A Team Week 73: Lovin' On Each Other

This week ended in Valentine's Day, but we were able to enjoy a great week together lovin' on each other throughout.  Some weeks are good and some are bad, but this week was one of the great ones.  Love.My.Life...Love.My.Boys.

Monday: After a day of work/daycare the boys and I came home to our typical time in the basement together, enjoying a snack, warming up by the heat vent and having fun with Asher's blanket fort.  Simple moments and silly boys make this mama so happy!

Video: Fort Peek-a-Boo

Princess Leia or an Aircraft Carrier Signal Officer?

Wednesday: The boys and I enjoyed some Valentine's fun with our friends at playgroup.  Our friend Allison did a great job as usual putting together some fun activities for our little Valentines party and I think everyone had a blast.  First (after a little play time), the kids gathered around the table to decorate their Valentine's bags.

Asher & Theo decorating their bags.

Avery looking a bit confused about what I wanted him to do.

Addison, Zach, Elias & Jaxson having a good time together.

Avery & Violet.  Last year at this party we caught these two little ones holding hands!!

Etta, Zach, Addison & Jaxson

Lilou doing a great job with her bag.

The kids surprised us all with how long they took working on their bags and they all turned out great. When they were finished, we cleaned up and they went back to playing for a bit.  Then we were on to activity #2: Cookie Decorating.  Allison had made a bunch of cut-out cookies and then brought several colors of frosting and sprinkles (along with decorations the rest of us brought).  The kids had so much fun making their cookies to bring home and surprisingly no one made too big of a mess, although Avery had very little interest in doing anything other than eating his cookie and Lilou must have consumed an entire container of sprinkles!

Asher's green heart.

As soon as I put some frosting on his cookie, Avery was eating it.  I gave him some sprinkles and tried to get him to decorate, but he just kept eating.  We hadn't had lunch yet and I considered taking the cookie from him until after lunch, but there are just some battles that aren't worth fighting.

Lilou eating her sprinkles.

All the kids hard at work.

...and then there's Avery...a different type of "work" I guess.

Asher's finished results.  They were delicious!

Finally, the party wrapped up with a pizza lunch, a little more play time and the kids exchanged their valentines.  It was a great time and the proof that everyone had fun was when both my boys took decent naps!!  A gift for mommy!

Pizza Party!

The kids had a good time taking turns pushing each other around the room.  I was thrilled to see Asher actually playing with the other kids this time!!

When the party was done we headed home and enjoyed naps.  When everyone was back up, the boys and I enjoyed some yummy homemade "warm" chocolate while we played Micro Machines in the living room.  We all had fun, but I can't help but smile at how much Avery loves playing cars.

Video: A Boy & His Cars

My date day with our littles continued into the evening as Eric had a work function near Lake Geneva.  Thus we finished out what was a wonderful day by enjoying Netflix's new Land Before Time movie with some silliness and snuggles mixed in.  Then, just before bedtime Daddy came home and we all said our good nights.  It was a great day.

Snuggles with Avery

Movie time.  Avery starts waving at my phone every time I try to take a picture.  A child of the FaceTime/Skype generation.

2 Videos: Peek-a-Bark.

Avery made a new version of peek-a-boo.  He would shove his head into my armpit and then peek up at me, but instead of boo he would bark.  Silly guy.

Video: Big "Kid" Sledding

Eric's work function was a company meeting and some employee fun.  After the work part, they got to go sledding at Wilmont Mountain.

Thursday: Proof of my lovely Date Day with my boys...a princess tattoo.  (They sported Ninja Turtles for the day).

Avery was getting impatient for dinner on Thursday night so Eric handed him the broccoli stalk, which he proceeded to gnaw on (surprisingly quite happily).

Clinging to my leg...a typical event for this guy.

Friday: It was cold and we were tired.  We got some Chili's take-out and enjoyed a quiet evening at home.

Asher taking a "bath" in the duplos...drink in hand.

On Saturday, the fun continued.  First, the boys received valentines day love from their grandparents: some cards from Grammy and Gramps M. and a small package from Grandma & Papa K.  They are so blessed to have grandparents that care so much!  <3.

Opening their valentine's package.

Video: Thank You!

We also headed to Target for a short family shopping trip.  We splurged on some new clothes for Asher (he just keeps growing!) and enjoyed a popcorn treat as we perused the aisles.

Asher taking a break on the Target furniture and giving me is "I'm so cute" face.

After Target, Avery and I went back home while Eric and Asher went and got haircuts.  The lady spiked Asher's hair with hair glue and he couldn't wait to get home to show me!

We spent Saturday afternoon enjoying family nap time and then when I woke up I headed over to Kohl's for a bit, planning to be back by 5:00 for my date night with Eric.  At just before 5:00 I headed to the check-out to pay for my purchases.  My items are scanned, my card is swiped and the cashier asks to see my ID.  Sure, no problem I thought.  I went into my purse and into the pocket of my wallet that holds my drivers license and what did I find?: No License!  :(  I look all throughout my purse and couldn't find it.  The lady kept telling me that I could not make my purchases without an ID and I assured her that was the least of my concerns!  After about 5 minutes of trying to figure out a game plan, the lady let me use the picture on my Sam's Club card as my ID and I was headed home for our date (& completely freaking out about my license that I will be flying the next weekend and have no ID!).

