She seems to be a natural addition to my family.
I didn't plan on spending any time blogging and need to get on with my festive day. I have major valentines to make!! I created this tradition of making nice valentines for each of my children and husband. I'll be thinking of my sister Cheryl....-the holiday girl- and the countless hours of making valentines together! I'll try to post a picture of my valentines but I'll be lucky to get them all done today.
Wade and I don't bother going out for Valentine's Day. Its more fun to be with the kids for this holiday. Children Love Valentines Day! But we will be cuddling up with a box of See's Chocolate after the kids go to bed!-
Love and Light~
