HaPpY BirThDaY BrOoKiE!!

It is my sweet Brooke Anne's birthday.  She is 8 years old, and I can hardly believe it.  She is such a sweet, cute, caring, funny, smart, brave, kind, spunky, adorable girl!  We love having Brooke in our family, and couldn't imagine life without her.  Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

Saturday evening, Brooke had her birthday party.  She wanted to have a "late night" party... an alternative to a sleepover (which we don't allow).  She invited over eight of her friends, only four of which came.  (Gracie, Danielle, Genesis, and Keely)  It was the perfect amount of girls though, when added to my own (minus Chloe who was at a friend's birthday party)!  They ate pizza, played games, had cupcakes and ice cream, watched a movie, danced around, and ran around like crazy girls!  Brooke had a lot of fun with her friends (and I was so glad when it came to an end)!!  I love my Brooke.  She made everyone feel welcome, and tried to include everyone in all the fun.  She is a great little girl!  I hope she had a wonderful party!

I can hardly believe it!

How can Brooke be turning 8?  It seems like just yesterday I was walking around the yard (while Ciera and Chloe played) trying to keep my little baby Brooke from crying.  She was such a screamer!  For her birthday this year, Brooke wanted to get her ears pierced.  Since her birthday is on a Monday, we had to take her on Saturday to get it done (so she could wear her earrings to school on her birthday).  She was super escited before we got to Claire's.

After we got there, and it became real, she got really scared.  She cried and almost bolted out the door.  After a lot of tears and about 20 minutes, she said a prayer for bravery, and prepared herself... and did it!  She was so happy to have it done!

And she looks so cute with her birthstone studs!

Be My Valentine!

I love Valentine's Day.  It is always a good day... full of kindness and love.  A day to let the people we love know we love them.  I think every day should be Valentine's Day!  This year, we made and frosted sugar cookies (as we always do) on the day before Valentines Day.  Dave and I got the girls some valentines, which they got in the morning when they woke up.  For dinner, I made an Italian dinner, and Chocolate Eclair Cake for dessert.  It was delish!
Because Valentine's Day was on Thursday, Dave and I went out on our date on Friday.  We went to Studio Movie Grill (a restaurant/movie theater) and saw a movie together.  It was really nice.  I kept saying I was the luckiest person in the world to have 5 wonderful valentines.  And, its true!  I have the best family... I love them all so much!

(Brooke made Dave and I this cute Valentine at school.  I couldn't keep it because of the candy hearts... so I took a picture instead!)

Happy Mardi Gras!

We started a tradition a couple of years ago.  To celebrate Mardi Gras, we make a New Orleans style dinner, beignets for dessert, and Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" for entertainment.  This year, I made "dirty rice" with chicken, black beans and quinoa (with the secret ingredient... Creole Seasoning).  It was really yummy!

The beignets turned out really good too!  Our home teachers from church came by that evening, so we shared our Mardi Gras dessert with them too!

It is really fun, and something I hope to do every year!

Smart girls!

Dave and I are very proud of our girls.  Most of the time they do so well in school, and this grading period was no exception.  Ciera and Chloe both got all A's and B's on their report cards.  Autumn got "grade-level" or "above grade level" on hers, and Brooke got straight A's... with a 95% or above in all subjects.  That earned her "Principal's Club", which she got recognized for at their school assembly.

We have such smart, awesome girls!

We're HUNGRY!

Apparently, I starve my children.  That is how they make it seem anyway.  After eating dinner AND dessert, Autumn asked me for more food.  I told her no, because she had eaten enough for the time being.  She got huffy and sassy and a few minutes later began playing with the magnets on the fridge.  When she was done I found this:

I guess I am MEAN (and don't feed my children)!