"Blizzard" of 2015

After two years here in Texas,
we've learned that we just can't look at winter the same anymore.
This week, we welcomed the tiniest bit of snow/sleet/ice,
and schools were closed both Monday and Tuesday.

It's not the snow that's the problem,
the roads just get super icy and the city of Dallas isn't
prepared to make them safe.
Despite the lack of actual real snow for things like sledding,
the girls were absolutely thrilled to see a little white out the window.

Vic and I have great winter memories from growing up in the Northeast,
so I was determined to have Lexi and Ryleigh take advantage
of the "storm".
When it only comes about once a year,
you're much more willing to enjoy it.

We had lots of snowball fights - which they absolutely loved.
We built the tiniest little snowman/snowblob.
We searched for (and ate) all the icicles we could find.
And then we invited some buddies over to continue the fun.

No snow day, no matter where you live, is complete without
lots of hot chocolate and marshmallows, so that's just what these
little ladies enjoyed!
Go figure that Wednesday, the day real, true snow was falling,
was the day they returned to school.
Only in Texas!

Valentine's Day

Little girls and Valentine's Day…

I think it's a love affair from the very start. 

I have always loved this sweet holiday,

and now Lexi and Ryleigh do also. 

We started celebrating it a bit early this year,

inviting some of the besties over while Aunty Wendy was in town - 

to decorate Valentines for the moms and dads 

and enjoy some sweet Sprinkles cupcakes. 

Both girls had class parties this year, 

so we picked out these Valentines and got to work addressing them all. 

Lexi also delivered a few to her friends around town, 

and I was reminded once again, that the littlest surprises 

can be the most fun when you're a child. 

Vic and Lexi set out for the Daddy-Daughter breakfast

bright and early Friday morning.

It was filled with Mustang donuts, high school cheerleaders,

flowers being auctioned off and lots of sweetness. 

Then it was time for Ryleigh's celebration. 

We brought in candy hearts for all her classmates which were a big hit. 

Here she is carrying around her very own box sent by Nanny and Grandpa.

She didn't put that little tin down for the rest of the day. 

From there, it was time to celebrate at the elementary school.

With Lexi's class, we read Valentine's stories,

enjoyed a sweet treat and played a game

(her favorite boy in class happened to be on her team,

and they won - so imagine the excitement!)

The highlight was exchanging and opening Valentines,

and I pity the poor art teacher who then had to wrangle 

21 sugared up-kindergarteners immediately afterwards. 

The girls arrived home to roses and a balloon from daddy,

and I think they're now counting down the days until next year's 

celebration.

As for me and my Valentine, 

Vic and I finally got the chance to try out Gemma together,

and it was every bit as delicious as I'm been telling him. 

Sending lots of love to all our friends and family. 

XOXO

Beauty Sleep

Look who's been sleeping in her big girl bed
like a boss the past few weeks!

100 Days Smarter

Yesterday marked the 100th day of school,
and the kindergarteners were charged with
creating a project that demonstrates 100.
Lexi decided she wanted to show it two ways -
by cutting out the numbers
and also by glueing 100 pom poms onto a poster.
Aunt Wendy was the lucky family member who got
to supervise this project.
The girls were hard at work for about two hours -
cutting, counting and glueing.
Lexi was very pleased with the end result.

She was especially excited when Miss Smith used it
for the class photo at school.
A job well done and a very fun day for the kiddos
who each got to "show and tell" their creations.
They certainly all are "100 Days Smarter!"