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.