Heartfelt Month

My dear blogging friend Janette and I have started a new meme called Heartfelt Acts.  We have created a list of two possible service ideas for every month of the year.  We did this a lot for selfish reason-- as we ourselves want to get out and do more, get out and serve more.  But we also hope that others will want to join in this spirit of giving.

For February one of the ideas is to tell someone you love them every single day.  I decided to take it a step further and am creating a little heart that says I love you and then something I love about the person for each of my family members for everyday of the month.

Here were the first days' hearts.

I put each person's heart somewhere in their room but I gave Ryder his right away as he was asking what it is was.

He said "it's a heart!" with a big smile on his face.  Then asked me "what does it say?"

When I read him his- which his is the "love your hugs" one-- the look on his face was just something out of this world.   I could literally see the understanding, the love the happiness just grow in his eyes.  It was a moment I will never forget.

And then when it was time to go to story time- he carried that heart with him, carefully setting it next to him when he needed his hands to do the actions while signing the songs-- and then picked it back up never letting go.

It made it all so worth it and more.

And today's photoaday was #fork.

Some of my favorite foods are the ones where I just use these special "forks"

Who Am I?

The last day of the month was all about me-- or #yourself as was the theme for the photoaday

Spending lots of time outside as the weather is just perfect. 

Eat Like a Horse

The day began as I contemplated how so many socks always end up mateless!

Seriously how does this happen?

And then I got the perfect picture for the photoaday topic of "down"-- as Ryder was getting down eating his popcorn.

Why was he doing this-- and so proud of it?

Well because his sister taught him to eat like a horse of course.

Things that Grow

My kids have a book called Things That Grow.  It is really cute asking if a washcloth can grow into a towel, with flaps that fold down.  

Tuesday's photoaday was grow.  

I wanted to get a picture of the top of Lucas head next to me, showing how much he has grown-- but he is so tall now it wasn't working out very well, so instead we took this.

And yes my 8 year old is that high up on me.

But I still needed something for "Grow".  As I was returing from picking up Alex from school- I saw it, the one lone bloomer.

Pretty lucky that things like this "grow" year round in southern California.   Thankfully the weather has warmed up to what it should be so that can still be true and so we can enjoy things like this outside

Through the... maze

Here is what I made last week; took the picture before I erased the board.  Happy to say my menu planning is still going strong! 

And I spy with my little eye-- a little foot

But where is it going?

Well "through" the footrest tunnel of course.  

Which was the photoaday so it worked out nicely.

Whatever Dad!

Lately my two oldest have started doing something new.  I am pretty sure I might be the reason they are doing it, but no proof so can't blame it on me.

What are they doing?  Giving the big W- yep for "whatever".    Thankfully they aren't doing it because they are smart-mouth teenagers, but usually doing it when Eric is teasing and saying things they know aren't true- which is often, he likes to tease.

On the way to church, Eric was asking the kids where we should park at church.  "Should we park on the sidewalk?" he asked, "or how about on the roof of the church." he said teasing.

At which moment Ryder said "teaser" while sticking two fingers up in the air trying to form the W.

We all started cracking up.  

Today's picture was sun.  After church Sunday naps are always a wonderful thing.  Eric took his laying down in the "sun", Ryder was even kind enough to wrap him up after he was asleep.

And Eric took this cute picture of the boys for his photoaday since "sun" sounds like "son"-- see he is a teaser.

Saturday is a Mommy Day

Saturday ended up being a very good day for me and for the kids.

First me-- I got the privilege of spending the day at the Power of Mom's Conference.  I attended for the first time last year, hardly knowing a thing about it and well now I am hooked; even running the twitter feed for the site.

And yesterday I even helped present and lead the discussion groups.  It really was an awesome day, with so much inspiration and ideas and motivation to be the deliberate good mother I want to be.

The attendees at the conference

Me and some of the board members-including Founder April Perry

The photo-a-day was together

Some of the awesome ladies I was together with today.

And what were the kids doing while I was gone all day?  They were crying and missing me... or not.

Daddy took them for... (rest of the pictures by Eric)

Krispy Kremes for breakfast

An afternoon of mini-golfing

Followed by frozen yogurt

Topped off with take-out pizza eaten by the TV while watching a movie.

I don't think they missed me much.

Sick or Rain or Rain and Sick

Friday was a cold rainy day so I did not want to go anywhere--which I couldn't anyway as Alex was still sick. 