When I got home, Eric was already frazzled from an apparent stand-off with a certain 3 year old, Avery was crying because of something that a certain 3 year old did, and I was completely stressed about my license.  I told Eric what happened and for a brief time we considered canceling our date night, but then decided we better not give up our chance for a night together.  That evening (February 13) our church sponsored a #ParentsNightOut16 as a fundraiser for the youth group kids that will attend Lead the Cause later this year.  It was an amazing idea that gave money to a good cause and allowed the parents of IBC to have a night out to focus on their relationships with spouses, family or friends.  From 5:00 to 10:00 the children were watched over, fed pizza and given crafts to do and games to play while we were able to do whatever we want.  While we had no plans to stay out (& thereby keep our kids out) that late, we did plan to enjoy what time we could.  

So, at 5:30 we headed over to church, dropped the boys off and then went on our date.  We ended up enjoying a yummy dinner at Ashling on the Lough in Downtown Kenosha (an Irish restaurant that we like but have not gone to since before we had kids).  I enjoyed some Irish lamb stew and Eric got the fish & chips.  When we were done, we had hoped to go bowling but found that there were no lanes available due to league bowling, so we headed to Family Video to pick out a movie instead.  When we had made our selections it was about 7:30 and since we had planned to get the boys at 8:00 we decided we might as well get them then rather than go home and then turn back around.  Everyone seemed surprised that we had come so early, but I think both the boys were tired.  Although Asher didn't really want to leave the fun he was having at church, when we got home put them both to bed, they both fell asleep very quickly with little argument.

The kids enjoying their fun evening (Courtesy Immanuel Baptist Church)

Eric & I enjoying our fun evening.  When we dropped the kids off we were asked to take a selfie of what we did that evening and post it using #ParentsNightOut16.  We took this picture (my eyes are never open when I want them to be!), but it wasn't the one we posted...

Instead, we posted this one...a picture of what we both selfishly would have liked to do, but knew that we could use some one-on-one time out and about too!  Sleep is for the weak!

Video: Baby Giggles

Tickles from Daddy before bed.

Sunday: Finally, it was the end of the week and it was Valentine's Day!  Eric and I have never really celebrated this day with each other, so really it wasn't any different than every other day, but we did have our traditional gift for the boys that evening.

Avery helped me pull all the cushions off the couch to look for my license (which I didn't find)...it is one of his favorite things to do that drives Eric and I both crazy, so he was pretty happy when I ASKED him to help me do it!

Afternoon snuggles with my little guy.  He was so snuggly that day.  I could have held him forever, which reminds me at one time this week I was rocking him before bed and I told him I loved him.  Then I asked if he could say "I love you".  He didn't utter a word, but instead turned to me and planted a sweet kiss right on my lips.  Heart.Melted.  <3

Asher & I enjoying some cuddles while we wanted a movie.

My boys coloring together.  They are so cute when they are getting along!

When we were at Target the day before I found some very cute matching flip flops for the boys that I couldn't resist.  On Sunday they tested them out and I couldn't help but get a pic of their adorable little piggies!

Videos: Jump Around

While the boys were trying out their new flip flops, Asher began to jump in them.  Avery, who has no idea how to jump was quite interested in this and wanted to follow suit so I watched happily is they both "jumped" around the kitchen...even though Avery's version of jumping is more like a bent knee followed by a foot slap to the floor for the added sound effect.

Video: Get Her!!!

As bedtime approached and our week drew to an end, Eric worked to tire the boys out as they all ran around the house chasing Emma, a favorite pastime in the Migrin household.

Finally, it was time for bed and thus time for our traditional Valentine's bedtime gifts: some new books with loving notes from their biggest fans!

So, that was our week...a great week with a bursting heart for the biggest blessings in my life.  To close, here are the books the boys got:

Asher's Book: Aliens in Underpants Save the World with Message from Mommy & Daddy that reads:   Happy Valentine's Day Asher!  At 3-1/2 you are growing so quickly.  Your silliness and imagination grown right along with you every day.  With your new-found Big Boy-hood (& potty trained/underpants wearing) along with your love for space shuttles and all-around silliness we thought this book was a perfect addition to your collection to let you know how much we love you!  Let your imagination & silly actions continue to bloom.  We love you and the boy you are becoming!  Love Forever, Mommy & Daddy

Avery's Book: Dinosaur Kisses with Message from Mommy & Daddy that reads: Happy Valentine's Day Avery!  Avery, you are an amazingly affectionate little boy and we LOVE it!  At 16 months old you are constantly busy trying to figure out the world, but you always have time to share some kisses & time to share snuggles.  We are always here for you & look forward to any love & snuggles that you have to share.  We love you!  Love Forever, Mommy & Daddy