Happy Valentines Day

This year's V-day celebrations have been fun! Tuesday was our outdoor preschool class party where the kids chaotically handed their valentines to one another as fast as possible so they could eat their lollipops.

Wednesday we had our indoor preschool party where the kids decorated cookies, ate strawberry heart-shaped marshmallows and put valentines in the card holders they made from paper plates.

Today we had a playgroup party at the park and a karate valentines exchange... and it is only the 12th!
 
Now that we have gotten all of the kid stuff out of the way I look forward to spending the day celebrating love. I have so much to celebrate. Finding love is sweet...keeping love is amazing! This day is a celebration (or as Aiyana has been saying all week "preparation") of so much for so many. To me, it is a day to enjoy my husband/boyfriend/best friend and to get as many hugs and kisses as I have time for! I can't wait.

Orange Belt

Friday night was another big step for Aiyana. She tested for her orange belt and passed! We are so proud of you big girl!

Drum Roll please.....

It's official! After months of hard work, Aiyana has been promoted to orange belt. Well, it has a white stripe through the middle. The next step is a solid orange belt. She has been practicing her wide and steady stance and sharp punches and kicks. We have put in hours of practicing her kata over and over. She went through a hilarious kata demonstration where she was distracted halfway through by the kids on the side licking ice cream cones. We have yellow tape on our living room floor to help her memorize her steps. But now, it was all worth it. On to the next hill to conquer Yana! I love you big girl!

Our baby baller

AJ has an amazing talent with sports. He can dribble with both hands, crossover, kick while running, shoot, hit, throw, catch, whatever. He surprises us every day. The boy is a natural. We really look forward to the time ahead of us as we watch his love of sports unfold. The question is not will he be amazing at a sport, the question is which one will be his favorite. It is so much fun to watch!

OK... so I may be bragging a little :)

I don't know about you...

but we love the Fall!

I still get teary eyed when

I kiss my sleeping children on the forehead.

There have been many changes around here in the past month! Aiyana has now given up naps (half the week) and AJ sleeps in his "big boy bed".

Now I have to get into bed at a decent hour.

Take me out to the ball game...

We went to a Padres game a couple of weeks ago. We sat on the 3rd base line and Rich caught a foul ball. He gave it to Aiyana and she tried to throw it back on the field! Luckily she only threw it about 7 rows and did not make it to the field. Rich had to coax a young boy into giving us the ball back. He did get it back and the kids held on tight from that point on! It is so funny because a 3 yr old girl did the same thing at a different game and she was all over the news today!

AJ spent plenty of time eating the ice out of my cup.