So I got my "landscape" picture (photoaday) from safely inside my house.

Though the clouds were hiding the main landscape- the mountains. 

We ended up having french toast for dinner since Alex was asleep on the couch when we usually would have gone out to eat.  Sick days are never fun.

Sick Day

I had two appointments today to visit some ladies from church.  But then this happened.

She woke up coughing, high fever and just totally worn out.  And yes that is the puke bowl on the floor-- which thankfully was never used.   Though, she did think she was going to need it many times in her even dramatic when sick fashion.

She just lay around all day, hardily eating anything and sleeping on and off.  I hated waking up her to go pick up Lucas from school, but loved the clouds we saw on our way.

And this little guy didn't want to take a nap-- but apparently he needed one, falling asleep on the couch next to his sister's "stripped" picture-- which was the photoaday.

And the nap on the couch with just the right movement helped make his curls, which are thankfully coming back, extra cute

The tooth

Lucas where is your coat? I asked before we left to school.  He was not sure.  It was missing, probably left at school.  The mornings are in the 50's but the afternoons in the upper 70's, so it is easy to shed leave behind forgotten.  "I will give you 50 for the coats I lost!" he cried.   

I wasn't sure what brought on this outburst but I was glad he was realizing he needed to be responsible. Thankfully he found his sweater at school-- coat is still missing though.  Good thing we live in SoCal.

Alex has her first loose tooth and it really is all she can do to not talk about it or be constantly wiggling it.  She is beyond excited.

And today's photoaday was "electric"

It's electric!! (anyone else think Boogy- woogy-woogy-) right afar I said that?

Stick 'em up!

I am the Cub Scout Committee Chair and the Blue and Gold Banquet is coming up.  This year we are doing a Western theme.

The invitations

I went and took pictures of all of the boys for their wanted posters that they made which will be part of the decor.  I am partial to this bandit.

Today's photo-a-day was "corner".  When we came home from scouts I got a picture of the pretty sunset around the corner.

We got Dressed!

When there is no school it is so easy to want to sit around and be totally lazy, especially when I am reading a book and the kids are playing nicely.

But we did actually get dressed (after lunch) and went to the park.

I used this for my photoaday of "what I do" -- as one of the many things I do is play with my kids. 

Sunday..Sunday, Sunday!

Sunday's have a bit of a funny schedule with church from 11-2.  It means a late breakfast, quick snack and then big meal as soon as we get home from church.   Then we will often just have a little snack in the evening.   

This last Sunday the kids all wanted some hot chocolate.

So something I saw-- the photoaday theme-- was Ryder drinking (or playing) with his hot chocolate.

Alex was showing me how she drinks to ensure she doesn't get a chocolate mustache

yep open as big as she can.  Sunday's are a good day.

Knotts X4

So after spending the morning cleaning-- and since it was such a beautiful day -- in the mid to upper 70's!  Well we went to Knotts again.  Yes again.  

So we will begin backwards--with our traditional picture

And the lights are not a seasonal thing-- they just aren't turned on in the day! 

And my park dog-- while good, wasn't quite "delicious", but I used it as my photoaday anyway.

And yes, this began a debate about how mustard is needed on dogs- which I do not like-- which is almost a sin since I am from Chicago and all... but hey, I don't really care for mustard. 

And of course we had fun riding rides

Eric took this one as they were going up the hill on the Jaguar-- the kids favorite roller coaster.

Ryder and I were on the trucks when the above picture was taken

It was once again a fun day at Knott's-- and no I don't think we will keep up the pace of 4 times a month the entire year. 

TGIF!

I really do love Friday's.  The older two still have school so I have time to get stuff done, but there is no homework and we pretty much always go out to eat.

Friday's are a good day.

And today immediately after I picked up Lucas we headed to the park.

Where I was able to get an awesome "shadow" picture-- which was the #photoaday.

Friday's are good days--though our restaurant choice, "New Town City Buffet" was not such a good choice. 

Irony and the Sun

I began the day showing you me getting "ready" (the photoaday) by actually doing my makeup-- which was kind of ironic considering what I had posted  about not caring how I look on my main blog the day before,

And have you ever given a gogurt to a two year old?  He just couldn't quite figure out the squeezing it to get more part.

But I helped so he was happy.

We spent our extra time before school pickup exploring a newly rebuilt park.

And was a good day.

One of my new favorite pictures now.

And since all pictures were taken on my iPhone-- as most seem to be on my daily photoblog here; I am linking up here.